New Orleans - French Quarter (Vieux Carre)

The best known street in New Orleans is Bourbon Street. Located in the French Quarter this street is known for hot jazz spots, restaurants, and all kinds of entertainment options. During the day it is relatively quiet and it night it is generally busy and lively. Bourton Street is a big tourist area in the city and the scene of all kinds of activities. During Mardis Gras the street and the balconies on all the buildings overlooking the street, are packed with people who come to see and experience the festivities.

Bourbon Street is also important from a historical perspective. It is home to the famous Preservation Hall, and the Old Absinthe House (1807), in which Andrew Jackson and the guerrilla leaders Jean and Pierre Lafitte planned the decisive battle with British forces.

Royal Street, located in the French Quarter, offers a great mix of history, fine cuisine, and unique shopping opportunities. Shoppers can enjoy browsing through the numerous antique shops, as well as upper end stores, and art galleries. There are also many hotels and restaurants along Royal Street, with some well known fine dining spots.

For sightseeing and those looking interested in seeing some of the traditional architecture, there are many old buildings with the classic iron balconies for which New Orleans is so well known. Some of the fine buildings on Royal Street include the old Bank of Louisiana, the old established Antoine's Restaurant, the Spanish Governor's House (1784), the Court of Two Sisters (1832), Patti's Court (1860; once occupied by the famous singer Adelina Patti), the Historic New Orleans Collection, and finally Dr Le Monnier's House (1811).

A picturesque and lively little street (many street artists), particularly in spring, is the Ruelle d'Orleans (Pirates' Alley), also known as Pirates' Alley after the freebooters who used to haunt this area.

Through Woldenberg Park is the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, which attracts great numbers of visitors.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans displays more than 15,000 specimens from 530 species of marine life. Displays include sharks, alligators, stingrays, piranhas, and sea turtles.

The Beauregard-Keyes House in New Orleans is a Greek Revival home that was built in 1826. Confederate General Pierre G Beauregard and novelist Frances Parkinson Keyes both resided here.

The Canal Street Ferry crosses the Mississippi, here 700 yds wide, to the eastern suburb of Algiers. At 233 Newton Street is Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, where the floats for Mardi Gras are prepared.

Back along Chartres Street, Dumain Street on the right has one of the oldest houses in the city, the trim building known as "Madame John's Legacy", built in 1726 and elegantly furnished.

Dumaine Street is located in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter.

Leading from the east corner of Jackson Square, Moon Walk contains the long-established Cafe du Monde, with its tempting cafe au lait and beignets. Next along are the long market halls of the picturesque French market with an abundance of culinary delights and a busy flea market.

The Gallier House Museum in New Orleans is a Creole/Victorian home that was designed by James J Gallier, a noted New Orleans architect, as his home. It has been restored to its 1860's appearance.

Between Rampart Street and Basin Street, which marks the north-western boundary of the Vieux Carre, is the Garden of the Americas, with monuments commemorating the freedom fighters Benito Juarez Gracia, Simon Bolivar and Francisco Morazan. Close by are the church of Our Lady of Guadeloupe and the Old St Louis Cemetery, with numbers of handsome monuments, including that of the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. The cemetery should only be visited as part of a guided tour as this is not the safest of districts.

This interesting house with stables (820 St Louis St.) was built in 1831 for a successful businessman named Hermann Grima.

The mansion includes a Creole kitchen, slave quarters, a stable, and a courtyard.

The Historic New Orleans Collection is housed in a complex of historic French Quarter buildings. The restored 18th and 19th C buildings include a French Quarter bank, courthouse, a mansion, a Creole cottage and courtyards. The Collection is dedicated to the study and preservation of the history and culture of the city and the Gulf South region.

The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve-French Quarter Visitor Center in New Orleans provides information about the six sites of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve as well as the history and multicultural heritage of New Orleans.

On the north-west edge of the Vieux Carre is Louis Armstrong Park, with a bronze statue of the legendary musician and entertainer. The area was originally known as Congo Square (Beauregard Square), for Negro slaves were allowed to gather here on Sundays. Here now are the Municipal Auditorium, the Theatre of Performing Arts and the Treme Community Center.

The 32-acre park is the site of part of the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.

The Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans houses thousands of artifacts and works of art that reflect the cultural and historic events of Louisiana. The museum has five properties in the French Quarter including: the Cabildo, Presbytere, the 1850 House, the Old US Mint and Madame John's Legacy.

Madame John's is an example of Louisiana-Creole residential design from the end of the 18th century. It consists of the main house, the kitchen with cook's quarters and the two-story garconniere.

A short walk north, at 917 Conti Street, is the Musee Conti (Wax Museum), with tableaux of wax figures depicting scenes from the turbulent history of the city.

Costumed-, life-size figures are displayed in settings that portray historical events from 1699 to present. Some of the figures include Louis Armstrong, Napoleon Bonaparte, Andrew Jackson and Jean Lafitte.

Back to Chartres Street, and east to Napoleon House; this is where French patriots wanted Napoleon to stay after his planned release from St. Helena. The adjacent pharmacy museum is worth a visit.

The Voodoo Museum covers both the history and contemporary practice of Voodoo in New Orleans. Special emphasis is given to Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen, Gris-Gris (potions and hexes), zombies, rituals and the special connections between Voodoo, Jazz, and Mardi Gras.

A psychic reader is available for private appointments.

The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is located in the historic 1823 apothecary shop of Louis Joseph Dufilho, Jr. Dufilho was America's first licensed pharmacist. A collection of voodoo potions and a garden of non-medicinal herbs is displayed within the museum.

Built in 1807, the Old Absinthe House in New Orleans was originally used as something of a corner grocery, where goods were bought, sold and traded. The front corner room was turned into "Aleix's Coffee House". The second floor contains a once secret room where Jean Lafitte stored contraband.

In Chartres Street is the Ursuline Convent, built about 1735. Adjoining is St Mary's Church (1780) and opposite, the Beauregard-Keyes House, built in 1826.

The Ursuline Convent was built for the Ursuline nuns who came from France at the request of King Louis XV. The nun's cared for the city's needy and taught the children of the plantation aristocracy.

Preservation Hall in New Orleans features traditional jazz by local artists in an historic setting. Seating is limited.

Riverwalk, with more than 200 boutiques, restaurants and cafes, joins the square at its northern edge. Further south is the modern New Orleans Convention Center.

The center is built on the Mississippi River where the 1984 World's Fair was held.

At the end of Canal Street is the attractive Spanish Plaza, on which a lively masked ball takes place on the Monday before Ash Wednesday.

To the north-west behind the cathedral is St. Anthony's Garden, in which duels were once fought. Nearby is La Branche House (1835) with beautiful wrought iron balconies.

Formerly called Founders Park, Washington Artillery Park in New Orleans was named for the oldest military unit in the United States. Gardens, fountains, a playground and a view of the French Quarter are available.

Built in 1889, this New Orleans Trapolin townhouse was purchased in 1938 by General L Kemper and Leila Williams. This Vieux Carré home was refurnished as it had been during the Williams' occupancy.