New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans makes few bones about it, its raison d'etre is to play host. New Orleans has luxury hotels, funky guest residences, quaint bed and breakfasts, and even a few youth hostels. Naturally, your accommodations should probably be determined by your expectations of the city. In general, hotel rates go up during Mardi Gras season (February/March) and Jazz Fest (late April/early May,) so make sure you book your rooms in advance.

French Quarter

Staying in the Quarter means you will be close to most of New Orleans' famous attractions: historic houses and churches, wrought iron balconies, first-class entertainment and dining, and the muddy waters of the Mississippi River. Modern hotels, like the Omni Royal New Orleans and quaint hotels, like the Cornstalk Hotel, co-exist in the Quarter. The Quarter is filled with a plethora of excitement. A room facing the always-exuberant Bourbon Street can be fun at night, but a little too much first thing in the morning during some of the more festive seasons.

Le Richelieu is a good choice for budget accommodations, with plenty of personality, while celebrities and high rollers hoping for more privacy opt for the exquisite Soniat House.

Central Business District

The Central Business District, or CBD, stretches from the Superdome to the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center, and consequently offers the most popular lodging for business travelers and sports fans.

The major hotel chains here include the Marriot, Hilton, Sheraton, and Hyatt hotels. Those searching for something more intimate should try either the Pelham Hotel or the Lafayette Hotel on St. Charles Avenue, easily accessible on the St. Charles Streetcar line.

The ultimate choice to pamper oneself is The Windsor Court, New Orleans' most acclaimed (and possibly most expensive) hotel. Even if you do not stay here, stop by for afternoon tea or an excellent meal at the hotel's restaurant, The Grill Room.

Budget travelers also have a number of solid choices in the CBD, including the Comfort Suites and Holiday Inn Select.

Garden District

Modern hotels with a solid reputation, like the Avenue Plaza and the highbrow Pontchartain Hotel, are directly on the streetcar line and fairly close to Lee Circle and many Warehouse District art museums. The lovely homes associated with the district and the walking tours that showcase them attract many tourists to the neighborhood's hotels. If you have the time and luxury of a loose schedule, a Garden District bed-and-breakfast, such as The Terrell House or The McKendrick-Breaux House, is a charming and comfortable way to enjoy New Orleans and get to know the locals. The 1851 Inn on the Avenue is a 150-year old manor with every modern convenience

Uptown

Uptown is mostly residential, aside from a few coffee shops and clothing stores. Activities center around Tulane and Loyola Universities, Audubon Park, and the Audubon Zoo. The Columns Hotel, nestled among the many St. Charles Avenue mansions, offers nineteen antique-furnished rooms and a popular bar where both locals and tourists have drinks and watch the world pass by. Try the Beau Sejour or the St. Charles Guesthouse in the Uptown area. The Beau Sejour and St. Charles are both conveniently located near Tulane and Loyola Universities and are packed with amenities.

Festivals

New Orleanians love to throw a good party - keep in mind this is a city that dances in the street after a funeral. So don't fret if you miss the big money draws Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. There are still plenty of festivals to go around, including Southern Decadence with the ultimate drag parade down Royal Street; the French Quarter Festival in April that attracts local and international bands as well as some of Jazz Fest's favorite food vendors; and the Creole Tomato Festival, a smaller affair, but just as delicious.

Music

A ton of musical history and a citywide penchant for "shakin' it" make New Orleans ground zero for catching great music all year long. Even more good news: if you go local and hit clubs outside the French Quarter you'll find yourself rarely paying more than a $5 cover charge with standard bar prices.

New Orleans is most famous for jazz. This is where the national art form was born, and the natives haven't forgotten it. You can capture the various evolutionary forms of this African/European musical merger throughout the city. Fans of Dixieland should stick with the Quarter's top venues: Fritzel's and Preservation Hall - understandably touristy, but undeniably soul satisfying. Modern Jazz buffs will enjoy the omnipresence of Ellis Marsalis, father of Wynton and Branford, as he appears in various combos at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen Street. For contemporary New Orleans style jazz, stick with acts such as Kermit Ruffins at Vaughn's, Nicholas Payton or Los Hombres Calientes at the Funky Butt on Rampart Street, and brass bands like The Dirty Dozen at Donna's, conveniently next door to the Funky Butt.

