Creole Queen Paddlewheeler
610 South Peters St.
504-529-4567
Enjoy live jazz and an informative narration as you cruise to the site of the Battle of New Orleans. It departs daily at 10:30am and 2pm. The nightly Dinner Jazz Cruise boards at 7pm, departs at 8pm and cruises until 10pm, with a Creole buffet and live Dixieland jazz band.

Gray Line Tours
2 Canal St., Ste. 1300
504-569-1401
Always reliable, Gray Line offers a wide variety of tours around New Orleans, including a bus tour, which hits the major sights from 9am to 5:45pm; walking tours of the Garden District; and even a nightlife tour, which includes dining, nightclub music, a stroll down Bourbon Street, and cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe du Monde.

John James Audubon Riverboat
2 Canal St., Ste. 1300
504-586-8777
Family friendly: Yes
This boat offers daily Mississippi River excursions between the Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Zoo, in the Uptown district. It's a great way to combine the city's two wildlife centers with a refreshing trip on the water. It departs daily from the aquarium at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm. From the zoo it departs at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm.

Natchez Steamboat
Toulouse Street Wharf
504-586-8777
Family friendly: Yes
New Orleans' only authentic Sternwheel Steamboat gives you an idea what it was like to ply the waters of "Ole Miss" during the last century. Daily two-hour cruises of the New Orleans harbor depart from the Jax Brewery at 11:30am, 2:30pm, and 7pm.

St. Charles Streetcar
St. Charles Ave.
(504)248-3900
Family friendly: Yes
One of the most romantic and scenic forms of public transportation, these electric railcars were the inspiration for Tennessee Williams' Streetcar Named Desire. Starting at the downtown intersection of Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue, with stops every few blocks, you can board the nation's longest continuously operating streetcar line. Once across Jackson Avenue heading west, you'll be rolling beneath the outstretched arms of giant live oak trees, gazing at the grand old southern mansions lining the city's most opulent street. The streetcar line ends at Claiborne Avenue. Budget at least two hours (round trip) for this relaxing voyage. Cars run about every half hour during the day and hourly at night.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Basin St. between Conti and St. Louis Sts.
The city's unique, aboveground cemeteries are popular attractions. While some of these tombs have deteriorated with time, many are preserved wonders, resembling ornate mini-mansions or chapels, with magnificent statues for adornment. The oldest and most fascinating cemetery is St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (Basin Street between Conti and St. Louis streets; open from 9am to 3pm Monday through Saturday, 9am until noon on Sundays). Besides being the site of a famously debauched scene in the film Easy Rider, this cemetery is also home to the tomb of legendary voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (Washington Avenue between Prytania and Coliseum streets), in the center of the Garden District, is also rich in Gothic charm.

The French Quarter
Jackson square
http://www.frenchquarter.com/
The Quarter's attractions fan out from Jackson Square, home to St. Louis Cathedral, around which you can usually find an array of street and visual artists, palm and tarot readers, musicians, and other buskers. Nearby is Cafe du Monde (813 Decatur St.; 504-581-2914), the 24-hour coffee house famous for its cafe au lait and the square doughnuts covered in powdered sugar known as beignets (pronounced Ben-YAYS). A few blocks downriver on Decatur Street and you're in the open-air Old Farmers' Market, filled with the scent of cayenne pepper, coffee and chicory, and fresh produce. Bourbon Street, of course, is the main drag for adult entertainment, harkening back to New Orleans' infamous Storyville red-light district of the early 20th century. But New Orleans is a city of striking contrasts, and just one block south is the sophistication of Royal Street, with world-renowned antique shops, art galleries, and upscale boutiques, housed within some of the best-preserved architecture in the city. The Quarter also contains some of the finest restaurants in the world, as well as a great assortment of live music clubs.

The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum
724 Dumain
504-523-7685
Part of New Orleans' mystique is its well-publicized connection to the religion known as voodoo. From today's perspective, it should be easy to comprehend voodoo as merely the combination of Catholicism and African religious beliefs and practices retained by African slaves. The museum has a fascinating collection of authentic voodoo altars and artifacts. Readings, rituals, tours, souvenir candles, dolls and even blessed gris-gris bags are also available.

Tours By Isabelle
5163 General De Gaulle Dr.
504-391-3544
This company offers first-class, multilingual, and personalized sightseeing tours in small groups. Generally by van, they offer historical city tours, plantation tours with lunch, and Cajun swamp tours. All-day and half-day tours are available from 8am to 10pm daily.

