New Orleans Travel Information
The swath of destruction left in the wake Hurricane Katrina can be
measured in a variety of ways – number of people displaced, homes
ruined, lives lost, dollars of damage done – the list continues. New
Orleans, after it all, is some mix of the cultural hot spot it was in
earlier days and a new post-tragedy urban center in recovery. Find
between Mardi Gras festivities and memories of that natural disaster
the music of a bright future. As museums and hotels, restaurants and
boarded up shops again open doors, New Orleans, the “Crescent City”,
is slowly returning to life, and now is the good time to experience
the tenacious energy of “The Big Easy” in transition and show this
Southern gem your sense of solidarity. By and large all the
important museums, like the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Ogden
Museum of Southern Art are back in business. Sadly, the city’s
aquarium took a heavy beating during Katrina, but there’s an abundance
of wildlife on display at the Audubon Zoo. Learn more about the wild
party also known as Mardi Gras (kicking off in New Orleans every
February) at the Presbytere, then explore cultural heritage at the
Louisiana Museum of African American History or the American Italian
Museum. Enjoy a tour through the Calbido, the building where the
Louisiana Purchase deal was signed and sealed in 1803 (doubling the
size of the United States), then catch a breather at some sidewalk
café in anticipation of a night out on the town. A city noted in
the past for eye-catching architecture, New Orleans is the place to
see shotgun houses, Creole cottages and townhouses, and raised
center-hall villas. The French Quarter – Vieux Carre – escaped
Katrina largely intact, an area world-famous for the colorful mix of
historic buildings and splendid architecture, and some private homes
are even open on occasion for public tours. With the sun sinks
low over the city, the lights come on, and locals head for lively bars
and clubs. Catch some jazz, New Orleans style, and make sure to leave
time to soak up the color, tuck into cuisine and treat your ears to
the bright trumpet riffs of some energetic live performance. Linger on
for several evenings to do the Crescent City justice. As New
Orleans gets back on its feet, show your support and don’t wait too
long to get reacquainted with this wonderful city - as the running
state slogan goes: “Come fall in love with Louisiana all over
again”. New Orleans is 81 miles southeast of Baton Rouge and 110
miles from Grand Isle.
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