How to Spend a Weekend in New Orleans

The Crescent City has rebounded solidly since the devastating flooding spurred by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and is back on its feet as a southern escape furnishing music, mouth-watering cuisine and splendid nightlife. Charming architecture, some lovely parks and a handful of exceptional museums are also part of the mix.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Spend an afternoon simply wandering the French Quarter, a sprawling district alive with street performers and funky shops and bars. Break away from Bourbon Street and Jackson Square to explore regal residential stretches, upscale antiqueries and other intriguing shopping options.
2. Get to the art of the city by setting a few hours aside for the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park. NOMA not only has a treasure trove of indoor galleries that include numerous works by Edgar Degas (who spent time with relatives in the city), but also showcases a stunning five-acre Sculpture Garden that shows off works from masters such as Henry Moore, Jacques Lipchitz, and Louise Bourgeois.
3. Drop by one of the City’s cemeteries, which will provide an unforgettable glimpse into New Orleans’ past. These age-old sites are distinct from others in that the dead are not underground (due to a history of rain and flooding), but stored above the earth in miniature vaults. Cypress Grove and Metairie are two quintessential options.
4. Make a morning stop at the legendary Cafe du Monde in the French Market, serving only coffee, milk orange juice and beignets (a square donut-like fritter topped with powdered sugar). The cafe has been around since 1862 and is open 24/7 aside from Christmas.
5. Have a night out pub crawling in the heart of Bourbon Street, where landmark bars like Pat O’Brien’s, Johnny Whites and the Famous Door are hopping just about every night. Karaoke fans will head to the Cat’s Meow, which also has a cool courtyard and large balcony bar.
6. Audubon Park, uptown, is a pleasant and pastoral wonderland of more than 300 acres that includes a zoo, golf course, lagoon, countless live oaks, exercise stations and a riverbank pavilion providing a breathtaking vista of the mighty Mississippi.
7. For a deluxe dining adventure, make a reservation at Tommy’s Cuisine on Tchoupitoulas Street, with mouthwatering French, Italian and seafood dishes served in a boisterous atmosphere. A decor of dark wood paneling and brick, with dim lighting, adds to the atmosphere--and an excellent wine list is another plus.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan well in advance for visits during the world-famous Mardi Gras festival that always begins on a Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday in early February.
• Be careful wandering off the main Bourbon Street strip of the French Quarter at night.