Greater New Orleans is a region centered on New Orleans, Louisiana's biggest city and top visitor attraction, and encompassing the south east part of the state, including the lower Mississippi River, smaller cities and towns, bayous, wetlands, and nature preserves.
Hard hit by Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the levee system in 2005, recovery has been taking place over many years. Still, a wealth of attractions are available for travellers.
Orleans Parish
Synonymous with New Orleans
The city of New Orleans and the surrounding region is the main center of Creole culture in Louisiana. The Louisiana Creole people are from a mix of different ethnic origins, with their culture being largely a fusion of African, Native American, French and Spanish influences.
Roman Catholicism is the largest religion in Greater New Orleans, which makes it stand out together with neighboring Acadiana in contrast to the rest of the largely Evangelical Protestant South.
English is almost universally spoken and understood; French and Spanish are the most common second languages. Some older residents speak a French-based creole known as Louisiana Creole, though this language is now moribund, and most younger people cannot speak it.
The major International Airport is in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans.
Interstate 10 is the main highway in and out from east to west; Interstates 55 and 12 have their southern ends here.
A number of cruise ships dock in New Orleans.
A private automobile is the best way to get around the region. While the city of New Orleans can be enjoyably experienced without a car, outside of the city transport options for those without a vehicle range from inconvenient to non-existent.
Visit the historic French Quarter complete with St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, Café du Monde, and of course, Bourbon Street.
The Central Business District (Downtown) is home to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (home of the Saints), Smoothie King Center (home of the Pelicans), the National World War II Museum, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Insectarium, and several casinos near the Mississippi River.
Uptown is known for the charming and historic architecture of its homes as well as its stately live oaks. New Orleans' famous streetcars traverse through Uptown on St. Charles Avenue, and Carrollton Avenue. The famous Audubon Zoo is also located here. If you happen to visit during February or March, Mardi Gras parades should be placed high on your bucket list.
New Orleans, and wider Louisiana, has the best food in the US, with more selections than you can count.
New Orleans may seem very enjoyable and fun, but there are many parts you don't want to go to. New Orleans has one of the country's highest murder rates. It is also best to be out of the French Quarter by 9:30 PM or so; locals say that nothing good happens in the Quarter after midnight.