New Orleans is best known for its outstanding hotels. Most of the quality hotels are positioned within walking distance of the French Quarter; Garden District hotels a streetcar ride away; and Metairie hotels with ferries. The French Quarter is one of the World's most famous and interesting places to visit. The Bourbon Orleans is located in the heart of the French Quarter.

The typical Southern charm makes one reminiscent of the French Opulence of the early 1800's. The hotel's centralized location offers direct access to the fashionable Royal Street. Omni Royal Orleans is also located in the historic French Quarter. It is AAA four-diamond luxury hotel. It is identified as the "place to see, and be seen" when visiting the city. The rooms here adorn the look of 19th century New Orleans décor. Inn on Bourbon Hotel is located right in the heart of the French Quarter where Bourbon and Toulouse streets intersect and is one of the most beautiful historic hotels. Boutique New Orleans Hotel is located in the Garden District that offers pampering services to their business travelers and luxury vacationers. The Garden District Hotel is also located in heart of the Garden District. This luxury hotel has spacious guest rooms and suites, and is renowned for its Southern charm and hospitality. The Royal St. Charles Hotel is New Orleans' latest hotel. It is a European-style boutique hotel including all the modern amenities. Hotel InterContinental located in 444 St Charles Avenue takes pride in hosting first-class facilities, with multilingual staff and an ideal location. The Fairmont New Orleans is renowned for its gracious accommodations.

This historic hotel is located in the downtown adjacent to the French Quarter. The hotel has the distinction of serving most of the celebrities including eight U.S. presidents. The Ritz-Carlton hotel is regarded as the "Crown Jewel of the Crescent City." It is Louisiana's one and only AAA Five Diamond luxury hotels and has been constantly receiving worldwide acclamation for its top class services restaurants, lounges, live entertainment and world-class spa. 

Top 5 hotels in New Orleans

• Alexa Hotel : Get more details on this by visiting Alexa Hotel official site.
• Iberville Suites : Get more details on this by visiting Iberville official site.
• J W Marriott New Orleans : Get more details on this by visiting Marriott official site.
• Ramada Inn & Suites Downtown : Get more details on this by visiting Ramada official site.
• New Orleans Marriott : Get more details on this by visiting Marriott official site. official site.

Eating good stuff is a passion in New Orleans. Dining in New Orleans is always a feast. Though some people come to the city mostly to drink, others come here just to eat. The most favored cuisines here are Gumbo, red beans and rice and jambalaya. Oysters and crawfish are also two items that is mostly seen on many New Orleans menus. Almost every restaurant in "Nawlens” uses some variety of Cajun cooking in nearly every dish.

This region is only of its kind in offering such a delicious feast to its visitors. It's very perplexing what to choose from a great variety of foods offered. To enjoy the perfect Cajun cooking K-Paul's Kitchen is highly renowned. The blackened red fish and spicy Cajun martinis and the delicious sauces offered here makes one visit this venue time and again. Galatorie's is identified as one of the city's most traditional Creole restaurants. It is located in the infamous Bourbon Street. Though Arnaud's offers unsurpassed service but is not suitable for a peaceful, romantic dinner. It takes pride in having a huge wine cellar. Commander's Palace in the Garden District offers the most formal dining. The traditional jazz bunch offered here is very famous among the locals but is very expensive. The venue only permits the customers wearing a dinner jacket. The Chef's Table is facilitated with an exclusive chef, who cooks a seven-course meal for his guests only. Antoine's is the oldest family-run restaurant in the country. The restaurant created Oysters Rockefeller. Dookie Chase's is famous for the red beans and rice. Their traditional Southern menu features the South's best fried chicken. The locals prefer Mike Anderson's and Ralph & Kacoos for casual dining. Oysters and grilled fish is the specialty of Bourbon House Seafood.

Acme Oyster House offers the city's most excellent variety of oysters. For lunch The Market Cafe is an ideal venue. Mena's Place serves hearty breakfasts and daily lunch specials in a proper Southern style. The Le Richeleau hotel located in Chartres Street offers the tastiest omelet. The rich heritage of the city has also welcomed French, Spanish, African and Caribbean flavors. Roux is a kind of sauce that forms the basis for all the cooking in New Orleans.

Tulane University is a privately running nonsectarian university. It includes the campuses focusing on liberal arts, sciences and certain professions. The professional training includes School of Architecture, A.B. Freeman School of Business, School of Engineering, Law School, School of Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and School of Social Work. The university's Graduate School offers higher degrees in engineering, sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the fine arts.

