New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Overview

New Orleans, one of the most fascinating of American cities, is the capital of Louisiana and the largest city in the state. It is a major Mississippi River port (Transshipping trade takes the main part of the city's trade), one of the most important merchant shipping centers, a large financial center, an important industrial city and a top tourist attraction in the United States because of its access to the Mexico Gulf.
New Orleans is suitable for travel all the year round due to its humid subtropical climate with the average temperature of 27.7 degree centigrade in July and 11.6 degree centigrade in January. Rich in color, with bays here and there, it is a perfect refreshing place.
French Quarter is the most famous part of the city. It had been a French colony until Napolean sold it to the newly built United States of America. Now it focuses on commerce and entertainment with lots of clubs, bars, shops, hotels and restaurants. Many buildings here are still in the French style and some are quite like what they were two centuries ago. Bourbon Street, extending through French Quarter from east to west, is one of the best areas for nightlife, attracting millions of people. The black musicians in this street created jazz at the end of the 19th century, so first-class jazz bars and R&B bars are available here. Moreover, excellent street artists and behavior artists here make deep impression on tourists. The stripe tease bars in this street are renowned all over the country. Generally, the admission is $10 and there are only topless shows.
The Royal Street is full of various high-rank antique shops. Jackson Square lies in the center of French Quarter. On the square, there are artists drawing portraits for tourists, musicians playing musical instruments, and magicians and vaudevillians giving performances. Therefore, we often see Jackson Square on the postcards as the symbol of the city. By the square standing the splendid St. Louis Cathedral, it was built in 1851. The one-kilometer- long River walk along Mississippi is a great place for people to appreciate the beautiful river. In the small shops nearby, tourist souvenirs and snacks are provided. The vast Lake Pontchartrain is to the north of New Orleans. The bridge spanning over it is 24 miles in length and the longest of those bridges over lakes. The annual Mardi gras is a carnival dating back to 1857. During the carnival, New Orleans becomes a mass of color and revelry; people wear masks and bright clothes, indulging themselves in the music, marches and other amazing activities.
A booming modern city, New Orleans has advanced education and colorful culture. There are a number of museums, theaters, concerts, universities as well as the Louis Anna Stadium with a capacity of 70,000 people. On the west of French Quarter and the other side of the Canal Street, it is the downtown area of the new city with the main buildings of the city and the state governments.
There are scores of hotels of different ranks, from Hilton Riverside and Wyndham Canal to the small ones, especially those in French Quarter. (Mentelione Royale and Omni Royal are recommended.) The expense every day ranges from $80 to $150.
The roads in the city are usually very broad with six or eight lanes. Cars normally run at the speed of 70 kip. Apart from its famous harbor filled with ships from all over the world, New Orleans has one international airport and two domestic ones. It cost $2 for sightseeing around the city on a tramcar.
There are different styles of food in New Orleans, and it is considered as the best place for meals throughout the country partly because of the French atmosphere.