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| FUN AND SPORTS |
In City Park explore eight miles of lagoons by paddleboat or work out at the four golf courses or 100-tee double-deck driving range. The city has many other golf courses only 20 minutes from downtown. Watch the New Orleans Saints (football) at the Louisiana Superdome, the world's biggest covered arena, the newly-arrived New Orleans Hornets (basketball) next door at the Sports Arena or the New Orleans Zephyrs (baseball, one step behind the major league) at Zephyr Stadium.
New Orleans is the place for walking tours, most involving voodoo, cemeteries and the haunted French Quarter. It also has several big casinos.
Drive out of the city in almost any direction and you'll pass a sign for an airboat ride into the swampland. Less than two hours away is the Gulf Coast with its beaches and deep sea fishing...it's an easy day out. Food and music...New Orleans has them in abundance. Cookery schools (from a single morning class to something more substantial) are plentiful.
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| SHOPPING |
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A shoppers' paradise, start at the Riverwalk and cruise 140 smart stores on the banks of the Mississippi. On the way to the French Quarter stop at Canal Place for Gucci, Saks Fifth Avenue, Brooks Brothers and many more. Jackson Brewery is a fun mix of riverside shops and restaurants. Two blocks away, browse Royal Street for antiques. There's three miles of boutiques and antiques stores down Magazine Street. And New Orleans Centre has Macy's, Lord & Taylor and more. And don't forget, Louisiana is the only tax-free shopping state.
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| MAJOR EVENTS AND FESTIVALS |
Mardi Gras season and Mardi Gras Day (February)
Parades, masked balls, parties and more parties; fun runs 10 days up to Mardi Gras day.
French Quarter Festival (April)
Streetfest featuring, natch, music and food, along with parades and historic homes tours.
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (end April/early May)
Huge outdoor celebration of music, food and life (Van Morrison gets to appear if that gives you any idea how jazzy the event is!).
Satchmo Summer Fest(first week in August)
Free outdoor festival in French Quarter celebrating Louis Armstrong's birthday with music, food and jazz history.
Outside New Orleans there are endless fascinating festivals. Try Amite Oyster Festival and Rodeo (March), Boudin Festival, Broussard (April), Breau Bridge Crawfish Festival (May), Louisiana Corn Festival, Bunkie (June), Frog Festival, Rayne (September) or Cracklin' Festival, Port Barre (November).
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Atlanta
Atlanta is a great place for shopping, whether an upmarket mall in Buckhead or outlet malls out of town.
Nashville
Take the dinner cruise from Gaylord Opryland...sip Jack Daniel's at the deck bars and marvel at the city lights as you turn around at the end of Lower Broadway.
New Orleans
Try flamboyant local beers such as Dixie's Blackened Voodoo Lager or microbrewery Abita Springs' Purple Haze.
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