New Orleans is a diverse city with a rich history of music, arts, and culture. It has a complicated history of ownership and is home to unusual ethnic groups. The city is known for its architecture, pirate culture, and entertainment after dark. Its cuisine is an eclectic mix of local and foreign styles. Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005, but it is slowly recovering. Visitors should be aware of high crime rates in low-income neighborhoods. Despite its challenges, New Orleans remains a fascinating vacation spot for those who love history, entertainment, and culture.
New Orleans, Louisiana is one of the most fascinating cities in America with a rich history of diverse cultures and intrigues. It is known worldwide as a center of music, arts and revelry. Much of the city was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, though the city is slowly recovering with the promise of new innovations and attractions for the future.
Originally a French-owned port city, New Orleans was turned over to the Spanish in 1763, and then retaken by the French and sold to America as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. With such a complicated history of use, the city is home to several unusual ethnic groups. Cajuns are descendants of a group of Canadian settlers who were expelled from their native lands and moved to the area after the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Creole residents are those who have a mixed ancestry of all local groups at the time of settlements: French, Spanish, Native American and African. Both Creole and Cajun cultures have considerable influence on the city.
As a major port city, New Orleans has a long and fabulous history with pirates and pirate culture. It’s no coincidence that Disneyland’s famous Pirates of the Caribbean ride begins along the Louisiana bayou. Popular walking tours are available to guide tourists through pirate and voodoo spots around the city.
The city is considered architecturally significant, particularly for its beautiful French Quarter. Apart from a major fire in the late 18th century, the area has remained largely untouched by the disaster since its founding in the 18th. This section of the city contains beautiful examples of ironwork and architecture, some dating back to the city’s early days . The French Quarter is popular with tourists and contains the incredibly bustling Bourbon Street, a hub of food, drink, music and entertainment.
New Orleans is considered one of the best cities in the world for entertainment after dark. The Mardi Gras festival, held annually, draws huge crowds determined to party as loud and raucous as possible. One of the birthplaces of jazz music, the city also hosts the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival, one of the best music festivals in the country. Most nights of the year, there is sure to be something going on in town.
The cuisine of the area is an eclectic mix of local styles and with foreign influences. Perhaps the best-known local dish is gumbo, a thick stew of meats and vegetables often served in a hollowed-out bread roll. French donuts called beignets are served with traditional chicory-flavored coffee as a popular breakfast treat. The city is also home to the po’boy sandwich, a pile of deep-fried meat served on traditional Louisiana French bread.
In 2005, the city was devastated by the results of Hurricane Katrina, a category five storm. Due to the structural deficiencies of the levees, more than 80% of the city was flooded when the protection systems failed. Over 1500 people died during and after the storm, many due to inadequate rescue preparations by the US government. As of 2008, the city’s restoration is not yet complete, although many residents and politicians speak positively of the new buildings and future business opportunities.
Travelers to New Orleans should be aware that the city has a high number of violent crime incidents. While tourist areas are considered extremely safe, the city’s low-income neighborhoods have some of the highest murder and drug rates in the country. Visitors to the city should be aware of the areas they are traveling to and take proper safety precautions.
Despite the hurricane’s destruction and controversial plans for rebuilding efforts, New Orleans remains one of the largest cities in the United States. For those who love music, architecture and history, the city is a wonderful vacation spot. If you plan to visit the ‘Big Easy’, get ready for a wild ride through history, entertainment and culture that just might make you want to stay forever.
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