Planning your New Orleans Vacation in Louisiana!

Visiting New Orleans Louisiana

New Orleans is different from any other place anywhere on the planet. The city is known for its flamboyant festivals, Old World charm, beautiful tall oaks, unparalleled jazz, superb Cajun dishes, and world class restaurants. The historic French Quarter is filled with splendid architecture, lovely garden courtyards, and elaborate wrought iron railings. Known the world over for its top rated restaurants, shops, and hotels the French Quarter is bursting with charm and hospitality. There are so many more areas to visit in New Orleans. Meander through the historic old streets that run along the Mississippi and discover the charming shops of the area, hop on the quaint St. Charles Trolley, or take a slow cruise on a real paddlewheel boat. Much more than a party city, New Orleans is filled with rich history, romantic settings and fun places for people of all ages. Home to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas housing everything from sharks to seahorses, Six Flags New Orleans, a 58-acre zoo, and many parks New Orleans is a great place for a family vacation. The arts here are as colorful and varied as the city itself. Offering up festivals from the world famous Mardi Gras to the Southern Decadence Festival, a celebration for bisexuals, gays, lesbians, and transsexuals, where you will find some of the most bizarre costumes you may ever see. Music abounds in the clubs, streets, churches, and houses of the Birthplace of Jazz. Of course the city will not let you down when it comes to shopping. For everything from Cajun spices to Mardi Gras masks, New Orleans delivers an experience that is no less unique then you would expect. New Orleans is well known for its restaurants. The birthplace of Cajun cuisine and the home of widely celebrated chefs, it is the place to take your taste buds to a whole new level. Whether dining at one of New Orleans many world famous restaurants, eating a muffuletta (a sandwich New Orleans style) in one of the city’s beautiful parks, or starting your day with beignets (doughnuts) and coffee your dining experience will be like no other.

New Orleans Climate

The best months to visit New Orleans are from early to mid spring and mid to late fall. Summer temperature lows are in the mid 70s and highs are in the low 90s. Humidity usually runs high and can make this time of year uncomfortable. Early fall temperatures do not fall much below the summer averages, with the average November temperature dropping to 63 degrees. Winter temperatures sometimes drop below the freezing point, but on the average stay in the mid 50 degree range with night time lows dropping into the mid to upper 40s. Spring temperatures average from the mid 60s to the upper 70s. The climate is milder than many other places in the country making anytime of year a fun time to visit New Orleans.

New Orleans takes Entertainment to the Streets

The streets of New Orleans are vibrant, soulful, and pulsating with excitement. Their live street entertainers offer up more variety than the entire gamut of venues in some other cities. From mime to music the array of offerings is incredible. Beyond the wildly elaborate costuming of the Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence festivals and the brilliant lights of Christmas in this city, there is a breed of entertainer who has taken it to the streets. Wherever there is a space on the sidewalk or a spot in a square, these artists have claimed it as their stage. Whether penning a funny caricature, twisting a balloon into the shape of a child’s favorite mammal, or tapping the streets with unbelievable speed and precision these creative geniuses are likely to astound you. The birthplace of jazz is home to some of the most incredible musicians of our time, these talented people are happy to sing and play their hearts out for tourists who throw money into their hat or music case. Often among the crowds, between performances, you will hear strangers exchanging conversation about how they wouldn’t be surprised if they turned on the TV or radio one day and saw or heard this entertainer or group of entertainers. Whatever sort of entertainment you like, you can be sure your senses will be pleased as you walk the streets of eclectic, historic New Orleans.

New Orleans Travel Tips

New Orleans is a very sunny city. Vacationers must take care to protect themselves from the sun by using a sun screen with a high SPF. Humidity is high in New Orleans, especially in summer so be careful not to overdo it. Pace yourself if you are going to be outside and make sure you drink plenty of water to keep yourself properly hydrated. Afternoon showers do pop up on occasion, so visitors would be wise to carry a compact umbrella with them if they are going to be outside. When it comes to eating, New Orleans has a vocabulary all its own. There are a few terms that are popular, the first is Muffuletta, a specialty of New Orleans this sandwich is made on a round loaf of crusty Italian bread, stuffed with cheese, salami and cappicola, and topped with olive salad. The olive salad may vary containing everything from capers to sweet peppers: the olives are the mainstay. The second is the po-boy, which is a submarine sandwich, but not just any submarine sandwich, it is made special in New Orleans and the secret is in the bread. It is not a po-boy unless it is made with New Orleans French bread crusty on the outside and light on the inside. When ordering a sandwich and asked if you would like it dressed the answer would be yes if you want your sandwich to come with the works. One last little word is beignet, which is a doughnut, but you guessed it, not just any doughnut. The beignet, pronounced ben-yay, is a rectangular doughnut without a hole that is best eaten hot. A favorite of locals for coffee and beignets is the 24 hour Cafe du Monde, located in New Orleans’ charming French Market. New Orleans is a safe place to visit, but it’s still a good idea to use traveler’s checks instead of cash. Do not leave valuables in your car. Numerous banks are located throughout the area that offer currency exchange and ATM access.