6 Compelling Reasons to Visit New Orleans This Year

As vaccination progresses and travel steadily resumes, now is the perfect time to begin planning your next getaway. If New Orleans is on your radar, take a visual tour of the city’s sights, flavors, and sounds to spark inspiration for your trip.

  • Café du Monde

    New Orleans is famous for beignets—pillowy fried dough dusted with powdered sugar—and for chicory coffee brewed with roasted chicory root. For a classic pairing, visit Café du Monde.
  • Musical Legends Park

    Bourbon Street pulses with live music and nightlife, while nearby Musical Legends Park celebrates the artists who shaped New Orleans’ sound.
  • New Orleans Steamboat Co. Natchez

    For a different perspective on the city, consider a cruise on the Mississippi. The steamboat Natchez has long been a New Orleans icon and offers scenic river tours when operating.
  • Streetcar lines

    The city’s historic streetcar lines—St. Charles, Canal Street, Riverfront, Loyola/UPT and Rampart/St. Claude—connect downtown with the French Quarter and other neighborhoods, making exploring easy and atmospheric.
  • Street musician on Royal Street

    Royal Street, a short walk from Bourbon, features art galleries, antique shops, restaurants and street performers, offering a more relaxed, culturally rich alternative to the frenetic nightlife.
  • Seafood Platter New Orleans Style

    Fresh Gulf seafood is a cornerstone of New Orleans cuisine—shrimp, crab, crawfish and oysters feature prominently. Local restaurants like Deanie’s are celebrated for generous seafood platters.
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