#1 The Mighty Mississippi River
New Orleans is surrounded by water – the Great River, Lake Pontchartrain, and the ever-encroaching Gulf of Mexico!

#2 Cover Yourself In Powdered Sugar
A beignet-free trip to New Orleans would be a travesty! For more than 150 years, the French Market Café Du Monde has entertained guests with signature fried treats, café au lait, and prime seating to view the nonstop parade of tourists, street performers, and local characters.

#3 The French Quarter
Vieux Carré, the French Quarter, is the city’s oldest neighborhood. Colorful gardens add natural beauty to the square where coins are tossed wishfully into the fountain. The crescent along the Mississippi River is the setting for iconic New Orleans photographs.

#4 The Bayou by Boat on Barataria
Mysterious moss-draped bayous are home for flora and fauna found nowhere else in the country. Cruise on a fanboat through age-old cypresses, among 10-foot gators, and where long-legged waterfowl wait patiently to scoop up their dinner.

#5 The Labyrinth at Audubon Park
As the gutting of homes, rebuilding of levees, and removal of debris continues, the Labyrinth stands as a symbol of hope for the New Orleans community: a place to heal, walk together, and celebrate the city's culture.

#6 Lending A Hand – Evidence of Disaster
Human and natural causes are behind Hurricane Katrina's remarkable loss of life, land, and property. Volunteers continue to lend a hand to the flooded neighborhoods that still need help where life is hardly back to normal.

#7 Catch A Sno-Ball
Sold from trucks, windows, and sweet shops, sno-balls (not snow cones) are a local treat of finely shaved ice drenched in colorful syrup. Flavors range from the traditional to the uber-contemporary (satsuma, cardamom, and ginger).

#8 Eat With Your Hands
Among the benefits of eating in New Orleans: silverware is frequently optional. Eating with your hands is the only way to get through a bowl of crawfish from The Fisherman. More napkins, anyone?

#9 Jackson Square
A ragtag collection of artists and fortune-tellers gathers here at heart and soul of the French Quarter. At the Square’s crown is the Hurricane Katrina Museum and three 18th-century architectural glories: the Cabildo, where the Louisiana Purchase was signed, St. Louis Cathedral, and the Presbytère.

#10 Po-Boys at Li’l Dizzy’s Café
It’s love at first bite with these delicious sandwiches made from fresh French bread slathered with mayonnaise and crammed with fried Gulf oysters or shrimp.

#11 Cajun Home Cooking
New Orleans relies on the skill and creativity of its chefs. Foodies can expand their culinary horizons and learn about traditional recipes and ingredients from Chef Ricardo.

#12 Insectarium and Butterfly Garden
North America’s largest museum devoted to insects explains how mosquitoes have influenced New Orleans and provides glimpses of rare pink katydids and giant hissing cockroaches. Lunch is served at the Bug Appétit, a snack bar featuring Cajun-spiced crickets and chocolate “chirp” cookies.

#13 The Garden District
Live oaks, wrought iron, pillars, and porticos make up spectacular 19th-century mansions built in styles ranging from Greek revival to gothic. This district also houses Lafayette Cemetery #1, possibly the most photogenic necropolis on the planet. Dirty Coast is the destination for home grown t-shirts!

#14 Streetcars
There’s nothing like viewing the tree-lined St. Charles Avenue through the open windows of an old swaying streetcar. Classic mahogany bench seats and romantic scenery make the trip more than a ride with plenty of entertainment along the way.

#15 The Sound of Jazz - Preservation Hall
The sounds of jazz are everywhere in the Crescent City. From trumpeters at Preservation Hall to other venues scattered throughout New Orleans, sweet melodies rise through the warm air.
