Big Easy Family Week

New Orleans is the largest city in Louisiana, as well as the state's top tourist destination. The Crescent City has a reputation for historical roots, hot and muggy weather, good food, good music and non-stop partying. Despite the damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans welcomes visitors to incredible restaurants, beautiful sites (such as the French Quarter and Garden District) and hot live music clubs.

Nicknamed the Big Easy by some, New Orleans has long had a reputation as a city of vice. However, the city also offers many attractions for families with children and those interested in culture and the arts. Its famous Creole food, nearby swamps and plantations, 18th and 19th century architecture, streetcars and museums offer a unique cultural experience travelers will never forget.

Famous festivals like Mardi Gras and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival bring in tourists by the millions, and are the two times of the year when one needs to be sure to book accommodations well in advance to be sure of a room.

Located in the French Quarter, Hotel Monteleone is the only historic and literary landmark hotel that has undergone expansive restoration and transformed to its original and legendary stature as New Orleans Grand Dame.The hotel features 600 luxurious rooms that feature marble and granite baths plus all the modern amenities guests desire while preserving traditional values. Guest rooms offer high-speed Internet, twin bathrobes, coffeemakers, safes accommodating laptops, minibars, large TVs, Nintendo, and designer amenities. Two award-winning restaurants, the famous Carousel Piano Bar and Lounge, and logo shop are available.The heated rooftop swimming pool and 24/7 state of the art fitness center, and full-service day spa, Spa Aria, offer you a relaxing getaway. Parking is 30/day for cars and 32/day for oversized vehicles.Pet Friendly Policy: Guests traveling with pets will have a mat, 2 bowls, a treat, & a brochure placed in the room prior to arrival. The brochure includes a pet map, pet hotel policies, pet application, and a pet in-room keycard. A one time 100.00 nonrefundable cleaning fee and an additional 25.00 per night pet rate applies. While unattended in the guest room, all pets must be kenneled. Guest must notify the hotel prior to arrival in order for the items to be placed in the room or information must be included on reservation.

Jackson Square, in the heart of the French Quarter, has been around since the 1700's, it was originally known as the "Place d'Armes". The center of the park showcases a large statue of Andrew Jackson. The square is surrounded by historic buildings including the St. Louis Cathedral, which is a minor Basilica. The square was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

Presbytere, built in 1790, was originally called the "Ecclesiastical House." It served as a courthouse and a commercial business before becoming one of five buildings in the French Quarter that make up the Louisiana State Museum. Exhibits focus on paintings, furniture, pottery, clothing and every kind of craft or relic imaginable, as long as it illustrates Louisiana's culture and colorful past.

The Louisiana State Museum is a collection of different exhibits surrounding the history and culture of New Orleans through the many years. This museum also runs 5 other New Orleans properties: the Cabildo, Presbytere, 1850 House, Old U.S. Mint and Madame John's Legacy. For a good taste of southern history, visit this museum and its other properties.

This structure was built between 1795-1799 to house the city council when New Orleans was a possession of Spain. Today the Cabildo is the flagship of the Louisiana State Museum. Interactive exhibits illustrate the history of Louisiana from European explorations to the post Civil War Reconstruction era. This stunning museum is located on Jackson Square near the St. Louis Cathedral. Group tours are available. The museum is closed on legal holidays. Adult entry is $6.

The Cathedral of St. Louis IX, King of France, began as a minor basilica, but became an established parish in 1720. The graceful beauty of the St. Louis Cathedral and its surrounding courtyards makes it a sight to behold. Located on a bank of the Mississippi River, the cathedral is considered one of the greatest symbols of Catholicism on the North American continent! It is open Monday to Saturday 7.30 am onwards.

Royal Street is one of the oldest streets in the city, well known for its businesses, that deal in antiques and artwork from all over the world. This impressive street is surrounded by French and Spanish colonial architecture on all sides and emanates a distinct old-worldly look. The shops dotting this street are filled with consumers having an eye for quality, authenticity and detail. The quality of merchandise is unmatched and sometimes, just talking to the shop owners can be an educative experience. Make this street your next shopping destination for all that is antique and unique.

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, the following description may no longer be accurate. Please consider this when making your travel plans.

From the famed beignets of the "Cafe Du Monde" to the fabulous farmer's/flea market (going strong since 1812), this shopping experience incorporates buying, dining and entertainment all within a five block radius of the famous French Quarter. The Market boundary begins on Decatur Street across from Jackson Square. While you stroll through you may see any number of items, including candy, cookware, spices and mixes, clothes, fresh produce, crafts and toys, memorabilia, and even gator-on-a-stick. The Market is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is free for browsing.

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, the following description may no longer be accurate. Please consider this when making your travel plans.

In the heart of the French Quarter, this voodoo shop doubles as a shrine to the famous Voodoo Queen -- Marie Laveau -- of New Orleans. Psychic readings, voodoo dolls, statues and altars are the real thing, not found in other touristy spots. Whether you come to the Big Easy for business or pleasure, you can find an original souvenir and even learn a little something of the black arts from around the world at Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo.

