What can you do for fun? Tourism is New Orleans #1 business. The
tourist district is compact and accessible.
It is on the high ground and other than the area immediately around the
Superdome there was no flooding. A few French Quarter bars stayed open
through the storm and its aftermath serving warm beer by candlelight.
Much of the French Quarter's appeal
centers on entertainment, architecture, history, fine
hotels and restaurants. The Convention Center and the big festivals
including Mardi Gras draw people to town to enjoy these delights.
Tourism is alive and well in New Orleans. If you visit
you'll find the attractions are up and running. A few restaurants are
still closed, but there are lots of new ones to take their place. The weather is spectacular from November to May. If you like hot, it is spectacular the rest of the time too!
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Architecture
: People love looking at the old stuff. Imagination soars when we see how people lived, fought and died here hundreds of years ago. Our architecture stands as a visible reminder of our history.
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Casinos
: Legalized casino gambling in Louisiana is restricted to floating
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Conventions
: A huge convention town before the storm, the city is struggling to regain its foothold in this market.
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Cruise Port
: The cruise ships are here. Royal Caribbean, Carnival and more.
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Festivals
: Mardi Gras is the best known, but there are plenty more.
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Fishing
: Fishing is back. It was never gone. Commercial fishing was
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Food
: New Orleans is noted for its extraordinary food. New Orleanians benefit
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French Quarter
: The original city. Founded by Bienville in 1718. Bounded by Canal, Rampart, Esplanade and the river.As you might imagine the quarter is on the highest land in the area and it did not flood postK.
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Music
: Jazz and Blues, Cajun and Zydeco, R&B and funk
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Parks
: New Orleans didn't have much green space for a city of its size. Land
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Retail
: Shopping in New Orleans includes the big malls
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Storyville
: The old New Orleans red-light district along Basin Street (just outside the
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The Arts
: Theater, opera, symphony, fine arts, and commercial galleries all contribute to the vibrant art scene in New Orleans.
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There is much more. Try the
Gumbo Pages for a more substantial look at the variety in New Orleans Culture.
Natural attractions ring the city with a sportsman's paradise focused
on water sports, hunting and fishing. Fishing heads the list of outdoor sports. Swamp
tours, scuba diving around the artificial reefs created by the oil
rigs, hunting, sailing, golf and tennis are all abundantly available
because of the ideal year round weather. Sure it gets hot during the
summer time, but thats good and opens the evening hours to many
activities.
Casinos now offer gaming and more adult entertainment. Unfortunately
the local casinos have been crippled by regulation and competition with
existing local tourism interests. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has been
much more successful in developing Vegas style gaming and
entertainment. Many New Orleanians enjoy a weekend trip to Beau Rivage
or the Grand.
Native New Orleanians enjoy eating out at restaurants more than other
Americans and have been rewarded with great restaurants. We'll come
back to this area in more detail later.