New Orleans Vacation Rentals

New Orleans is known as one of America’s most historically unique cities. Home to an attractive balance of American and French culture, the city is known as the birthplace of jazz and is a multicultural hotspot for food and art. Its most famous annual celebration, Mardi Gras, dates back to French colonial times, but the ethos of the celebration can today be experienced year-round in the city’s French Quarter. New Orleans vacation rentals allow visitors to have the city's highlights at their doorstep.

Coming Home to a New Orleans Vacation Rental

In New Orleans, even the airport is associated with the rich culture of the city. Named for the famous jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong, the New Orleans International Airport is the easiest way for most vacationers to reach the city. The airport runs flights within the United States and to Canada. International visitors can easily transfer at major hubs, such as New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

Gastronomical Delights of New Orleans

Perhaps the main highlight of New Orleans, however, is not its architecture or history, but its cuisine!

Visitors to the city must try a hot bowl of local gumbo. The dish is a perfect representation of the city’s multicultural dimensions in culinary form. It is served over rice and typically includes some form of protein, such as prawns or andouille sausage.

After you’ve enjoyed your gumbo, top off the dining experience with a freshly fried beignet. The donut-like treat was first introduced by French-Creole colonists to the city and is best enjoyed alongside a café au lait (coffee with milk) on Bourbon Street.

Top Sights in Wonderful New Orleans

Many of New Orleans's top sights are located in the famous French Quarter. Also known as the Vieux Carré, the area is the oldest part of the city and a designated national historic landmark.

From your New Orleans vacation rental, head to the French Quarter's Bourbon Street, at the heart of the district. Home to many of New Orleans's most famous music venues and restaurants, the architecture of the street is unique within the United States and not to be missed during your visit to the city.

Jackson Square is a large public park in the center of the area, which holds both historical and cultural significance. Artists and music buskers line the ornate streets around the square. Explore the area on your own, or go in-depth with a guided walking tour.

Located on one side of the square is the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral, dating from 1718. Its famous cemetery holds the remains of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau and attracts many pilgrims to the site each year.

New Orleans: The Home of Jazz

New Orleans has a deep and significant musical history. During slavery, the city was the only location in the southern United States where slaves were permitted to own drums. The so-called Voodoo music and rituals were celebrated, and blended with music heard in local bars and churches to create a new sound that eventually became known as jazz. Today, travelers enjoy jazz performed by buskers and professional musicians alike all across New Orleans.

Special Tips for Exploring New Orleans with Kids

A family vacation is all about getting the kids out and about. Fortunately, New Orleans has plenty of recreational attractions that compel families to go beyond the comfort of their vacation rentals.

The French Quarter is one of New Orleans' most popular neighbourhoods. Its streets feature restaurants serving Creole-influenced dishes. You can pop in at many eateries here for the best of offerings such as fruit tarts, croissants, and boudin benedict. After breakfast, embark on a guided tour around the town to gain insights into its historical and cultural charm through buildings like the Cabildo and Presbytere. The two ancient structures are part of the Louisiana State Museum, which boasts numerous exhibits and artifacts including Napoleon's death mask.

Animal and nature lovers will enjoy the city's Audubon Family Zoo. The award-winning zoo lets guests come up close to exotic animals and experience different natural habitats of the world. Located on Magazine St., the zoo has region-specific exhibits incorporating native animal species. For instance, the African Savanna exhibit focuses on tropical savanna ecosystems, including zebras, elephants, and the African wild dog. After touring the zoo, take a plunge in its splash park, where the kids can cool off from the summer heat. The park has water pipes and tunnels for maximum fun and thrills.

New Orleans Vacation Rentals During Mardi Gras

In New Orleans, there is no more exciting time to be in the city than during Mardi Gras, the annual celebration full of French-Creole tradition, color, and flavor. The festival originally came to the United States from Paris and has its roots in the celebration of spring and new beginnings.

Each year, there are a number of parades through the streets of central New Orleans, organized by social clubs called "krewes." From colorful strings of beads thrown from the parade floats and toys for children to the plethora of seasonal eats, New Orleans is awash in the trappings of revelry. The city is filled with color and music for the two weeks of Mardi Gras, as visitors and locals come together to celebrate the joie de vivre for which New Orleans has become so famous.

New Orleans' Highlights

Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World

This unique museum and working factory gives visitors a fascinating insight into the preparation and craftsmanship involved in producing the Mardi Gras floats.

New Orleans City Park

This 1300-acre park is as enchanting as it is gargantuan. The sinuous, centuries-old trees hanging over the quaint bridges and manicured lawns give it a distinctive feel.

St. Louis Cathedral

This cathedral is the oldest in North America and dominates the French Quarter. Note that the Cathedral's kind volunteers are on hand for impromptu tours. Group tours can be arranged in advance.

Jackson Square

Situated in the French Quarter, this iconic square is of great significance to the history of New Orleans. Formerly a popular artists' hangout, it has been designated one of America's most important public spaces.

The National WWII Museum

Formerly known as the D-Day Museum, this outstanding attraction charts the role of the US in the Second World War, through thought-provoking exhibits.

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