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Northast of the Central Business District
New Orleans, LA
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Probably one of the most famous neighborhoods in the whole country is the French Quarter. You could probably walk the whole thing in a couple of hours, but you could literally spend a lifetime discovering the Quarter’s hidden treasures. Also known as the Vieux Carré, the French Quarter dates back to the early 18th century, but most of the buildings from those days were lost in a huge fire in 1788. So, oddly enough, most of the French Quarter’s buildings were built when the city was under Spanish rule at the end of the 18th Century. In fact if you look around the Quarter, you can see signs on the walls indicating the Spanish names of all the streets here.
Gallier House
1132 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-525-5661
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Back in the mid-19th Century, James Gallier was one of New Orleans’ most acclaimed architects, and many of his designs can still be seen around town. When it came time for him to design a home for himself, he came up with this two-story beauty. Gallier designed this home with an eye on the future, planning a skylight, and hot and cold running water long before it ever went into most homes. Every summer, the Gallier House puts on its “Summer Dress,” following the old Creole tradition of covering the furniture in white linen to keep the home cool during the sultry summer months. It gives visitors an up-close-and-personal look at what life in the French Quarter was really like.
Garden District
Around St. Charles & 1st Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
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West of the French Quarter is the Garden District, the perfect place for a mid-day stroll. The differences between this architecturally stunning neighborhood and the boisterous and cramped French Quarter are immediately apparent. This is the “American” part of New Orleans, which began as the suburb of Lafayette back in the 19th Century. The stately homes here sometimes stay in the same family for generations, and it’s easy to see why. Once you live in the Garden District, it’s pretty hard to think of a reason to leave. Plus, vampire afficianados will love to take a walking tour to check out the many Garden District sites mentioned in the novels of former queen of the vampire novel, Anne Rice.
Across the Mississippi from the Aquarium
New Orleans, LA 70114
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The Canal Street Ferry takes people across the River to the historic Algiers section of town. Now, Algiers is probably not exactly the first place tourists flock to on their walkabout around New Orleans, but it the area WAS one of the first suburbs of the city, and there are many historic buildings and houses near here that make for a nice walking tour.
Civil War Museum
929 Camp St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: 504-523-4522
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The Civil War Museum, located in New Orlean's Confederate Memorial Hall, is a real find for history buffs. Memorial Hall contains the second largest collection of Confederate memorabilia in the United States and is the oldest continually operating museum in Louisiana. It is nestled in New Orleans' historic Warehouse District, only nine blocks from the French Quarter.
Contemporary Arts Center
900 Camp St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: 504-528-3805
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The Contemporary Arts Center has forged out a place for itself here since 1976. There’s no permanent collection here, so visiting is a different experience every time. Cutting edge artists are in heavy rotation, so you never know what you’ll run into on the walls. Also, there’s a performance space that has a full slate of music and theater to choose from. Plus, the Center’s fascinating architecture makes the building as much a work of art as anything you might see on display
Destrehan Plantation
13034 River Rd
Destrehan, LA 70047
Phone: 985-764-9315
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Destrehan Plantation is just about a half hour outside New Orleans. Destrehan’s proximity to the city makes it one of the most popular plantations to visit in all of Louisiana. Also, this is the oldest Plantation in the lower Mississippi Valley, built way back in 1787. The Destrehan Plantation offers regular tours of the house, including a peek at one of the un-restored rooms allowing visitors to see the simple construction that lies beneath the home’s elegant appearance. Plus, on display is an actual document signed by Thomas Jefferson in 1804 naming the owner of the home, Jean Noel Destrehan, as one of the members of a governing council for Orleans Territory.