New Orleans Garden District

NEW ORLEANS...THE GARDEN DISTRICT

NEW ORLEANS IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST MARDI GRAS! NOT FAR FROM THE FRENCH QUARTER AND EASILY REACHED BY THE ST. CHARLES AVENUE STREETCAR, IS THE HISTORIC GARDEN DISTRICT. THE AREA IS A LOVELY, PRESERVED SECTION OF THE CITY THAT DESERVES EXPLORATION. IT BOASTS MANY VARYING FORMS OF ARCHITECTURE, WITH GRACIOUS HOMES AND GARDENS THAT SIT ATOP LAND THAT ONCE WAS A SUGAR PLANTATION. DEVELOPED DURING A GOLDEN ERA IN THE CITIES' HISTORY - THE ANTEBELLUM YEARS - IT WAS ESSENTIALLY CREATED BY AMERICANS WHO SETTLED IN AFTER THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, NEW ORLEANS WAS ONE OF THE RICHEST CITIES IN AMERICA. THE GARDEN DISTRICT IS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND ALONG WITH THE FRENCH QUARTER IS ONE OF THE BEST LOCATIONS FOR A LEISURELY WALKING TOUR. YOU CAN COMBINE A WALK IN THE DISTRICT WITH LUNCH AT A LOCAL PUB OR AT A FINE EATING ESTABLISHMENT SUCH AS COMMANDER'S PALACE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE, THEN EXPLORE LAFAYETTE CEMETERY ACROSS THE STREET. THE STREETCAR RUNS EVERY FEW MINUTES AND STOPS AT ALMOST EVERY CORNER ALONG ST. CHARLES AVENUE, SO YOU CAN COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE. CURRENTLY, THE FARE IS $1.25 AND YOU CAN BUY DAILY AND MULTI-DAY PASSES THAT ALLOW USE OF THE ENTIRE STREETCAR AND BUS SYSTEM - A GREAT VALUE IF YOU ARE STAYING WITHOUT A RENTAL CAR. BESIDES THE GARDEN DISTRICT, THERE IS THE DOWNTOWN RIVERWALK AREA ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A STEAMBOAT RIDE OR MAYBE A RIVER SHUTTLE UP RIVER TO THE ZOO. THE ZOO WILL EVEN SHUTTLE YOU FOR FREE TO THE STREETCAR STOP, SO YOU CAN MAKE A ROUNDTRIP WITHOUT HAVING TO BACKTRACK! BACK AT RIVERWALK, THERE IS A FINE AQUARIUM AND AN IMAX THEATER. AT THE EDGE OF THE FRENCH QUARTER IS THE NEW MUSEUM OF MARDI GRAS, WHERE YOU'LL LEARN ALL ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS YEARLY CELEBRATION.THE EXHIBITS ARE EXTENSIVE AND VERY COLORFUL! PERHAPS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE GARDEN DISTRICT IS DURING THE WINTER AND IN EARLY SPRING, WHEN THE HUMIDITY IS USUALLY LOW AND THE DAYTIME TEMPERATURES AVERAGE IN THE LOW TO UPPER 70S. TO AVOID THE CROWDS, VISIT JUST AFTER MARDI GRAS, WHEN HOTEL RATES DROP SUBSTANTIALLY, OR MAKE IT A PART OF A MARDI GRAS VISIT! REMEMBER THAT YOU MUST BOOK HOTELS ALMOST A YEAR IN ADVANCE TO GET GOOD RATES, OR EVEN SPACE, DURING MARDI GRAS! WE HAVE LOTS OF SUGGESTIONS FOR A VISIT TO NEW ORLEANS AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU ONCE YOU HAVE BOOKED YOUR VACATION. IF YOU HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY DURING MARDI GRAS, YOU SIMPLY MUST DO SO AT LEAST ONCE!

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CALL US NOW TO ARRANGE YOUR NEW ORLEANS VACATION... THE CITY IS ALIVE AND COMING BACK!