Best New Orleans Day Trips & Things to Do

Nicknamed "The Big Easy" and "The Crescent City," this lively one-of-a-kind destination features a mix of French and Spanish influences especially in the architecture along its Oak tree lined streets. New Orleans was settled in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and named after Duke of Orleans Philippe d'Orleans. The Treaty of Paris transferred the city to Spain in 1763 and then it was transferred back to French rule in 1801 and then sold to the United States under the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. You're sure to hear jazz, smell Cajun cooking and notice the unique dialect of the residents on a visit to this legendary city. Popular city attractions are The French Quarter, Bourbon Street, St. Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo, The National World War II Museum, Louis Armstrong Park and St. Louis Cemetery. The city suffered a major disaster after its levees broke in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina causing massive flooding. Show All