New Orleans Hotels & Holidays

USA, North America

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New Orleans reputedly got its nickname the Big Easy because it was so easy for musicians to make a living in the city with all the engagements there were in the clubs and bars in the area. Today, that still holds true and one of the city's mainstays is its live entertainment. There are a number of ways to spend your time in and around New Orleans. For the partygoers who are especially hard core, there is always Bourbon Street with its wilder reputation but there are any number of other ways to spend your time in the city that are more culturally inspired from the Creole roots of the city to its long colonial history.

New Orleans Holidays Planner

Traditionally, the Creole culture has meant anyone of French or Spanish descent who settled in Louisiana before the Louisiana Purchase. The term has come to mean people of mixed African and European descent since then, and New Orleans is the heart of the Creole culture in Louisiana. Creole and Cajun cuisine have become synonymous with each other, and while in New Orleans it would be a shame not to take the opportunity to have a gumbo, or a jambalaya, or some other creole dish. There are plenty of restaurants that specialize in Creole cuisine for you to choose from.

The Café du Monde is a world-renown 24-hour restaurant that specializes in beignets, a sugar coated fritter that is very good with their chicory coffee. Another famous spot you may want to visit is the decadent Antoine's, the oldest family-run restaurant in the United States where you can't get served without a jacket and the servers are all in tuxedoes. There are an incredible variety of eateries in New Orleans were you where you can get po'boys, pizzas, hamburgers, microbrews, and seafood.

For an iconic New Orleans landmark, you will want to visit the Metairie Cemetery. It is on the site of a former race track, and the bodies are all located in elaborate burial vaults and crypts with startling funerary statues. They could not be buried below the ground as they would not stay buried, as much of New Orleans is below sea level thanks to the levees. Equally iconic, you may want to step into a voodoo museum for a glimpse of the dolls, statues, and paraphernalia of voodoo for a spooky yet informative side trip.

For a classic New Orleans experience, you will want to visit the French Quarter, full of picturesque shops, courtyard cafes, rummage shops, and quirky museums and full of live entertainment venues that have made New Orleans famous. After you have had your fill of shopping and strolling through this picturesque area, you may want to have a humbling view of the Mississippi River, and stroll along the levee. The river level is actually above the level of the city, and at over 200 feet in depth, the Mississippi is an awe-inspiring sight.

New Orleans Accommodation Guide
New Orleans is full of wonderful things to experience and see. It is difficult to forget however, that the city was subject to so much destruction by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Much of the city has recovered, but Gray Line offers bus tours of areas that have still not been rebuilt since the devastation of that storm, if you wish to be reminded of what happened. For the most part, the city has rebounded and is once again full of music and life.