Kim Welsh

In 18th-century America, the first lodgings which offered a bed and breakfast came into existence. With more travelers than rooms available, locals began renting out extra rooms in their homes to guests. It later became a way for homeowners to make money, and for travelers to cut expenses during the Great Depression. By the end of World War II, several middle-class Americans, inspired by trips to Europe, began establishing their own bed and breakfast services. Today’s tourists enjoy the benefits of staying in a home, sharing experiences with locals, and relishing in true hospitality.

Let the good times roll! The newest addition to the New Orleans riverfront and sister vessel of the Steamboat Natchez, the renovated riverboat City of New Orleans offers unforgettable daily jazz brunch and dinner cruises down the Mississippi River. On the cruise, visitors are offered an inside look at the artists at work on our Mardi Gras tradition. Mardi Gras World, where they build the floats that will eventually make their way down St. Charles Avenue in the grand and opulent Mardi Gras parades, offers a tour that rounds out a uniquely New Orleans experience.

Take a look around at your surroundings in the French Quarter and try to imagine what it was like one hundred years ago. In the Roaring Twenties, the neighborhood attracted artists and writers with its low-rent, faded charm, and colorful street life. Jackson Square was the center of a vibrant yet short-lived bohemia. The Quarter was mostly a gritty working class slum where people spoke French as often as English. Women lowered baskets to the street to grocers who loaded them with food and added a pint of gin. Artists and writers had taken to the area, seduced by its cheap rent.

As Louis Armstrong aptly claimed, “To jazz or not to jazz, there is no question!” The New Orleans Jazz Museum is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the origin, evolution, and legacy of jazz and its continuing relevance. Plans to originate the museum began in the 1950s by a collaborative group of New Orleans collectors and enthusiasts of the New Orleans Jazz Club. The original site opened in 1961 but relocated to various French Quarter buildings over the years. In 1977, the entire collection was donated to the people of Louisiana.

Cue the music; it's holiday time in New Orleans! When Louis Armstrong put his gravelly vocals to smooth brass on the swinging 1955 recording of "Christmas in New Orleans," his voice was like New Orleans itself--a unique blend of rough edges and refinement. Imagine spending some time in the French Quarter during the holiday season in the 1800’s…hear the clip-clopping sounds of horses pulling buggies down the cobblestone streets. When invited into a home along Royal Street, you see a small potted citrus tree on the table decorated with little gifts, paper ornaments, and tallow candles.