Louisiana Destinations ... Travel Across the Bayou State


Cafe du Monde at the French Market in New OrleansCafe du Monde at the French Market in New Orleans

New Orleans Travel and Tour Guide

New Orleans is the largest city in Louisiana, and one of the most visited cities in the world.

It is the locale of the French Quarter (The Vieux Carre), Canal Street, the Garden District, Mardi Gras, and many world-class hotels, B&Bs, vacation rentals and restaurants.

"The Big Easy" is located on curves on the Mississippi River, and also called "The Crescent City". Downtown is the Caesars Superdome, home of the NFL New Orleans Saints, the Sugar Bowl, and the site of numerous Super Bowls.

Things to Do in The Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana


New Orleans offers visitors rides on historic streetcars, riverboat excursions, museums, zoos, art galleries, shopping, world-class cuisine, and authentic music. Here's some stops to consider when making your travel plans:

The Cabildo in New Orleans The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis King of France in New Orleans The Presbytere in the French Quarter in New Orleans
The National World War II Museum in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana Preservation Hall in the French Quarter in New Orleans Audubon Aquarium in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana
Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana Enjoying beignets at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans The French Market in the French Quarter in New Orleans
Ride the historic streetcar lines in New Orleans Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday ... in New Orleans! The Museum of Art in New Orleans

 

More Popular Attractions in the Crescent City

  • Bourbon Street at night in the French Quarter
    Garden District & St. Charles Avenue
  • Chalmette National Historic Park - The last land battle ever fought on American soil between the United States and a foreign enemy took place on January 8, 1815, in Chalmette just outside of New Orleans on a site now known as The Chalmette Battlefield.
  • Historic Cemetery Tours
  • Riverboat rides on the Mississippi River
  • Shopping on Royal Street and Magazine Street
Hotels, vacation rentals and restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana


Annual Events

Caesars Superdome ... home of the New Orleans Saints and the annual Sugar Bowl

There are literally dozens of events in New Orleans throughout the year ... here are some of the larger annual events:

Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans
Mardi Gras parade in downtown New Orleans


Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, has been celebrated in New Orleans before Lent each year since 1857.

This magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered carnival is rich with tradition and is all about having a good time!

The traditional Mardi Gras colors, dating back to 1892, are purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power).

Mardi Gras is always on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The day before Mardi Gras is known as Shrove Monday or Lundi Gras.

The next Mardi Gras in New Orleans is scheduled for February 13, 2024.

New Orleans & Southeast Louisiana

New Orleans Area Mardi Gras - MardiGrasNewOrleans.com

New Orleans Area Mardi Gras - NewOrleans.com

New Orleans Area Mardi Gras - MardiGrasWorld.com

Jefferson Parish Mardi Gras
St. Tammany & Northshore Mardi Gras
Slidell, Mandeville, St. John District, Fritchie Park, Eden Isles, Pearl River, more ..
Houma Mardi Gras - ExploreHouma.com
Cajun Bayou Mardi Gras:
Thibodaux, Raceland, Galliano, Fourchon, Des Allemands, Larose, Cut Off, Golden Meadow, Leeville, Lockport, Chackbay, more ...

For More Louisiana Mardi Gras Information, Events and Details

Louisiana Office of Tourism - LouisianaTravel.com

 

Swamp Tours in the New Orleans Area

The lush growth in a Louisiana swamp is indescribable. You have to see it to believe it. One of the most popular things to do in Louisiana is touring the swamps!

Take a boat tour of the many swamps near New Orleans

The most impressive objects in the swamp are the cypress trees which are very graceful in their structure, with their reddish bark, exquisitely bent branches, and delicately fine leaves.

In the New Orleans area, there are many swamp tour options in nearby towns such as Marrero, Westwego, Braithwaite, Lafitte, Des Allemands and LaPlace.

Tour operators offer a variety of options, boats, tour length and cost. Some use flat bottom boats, others operate airboats. Kayak and canoe tours are also available.

