The New Orleans Film Festival Begins This Thursday in the Big Easy!
For 16 years the New Orleans Film Festival has been bringing a tremendous variety of films to the New Orleans area, and this is your year to be a part of this cherished film tradition. Starting October 13 through October 20, everything from critically acclaimed international films to underground experimental pieces will be offered to the public in a variety of New Orleans’ locations. Whether you’re visiting the bayou specifically for the film festival or are already planning to be in the area, the New Orleans Film Festival is sure to offer countless hours of entertainment this fall. Just book your accommodations and check out some of these activities to fill up your spare time.
As one of the best zoo centers in the country, the Audubon Zoo will show you an excellent array of animals, many of which, you probably haven’t seen before. Many endangered species find a home here, creating an exotic and colorful exhibit for everyone to come and see. There is so much to do and see here that you’re sure to have a great time.
There’s no place quite like the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans. This popular and interactive attraction sits in the US Customs House and is filled with family-friendly exhibits and displays that will both educate and amaze you. While your family is wandering through the Crescent City where the bugs become human-sized, watching an animated insect film in the immersion theater, exploring the Japanese butterfly garden, or visiting any of the other fun exhibits, you will also be learning about insects’ role in our own food chain, pest control management, the life cycle of insects, and so much more. The Audubon Insectarium will open your eyes to the world we share with millions of insects.
Learn about all of the American water creatures in a fun and interactive tour of the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans. Kids of all ages will enjoy seeing all of the creatures in their natural environments. A tunnel provides a way to get close to the animals in a way they have probably never been able to before. Experience this incredible underwater adventure.
Taste the Spirit of New Orleans with Delicious Culinary Tours!
Dining is an integral part of the vacation experience, and New Orleans is the perfect spot to indulge in the pleasure. With the unique and savory Southern cuisine as well as the area’s signature cocktails, there is plenty to taste and enjoy. If you want a convenient way to get the inside scoop on some of New Orleans best drinks and eateries, check out a culinary tour where you’ll travel the city trying out all kinds of amazing cuisine and intriguing mixed drinks. Just book a hotel in the Louisiana hotspot and get ready to chow down and belly up with these incredible tours.
New Orleans Original Cocktail Walking Tour
The Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour will give you the historical information surrounding the creation of the cocktail. You will also visit the bar where Southern Comfort was concocted and hear about its creator, M. W. Heron. You will also get to take a walk through the French Quarter and hear about the other bars and restaurants in the New Orleans, as well as some of the drinks created in the Big Easy.
Steamboat Cruise & Cocktail Tour
Treat yourself to the full southern experience on your trip to New Orleans with the Steamboat Cruise & Cocktail Tour, which is an exciting cruise experience that sets off on the beautiful Steamboat Natchez to explore the New Orleans area in the same fashion the area’s original inhabitants saw it. You will enjoy a two hour guided tour of the New Orleans area and will have the option of adding food and drinks to your cruise to enhance your experience. The Cocktail Tour provides you with great southern drinks that capture the true spirit and history of the area.
Tasty Sample of New Orleans
Give your taste buds a Cajun-style treat with the Tasty Sample of New Orleans guided tour. This unique culinary experience takes you on a three hour guided walking tour through the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, making stops periodically at top restaurants where you can sample a range of New Orleans treats. The walking tour culminates in a full dinner at Tujague restaurant. The tour also includes a two and a half hour cooking class where you can learn the fine art of Cajun cooking at the New Orleans School of Cooking. The Tasty Sample of New Orleans is the perfect way for food lovers to explore the flavors of New Orleans!
Satchmo Summerfest is a New Orleans Jazz Celebration You Don’t Want to Miss!
Next week (August 4th – 7th) the Satchmo Summerfest will be happening right in the Big Easy. Every year the city gathers for days and nights full of all kinds of jazz to celebrate Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Not only does this free festival have live music, but there will also be speakers who will share about the life Louis, a birthday party for the legend, and the Satchmo Art Show. This would be the perfect time to take a vacation to New Orleans and experience the rich culture of the area. There are plenty of lodging options in the Birthplace of Jazz, so you’ll have no trouble finding a place to stay for the festival. I’m sure all the music, dancing, and fun partying will get you hungry for some Bayou food, and New Orleans is not lacking in the world of taste. Check out just a few of the eateries you can feast at during your trip.
