Top Rated Attractions in New Orleans

"Let the good times roll" is the unofficial motto of New Orleans, one of the United States oldest cities. New Orleans is a city with a legendary appetite for all the good things in life - music, food and celebration. The iconic French Quarter is the heart of the city, its Creole architecture still lived-in and home to a staggering array of bars and restaurants. This is the site of the annual Mardi Gras, but there's always something to celebrate in New Orleans. Birthplace of Jazz, music is an essential part of the day to day life its citizens. Bars host live music daily featuring everything from Blues, Rock and Jazz to genre-defying compilations. Along the way are eateries doling out local cuisine - fluffy beignets dusted with sugar, steaming bowls of gumbo, and crocodile sausage - easily one of the nation's most distinctive and ethnically diverse. Top attractions include the National WWII Museum, Jackson Square, the Garden District and St. Louis Cathedral. Built on the banks of the Mississippi River, the surrounding swamps and bayous of New Orleans are the setting for safaris of a different kind, where close encounters with crocodiles are common amid the cyprus trees.

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.

Idyllically laid within the ambit of New Orleans' famous French Quarter district, Jackson Square is steeped in a rich history associated with the epoch-making Louisiana Purchase. An arsenal of historic landmarks, including the three-steepled St. Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo and the Presbytere stand amid vast landscaped gardens, with the bronze statue of the heroic Andrew Jackson forming a compelling centerpiece. Although now buried under layers of history, the square harks back to a fascinating past, when it was originally known as the Place d'Armes. An erstwhile site for public executions, this square saw a dramatic shift at the turn of the twentieth century. At the height of the Roaring Twenties, this National Historic Landmark became widely known for its association with the arts, allowing artists to gather and participate in the exchange of ideas. Through the years, Jackson Square has been touched by fleeting, yet enduring associations with tarot-readers, jugglers, street artists, and paraders, echoing the very unbeatable ethos that New Orleans is known for today.

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.

Tradition, tranquility and abundant beauty can be used to describe this neighborhood in New Orleans. Garden District, with its well-maintained 19th-century mansions and surrounding landscape, makes it a popular and beautiful destination for visitors. Commander's Palace, Anshe Sfard and George Washington Cable House are notable landmarks.

Royal Street is one of the oldest streets in the city, well known for its businesses that deal in antiques and artwork from all over the world. This impressive street is surrounded by French and Spanish colonial architecture on all sides and emanates a distinct old-worldly look. The shops dotting this street are filled with consumers having an eye for quality, authenticity and detail. The quality of the merchandise is unmatched and sometimes, just talking to the shop owners can be an educative experience. Make this street your next shopping destination for all that is antique and unique.