Garden District
St. Charles, Prytania, and Chestnut streets
A great way to start explorations of the Garden District is with a ride on the St. Charles Streetcar. The route reveals some of the grandest houses, such as the "Wedding Cake House" (5809 St. Charles), so named for its white exterior and extravagant flourishes. It's worth getting off the streetcar and heading towards the river by foot, as the true gems are closer to Prytania Street. Be sure not to miss the Toby House (2340 Prytania near First Street), built in 1838 and the oldest house in the Garden District; or Colonel Short's Villa (1448 Fourth St.), which has remarkable columns and a trademark cast-iron cornstalk fence. One of the most popular attractions is Rosegate (1239 First St. at Chestnut Street), which, besides being of architectural interest, is also the home of Gothic author Anne Rice. Rosegate is a private residence, but another of Rice's impressive properties, the sprawling St. Elizabeth's Orphanage (further Uptown at 1314 Napoleon at Prytania; 504-899-6450), is open to the public. Probably the most edifying way to experience the Garden District is with a walking tour, such as the one offered by Historic New Orleans Walking Tours (2727 Prytania St.; 947-2120). It includes a visit to the death site of Confederate president Jefferson Davis and a visit to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.

Jackson Square
Decatur Street between St. Peter and St. Ann streets
This is the center of the city geographically, as well as historically and culturally. The French founders named it Place d'Armes, because it was the encampment and drill field for soldiers. The Spanish later named it Plaza de Armas, and the Americans eventually named it in honor of General Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. There is a statue of General Jackson, riding his horse to victory, in the center of the plaza, surrounded by gardens, banana trees, and fountains. Around the tranquil plaza, the square buzzes with daytime activity. There are street musicians, buskers, palm and tarot readers, painters, craftsmen, and portrait artists. Mule-drawn carriages line up waiting for customers on Decatur Street. To the east and west are the grand old Pontalba Apartments, built in the 1850s, with shops on the ground floor and residential apartments, with exquisite cast iron balconies, above.

Lee Circle
At the intersection of St. Charles and Howard avenues
A statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee has been perched high atop a marble pedestal in Lee Circle since 1884. Arms crossed, he faces the north, keeping an ever-vigilant watch upon his enemy. The circle is an important landmark separating the Uptown area from the Warehouse District, and many of the largest Mardi Gras parades make a turn here.

Old Ursuline Convent
1112 Chartres St.
504-529-3040
This architectural gem, which for generations was home to the Ursuline nuns, was built between 1745 and 1750, and is the oldest surviving building in New Orleans. It was one of the few structures spared in the great fires of 1788 and 1794. It is the only complete French-colonial building that remains. Today, it houses the archdiocese's archives and offers hourly tours from 10am to 3pm from Tuesday through Friday, and from 11:15am to 2pm on weekends.

St. Louis Cathedral
725 Chartres St.
504-525-9585
Looking down upon Jackson Square are the three proud steeples of St. Louis Cathedral. This is the oldest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the U.S., begun in 1789 and enlarged in the 1850s. It is open to the public from 7am to 6:30pm daily, with tours running about every half hour (scheduled around masses and services). Behind the Cathedral is a small garden created as a memorial to yellow-fever victims that has an impressive statue of Christ with arms stretched upward. At night, the statue casts an ominous shadow resembling the gesture of American football referees, hence the local nickname "Touchdown Jesus." Tennessee Williams, who lived in a house that overlooked the garden, had a more reverential view, writing that the statue seemed to be an expression of God's desire to embrace all of mankind.

Confederate Museum of the LA Historical Association
929 Camp St. at Howard Ave.
504-523-4522
This is the oldest museum in Louisiana, containing Civil War memorabilia, and personal effects of Confederate president Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and other Confederate leaders.

Contemporary Arts Center (CAC)
900 Camp St. at Howard Ave.
504-523-1216
The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is the cornerstone of New Orleans' modern-art scene and anchors the increasingly hip Arts Warehouse District, which, with all the interesting little galleries popping up, has earned the nickname "SoHo of the South." The CAC is a radically redesigned warehouse space with continually rotating exhibits in five large galleries. The center prides itself on displaying the most progressive, challenging work by regional, national, and international artists. Some theater and dance productions, films, and musical events also take place here.

Galerie Simonne Stern
518 Julia St.
504-529-1118
Julia Street is now called Gallery Row. The oldest Julia Street gallery, and perhaps the finest, is Galerie Simonne Stern. A wide array of styles are displayed in rotating shows, but the gold leaf minimalist paintings of George Dunbar are a popular permanent fixture.

Gallery for Fine Photography
322 Royal St.
504-568-1313
The Gallery for Fine Photography displays early-century portraits of prostitutes and more contemporary work by the likes of Annie Leibowitz.

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO)
305 Baronne St., Ste. 600
504-523-6530
One of the few musician-owned and operated orchestras in the world, the LPO regularly presents full symphony or chamber-orchestra music, pops concerts, family series, and special engagements. All take place at the Orpheum Theater located at 129 University Place at Common Street.

