Experiencing interesting places beyond the French Quarter has become increasingly popular with visitors. The mysterious bayous of southern Louisiana, plantations of a bygone era, and the storied Mississippi River meandering slowly through the delta region, are all part of a real New Orleans experience.

New Orleans weather is subtropical. If you’re visiting New Orleans between May through November, expect it to be hot and humid with a high chance of rain. December through April, it’s mild with less rain. Don’t worry, a long list of great indoor, rainy day, activities ensures that those brief New Orleans downpours, which suddenly happen and go away as quickly as they appear, will not wash out your parade. In anticipation of some rain passing through during your visit, or just to cool off on a steamy day, include some of these indoor activities in your vacation plans.

Mention the mighty Mississippi River and two things come to mind – Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and paddlewheel riverboats.  Mark Twain’s descriptions of the river and the life around it transport us imaginatively.  The rhythmic splashing sound of the giant paddlewheel as the steamboat makes its way around a bend in the most powerful river in the country evokes a romanticized view of America before cars, trains, and airplanes.

What everyone knows:  New Orleans is a 24/7 party town with great bars, fabulous food, great live music, and a laissez-faire attitude.  What many don’t know: America’s most unique city is a great place for outdoor activities.

Outdoor activities in New Orleans run the gamut. Walk, bike, jog, glide on a Segway; skim through mysterious bayous on authentic swamp boats, paddle kayaks around lagoons and bayous; cruise down the Mississippi, enjoy shady parks and botanical gardens, explore moss-draped plantation grounds.

Work off the beignets binge! Get out, get moving and enjoy the outdoor side of New Orleans.

New Orleans is always rated as one of the most haunted cities in America. It has all the elements for paranormal activity to thrive.  An ancient, below-sea-level port city segmented by the mighty Mississippi, it has a history of seamen, privateers and pirates passing through it.  It’s where a cultural mix of people came in exile or to escape, putting down roots in fragile land surrounded by shadowy, primeval bayous of the Mississippi delta.  It’s a place where people are buried in above-ground Cities of the Dead, of voodoo rituals, decaying buildings, dark alleyways, hidden courtyards, heavy humid air.  Spirits of the dead roam in this unusual place where everything is shrouded in mystery and intrigue, veiled by glittering, feathered masks.