Each year, millions of visitors are lured to New Orleans. As one of the true party capitals of the world, the city offers great food, infectious music, and round-the-clock bars and nightclubs. New Orleans also has a fascinating history and culture derived from the rich blend of European, American, and Caribbean cultures that began mingling in the city in the 18th century.

Close to the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain, and countless bayous, New Orleans is near many beautiful natural sites. Like many Caribbean islands, New Orleans has a local dialect, laid-back lifestyle, native music tradition, Carnival celebration, history of voodoo practice, and a famous spicy cuisine. The city clings tenaciously to the French and Spanish roots that were established when it was a colonial outpost. As one of the busiest ports in the world, New Orleans enjoys a rich ethnic mix of residents.

A key cultural link between old Europe and modern America, New Orleans strikes many newcomers as a place that retains the spirit of a vanished era. Music and revelry rank prominently in New Orleans culture, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year to its Mardi Gras celebration and its world-class jazz festival.

The motto here is laissez le bon temps rouler, or let the good times roll! With gourmet dining, world-class jazz, museums, antique shops, casinos, and nature preserves, there are more than enough activities to occupy almost any visitor. A short drive west and you can take a boat tour of the bayous in Cajun country or tour the grand plantations of the Old South. Of course, you may prefer to just sip a cafe au lait, munch on a beignet, and read a good book at the world-famous Cafe du Monde. Either way, you can be sure that no one in New Orleans is going to rush you.