New Orleans Attractions

Ideally, a riverfront tour should start at the French Market: go along Moon Walk past the Cafe du Monde to Natchez Landing, where the paddle steamer Natchez, which plies on the Mississippi, is moored.

The Steamboat Natchez in New Orleans offers Mississippi River cruises and a unique way to see and learn about the city. Guests can choose from Jazz Dinner Cruises and Jazz Harbor Cruises. The harbor cruises take two hours and provide narration on the sights. There is also an optional lunch serving creole cuisine. The dinner cruise features a live jazz band, a buffet style dinner, and of course, wonderful views of New Orleans.

Special events cruises are also available seasonally, with special cruises offered for such occasions as Easter, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and around Christmas and other holidays.

The Audubon Louisiana Nature Center in New Orleans features hands-on exhibits, nature trails, and is home to the Judith W Freeman Astronomy Center. The nature preserve includes a science museum, planetarium, greenhouse and butterfly gardens.

Dillard University in New Orleans is a private, historically black, faith based liberal arts university.

The fort was started in 1819 and finished in 1826. It was built to withstand attack from land or sea. Moats surrounded the fort, and within the gates were a stronghold, service building and soldiers' quarters.

Hurricane Katrina exacerbated problems and destroyed adjacent state park buildings. The site is closed to visitors indefinitely.

The Jackson Barracks Military Museum in New Orleans features exhibits dating back to the War of 1812 and as recent as the Gulf War. Life-size figures in realistic wartime settings are presented through personal memorabilia. The grounds of the complex feature tanks, fighter planes and other American firepower.

To the north of the City Park is Lake Pontchartrain (40 mi. long, 25 mi. across and only 20 ft deep), round the shores of which are many specialty restaurants (particularly fish and game). There are also marinas and bathing beaches, and an amusement park that appeals particularly to families with children. The 25 mi. long Lake Pontchartrain Causeway runs across the lake.

The two parallel bridges of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway are the world's longest overwater highway bridge by length.

The Louisiana Nature Center in New Orleans offers a hands-on museum, a planetarium, greenhouse, butterfly garden and miles of hiking trails.

The New Orleans Fire Department Museum is located in a restored firehouse. It features an antique firefighting vehicle, uniforms, insignia and photographs. Log books document fire department personnel and New Orleans fires from 1891 to present.

The Park is a tribute to the people and places that played a part in the development of jazz in New Orleans.

The New Orleans School of Glass Works features glass artwork by local and international artists. Art classes are available.

The Pitot House in New Orleans was built in the late 1700's and restored to its original 18th century condition in the 1960s. It is the only Creole colonial country style house museum in New Orleans. The home is furnished with period Louisiana and American antiques.

A variety of owners have included prominent lawyers to austere nuns. One of the most prominent was James Pitot, the first American mayor of New Orleans who lived here from 1810-1819.