The next most popular New Orleans musical requests? Cajun and Zydeco, additional examples of the melding of European and African stylings. Both genres fall under the "unapologetic dance" heading and draw on their strong regional country roots (accordions, washboards and smatterings of French). Tipatina's Uptown hosts a Fais-Do-Do every Sunday night featuring the traditional selections of Bruce Daigrepont. The sessions serve as a weekly reunion of Cajun aficionados from around the city , but beginners are welcomed whole heartedly. At Mid-City Lanes Rock and Bowl, the pine floor boards creak as Zydeco bands play to enthusiastic throngs every Thursday night. Finally, check out Mulate's on Julia Street, a great place to brush up on your waltz and get some good grub.

Speaking of dancing, international enthusiasts can get their tango/reggae/salsa groove on at Frenchmen Street's Cafe Brasil. And don't go forgetting the funk! Look for acts like former Meters man George Porter Jr. and Walter "Wolfman" Washington at the Maple Leaf Bar on Oak Street Uptown or the French Quarter's House of Blues.

It's back into the Quarter and the House of Blues for bigger name out-of-town acts. Other night life attractions to be found in the area include Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Cafe, full-tilt silly karaoke at Cat's Meow on Bourbon Street, and bass bumping house and disco tunes at neighboring Bourbon Pub and Oz, two of the more integrated gay clubs in the city.

Wind things down with a visit to Kerry Irish Pub on Decatur Street. This spot preserves the integrity of Irish pub culture: quiet conversation, respect for local musicians and relaxed service.

Museums

Museums range from the nationally significant D-Day Museum and Confederate Museum to the more obscure Pharmacy Museum, a celebration of the 19th century apothecary.

Most political, sociological and architectural exhibitions of interest can be found in the French Quarter, home of the Louisiana State Museum and it's various branches, as well as the Historic New Orleans Collection and important historical residences.

Art lovers will enjoy the huge collection of international art work and archaeological finds at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). A small showcase of African American art is viewable at the Villa Meilleur on Gov. Nicholls Street in the Faubourg Treme District.

Theatre

On the line between museum and art gallery lies the Contemporary Art Center (CAC), a spectacularly renovated warehouse on Camp Street that offers two floors of touring art work. The upper level gallery is usually a national show and the lower level gallery is a showcase for local artists working in the medium represented on the second floor. The CAC also stages a variety of art appreciation events, concerts and cutting-edge theater productions.

For more mainstream performing arts events the place to be is downtown. Theater lovers have a variety of options: contemporary drama at The Southern Repertory Theater on the third floor of Canal Place; the Saenger Theatre on Rampart Street at Canal, host to national touring companies and A-list comedians; and the cozy Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre in the Quarter, where old-school chestnuts are performed by local acting vets. Ballet and opera lovers can view local and touring ensembles at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre Of Performing Arts in Louis Armstrong Park, while the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra plays various venues around the city.

Shopping

All manifestations of material goods are yours for purchasing. Try Magazine Street, lower Garden District to Uptown, for funky, used and questionably French items; Royal Street, for classic antiques; and the Central Business District's New Orleans Shopping Center, Canal Place and sprawling Riverwalk for all your mall needs. Music buffs take note of the Louisiana Music Factory across from the House of Blues, as well as the GHB Jazz Foundation at the French Market, stocked with Dixieland, traditional and classic jazz recordings.

Casinos

It was only a matter of time before the ultimate addition was made to the Quarter's increasingly adult playground atmosphere. Located at the corner of St. Peter and Canal Streets, the newest link in the Harrah's Casino chain houses 100,000 square-feet of slots and table games, dining and entertainment.

Children's Activities

The Audubon Zoo, at the rear of Audubon Park , and its sister site, the Aquarium of the Americas, at the Riverfront, are excellent family diversions. Both facilities are impressive showcases of creatures found regionally and across the world, including such rarities as white tigers and 450-pound sharks. The Aquarium of the Americas is also home to New Orleans' IMAX theater.

Outdoor enthusiasts can choose between two gorgeous oak-filled parks: Audubon Uptown or New Orleans City Park in Mid-City, the nation's fifth largest urban park. Both public greens offer golf courses, play areas and horseback riding.