For some of the finest examples of rich culture, history and zest for life and art, head to
New Orleans, the city designated after the Duke of Orleans. Nestled in Southeastern Louisiana and be-straddle by the Mississippi River, New Orleans is also fondly called ‘
The Big Easy’; ‘
The Crescent City’; ‘
The City That Care Forgot’; ‘
NOLA’ and ‘
Nawlins.’ Arriving in New Orleans you can live, see and sense the city’s strong European culture vibe, festivals, parade,
thriving music,
rich food scene, candid locals and their top notch attractions. The city is all about mysticism and 'music' being its backbone - rock n roll, blues, jazz and zydeco tunes echo everywhere. From Bourborn Street’s nightlife scene to Garden District’s oasis of serenity, to the bustling Magazine Street, to the fiesta in Mardi Gras World – The Crescent City celebrates life to the brim.
Image by Gonk via wikimedia commonsHistory of New Orleans
In 1700, the town of Nouvelle Orleans was founded by French, led by
Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. In the Treaty of Paris, the French Colony was conquered by the Spanish Empire. New Orleans served as a central gateway for slave trade and smuggling aid. The Louisiana Purchase by United States in 1803 resulted in the expansion of the city, with the inflow of Americans, Creoles, French, Africans and other immigrants.
The end of Civil War also brought an end to slavery based plantations that affected the economy of New Orleans to a great extent. Jazz music originated in New Orleans in 1900s and Jazz fest flourished. Later in the mid 1900s, Oil and petrochemical industries, hospitals, colleges were established. In 2005, hurricane Katrina and Rita brought in much devastation to the city.
Important Locations in New Orleans
The "American Quarter" or "American Sector” is where New Orleans’ major business is concentrated and is called the Central Business District. The district is anchored by major streets, such as Lafayette Square, Canal Street, Tulane Avenue, Poydras Street and Loyola Avenue. The ‘uptown’ and ‘downtown’ areas of the city is divided by the Canal Street. Some of the notable neighborhoods in downtown, include the French Quarter, the 7th Ward, Treme, Bywater, Faubourg Marigny and the Lower Ninth Ward. The Warehouse District, the Garden District, the University District, the Lower Garden District, the Irish Channel, Carrollton, Fontainebleau, Gert Town and Broadmoor are some of the significant uptown neighborhoods.
French Quarter: A visit here will let you explore the historic importance and the rich French heritage, as this was the original site of New Orleans French colony. Highlights include like the Bourbon Street, the Faulkner House, Jackson Square and the Cabildo.
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New Orleans Museum of Art: This neo classical, Beaux Arts style museum houses a diverse collection of arts, ranging from early Asian works to European masterpieces, covering a span from the 15th to the 20th centuries.
Click Here for more details. Garden District: This was where New Orleans aristocratic class dwelled and as you stroll around this historic district, you will explore its their lush antebellum homes, stunning gardens, ivys and tress, Lafayette Cemetery and beyond.
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Frenchmen Street: To soak in New Orleans authentic experience, meander around the lively Frenchmen Street that is flooded with shops, art galleries, night clubs, live music bars and several fine restaurants. Get more details about the street here.
The Cabildo: Once served as the Supreme Court and City Hall, The Cabildo is now a large branch of Louisiana State Museum. This Spanish style building houses Native American object collections, Napoleon Bonaparte's death mask, Colonial-era paintings and other notable artifacts.
Explore more about the museum.
The National World War II Museum: The museum is where you can explore World War II exhibits, like artifacts, taxts, testimonials and 4-D war inspired movie. Visit thos venue to pay your tribute to war veterans.
To Learn more about The National World War II Museum, Click Here.
Mardi Gras World: To discover behind the scenes preparation to help realise the grand celebration of Mardi Gras, you ought to visit Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World.
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Audubon Zoo: With over 2000 exotic animals and lots to learn about the animals. And also to magnify the fun quotient, explore the 'Dinosaur Adventure' that features giant Dinosaur replicas.
Learn more about the zoo.
Check out the top tourist spots in New Orleans!
People and Culture of New Orleans
The candid culture of New Orleans is quite striking. The city still embraces its bygone eras, dated hundreds of years back. The primary language spoke by the residents is English, followed by Spanish, Vietnamese and French. The city is strongly influenced by Catholic tradition due to the dominance of French and Spanish settlement in its colonial history. The carnival, Mardi Gras is one of the most popular festive celebrations in New Orleans that attract millions of visitors every year. The dramatic fiesta takes off with giant flaots, masks, costume, food and drinks. The city's strong tie with Afro-Caribbean Roman Catholic beliefs has brought in a distinctive variety of Louisiana Voodoo in New Orleans. NOLA is very much of America, but still oozes a strikingly peculiar vibe, that manifests as the most European city in America.
Time Zone and Phone Codes of New Orleans
New Orleans is in the Central Time Zone (UTC-6). The Summer Daylight Saving Time (DST) is Mountain Daylight Time (UTC−5).
Standard time zone: UTC- 6 hours
Daylight saving time: 1 hour
Current time zone offset: UTC- 5 hour
Time zone abbreviation: CST
Phone Codes of New Orleans
Area code: 504
International Country Code: 1
Best Time to Visit New Orleans
Plan your next holiday to New Orleans between February and May. During this time of the year, the weather is balmy and festivals are a plenty, not to mention, the grand celebration of Mardi Gras. It is advisable to make our hotel booking well in advance. For bargain hunters, plan a visit in summer and fall seasons to take advantage of low hotel rates. If you want to avoid crowd mania, travel in December or January.
Some of the notable seasonal festivals and events in New Orleans are-Mardi Gras (February-March)
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April-May)
French Quarter Festival (April)
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (May)
Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival (June)
COOLinary New Orleans (August)
Satchmo Summerfest (July-August)Louisiana Seafood Festival (September)
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival (October)
Voodoo Music Festival (October-November)
New Orleans Film Festival (October)
Red Dress Run (August)
Oak Street Po-Boy Festival (November)
Battle of New Orleans Anniversary (January)a
Sugar Bowl (January)
New Orleans Important Locations Map Guide