Louisiana State Museum Sites
For insight into this region's complex history, there is no better resource than the Louisiana State Museum, which is split between four locations in the French Quarter. The Old United States Mint (400 Esplanade Ave. at Decatur Street; 504-568-6968), which served as a currency mint from 1838 to 1909, now houses extensive exhibits focusing on jazz and Mardi Gras. (A cornet played by Louis Armstrong is displayed here.) The other three branches are in historic buildings around Jackson Square, and feature rotating exhibits that shed light on Louisiana's unique character. The other locations include the Cabildo (701 Chartres St. at St. Ann Street; 504-568-6968), the Presbytere (751 Chartres St. at St. Ann Street; 504-568-6968), and the Arsenal (619 St. Peter St. at Chartres Street; 504-568-6968.)

New Orleans Ballet Association
305 Baronne St., Ste. 700
504-522-0996
The ballet season for this small but well-respected troupe generally runs from fall to spring, and usually includes favorites such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Performances are held at the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts located at 801 N. Rampart St. in Armstrong Park.

New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)
One Collins Diboll Circle, City Park
504-488-2631
Often called NOMA for short, this museum, the most venerated fine-art establishment in town, is nestled in the center of serene City Park, at the lakeside end of Esplanade Avenue. The permanent collection is excellent and eclectic, ranging from renaissance paintings to pop art to multi-media displays. Of special note is a wonderfully decadent 1780s portrait of Marie Antoinette by Elizabeth Louise Vigee LeBurs. The permanent exhibitions are enhanced by top-flight traveling shows featuring famous artists such as Degas and Matisse.

New Orleans Opera Association
305 Baronne St., Ste. 500
504-529-2278
There's only a handful of performances by this opera company each year, but they're worth the wait. They feature world-class productions and stars from around the country in leading roles. Performances are held at the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts located at 801 N. Rampart St. in Armstrong Park.

Southern Repertory Theater
333 Canal St. at North Peters St.
504-861-8163
Don't let the mall location fool you. This theater presents serious, stimulating work by established and up-and-coming Southern playwrights and actors.

Even though New Orleans is located between a river and a lake, there are no real beaches to speak of in the immediate area; however, there are two remarkably scenic parks inside the city limits.

Armstrong Park/Congo Square
On North Rampart Street opposite the French Quarter, between St. Peter and St. Philip streets, is a fairly large park named in honor of New Orleans' greatest jazz musician, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong. At the park entrance facing St. Ann Street, there is a large archway with Armstrong's name on it, which, at night, is brilliantly illuminated. The park also has a statue of "Satchmo," a bust of jazz pioneer Sidney Bechet, and is home to the Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts.

The park is also the site of Congo Square, the area designated by French-Colonial law where African slaves were allowed to congregate on Sundays. Here, slaves could interact, play music, dance, and pray--allowing slaves in New Orleans to retain more of their culture than almost anywhere else in the U.S. Many historians cite Congo Square as the birthplace of jazz and popular music, and also the reason why New Orleans became the most African city in North America. It is fitting that New Orleans has chosen to honor Armstrong and its African roots with this park, but it is unfortunate that it is still not considered safe to traverse alone or at night, due to its proximity to a notorious housing project.

Audubon Park
St. Charles Avenue to the Mississippi River
504-581-4629
This popular oasis in Uptown includes a small golf course, tennis courts, riding stables, a mile-long path for walkers, runners, cyclists, and skaters, and one of the top five zoos in the country. There's also plenty of peaceful shade beneath giant live oak trees draped in Spanish moss. The section beside the river is perhaps the best place to watch the sun set into the Mississippi.

City Park
Between Bayou St. John, City Park Avenue, Orleans Avenue, and Robert E. Lee Blvd.
504-482-4888
The fourth-largest urban park in the U.S., this 1,500-acre haven boasts ancient live oaks; eight miles of scenic lagoons for boating, fishing, and bird watching; a historic wooden carousel within a tiny amusement park; a fairytale-theme playground for children; the New Orleans Museum of Art; four 18-hole golf courses; 36 lighted tennis courts; and a 10-acre botanical garden famous for its rose, azalea, and camellia gardens and its art-deco inspired sculpture.

Aquarium of the Americas
1 Canal St
504-581-4629
Family friendly:
Yes
It seems fitting that one of the top U.S. aquariums should be located on the banks of the Mississippi River, n ear the Gulf of Mexico. The Caribbean reef exhibit allows visitors to walk through a multicolored sea world via a 30-foot glass tunnel. There's also a replica of an offshore oil rig, huge sharks, penguins, and the world's largest collection of jellyfish.

Audubon Zoological Gardens
6500 Magazine St.
504-581-4629
Family friendly: Yes
This is one of the top five zoos in the U.S., featuring more than 1,500 species in lush, tropical gardens. The nearly seven-acre Louisiana Swamp exhibit, complete with rare white alligators and a Cajun fishing camp, is particularly popular.

Jazzland
6600 Plaza Dr., Suite 206
504-242-0220
http://www.jazzland2000.com
Family friendly: Yes
Scheduled to open in the year 2000, this full-scale family theme park will be located in the New Orleans East area, a 15-minute drive from downtown New Orleans. It will showcase Louisiana culture along with spectacular rides, food, and live entertainment.