Today we are going to visit a remarkable and authentic city with a rich and sometimes tragic past. Twice in its history 80 percent of its territory was destroyed by various disasters. But after that the city recovered and continued to live a vibrant life. This city will not leave any person indifferent.
First thing to do in New Orleans is to walk down Bourbon Street! At the end of the day, it is the main famous sight of the city. Here you can find a lot of bars and restaurants, listen to jazz music, and eat an alligator steak. If you like night life, this street is for you! But not for me 🙂
The second place to visit is the French Quarter. This is an authentic place with beautiful houses in French style. Why does New Orleans have a French Quarter? The thing is New Orleans was established in 1718 and originally it was a French territory. Only in 1803 this territory became American by Louisiana Purchase. The First French Republic ruled by Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States for fifteen million dollars and doubled the United States territory.
The heart of the French Quarter is Jackson Square. Here you can find a cathedral and legions of tourists. Also, here you will find a lot of horse-drawn carriages and I recommend you to get a ride on it. This is a perfect opportunity to explore the streets of the French Quarter and learn interesting facts about New Orleans at the same time. For example, 80 percent of houses were reconstructed by the Spanish after the big fire in 1788 (while the city was a Spanish territory).
Third thing that you must do in New Orleans is a cruise on the Mississippi River. There is a river cruise company that is called Steamboat NATCHEZ. This company is the oldest steamboat company in the world and it provides tours for more than two hundred years. I recommend you to get a tour that includes meals because you will have a chance to try Creole food. Louisiana Creole cuisine is a popular food in New Orleans. It blends West African, French, Spanish, and Amerindian influenced food. Additionally, you can enjoy jazz music right on the ship.
During this cruise you can notice that New Orleans is below sea level. It’s the main peculiarity of the city. A research from 2016 shows that 65 percent of the territory of New Orleans is at or below sea level. The city is located between a large lake and the Mississippi River. In 1965, a special dam was constructed to protect the city against water; however, in 2005, people had many questions about the feasibility and quality of this facility. 2005 was a terrible year for New Orleans. This year almost 80 percent of the city was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. More than 700 000 people lost their homes. After this terrible disaster that construction was rebuilt and it coped with protecting the city from Hurricane Ida in 2021.
Fourth thing that I recommend doing in New Orleans is visiting Louisiana swamps. You can take a boat tour where you can see alligators in nature.
Just keep in mind that alligators are not active in cold weather. For example, in December, when the weather is not too warm, we saw only one alligator; but I wasn’t sure that was it. Despite this I liked the tour. We had a surprise, a very cute surprise. Our guide introduced us to a family of raccoons on swamps and we forgot about alligators at all. If you are not lucky and you do not see any raccoons or alligators, you do not be upset. You can just enjoy the ride on the boat and see the beautiful and unique nature of Louisiana swamps.
Last thing that I want to talk about today is Streetcars lines. The St. Charles Streetcar line is a historic streetcar line in New Orleans. It is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world. It has been operating for more than 185 years. Tickets cost $1.25. You can pay by cash or download the special app and pay with your phone.
Additionally, New Orleans has a lot of festivals, parades, and other things that you can do. This city has a unique atmosphere that you will remember for a long time. Plan your visit to New Orleans and don’t forget about your safety. It’s an important question in this city.
I hope this information was helpful for you!
Any questions or comments? Please write here or under my video on YouTube.
