New Orleans

Nicknamed "The Big Easy," New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in the United States. Known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, late night jazz clubs and year-round festivals, you'll never run out of things to do in Louisiana's second largest city. Founded in 1718, New Orleans is located in the southeastern part of the state and straddles the Mississippi River. It is a cross-cultural melting pot with European, Caribbean and African influences. From historic walking tours to world class shopping and everything in between, check out the best of what New Orleans has to offer.

Recommended New Orleans Tours

Big Easy Jazz Tour
Take a stroll down historic Bourbon Street and see the places that bread such jazz legends as Louis Armstrong, Trombone Shorty, Tubby Hall and Connie Jones on the Big Easy Jazz Tour. At two-and-a-half hours, this narrated walking tour includes souvenir Mardi Gras beads, complimentary cocktails and VIP seating in some of the city's most popular nightclubs. But remember, the Big Easy Jazz Tour is only to be enjoyed by those 21 years of age or older.

New Orleans Vampire Tour
Explore the dark and mysterious underbelly of the French Quarter on the famous New Orleans Vampire Tour. Join an experienced tour guide as you visit the former home of Jacques St. Germaine, listen to eerie tales of The Casket Girls and grab a drink at a noted Vampire tavern. For centuries, it's been said that the undead haunt the historic streets of The Big Easy. Are you a believer? The New Orleans Vampire Tour runs an hour-and-a-half and departs daily at 8:30 p.m. from St. Louis Cathedral.

Top Rated New Orleans Attractions

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
From sea turtles and stingrays to seahorses and sand tiger sharks, New Orleans' Audubon Aquarium features one of the country's top marine collections. Located on the edge of the French Quarter where Canal Street meets the Mississippi River, the aquarium is one of New Orleans' top family-friendly destinations. Make sure to check out the new Great Maya Reef exhibit where visitors walk through a 30-foot-long tunnel surrounded by an ancient underwater world filled with exotic sea creatures.

The National World War II Museum
Considered one of the finest museums in the world, The National World War II Museum features an impressive array of artifacts and memorabilia focused on the United States' contribution to WWII. From the US Freedom Pavilion's warbird collection to an interactive submarine experience based on the final mission of the USS Tang. Make sure to leave plenty of time for the museum's award-winning, 4-D film, Beyond All Boundaries, narrated by executive producer Tom Hanks.

Destrehan Plantation
Located just minutes from downtown New Orleans, the Destrehan Plantation was built in 1787 and features costumed tour guides and an assortment of exhibits including an original document signed by Thomas Jefferson. Built by the Destrehan Family, who arrived from France in the early 1700s, the Destrehan Plantation remains the oldest documented plantation home in the lower Mississippi Valley. Learn what life was like more than two centuries ago during interactive demonstrations in open hearth cooking, rope making and underpinnings to name a few.