The enchanting city of New Orleans is unlike any other in the U.S.
Although it has a reputation for being a city that parties, it is so much more than that.
Here are 12 reasons to visit New Orleans.
Friendly People
New Orleans is full of charming, friendly people full of pride in the city they call home.
They will tell you about the best restaurants, invite you to parties, or maybe even show you around. True Southern hospitality.
Delicious Food
This is my favorite reason to visit New Orleans. From low country boils and beignets to Creole and Cajun, New Orleans’ food scene is massive. Don’t forget to pack your stretchy pants!
Thriving Music Scene
New Orleans has a thriving live music scene, most notably for Jazz and Bounce (a unique subgenre of hip hop) music.
It is also home to many notable music festivals, such as the New Orleans Jazz Festival and the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience.
Exquisite Architecture
New Orleans is full of exquisite architecture.
In New Orleans, you’ll see double gallery homes, Creole cottages, expansive Southern plantations, and shotgun houses.
I could spend an entire day, maybe even more, just admiring all of the buildings and homes.
Fun Art Galleries
New Orleans has several streets packed with art galleries. I prefer the Julia Street area, where there are lots of modern and contemporary art galleries.
Peek Into Your Future
Given its supernatural reputation, New Orleans has its fair share of psychics, fortune tellers, tarot card readers, and palm readers.
Even if you’re a skeptic, it can be fun to hear what these insightful men and women might have to say.
Interesting Museums
New Orleans has lots of interesting museums to explore, too.
A few favorites are The Backstreet Cultural Museum, The National World War II Museum, and the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.
Cocktails + Brews
Okay, okay. So New Orleans is known for its wild parties.
But you don’t have to party hard to enjoy New Orleans’ drink scene. You can tour a local brewery, sample a local cocktail or spend an afternoon on a cocktail tasting tour.
As always, please drink responsibly.
Win Big
Hit up Harrah’s, the only casino that remains in New Orleans city limits, for some poker or slots games.
Who knows, maybe you’ll win enough to treat yourself to a fancy French dinner!
Public Transportation
New Orleans’ streetcars are a fantastic and unique way to tour the city. Consider riding the St. Charles Line to see lots of gorgeous Southern mansions.
Unique City Tours
In some cities, the tours are canned and uninspiring. Not in New Orleans!
There are graveyard tours, swamp tours, mansion tours, street art tours, vampire lore tours, and much more.
Give Back
The disaster that was (and is) Hurricane Katrina may have been nearly 15 years ago, but there are still some areas and people in New Orleans that are struggling to bounce back and thrive after the city was devastated.
By pumping money into its economy, you are doing your part to keep stores, restaurants, and galleries open and in turn, also keeping many employed.