Read more about swamp tours in the New Orleans Area

 

Scenes around New Orleans, The Big Easy
The Red Streetcars on Canal Street
The Red Streetcars on Canal Street in New Orleans
Steamboat Natchez on the Mississippi
Steamboat Natchez on the Mississippi River in New Orleans
Jackson Square and the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis King of France
Jackson Square and the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis King of France in New Orleans, Louisiana
Carriage rides!
Carriage Rides ... great way to see New Orleans and the French Quarter
St. Louis Cemetery
St. Louis Cemetery in New Orleans, Louisiana
Local art for sale
Local art for sale in the French Quarter in New Orleans
The Garden District
The Garden District in New Orleans


Getting around The Big Easy: airport, highways, streetcars and train travel
Arrival at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

New Orleans is located on Interstate I-10, between Slidell and Baton Rouge. U.S. Highway 90 runs east-west through the city, connecting to the Biloxi area to the east, and Raceland to the west.

I-59 connects with Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and I-55 leads north to Jackson, Mississippi. U.S. Business Route 90 crosses the Mississippi River via The Crescent City Connection Bridge.

Louisiana Highway 39 travels from New Orleans towards Buras and the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Air Service

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) provides both national and international flights. Among the airlines serving the area are American Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines, and others.

Intercity Rail Service

Amtrak operates three trains out of New Orleans:

  • City of New Orleans: Daily service originating in Chicago with stops in Carbondale, III., Memphis, Jackson, Miss., and small towns along the way.
  • Crescent: Daily service originating in New York City at Penn Station, with stops in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham, Meridian, Miss., and small towns along the way.
  • Sunset Limited: Departs 3 days a week from Los Angeles, with stops in Tucson, San Antonio and Houston and small towns along the way.
Intercity Bus Service

Greyhound operates intercity bus service to and from New Orleans.

Streetcars

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) operates regional transit service throughout Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes.

Several streetcar lines are active in New Orleans ... visit the RTA Street Car website for details:

St. Charles streetcar in the New Orleans Garden District, the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world
St. Charles streetcar in the New Orleans Garden District

 

Bus Service

The RTA runs 30 bus lines in the city. With its handy Trip Planner riders can find what routes to take to get to their destination. Riders can find out exactly when their bus will arrive with the Transit Tracker. Download the free Le Pass app from RTA to pay for fares instantly on a phone.

If you plan on traveling across the Mississippi River, you can always catch a ride on the Algiers Ferry. For a more informational bus experience, the Hop-On Hop-Off Tour buses circulate around some of the more popular tourist areas in the city, offering pick-up every 30 minutes. There are also many bus and van tours to choose from.

The suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana


Metairie

Metairie, the first surburb of New Orleans, is located on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, between New Orleans and the City of Kenner. Located in Jefferson Parish, Metairie has a population of about 450,000 residents.

Jefferson Parish straddles the Mississippi River and includes towns and cities which are governed by their respective local governments, including the cities of Kenner and Harahan on the east bank, Gretna and Westwego on the west bank, and Grand Isle on the Gulf of Mexico.

Metairie is not a city and it has no mayor or local government of its own. As part of Jefferson Parish, Metairie is governed by the Jefferson Parish Council. 

Kenner

Kenner, a surburb of New Orleans, is located on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, near New Orleans and Metairie. Kenner is the home of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), formerly known as Moisant Field.

Located in Jefferson Parish, Kenner has a population of about 70,000 residents. 

Kenner was founded in 1855 by Minor Kenner on three former plantations. As New Orleans grew, "surburban" areas like Kenner flourished during the 1930s, as automobiles became a more dominant and affordable means of transportation, and more highways were constructed. Airline Highway, U.S. Highway 61, boomed.

The Northshore

The area north of New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain is often called "The Northshore", the location of cities and towns such as Slidell, Covington, Mandeville, Abita Springs, Pearl River, and Madisonville. It also includes smaller communities such as Lacombe, Folsom, Bush, Eden Isle, Sun, and many others.

Read more about The Louisiana Northshore

Gretna Harahan Belle Chase
St. Bernard Marrero Algiers
Reserve Gramercy Boutee
Shell Beach Avondale Westwego
Harvey Luling Norco
Covington Pearl River Pointe a La Hache
Vacherie Lafitte Chalmette
Map of New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, Slidell and the Mississippi Sound to Bay St. Louis

 


More New Orleans Area Information & Resources

Visit NewOrleans.com - The Official New Orleans Tourism Website

New Orleans at LouisianaTravel.com
The Official Travel Website of the State of Louisiana

Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau

Plaquemines Parish Office of Tourism

St. Bernard Parish Office of Tourism

Plaquemines Parish Office of Tourism

Louisiana Office of State Parks

New Orleans Travel Guide at TripAdvisor