New Orleans is one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations. Millions of people flock to the Big Easy every year to take in nightlife, explore scenic neighborhoods, and sample the local cuisine. With all there is to do, it is understandable that some visitors may be overwhelmed by the options. Here are a handful of suggestions that prospective tourists can use to get their next New Orleans adventure started.

French Quarter

The French Quarter is one of the nation’s most famous and prominent tourist attractions. Dan Doyle Pleasantville photographer argues that it is a center for history, nightlife, and world-famous New Orleans cuisine. The areas of several blocks has buildings dating back to the 1700s and a number of historical sites.

The French Quarter was the earliest settled area of New Orleans and was first occupied when the the city was a center of the French colony of Louisiana. It comprised the vast majority of the city up until the 19th century when the city began to expand outside of the French Quarter. 

Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street is at the heart of the French quarter and is where many of the shops, restaurants, and bars that have made the city such a popular attractions are located. There are locations that commemorate the important Battle of New Orleans where the United States logged its most important victory of the War of 1812. Several sites are affiliated with French pirates as well.

Bourbon Street also has a number of historic houses and districts that are popular for many tourists. Any visitor to the French Quarter has to stop at a French market and also at one of the city’s many famous restaurants. Famous restaurants are scattered throughout the historic sections of the city. But the highest concentration of these institutions are located in the French Quarter. 

Dan Doyle Pleasantville travel photographer recommends that visitors stop at the Leidenheimer Bakery and buy some of the bread that New Orleans restaurants use for their world famous po boy sandwiches. A tourist could also spend time at The Commander’s Palace where they can try some of the famed dishes that have put New Orleans on the culinary map. Afterward, stop at Cafe Du Monde for some famous beignets with a cafe’ au lait!

Jackson Square

Jackson Square is another one of the most famous tourist sites in all of New Orleans. It was founded as a square in the early 19th century and has defined the city for tourists ever since. The square was modeled after squares in Paris which is proof of how the different cultures of so many nations helped build New Orleans. The square was enlarged in the middle of the nineteenth century and the famous statue of Andrew Jackson was added. 

Later on in the 1800s, the Saint Louis Cathedral was expanded and took its current form. More buildings were added in the early 20th century and it attained its present look then. Jackson Square is currently a center for tourists, beautiful landscapes, and pedestrian walkways with the number of shops, restaurants, and other tourist attractions. It is often a meeting place for the many tourists that radiate outward through the historic neighborhoods of the city. Jackson Square is often considered one of the highlights of any visit to the city.

Longue Vue House and Gardens

Longue Vue House is one of the most prominent old houses in all of New Orleans. New Orleans is a hotbed of grand house construction dating back from the antebellum slave plantations. A number of large houses were built in the New Orleans area by wealthy planters who could furnish them with pieces from Europe and famed local cabinetmakers. This house was built in the 19th century and has majestic gardens that are open for public tours. 

Many of the houses surrounding it in the French Quarter are also open for tours and have similar gardens surrounding. This house attracts people interested in history as well as architecture, nature, and city planning. It is the main stop in a tour of the houses that have made New Orleans so famous over the past three centuries. This house is also a test case as to whether or not a visitor would want to visit the many other historic homes of the city.

Visiting The Big Easy

New Orleans is a short plane ride away from millions of Americans across the country. It is a city that is particularly hospitable in the winter months when much of the northern and middle sections of the country are trapped in snow. Individuals could take a plane ride and a short taxi ride to the center of town. They can then see everything that the city has to offer within a few miles of walking. A traveler could also drive from a number of states in the South and reach New Orleans in less than a day. No matter how a person gets to the city, they should visit as soon as possible and see everything that this famous American spot has to offer.