New Orleans is one of those amazing cities with it’s own personality and culture.  While it is an old American city, in a way it is its own little world.  The music, food, and general atmosphere in New Orleans make it completely unique.

The thing you can’t mention New Orleans without thinking about is the music.  It is known for its jazz and the many notable and world renowned musicians it has spawned, including Louis Armstrong, Dr. John, and the Neville Brothers among many, many others.  The thing about Jazz in new Orleans is that it, like so many other things in the city, has its own unique flare.  The Jazz at Snug Harbor is highly recommended.  Because of its unique location and history, New Orleans music is infused with the the greatest aspects of American, Caribbean, and Cajun culture.

The food in New Orleans shares similar influences with the music, and draws from both America and Cajun culture, applying them to products that are available locally, specifically to the wonderful local seafood.  Notable dishes include po-boys, gumbo, and Jambalaya.  It is highly suggested that if you visit New Orleans,  you treat yourself to Commanders Palace, where both the food and the service by the wait staff is a work of art.

Another little gem in the city is the Audubon Aquarium.  They often have new aquatic exhibits, of course in addition to their standard ones which are excellent.  And when you leave, you can spend an hour or so walking along the Mississippi River, because the aquarium is located directly by it.  This can be a wonderful experience if your only interaction with The Mississippi has been through reading Mark Twain novels.

Though I mentioned earlier that New Orleans is it’s own little world and utterly unique, there is somehow a comforting familiarity about the place.  There are certain areas there where you’d swear you were in Charleston.