New Orleans Area Attractions

There's never a dull moment in New Orleans. Everyday there are hundreds of events, festivals, concerts, world famous dining to delight in the Big Easy.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
One Canal Street • New Orleans, LA • 504.581.4629 • 800.774.7394
With all the other delights New Orleans offers, it's easy to overlook the Audubon Institute's Aquarium of the Americas -- despite its million-gallon size. Who wants to look at fish when you could be eating them? But this is a world-class aquarium, highly entertaining and painlessly educational, with beautifully constructed exhibits. Kids love it, even those too impatient to read the graphics, but adults shouldn't overlook it, if for no other reason than it's a handy refuge from the rain.

The Historic French Market
On Decatur Street toward Esplanade Avenue
Legend has it that the site of the French Market was originally used by Native Americans as a bartering market. It began to grow into an official market in 1812. From around 1840 to 1870, it was part of Gallatin Street, an impossibly rough area so full of bars, drunken sailors, and criminals of every shape and size that it made Bourbon Street look like Disneyland. Today, it's a mixed bag (and not nearly as colorful as its past). The 24-hour Farmer's Market makes a fun amble as you admire everything from fresh produce and fish to more tourist-oriented items like hot sauces and Cajun and Creole mixes. Snacks like gator on a stick (when was the last time you had that?) will amuse the kids. The Flea Market, a bit farther down from the Farmer's Market, is considered a must-shop place, but the reality is that the goods are kind of junky: T-shirts, jewelry, hats, purses, toys, sunglasses, and so on. Still, some good deals can be had (even better if you are up for bargaining), so the savvy might find it the right place for souvenir shopping.

D-Day Museum
945 Magazine Street • New Orleans, LA 70130 • 504.527.6012
The Museum, which opened on June 6, 2000, is the only museum in the United States that addresses all of the amphibious invasions or "D-days" of World War II, paying tribute to the more than one million Americans who took part.

The National D-Day Museum preserves the stories of the American men and women who prevailed in an epic struggle against tyranny. You can also learn how they lived, fought and died for your freedom in the most titanic war in world history.

French Quarter
No visit to New Orleans is complete until you visit the French Quarter. This wonderful area has it all: exquisite architecture, history, elegant shops, lacy ironwork, jazz clubs, and, of course, Bourbon Street. There is really nothing else quite like it in this country, and you must walk the cobblestone streets to savor it all.

The first thing to remember about the French Quarter is that this area is authentic, not a reproduction of history. Many of the buildings found here date back to the 1700's, and most of the architecture is Spanish, not French. The entire area consists of 120 blocks, nestled on the bend of the Mississippi River.

New Orleans City Park
One Palm Drive • New Orleans, LA 70124 • 504.482.4888
Just may be more than you'd expect - Golf, Tennis, Boating, Softball, and a Botanical Garden.

Six Flags New Orleans
12301 Lake Forest Boulevard • New Orleans, LA 70129 • 504.253.8100
This high quality attraction offers outstanding amusement rides, spectacular shows, scrumptious food and a variety of live music - everything that makes New Orleans a world-class destination.

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