Food and music are two things that seem to describe the great city of New Orleans. While these are so many things to enjoy and do here, first-time travelers to the city often miss out on some crucial sights or make some mistakes which mean their trip stays incomplete. Let us help you with some tips we could think of. If you haven’t been to New Orleans before, and are planning to visit soon, then this article would be of great help to you.
Local Produce: Apart from having a huge number of eating joints of all types, New Orleans also offers a variety of locally produced foodstuffs that you can enjoy while you are here, and also carry back with you. Some recommendations that we can immediately think of our country rice, red beans, creole-style coffee and jambalaya mix. You must also try the immense variety of spices once you are here.
Try the Sno-Ball: New Orleans is a hot place, and you are likely to be sweating for most parts of the year here. The enterprising citizens of the city have come up with a unique innovation to beat the heat. The Sno-Ball is a simple concoction of ice drenched in sweet syrup, and served in small cups or take away containers. You will get this typical New Orleans delight at several places across the city.
Appreciate literature: You must have heard of Tennessee Williams, Capote, Welty and so many literary giants of the USA and the world, and they all come from this great city. That is why New Orleans offers a unique atmosphere steeped in literature. You can take a walk in some of the neighborhoods and find quaint bookstores selling both new books as well as old tomes. The city frequently hosts a book reading and literary sessions where new works are discussed and dissected.
Enjoy the Mississippi: The spirit of New Orleans can be said to be defined by the Mississippi River that winds its way around the city. The barges and long boats that you read about in the story of Huckleberry Finn still ply the river, and you can head out of the city to spend a relaxing hour watching the river. When you are driving out, you could also pop in at Fairgrounds racecourse and watch some beautiful horses.
See the Fury of Nature: We didn’t particularly like the fact that the death and devastation caused in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina has become the subject of a guided tour for tourists. But it is important in only one way, which is to drive home to us the pitfalls of ignoring nature. The tours have trained guides who would explain the geographical structure of a hurricane in general, and also the specific details of Katrina in particular.
Mardi Gras: Our list wouldn’t have been complete without this most iconic of New Orleans events. You might not be lucky enough to be visiting exactly during the festival, in which case you should take one of the guided tours which would at least allow you to look at some of the costumes and get a feel of the pageantry.
Plan your itinerary accordingly and make room for all that we have mentioned above to experience the best of The Big Easy!
Author Bio: Silvia Watson is a freelance content writer. She has written many good and informative articles on different categories such as technology, health, fashion, education, career, travel etc. She is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry and currently associated as a blogger with https://www.tvg.com/