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| Home > City Guide - New Orleans - Sightseeing | ||
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Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview Although New Orleans has plenty of tourist attractions, some of the best sightseeing is done informally. A leisurely stroll through the French Quarter reveals quaint shops, hidden courtyards and beautiful old Creole-style houses with their decorative, cast-iron balconies. A walk in the leafy Garden District leads past stately antebellum mansions. An amble along the riverfront unveils a scene of great barges and paddle wheelers. Most visitors head first for the historic Downtown area, the French Quarter, also called the Vieux Carré (Old Square). Laid out on a grid, it covers an area of approximately 6 by 12 city blocks. Jackson Square is at its centre; the Upper French Quarter, stretching from here to Canal Street and down to the riverfront, contains the most popular sights. Woldenberg Riverfront Park, with its wooden promenade called Moon Walk, offers beautiful views of the Mississippi. The Lower French Quarter includes the French Market. Downtown also encompasses the Central Business District (CBD) and the Warehouse District, a renovated area of art galleries and studios, bars and restaurants. To the southwest of the French Quarter is Uptown, where the Garden District is located. Bordering the French Quarter to the east is the Faubourg Marigny, an historic district with a bohemian feel, slowing reviving itself with bars, restaurants, and nightlife spots. Across the river from downtown is Algiers, on the Westbank, another good area for strolling. Tourist Information New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau 1520 Sugar Bowl Drive Tel: (504) 566 5011 or (800) 672 6124, toll free in the USA and Canada. Fax: (504) 566 5021. E-mail: internet@neworleanscvb.com Website: www.neworleanscvb.com Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1700. There is also a Welcome Centre in the French Quarter on Jackson Square, 529 St Ann Street, open daily 0900-1700. Passes There are no formal visitor discount passes, however, visitors will receive a 20% discount on tickets to two or more of the following Louisiana State Museums (website: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us), if purchased at the same time: the Cabildo, Presbytère, Old Mint, 1850 House, Madame John’s Legacy. |
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