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Facing page, from left: Music, art, trams and food are mainstays of a New Orleans visit. This page: Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street
cup of coffee and beignet is enough for some. For total immersion in the culture of New Orleans sample breakfast at Brennans on Royal Street, this will set you up for the day. The famous 3-course breakfast is best started with a cocktail followed by an amazing array of eggs and polished off with their signature dish; Bananas Foster. Alternatively combine meals and try the 80 dish jazz brunch options at the Court of Two Sisters.
region, celebrated with over-the-top parties that attracted some strikingly diverse crowds. Just across the street is the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, filled with historic and contemporary art from the South. The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) in City Park offers exceptional collections of decorative arts. The city is rich in museums; don’t miss the National World War II Museum and The Cabildo. For families there are great outdoor spaces and parks, Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas, the
Strolling the streets New Orleans is one of the few true walking cities in the USA, and after an indulgent breakfast you can stroll through the city to some of the many museums, attractions and art galleries. As you walk through enjoy street entertainers and musicians setting up for the day ahead, look through doorways to glimpse tropical courtyards with fountains and don’t forget to look up. The European heritage of New Orleans is unmistakeable when you notice the wrought iron balconies that adorn the brick built houses of the French Quarter, often decorated with colourful blooms and more often than not the beads from a parade! When it comes to deciding how to fill
your day, in New Orleans you are spoilt for choice. For art lovers New Orleans boasts
over 100 galleries all through the city where you can browse and purchase local arts. The Contemporary Art Center,
(CAC) at 900 Camp Street, set the pace in the mid 70s by presenting large-scale shows of work by living artists of the
Insectarium which is complete with a café serving up edible bugs! Children of all ages will enjoy a trip on the steamboat Natchez and a chance to see the city from the waters of the mighty Mississippi. Mardi Gras World offers a taste of the annual extravaganza and the chance to see the magnificent floats under construction.
Tax-free shopping For shopaholics, Louisiana offers tax- free shopping for international visitors. The system is easy to follow and you will get your dollars back in your hand before you leave. From the French Quarter to Magazine Street, New Orleans offers fantastic value combining well known USA brands and unique local stores. Try out The Shops at Canal Place, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Riverwalk, Jax Brewery, as well as hundreds of boutiques, art galleries and antique stores throughout the city. Don’t leave without taking back some local hot pepper sauce, Community Coffee, hurricane cocktail mix, mardi gras masks and beads and a blue dog painting to remind you of your visit. The French
Market is one of the best places to pick up some mementos and gifts. Whether your goal is to visit the setting of your favourite movie or taste- test every classic cocktail, there’s a tour to suit your style. History lovers can take a tour to one of the famous ante- bellum homes of the River Road, or to the city’s historic jazz landmarks while hearing stories from professional historians. Looking to delve into the world of the supernatural or the occult? Take a night-time tour of a haunted mansion, or learn about voodoo practices as you walk through maze-like cemeteries. There are thrilling excursions for adventurers who want to spot alligators in the untamed Louisiana bayou. So get ready to sit back and relax in a mule-drawn carriage, a minibus, an airboat or set out on a bike or on foot - there’s a lot to discover. By early evening you will find yourself heading back towards your favourite bar to enjoy a refreshing beer or cocktail and watch the sunset over the Mississippi. From here you can decide where to dine in a city famed for its cuisine. Some people eat to live, but New Orleaneans live to eat. As a result, the city offers one of the most incredible - and incredibly diverse - concentrations of exceptional dining and unforgettable cuisine in the USA. Enjoy Cajun or Creole food, cooked from the heart and served with a genuine smile. Then it is time to search out the nightlife and music you love. In the Faubourg Marigny, Frenchmen Street is music central and two venues set the standards. Catch Ellis Marsalis and Charmaine Neville at Snug Harbor, a jazz club extraordinaire, at 626 Frenchmen. Dance to a Latin beat, underground hiphop or jazz at Café Brasil, 2100 Chartres.
Made for music Above all, when you come to New Orleans, check out listings in advance. The city is home to a steady calendar of music festivals and is a performance stop on the A-list concert circuit. The city hosts acts like Michael Bublé, Beyoncé and Pearl Jam year-round. Musical festivals such as the Voodoo
Music Experience, Jazz Fest and the Essence Music Festival are just a few of our signature events that draw dozens of top acts to the city for days and nights filled with your favourite performers. Free festivals such as French Quarter Festival, Satchmo Summerfest and the local favourite
Wednesdays in the Square showcase the amazing local talent and the national and international acts that can’t resist sitting in on the fun. New Orleans is a city that you explore and that will also change your perspective on life, if only for a day or two. The heady mix of exotic, excitement and spirit is contagious. Here’s what matters: listening to the music and the riverboat horns, getting lost in the lights along the Mississippi, drinking in the intoxicating scent of sweet olive and gardenias, drifting on slow currents in a state of easy grace.
General Information
New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau:
www.neworleansinfo.com Call for information and sales support material on: 020 8460 8473 or email:
neworleans@ttmworld.co.uk
Agents can also register to use the CVB’s new dedicated travel agent website, designed to help answer questions and sell New Orleans.
www.NewOrleans4Agents.com
GETTING TO NEW ORLEANS The connections to New Orleans over major USA hubs are extremely good as the city is a very busy leisure and meetings destination. Some of the more popular connections include: Delta Air Lines over Atlanta, New York or Minneapolis American Airlines over Miami, Dallas or Chicago
Continental over Houston, New York, Washington DC
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