Destination Overview

Fall in love with New Orleans all over again

The cultural riches, sensual indulgences and unparalleled service that define the New Orleans experience continue to flourish, as they have for centuries. The historic and cultural experience that has attracted millions of visitors for decades is as rich, charming and welcoming as ever. Come see and celebrate for yourself.

Of all the nicknames New Orleans has, the “Big Easy” and the “Crescent City” are certainly the most well known. The origins of “Big Easy” go back to the turn of the century and a famed dance hall of that name. Eventually, the nickname transferred to the city as a whole, referring to the gentle pace of life for which New Orleans is known. As for the “Crescent City,” during the 19th century, new neighborhoods expanded outward from what is now known as the French Quarter, following the great curve of the Mississippi, and thus giving New Orleans a crescent shape.

What to do in New Orleans? The answer is simple yet resounding. Most visitors to New Orleans have some common stops on their agendas: Bourbon Street, The Aquarium of the Americas, great jazz clubs, unique shopping venues, and, of course, the greatest eateries in the world. Indulge your senses, savor New Orleans’ rich cultural experience and celebrate everything that – even after 203 years of the greatest achievements and the steepest challenges – still makes New Orleans America’s most unique, authentic and enthralling destination.

Restaurants

More restaurants are open in New Orleans than ever before. This includes most of the city’s culinary treasures, including such renowned restaurants as Galatoire’s, Emeril’s, Arnaud’s, Commander’s Palace, Emeril’s Delmonico, Bayona, Herbsaint, Restaurant August, G.W. Fin’s, Bacco, Peristyle, Palace Cafe, Lilette, Brigsten’s, K-Paul’s, Cuvee, NOLA, Bourbon House, Broussard’s and Antoine’s.

Wherever you choose to eat in New Orleans, prepare your palate to fall in love; there’s never been a better time to dine in New Orleans, and your table awaits.

Music and All That Jazz

New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz and the place some of the world’s most popular musicians – from Louis Armstrong to Lenny Kravitz – have called home. A melting pot of musical inspirations and innovations, New Orleans has embraced music as an indelible part of its history, an important facet of its identity, and one of the most colorful threads in its cultural tapestry. From street performers to intimate clubs, jazz funerals to festivals, and symphonies to headlining rock concerts, music continues to permeate – and enrich – every day of life in New Orleans. Jazzy and jubilant, soulful and spiritual, rocking and rolling – New Orleans music tells the story of the city and its people to anyone who will hear it, and in the most eloquent ways imaginable. Come and listen.

Nightlife

New Orleans nightlife is the neon, noise and revelry of Bourbon Street, but it is also the shadows of moonlit couples walking hand-in-hand along the Mississippi. It’s the abandon of red-hot live music and the gratification of all-night coffee and beignets. It’s beer, bands and bowling – all together, all night long. It’s the clinking of chips, the ringing of slots and cheers of the lucky at world-class casinos. It’s unforgettable performances – from street music to opera, comedy to cabaret, and cinema to theater. Wild and unbridled or relaxed and subdued, nights in New Orleans will always be unforgettable.

Cultural & Arts

Today, New Orleans is undergoing a creative renaissance and reclaiming that title. The city boasts world-class museums, including Smithsonian affiliates The National World War II Museum and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Artist studios and galleries line the streets of the French Quarter/Marigny, Warehouse/Arts District and Magazine Street. Performing arts groups, their shows, and the venues that host them speckle the map. All around the city, historic neighborhoods are being revitalized by architectural restoration and gentrification.