Sights & Attractions in New Orleans

The city occupies an 8-mi stretch between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, covering roughly 365 square mi of flat, swamp-drained land. The heart of the city, downtown, includes the famous old area called the Vieux Carré (Old Square), or the French Quarter; the historic African-American district of Tremé; the Central Business District (CBD); and the Warehouse District. Across the river from downtown is an extension of New Orleans known as the Westbank, which includes the neighborhood of Algiers Point.

Downriver from the sights-packed French Quarter are the Faubourg Marigny and the Bywater districts, neighborhoods developed in the early 1800s. This mainly residential area is also home to eateries, cafés, music clubs, and collectibles shops. Across Rampart Street from the French Quarter lies Tremé. A couple of small museums add to the allure of this historic residential area. While parts of this neighborhood saw significant flooding from Hurricane Katrina, most of the damage was caused by wind, rather than water. The museums have now returned, along with many residents.

Canal Street divides the French Quarter from the "American Sector," as it was designated in the early days following the Louisiana Purchase. Americans built their homes in increasing extravagance as they began to make money in the city and moved farther upriver. Eventually, a business district overtook what had been the residential blocks just uptown from Canal, and now the lawyers and artists of the CBD and Warehouse District share the area, taking advantage of the bars, clubs, and loft apartment buildings in this burgeoning neighborhood. Since Katrina, the CBD has seen a faster recovery and more growth—including new music venues and bars—than practically any part of the city.

Canal Street, which was undergoing a revival before the storm, has seen a slower recovery than other parts of the CBD. While a few new stores have opened along the street, quite a few remain shuttered. Some new clothing stores have moved in, replacing businesses unable to recover from Katrina. The historic streetcar continues to run down the center of the street. The foot of Canal Street, where the French Quarter, the CBD, the Warehouse District, and the Mississippi River converge, is the site of major attractions such as the Aquarium of the Americas, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Harrah's New Orleans casino, and the Riverwalk shopping-and-entertainment complex.

The St. Charles Avenue streetcar parallels the Mississippi River on a route several blocks inland along St. Charles Avenue, home to antebellum mansions, the Garden District, and the university sector uptown. It is usually the best way to get to these areas. Storm damage closed the line through late 2006, when a limited portion of it was reopened; at this writing, the route was expected to be fully operational by the end of 2007.

Metairie, hurricane-damaged Mid-City, and the lakefront are accessible primarily by automobile. City Park, within Mid-City, covers a vast area that includes the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Botanical Garden, and an outdoor sculpture garden, plus miles of lagoons, golf courses, and recreation areas. The park was significantly damaged by Katrina, but groups of volunteers have joined with park employees to make it once again a worthwhile place to while away the afternoon.

The Mississippi River dominates New Orleans, even passing through one corner of it. The point across the river from downtown, Algiers, was settled in the late 1800s and remained fairly isolated until a modern bridge and regularly scheduled ferries connected it with the east bank in the 1960s. Algiers continues to maintain a small-town flavor, with pocket parks surrounded by Victorian cottages and oak-canopied streets.

Less »