New Orleans

United States

"Jazz, Balconies & the Flavor of the Mississippi"

New Orleans is a port city with its own rhythm. The French Quarter's balconies and street musicians sit a streetcar ride away from the Garden District's mansions, and the food — gumbo, po'boys, beignets — is half the reason to come. Daytime can be a swamp tour, a cemetery walk, or the aquarium along the river; nights belong to jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street more than to Bourbon Street. It is festive, historic, and easy to reach, with a cruise terminal right on the Mississippi.

French Quarter, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, Garden District, Frenchmen Street, National WWII Museum, City Park

February–May & October–November

Take the streetcar, not a car, in the Quarter; book a swamp tour in the morning and keep evenings for live music

No passport required. Carnival is the line most often based here. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest need hotels booked far ahead.