NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

The beloved heartbeat of the American South, charming New Orleans welcomes over 18.5 million visitors, year after year. They come for the jazz and the wild parties, but they stay for the intricate history, fascinating museums, spacious parklands, and gator-infested swamplands. It’s easy to get a little overwhelmed as you figure out what to do, especially if you’re one of the city’s many first time visitors. The city is actually a barrier island, as it lies along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River with Lake Pontchartrain to the North, completely surrounded by water.