Top Rated Attractions in New Orleans

A glorious jewel gleaming in the heart of the city, the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis is one of the most prominent landmarks in the French Quarter. Illustrious in the extreme, the Cathedral has often single-handedly solidified New Orleans' identity. Lording over the historic landscape of Jackson Square, this magnificent cathedral is a soulful amalgamation of culture, history and an inextricable French legacy. The Cathedral of St. Louis was first built in 1718 but became an established parish in 1720. The current cathedral is not the original, but a rebuilt expansion of the third version of the cathedral, built in 1789. In 1964, Pope John Paul II designated the cathedral as a Minor Basilica. The graceful beauty of the St. Louis Cathedral and its surrounding courtyards in the French Quarter makes it a sight to behold. Cradled on the banks of the Mississippi River, the cathedral is considered one of the greatest symbols of Catholicism on the North American continent. Upheld by beautiful blue steeples and interiors which are just as ornate, this cathedral is an edifice hewn with an indelible French heritage.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is a repository of many of the things that make this area of the United States great. Fine art, architecture, folk art and artifacts of the bygone Southern era can be found here. You also find unique exhibitions, such as Looking Back, Looking Forward, Becoming Ida Kohlmeyer, Walter Anderson and Friends, Clementine Hunter and Melrose, the Treme Storytelling Quilt Project, and The Jazz.

From the critter-filled swamps of Louisiana to the grasslands of Africa, you can explore some of the Earth's most intriguing habitats and the creatures that dwell within them at this world-class zoo. Rated one of the top zoos in the United States, it features two rare white tigers as well as Komodo dragons.

Consisting of six sites spread across New Orleans, this historic site pays homage to the pirateering legacy of Jean Lafitte, and the historical events that unfolded in his wake. The visitor center has historic walking tours of the French Quarter and also sets the scene for other historic sites in and around New Orleans. The extensive Barataria Preserve is part of the site, and is sheathed in a tapestry of marshes, swamps and dense hardwood forests, while the Chalmette Battlefield has been the ground of many historic battles and wars. Characterized by a string of teeming bayous and inextricable Cajun traditions, the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is a stirring insight into the historical heart of New Orleans.

Located in beautiful City Park, this breathtaking museum houses nearly 40,000 paintings, sculptures and prints, plus the Courtyard Cafe and the Museum Shop. The art at New Orleans Museum Of Art comes from across the globe and represents everything from Southwestern Native American art to 19th-century French Impressionists.

This Greek Revival mansion is home to original English and American antiques and eight acres of formal gardens and decorative fountains. Although florals vary with the seasons, visitors can count on a spectacular display year-round. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Longue Vue House & Gardens features ever-changing exhibits. A gift shop sells horticulture and decorative items, children's gifts and reproductions from the Longue Vue Collection.