New Orleans is the largest city/metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. It has a population of over 1.2M, the 46th largest in the USA. It is named after Philippe d'Orleans, Duke of Orleans, Regent of France. It is known for its distinct French Creole architecture, as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. New Orleans is famous for its cuisine, jazz music and its annual celebration, Mardi Gras.
Located in southeastern Louisiana, on the Mississippi River, the city and the parish are bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany to the north, St. Bernard to the east, Plaquemines to the south and Jefferson to the south and west. It has two lakes, Lake Pontchartrain, part of which is in the city limits lies to the north and Lake Borgne lies to the east.
Founded May 7, 1718 by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, it was named for Phillipe d'Orleans, who was the Regent of France, titled after the French city of Orleans. The colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in the Treaty of Paris in 1763 until 1801 when it reverted to French control. Napoleon sold the territory to the US in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Thereafter the population grew rapidly with influxes of Americans, French, Creoles, Irish, Germans and Africans. The major commodities were sugar and cotton.
A series of dramatic events shaped the history of this bustling trade city. The Haitian Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Atlantic Slave Trade directly affected the population and the industry of the region. As population boomed, despite the slave trade, New Orleans had the highest population of free persons of color who were often educated and middle-class property owners. By 1860 it was one of the largest metropolitan areas in the region.
As a travel destination, Louisiana is located on the Gulf of Mexico, east of Texas, west of Florida and south of Mississippi and Arkansas. It is surrounded by water on 3 sides making it incredibly scenic and well-suited for travel by boat. Its temperature is extremely mild considering it is located thirty degrees north of the equator. The average temperature in January is about 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degree Fahrenheit. In the summer, temperatures reach as high as 32 degree Celsius or 91 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some points of interest include the French Quarter and Bourbon Street's notorious nightlife. St. Charles Avenue is the home of Tulane and Loyola Universities. Magazine Street boasts many boutiques and antiques stores. Other attractions include the French Market, the St. Louis Cathedral and the Natchez, an authentic steamboat with a calliope (a musical instrument that makes sound by pumping steam through a large whistle).
Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday refer to the carnival celebrations before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. Although its history can be traces to the Romans, it was the French-Canadian explorer, Jean Baptiste who landed on a plot of ground 60 miles south of New Orleans in 1699 and called it "Pointe due Mardi Gras." In 1703, they celebrated the region's first Mardi Gras in the settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile. In many places, the term relates to the entire period of activity related to the celebratory events. The season varies from city to city, but in New Orleans 2011, it will take place Feb 25th to March 8th. The two-week long celebration involves costumes, parades, dancing in the streets, colorful beads, drinking and much, much more!
This scenic, historic city on the water is cultural gem. Despite being devastated by many hurricanes (as a result of its location on the Gulf of Mexico) it has flourished as a trade and ethnic community for centuries. The history of its streets, the art and architecture are like no other city, earning it the title "Most Unique City in the US." It is one of the top 10 visited cities in the US and according to a CNN poll in 2007, ranks first in eight categories behind New York which ranks first in fifteen. According to the poll, New Orleans is the best US city for live music, cocktail hours, flea markets, antique shopping, nightlife, "wild weekends," "girlfriend getaways" and cheap food. With New Orleans as your destination, the adventure and atmosphere are guaranteed to be unlike anything seen before!
Located in southeastern Louisiana, on the Mississippi River, the city and the parish are bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany to the north, St. Bernard to the east, Plaquemines to the south and Jefferson to the south and west. It has two lakes, Lake Pontchartrain, part of which is in the city limits lies to the north and Lake Borgne lies to the east.
Founded May 7, 1718 by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, it was named for Phillipe d'Orleans, who was the Regent of France, titled after the French city of Orleans. The colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in the Treaty of Paris in 1763 until 1801 when it reverted to French control. Napoleon sold the territory to the US in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Thereafter the population grew rapidly with influxes of Americans, French, Creoles, Irish, Germans and Africans. The major commodities were sugar and cotton.
A series of dramatic events shaped the history of this bustling trade city. The Haitian Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Atlantic Slave Trade directly affected the population and the industry of the region. As population boomed, despite the slave trade, New Orleans had the highest population of free persons of color who were often educated and middle-class property owners. By 1860 it was one of the largest metropolitan areas in the region.
As a travel destination, Louisiana is located on the Gulf of Mexico, east of Texas, west of Florida and south of Mississippi and Arkansas. It is surrounded by water on 3 sides making it incredibly scenic and well-suited for travel by boat. Its temperature is extremely mild considering it is located thirty degrees north of the equator. The average temperature in January is about 11 degrees Celsius or 52 degree Fahrenheit. In the summer, temperatures reach as high as 32 degree Celsius or 91 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some points of interest include the French Quarter and Bourbon Street's notorious nightlife. St. Charles Avenue is the home of Tulane and Loyola Universities. Magazine Street boasts many boutiques and antiques stores. Other attractions include the French Market, the St. Louis Cathedral and the Natchez, an authentic steamboat with a calliope (a musical instrument that makes sound by pumping steam through a large whistle).
Mardi Gras, also known as Shrove Tuesday refer to the carnival celebrations before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French, referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. Although its history can be traces to the Romans, it was the French-Canadian explorer, Jean Baptiste who landed on a plot of ground 60 miles south of New Orleans in 1699 and called it "Pointe due Mardi Gras." In 1703, they celebrated the region's first Mardi Gras in the settlement of Fort Louis de la Mobile. In many places, the term relates to the entire period of activity related to the celebratory events. The season varies from city to city, but in New Orleans 2011, it will take place Feb 25th to March 8th. The two-week long celebration involves costumes, parades, dancing in the streets, colorful beads, drinking and much, much more!This scenic, historic city on the water is cultural gem. Despite being devastated by many hurricanes (as a result of its location on the Gulf of Mexico) it has flourished as a trade and ethnic community for centuries. The history of its streets, the art and architecture are like no other city, earning it the title "Most Unique City in the US." It is one of the top 10 visited cities in the US and according to a CNN poll in 2007, ranks first in eight categories behind New York which ranks first in fifteen. According to the poll, New Orleans is the best US city for live music, cocktail hours, flea markets, antique shopping, nightlife, "wild weekends," "girlfriend getaways" and cheap food. With New Orleans as your destination, the adventure and atmosphere are guaranteed to be unlike anything seen before!
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