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44th Annual ARSC Conference (New Orleans, May 19th-22nd 2010)

New Orleans Events & Places of Interest

One of the most unique cities in America, New Orleans offers an incredible variety of historic sites, cultural venues, festivals, cuisine, and other attractions.  The French Quarter is easy to navigate on foot and features many museums, restaurants, music venues, antique shops, and markets.  The trolley to the famous Garden District stops on Canal Street near the Chateau Bourbon hotel and also passes the Loyola and Tulane university campuses. Another trolley runs along the waterfront from the French Quarter to the Convention Center and Arts/Warehouse District. Many tour companies have offices in the French Quarter, where you can arrange for local walking tours or excursions to plantations, cemeteries, gardens, and swamps. Paddlewheel steamboats also dock along the Mississippi River at the southern edge of the French Quarter and offer cruises, some featuring dinner and live jazz music.

The following web sites have lots of suggestions on what to see and do while you’re in New Orleans:

At www.NewOrleansOnline.com, the official tourism site for the city, you’ll find just about everything you need to plan your trip, including maps and transportation, extensive lists of things to see and do, music clubs, restaurants, event calendars, and more. You can also print coupons, sign up for newsletters and Twitter feeds, and order visitor’s guides.
The New Orleans Convention & Visitor’s Bureau offers a similar site at http://www.neworleanscvb.com.  Here you can find additional brochures and walking tour maps, as well as links to restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues. They also offer tips on free (or nearly free) activities.

Museums and Archives:

Louisiana State Museum:  several historic properties comprise the Louisiana State Museum complex in New Orleans’ French Quarter: The Cabildo, The Presbytere, the Old U.S. Mint, the Arsenal, the 1850 House and Madame John’s Legacy.  The Friends of the Cabildo also offer a two-hour walking tour of the Vieux Carré.
The Historic New Orleans Collection: a seven-building complex in the French Quarter that includes The Williams Research Center and the Williams Residence with exhibition galleries and a museum shop.

Tulane University Howard-Tilton Memorial Library Special Collections Division: the six departments comprise the world’s largest research center and archives for New Orleans and the world’s second largest for Louisiana. Included is The Hogan Jazz Archive which preserves oral histories, recordings, sheet music, and images, about Jazz in New Orleans.
New Orleans Museums:  this website provides links to many additional museums, galleries and historic properties in the city.

Tour Companies (see above guides for additional options):

Historic New Orleans Tours, Inc.:  offers hurricane rebirth tours and weekend jazz walks as well as French Quarter, Garden District, cemetery, voodoo, and haunted tours.
The Old River Road Plantation Adventure:  each tour includes a visit to two of River Road’s most impressive plantations, including Oak Alley, Laura, Evergreen, and St. Joseph.
Big Easy Tours: offers a wide variety of tours.
New Orleans Creole Queen:  dinner jazz Mississippi river cruises aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen. 
Steamboat Natchez:  offers dinner jazz and harbor cruises.

Dining Guides:

French Quarter Dining:  includes description of various cuisines and a “cheap eats” guide.

New Orleans Restaurants:  the Big Easy guide to fine dining features an interactive map.
Urban Spoon: extensive guide to French Quarter restaurants, including best cheap eats.

 

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