The name of all of Tulane's athletic teams is Green Wave. Loyola University New Orleans is a private running, co-ed Jesuit University. The main campus of the University is located in an upscale area near the historic French Quarter adjacent to the main campus of Tulane University. It is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The Broadway campus of the University features Loyola's School of Law, Cabra Residence Hall, and a Department of Visual Arts. Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) is a publicly running and an integral part of Louisiana's Southern University system. Here the enrollment is open keeping in view the varied needs of Louisiana, southern Mississippi and Greater New Orleans area. The University is also an HBCU, serving the African American community in and around the Greater New Orleans area.

The open enrollment helps the students who want to pursue higher education but are "socio-economically disadvantaged." Xavier University of Louisiana is a Roman Catholic University that was established to serve the African-American community since before 1964; African-Americans were virtually barred from pursuing higher education opportunities. Dillard University is also a privately running university established in 1869 to serve the African-American community. It offers programs in the liberal arts at the post-secondary level. It is associated with the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church. The University Of New Orleans (UNO) is public urban university that was once a branch of Louisiana State University. It became a deemed University in 1974. The university has six campuses.  

New Orleans Universities

• University of New Orleans
• Tulane University

New Orleans is World's No. 1 place to celebrate the New Year's Eve. The fun here starts on Bourbon Street where the hip crowd loves to flaunt their aristocracy. It is the city's most popular street and is dominated by drinks and the tipsy drinkers. Here the bars are located in every block and each night is a fun night irrespective of the time.

Many hunks keep on doing peek-a-boo at the balconies waiting for the girls to lift their top in return for a string of Mardi Gras beads. Razzoo is the street's best pickup bar. It is one of the boisterous bars on Bourbon. It is a very seductive and energetic street. New Orleans city is popular for its jazz. The Famous Door is one of the best jazz clubs in the area. Pat O'Brien's, located right in the middle of the Bourbon Street houses three bars in one. There's no podium at Pat's, just hanging, drinking and socializing. New Orleans' best known cocktail, Hurricane is offered here. The New Orleans active night scene is full of excitement. The Blue Nile Nightclub offers live music 6 nights a week. The Bombay Club located just a short half-block from the Bourbon Street is a lovely candlelit spot in the heart of the French Quarter at 830 Conti Street. The French Quarter alone has over 300 bars.  Bars here don't shut down as long as there's a crowd. Whiskey, beer and wine can be bought anywhere at anytime. Music here isn't just a scene, it's the people's way of life and theNew Orleanians give importance to their music as much they give emphasis on their drinking and dining. Dozens of bands play music every night within walking distance of one another.

The countless dining options make it very suitable to spend a whole evening here. Frenchmen Street in the Marigny is at present the newest music strip in town. Hanging out on the streets here can be as much entertaining as entering a club. In Mid-City, the bars are mostly thronged by regulars from the neighborhood. Here live music is also not much popular.

The New Orleanians just need an excuse to party in town. Since the city is a football town, an abode of New Orleans Saints, a National Football League franchise, the people literally worship their coveted team, though they have never win even a league title. The Saints play their home games in Louisiana Superdome.

The Saints play their nine home games from August through December. The NCAA (college) Sugar Bowl game is also a main sporting event that is hosted in the Superdome on January 1. The Nokia Sugar Bowl has been influential in spreading the name and prominence of New Orleans city globally. The Sugar Bowl entered the new millennium in an impressive style by hosting college football's first national championship game of the 21 st century. Gambling on horse races is the city's second-biggest sport. Fair Grounds Race Track inaugurated 1872, is the third-oldest track in the nation. Horse Racing is held here from November to March on Wednesday through Sunday. The college football, basketball and baseball games here get the bounty of attention. The local teams that represent the city rank very high in the nation. The Tulane Green Wave plays NCAA Division I football at the Superdome. Their matches against the Louisiana State University (LSU) are an ensured crowd puller. The playing skills of University of New Orleans Privateers basketball team are quite commendable.

New Orleans has no MLB team or NBA franchise, but the city does houses minor league baseball and hockey teams that play competitively according to their in and around town. New Orleans has been chosen to host the 2006 USA Open Volleyball Championships. The city also houses an Arena Football League team, the New Orleans VooDoo and New Orleans Zephyrs, an AAA minor league baseball team.

New Orleans Sports :

• New Orleans Hornets : NBA
• New Orleans Saints   : NFL