The location of the Court of Two Sisters Restaurant, in the heart of the French Quarter, has been around for over 200 years, and from its humble beginnings as a notion shop it has become a prime example of Creole cuisine. Many noted political figures have donned the doors of the restaurant, and you can sense its remarkable history. Delight in Shrimp and Grits, Chicken Oscar, or any of the selections on the varied menu. And don’t forget about dessert! Crème Brulee, Southern Pecan Pie, Bananas Foster, your sweet tooth will go wild.
Sip on a Hurricane and chow on some Cajun food while you sit on the balcony over-looking the French Quarter at the Hard Rock Cafe – New Orleans. You’ll have the Hard Rock experience in the Big Easy, so it’ll have the special New Orleans touch. The culture is diverse and so is this restaurant. The atmosphere is great, the food is better, and the drinks are the best.
Now with all the outstanding dining options in New Orleans, it’s going to tough to choose which ones you want to try. Well, with the New Orleans Meal Ticket you can try many of them, making the decision a bit easier. Unbeatable restaurants on the ticket include Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, Nirvana Indian Cuisine, La Boucherie, and more! Get a multitude of tastes with the New Orleans Meal Ticket.
Celebrate the New Orleans International Arts Festival!
Coming up June 8 – 12, New Orleans will be hosting its enormous annual International Arts Festival, bringing the talents, traditions, cultures and cuisine from all over the world in one central spot. You can listen to many of your favorite musicians both local and nationally acclaimed, including Russell Batiste and the Orchestra From Da Hood, Bamboula 200 and Wild Magnolias. Dine on delicious African and Caribbean food from the tropics and try out new recipes you have never tasted. Look for new pieces of artistry at some of the vendor stations throughout the festival and bring something unique home to your loved ones! You’ll be more than welcome to reserve New Orleans lodging while you’re in the area as well.
Once you’ve visited the International Arts Festival, you’ll be able to get a taste of New Orleans with the New Orleans Meal Ticket, offering plenty of meal options for those staying one day or up to five days in the city. Dine in some of the most well-known southern restaurants in the nation, including La Boucherie, Court of Two Sisters Po-Boy Tavern and the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. These meal tickets are a great price for the days that you’ll be in the city.
If you haven’t quite received your cuisine fix, you can try out the New Orleans Culinary Experience, offering an entire luxury class that will provide an amazing three and a half hour class on cooking techniques by a professional chef. For an additional bonus, you’ll also receive a little history on the surrounding area, the “House on Bayou Road.” After you’ve cooked up a luxurious meal, you can sit down in a prime setting, allowing you to savor each bite. If you know of friends who love cooking, be sure to bring them along as well.
Head to the New Orleans JazzFest this May!
Make your way to the dirty south this May for the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival lasting from May 5-8. Begun in 1970 to celebrate New Orleans wonderful jazz heritage, the festival has since become a celebration of all musical styles from blues and hip-hop to funk and Cajun/zydeco. Artists from all genres are on hand to celebrate and you won’t want to miss your chance to see performances by Jeff Beck, Lauryn Hill, Ricky Skaggs and Arcade Fire. In addition to the great music, there are also plenty of vendors on hand selling arts, crafts, collectibles and, most importantly, food.
During your vacation to New Orleans, you may also want to participate in one of the fabulous tours that show you the mystery and magic of such a historical city. Book yourself a spot in the Crescent City Nights Walking Tour, where you will have the chance to dine at a fabulous New Orleans restaurant, have a few cocktails at a local jazz club, then enjoy a cafe au lait and beignet at world-famous Cafe DuMonde. Along the way you will learn about the history and legends that surround the area and maybe get a chance to meet a local who can clue you in on a few little known secrets.
