The city is draped in vibrant colors and the streets are filled with people dancing. The sounds of BB King, Winston Marsalis and Ella Fitzgerald make their way through the Big Easy as people pack the open-air restaurants and cafes in the French Quarter. It can only be New Orleans, and the journey to the most "unique city in America" starts on the New Orleans flight
Despite the heartache it suffered on August 29, 2005, New Orleans has not lost its heart. Hurricane Katrina destroyed 80 percent of the city, but the New Orleans spirit prevailed. Beyond the depths of destruction was the music that for centuries kept this city alive. Today, tourists book flights to New Orleans to participate in the revival of one America’s most beloved cities.
Book flights to New Orleans to see the beautiful architecture that still remains in the French Quarter of the city. Vacation in New Orleans for a taste of the Cajun cuisine that makes this city famous. Book New Orleans flights and hotel rooms to support the people – they stayed, they survived and they continue to provide the music, food and festivities that keep people traveling to New Orleans every year.
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New Orleans can be hot and muggy in the summer. Summer temperatures are well into the 90s (F), the humidity oppressive, and there are occasional thunderstorms. September and October often have clear, mild days. Winter is short, overcast, and chilly. Temperatures are usually in 50s, but can drop and, combined with the dampness, make for a cold day. Spring is delightful with sunny, mild days. The city gets plenty of rain, about 60 inches a year. The hurricane season is June to September.
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Peak Season:February through April is the peak season with the best weather and the city’s two biggest events, Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. Book your New Orleans flights and hotel reservations at least six months in advance.
Off Season:
September and October tend to have good weather. The oppressive heat and humidity of summer even drives some of the residents away from the city, but you can find cheap flights to New Orleans and hotel bargains.
The damp cold of winter does not attract many visitors, and low rates can be found.
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There are taxi cabs available on the lower level of the airport. The Airport-Downtown Express (E-2) has a stop outside entrance 7 on the upper level and operates a service to the CBD. Airport Shuttle offers a service to/from the hotels throughout the Metropolitan area. The Airport Shuttle booths are open in the baggage claim area for local transportation. They are also providing transportation to/from all of Southeast Louisiana as well as the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Reservations are needed for these types of transport. Please call 504 465 9780 between 9am and 6pm for reservations.
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New Orleans has an excellent bus system that covers most of the city and a streetcar service that is the oldest in the country and an attraction as well as a means of transport. Public buses are the most economical way to get around, but are relatively slow. The vintage St Charles streetcar is a National Historic Monument and is a convenient way to get from downtown to uptown, while the Riverfront streetcar connects major sights along a two-mile (3km) stretch of the Mississippi River. Tickets for buses and streetcars must be paid for in exact change. The VisiTour one- and three-day passes allow unlimited rides on all streetcars and buses. Metered taxis are inexpensive and plentiful and can easily be hailed in the busier areas or phoned for; they are the best way of getting around at night. Most taxis can be hired by up to five passengers for a hassle-free and economical tour of the city. The Canal Street Ferry takes passengers across to the suburb of Algiers and is free for pedestrians, offering fine views of the city skyline. Driving a car in New Orleans is not too much of a problem, though parking can be; if renting a car, drivers must be 21 and hold a valid driver's license or International Driving Permit. A major credit card and passport (for foreigners) are also required.
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- The French Market is a farmer's market which sells everything from canned alligator and chocolates to hot sauce. It’s a good place to pick up souvenirs.
- Julia Street is a well-kept secret. The 600 block has 13 mid-19th-century townhouses called Julia Row or the Thirteen Sisters. It has great art galleries, and the Contemporary Arts Center is here too.
- Friday Lunch is a New Orleans tradition. The meal starts about midday - and lubricated by several drinks - and lasts all day. Galatoire’s on Bourbon Street is the place to lunch for those lucky enough to get a reservation, although tables in the first floor dining room are first-come, first-served.
- Mardi Gras celebrations are world famous. The festivities start officially on January 6 (Twelfth Night or Little Christmas) and last until Shrove Tuesday and feature parties and parades. For visitors at other times of the year, there is Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, where you can take a tour and see the props and giant figures. The tour includes coffee and King Cake (a Mardi Gras tradition, a ring cake like a brioche decorated with green, purple and gold sugar with a small figure of the baby Jesus baked inside).
- Take a swamp tour of Bayou Segnette, a Cajun fishing village, 20 minutes from the centre of New Orleans with Westwego Swamp Adventures. Included in the tour is an ecology/naturalist presentation. The nesting grounds of alligators, egrets, raccoons and many types of snakes can be spotted along the way.
- For a glimpse of the other side (perhaps), visit an above-ground cemetery. Saint Louis Cemetery No 1. is the oldest cemetery in the city, and boasts (it is said) several ghostly apparitions including an old man and most famously Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.
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Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). The airport is situated 14 miles west of downtown New Orleans.
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