Top Rated Attractions in New Orleans

Royal Carriages offers entertaining and informative tours of New Orleans' historic French Quarter. Offering half hour and hour long tours for up to four people, carriage tours leave from Jackson Square daily from 8:30a to Midnight. Royal Carriages provides convention and guest services as well as services for weddings. This local family owned business will give you a great look at New Orleans' most famous and historic neighborhoods.

Magic Walking Tours, a creation by Richard Rochester are historical tours with a bit of mysterious theater, plus a ghost story or two thrown in. There are several tours daily: Saint Louis Cemetery Number One, the French Quarter, the Garden District, the Voodoo Tour, and the Vampire and Ghost Hunt Walking Tour. Reservations are not necessary, but do call ahead for a schedule as they are subject to change. Meeting places vary.

This muralist turned gallery artist has made a name for himself by painting many colorful representations of the New Orleans street life. Each of Brice's pieces at Bruce Brice Gallery is brightly colored and is perfect for those looking to spice up their collection. Bruce exhibits his work with other African-American artists in New Orleans Center Mall in the Central Business District. Limited editions as well as originals are available for purchase.

Mardi Gras World is where Mardi Gras is created. Here, you can catch the artists and builders of the world famous floats hard at work. There is a gift shop where you can buy Carnival memorabilia, so you can say you have seen Mardi Gras and have something to show for it. Mardi Gras World is a fun trip for children, as a chest full of costumes affords them the chance to dress in true Carnival style.

The five-minute free ride on the Canal-Algiers Ferry is a great alternative way to see the French Quarter and experience NOLA outside the tourist zone. The Canal Street terminal is conveniently located on the edge of the French Quarter. The Algiers Point terminal is in a quaint neighborhood. Algiers Point, founded in 1719 with about the same size of the French Quarter, has quite a different atmosphere. Here you can enjoy a scenic walk along the river bank, chat with dog-walkers, see different types of architectures from Creole Cottages to Greek Revival, visit the Mardi Gras World, or just hang out at the local bar outside the terminal. The ferry runs every 30 minutes, leaving Algiers Point on the half-hour and hour and leaving Canal Street at 15 minutes to the hour and 15 after the hour. - Hoiyin Ip

Nicholas M. Benachi, a consul of Greece, built this grand house in 1858. Located on the intersection of Bayou Road and Esplanade Avenue, Benachi House is considered to be quite an exotic presence. Jim Derbes, who received the 1985 Honor Award for restoration, has brought it to its present beauty. Appointments all through the house are descended from various styles such as Victorian, Rococo revival, Gothic, classical and Empire.