Built in 1834, Broussard's was once known as the Borello Mansion. In 1920, Joseph Broussard and his wife Rosalie Borello opened the lower level of this mansion to the public as a small restaurant. The subtle elegance and the imperial decor are reminiscent of Napoleonic days gone by. Broussard's Parisian culinary training, coupled with his demand for perfection, made this a five-star restaurant. Choose from such Creole classics as Pompano Evelyn or baked filet of redfish.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is a repository of many of the things that make this area of the United States great. Fine art, architecture, folk art and artifacts of the bygone Southern era can be found here. You also find unique exhibitions, such as Looking Back, Looking Forward, Becoming Ida Kohlmeyer, Walter Anderson and Friends, Clementine Hunter and Melrose, the Treme Storytelling Quilt Project, and The Jazz.

Located on the boundary of the French Quarter, Saint Louis Cemetery Number One is the oldest cemetery in the city. The above ground burial practices are typical of swampy New Orleans, where early settlers soon discovered that coffins buried in the ground would float to the surface after a hard rain. There are many ornate family tombs and vaults, but for safety reasons you are encouraged to visit these attractions with a tour group.

If you are a history buff or just love a good scare, then consider one of the Haunted History Tours. These are walking tours led by one of a number of area experts who specialize in the history of ghosts, voodoo and haunted places. Featured attractions include the Saint Louis Cemetery Number One and areas related to voodoo and witchcraft, as well as French Quarter locations that have had documented ghost sightings. There is nothing quite comparable to a good ghost story outside the cemetery gates at dusk.

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, the following description may no longer be accurate. Please consider this when making your travel plans.

Cochon restaurant is proof of joint chef and owner, Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski's love for Southern life. Come here to cherish authentic Cajun cuisine with its full bodied rustic spices and country flavors. All the food items are fresh from the farm along with home cured sausages, smoked bacon and head cheese. Roasted meat from a wood burning oven and locally sourced seafood are Cochon's specialties. Bourbons, beer, cocktails and wines blend with the Southern tone. Homely wooden seating with steel bar and open kitchen is great for casual dining.

This romantic Creole cottage dating back to the 1800s is a jewel in the crown of New Orleans cuisine. Award-winning Chef Susan Spicer also incorporates Alsatian, Asian, Indian and Southwestern style dishes into the menu. The casual atmosphere at Bayona, combined with the consistency of outstanding service, paves the way for an array of culinary masterpieces. You may choose to dine surrounded by murals of Mediterranean gardens or in a tropical courtyard with real foliage. Along with the expected appetizers of soups and salads, lunch also offers entrees such as the Smoked Duck and shrimp. This place opens at 11.30 pm from Wednesday to Saturday and at 6pm from Monday to Saturday.

The modest surroundings and the simple white frame building housing Elizabeth's can be quite deceptive and is no indication of the delicious food on the platter. It serves a hearty meal whether its breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. The 'Praline Bacon', 'Eggs Elizabeth', 'Redneck Eggs Benedict' which are poached eggs perched atop fried green tomatoes are to die for.'Calas' and 'Apple Crepes' are some of the house specialties. All in all, an unpretentious eatery for casual dates and outings.

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, the following description may no longer be accurate. Please consider this when making your travel plans.

Whenever you are in New Orleans for business or pleasure, a must stop is Magazine Street. This is the street that has it all no matter what your shopping needs are. Whatever you're looking for, be it women's fashion (Total Woman), men's fashion (Style Lab for Men), vintage clothing (Recycled), children's clothing (Pippen Lane), shoes (Feet First), or accessories (Filly Handbags & Accessories), Magazine Street is the place to be. When you start to work up an appetite, try seafood (Casamento's Restaurant), French cuisine(Lilette Restaurant), Mexican (Nacho Mama's Mexican Grill), southern (Upperline Restaurant), farmer's markets (Crescent City Farmers Market), chocolates (Blue Frog Chocolates), cafe's (PJ's Coffee and Tea Co.), or bars (St. Joe's Bar).

From the critter-filled swamps of Louisiana to the grasslands of Africa, you can explore some of the Earth's most intriguing habitats and the creatures that dwell within them at this world-class zoo. Rated one of the top zoos in the United States, it features two rare white tigers as well as Komodo dragons. One of the newest exhibits, Jaguar Jungle, focuses on the people and animals of Central America, including the mysterious Mayan culture.

This modern day indoor market place is conveniently located close to the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center and the Aquarium of the Americas. This strategic positioning makes it easily accessible to families touring the museum and to businesspersons hoping to quickly pick up some souvenirs during lunch. Riverwalk Market Place is located on the Mississippi River at the junction of Poydras, Canal, and Julia Streets. It is home to 120 stores and restaurants filled with the best gifts, tastes, and styles in New Orleans.

While many folks try to keep anything that creeps, crawls, or flies out of their lives, the Audubon Insectarium is working to bring visitors eye to eye with the creepy and crawly. Thousands of mounted specimens and live insects make up the collection of interactive exhibits that are housed in the largest freestanding museum of its kind in the United States. Audubon Insectarium exhibits include Butterflies in Flight which provides visitors with an up-close learning experience in a free-flying Japanese Garden style exhibit, Life Underground which shrinks visitors to the size of our six-legged friends with oversized props and animatronic insects, and the Cooking Show and Cultural Café which gives everyone the chance to experience the joy of cooking with insects!

Aquarium Of The Americas is a world-class aquarium with state-of-the-art exhibits, allowing visitors young and old to experience underwater nature first hand. Visitors immerse themselves in the major marine and submarine habitats of North and South America, including the Caribbean Sea and the Amazon Rainforest. The aquarium also features thousands of fish, reptiles, and birds native to these habitats.