For a more adventurous time, take a Half-Day Airboat and Plantation Tour on Bayou Gauche. These high-speed watercrafts will fill you with excitement as you whisk over marshes and through the bayous of New Orleans where you can catch glimpses of alligators and giant catfish. And as an added treat, you’ll receive a tour of the oldest documented plantation home, Destrehan Plantation, which is located on Old River Road. The tour lasts about five hours and hotel pick up is available so you won’t want to miss your chance to historical New Orleans by airboat.
Celebrate Literary Great Eudora Welty in New Orleans!
During your vacation in New Orleans, you can celebrate a literary legend by attending Eudora Welty’s 102nd Birthday Celebration. This fabulous event will take place at the gorgeous historic Hotel Monteleone on April 13th. At the event, you will get to view the film “The Purple Hat,” which was based on Eudora Welty’s short story by the same name. You will also get to experience a Purple Hat Fashion Show and enjoy delicious cupcakes. The hotel’s Carousel Bar is the place where Welty wrote her famous short story, so be sure to check it out while you are at the celebration!
During your vacation in New Orleans, you may want to see some unique wildlife, and your visit to the Audobon Zoo will provide you with great opportunities to see gorgeous animals like white tigers, zebras, and jaguars. You will also get to see some of nature’s largest animals like Asian elephants and hippopotami. The zoo is home to quite a few endangered species, so you may get to see a fascinating animal that you have never seen before. If you love animals, be sure to include a visit to the Audobon Zoo in your vacation plans!
If you want to see many of the popular attractions in New Orleans without breaking the bank, you can save money and still see it all by purchasing a New Orleans Power Pass. This great pass grants you admission to more than 45 popular attractions like the National WWII Museum, the Oak Valley Plantation, The New Orleans Botanical Garden and the French Quarter Walking Tour. The pass is available in one, two, three and five day increments and will be a great way to see all you want to see in New Orleans while saving money for souvenirs.
Rare Jewelry and Historic Artifacts Displayed in New Orleans’ All That Glitters Exhibit
People are traveling from all over to view the incredible All That Glitters exhibit presented at Longue Vue Gardens. This exhibit features dazzling Carnival jewelry, Rex crowns, scepters, court favors, ducal badges, and Comus Cups that were popular during the Golden Age or the late 19th century to 1930. Some of the most fascinating pieces being displayed include the jewelry of the 1909 Queen of Comus, the crown and scepter of the 1915 Queen of the Carnival, and the 1911 Comus Cup and jewels of Miss
Downman. Each of the exquisite pieces on display is rarely seen by the public, and some of the pieces have never before been presented in a public setting. That makes this one of the most unique exhibits of its kind. You will certainly want to visit New Orleans to view these rare pieces of history.
While you’re in New Orleans, view more of the area’s beauty and history with the Garden District Walking Tour. The Garden District houses some of the most charming and colorful areas in New Orleans. Writers and artists have often used this part of New Orleans in books and paintings because of its unusually scenic and historic venues. During your tour, you will be presented with a wireless headset so that you can clearly hear the narration of your guide as you walk. Some of the places you can expect to stop by that are especially interesting include Lafayette Cemetery, Toby’s Corner, and a local cafe. At the cafe, you can enjoy a refreshment while thinking about some of the incredible sights you’ve seen.
You can’t visit the Garden District without also stopping by the French Quarter. The French Quarter Walking Tour gives you a charming tour of the district that has mainly been shaped by the Creole people of the neighborhood. During the tour, you will see the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley, the Ursuline Convent, as well as the Bella Luna Restaurant which gets its herbs from the Ursuline Convent each day. Your final stop on the tour will be the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum where displays of old remedies, potions, and mixes used by medical and voodoo practitioners are out for viewing. This may be one of the most memorable parts of your vacation.
New Orleans Plantations Hold Historic Secrets
The plantations of New Orleans have a beautiful pillared exterior and interior and each is available for viewing. Seek out these luxurious architectural wonders of the past and learn about the various art and lifestyle that these 19th century inhabitants and landowners once lived. In addition to a walk inside of the building, visitors will also receive a narrated tour as they make their way to the plantation. Check on times and schedules for each of the tours, and remember that some of these activities offer more than one plantation tour, so you can take your pick or combine them all into one trip.
Plantation Tours Along River Road
The city of New Orleans has many surrounding plantations, and you won’t go wrong in your choice of tours no matter which plantation you choose to view. This activity also incorporates a nature sightseeing experience for visitors who would like to see the swamplands as well. Visit the San Francisco, St. Joseph, Laura, or Oak Alley Plantation, and then you can try out the swamp tour.
View the gorgeous treelines and majesty of this plantations’ 25 acres as you’re transported to the front gate via motorcoach. A guide will accompany you throughout your tour, offering facts and historic information, old stories and legends and answering any questions you may have along the way. Inside this Greek-style plantation, you’ll find an overwhelming amount of the wealth and artistry possessed by the owners of this restored plantation of the past. The tour lasts a little over four hours.
There is at least one more plantation that you must explore before you leave – the San Francisco Plantation, which has the honor of being the solo restored plantation along the River Road area. Along with the wondrous architecture, visitors will notice that the grounds have been mowed and kept in great shape for audiences to view year-round. Although the plantation was originally built in 1837, the careful restoration process has left the building with refined antiques and a historic atmosphere for visitors. You’ll also have to option to combine the swamp tour with this attraction as well.
Experience Christmas New Orleans Style
If you love the atmosphere and style of New Orleans, you must come to the area during December for the area’s Christmas New Orleans Style event. This citywide extravaganza features music, feasts, fun shows, and a variety of New Orleans-style Christmas gifts for visitors to take advantage of. As if that wasn’t enough, the already colorful streets of New Orleans will be decorated with a stunning number of beautiful lights and seasonal decorations. This event has already begun in New Orleans and will continue until December 31st, so head on down to New Orleans and experience the spice and entertainment of Christmas New Orleans Style!
While you’re in New Orleans, make sure that you get a taste of New Orleans’ most delicious foods at the Court of Two Sisters Restaurant. This incredible restaurant has held an honored place in New Orleans for over two centuries and offers guests an incredible range of New Orleans cuisine to sample. You may choose between a Live Jazz Brunch Buffet for a culinary and musical experience or the Gourmet Creole Dinner for the chance to find out what a gourmet chef can create with New Orleans’ traditional dishes. Either way, you’re certain to get a meal you will never forget at one of the area’s top dining establishments.
For all of your other entertainment, check out the New Orleans Power Pass. This pass gives you the chance to experience over 40 of New Orleans’ hottest attractions and activities including Audubon Zoo, Destrehan Plantation, and the French Quarter Walking Tour. In addition, this pass is customizable and allows you to decide how long it is good for. You can choose a pass that lasts anywhere from one day to up to five days. It makes experiencing the city a breeze!
New Orleans’ Architects and Artists Present Handiwork at DesCours
From December 3-12, audiences will be able to see the beautiful talent of artists, architects and craftsmen that have built architecture and sculptures in hidden parts of New Orleans. The event is free to the public, and audiences will be able to find work in 14 architectural installations all over the downtown area, including roofs, walkways and courtyards. Many of these places are not usually noticed by the public eye, so you’ll receive a new perspective on New Orleans whether you’ve been here or not. If you wish to stay in the city for a Thanksgiving or early Christmas vacation, there are plenty of New Orleans hotels to choose from.
DesCours will reveal new areas and secrets that you may not have known, and tours like the Swamp and Bayou Tour can do the same, covering areas of Louisiana that you’re probably not as familiar with. The tour will start you off in a motorcoach and cut across the Mississippi River at which time you’ll take a ride across much of the wetlands and learn how New Orleans’ famous gumbo is made. In addition, you can view some of the local wildlife with a show featuring snapping alligators, mischievous raccoons and many other animals.
Along with your other activities, you may be interested in some of the history of New Orleans, and you can find out more with an All Day Plantation Tour, which takes you to three pieces of architecture - Destrehan Plantation, San Francisco Plantation and the Houmas House. Pay special attention to the Destrehan Plantation, as it is the oldest historical documented plantation in the world. Much of the furniture is in the same style that families used over a century ago, and you’ll be able to see slave cabins and gardens outside the plantations.
New Orleans is the perfect stop for an invigorating vacation where you can learn more about the city’s culture, history and art forms. Book your activities today – you won’t regret it.
