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Family Days Out
25 Aug | read
We are so excited to bring you the "Top 9 Family Attractions" to visit in the great Louisiana city of New Orleans. Not only that, we let you know the coolest FREE things to do with kids, as well as offer transport tips, fun facts for you and your family, and let you in on a super fun and easy day trip from the French Quarter. We will also tell you about some famous locals you may not know about! We want to make sure you don’t miss out anything when visiting this vibrant, historic and musical city with the family.
So whether you are from interstate looking for great travel tips, or a local thinking "I wonder what I can do with the kids near me today", then this is the place for you!
New Orleans (or La Nouvelle-Orleans as it was originally known) was founded all the way back in 1718 by Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, however the vibrant Louisiana city was actually claimed for the French crown by Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in 1682. Quite a history! In 1723 it became the capital of the French colony, as well as a vital hub for trading. It's this ecclectic and multicultural history that makes New Orleans so special to this day. It's unlike any other city in the United States, and definitely worth a visit!
The city itself is a contrast of old and new, and particularly in the French Quarter, you can just imagine what life would have been like 200 years ago. It's like walking through the history books! Explore a little further out, and you can experience granduer at it's finest in the Garden District, where lavish gardens and grand historic mansions blend with ornate cemeteries, offering a completely dfferent perspective on the city.
All year round, New Orleans has SO much to do for the entire family! No matter what season, the city comes to life as you explore the French Quarter, iconic Bourbon Street, and the lesser known gem of Frenchmen St. During those Summer months, stroll along the Mississippi River, or take a trip on Steamboat Natchez Riverboat offering a truly historic and iconic experience. In winter, check out the many indoor attractions like Audubon Awuarium of the Americas and the super fun Louisiana Children's Museum. Just keep reading for more details!
New Orleans is a great city to explore on foot, especially through the iconic French Quarter. However, a ride on an iconic streetcar ensures you get to immerse yourselves deeper into the rich culture of the city. And they can help you explore further afield!
The RTA operates four streetcar lines, with the St Charles line being the most popular, as you travel from the French Quarter along beautiful Charles Avenue toward the impressive Garden District.
With a standard one-way fare only $1.25, it's also great for the budget too!
Source and Image Credit: More information here: http://www.norta.com/Getting-Around/Our-Streetcars
Top 9 Family Attractions in New Orleans
If you want to visit the iconic St Louis Cemetery No 1, you now need to be part of a tour, so check out Island of Algiers Tours, and they can combine your experience with other fun New Orleans attractions!
Website: www.ioatoursbynate.com
Enjoy a day of indoor play at this popular New Orleans children's museum. There is 30,000sq ft of fun exhibits and programs that encourage kids to learn, create, develop and play!
From the budding artists in the family, to those scientific wonders who LOVE to know how things work, and those children who just love to get carried away with their imagination, this children's museum is ready to welcome them!
A visit to this fascinating Louisiana city wouldn't be complete without making a stop at the iconic Historic Voodoo Museum. In fact, it's one of the most visited museums in New Orleans!
What the museum lacks in size, makes up for it in fascinating artifacts and displays that tell the story of voodoo, traditions, and what makes New Orleans special.
A must visit for any family trip to the Big Easy!
Located right on the stunning Jackson Square, The Cabildo Museum is a great attraction to add to your New Orleans family day out for a number of reasons!
First, the elegant Spanish style architecture is impressive, and historic in its own right, dating back to the late 18th century. Second, the exhibits tell so many stories, from the Buccaneers of the Battle of New Orleans, to the changing landscape of the city over 300 years!
Finally, did you know that The Cabildo Museum was the site of THE Louisiana Purchase ceremonies back in 1803? If that isn't enough reason to visit, we don't know what is!
What could be more iconic than a steamboat paddlewhel experience down the Mighty Mississippi? Well, not much that's for sure!
Steamboat Natchez Riverboat offers amazing family friendly cruises for all ages, from dinner and jazz cruises, sightseeing fun, and the popular Sunday Brunch cruise. Kids can even pop down and see the engine room in action!
The cherry on the top for any family visit to New Orleans, and don't forget to visit the back of the boat and watch the paddlewheel either!
Experience the history of New Orleans first hand with a visit to the fascinating New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, located on the site of the state's FIRST licenced pharmacist!
The exhibits tell the story of the history of the practice, as well as how Voodoo Practitioners use herbs and plants as their medicines.
Suited more for older children, this museum certainly is a step back in time!
Why wouldn't you want to visit an incredible aquarium right on the banks of the Mississippi River? The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas immerses you in an underwater world, where kids can explore creatures that live all around the globe, from the Great Maya Reef, to the Gulf of Mexico.
This popular New Orleans aquarium has everything you would want in an aquarium visit. Kids can marvel at the playing penguins, and see sea turtles up close as they learn about the importance of conservation.
The interactive experiences are brilliant too, where you can touch a sting ray, feed a parakeet, or just marvel at the HUGE sharks! Are you ready for an underwater adventure New Orleans style?
New Orleans is considered to be one of the most haunted cities in the US, so why not take a tour to meet those OTHER residents? Ghost City Tours take you on a journey through the streets, and even cemetaries, to learn of the dark and fascinating history, and maybe hear some bumps in the night!
Whilst they have a couple of tours for the over 16s, the Ghosts of New Orleans tour is all ages, and departs 8pm every night and is the perfect introduction to the city's paranormal history!
Louisiana and swamps go hand in hand, so why not explore these incredibly diverse landscapes when visting the Big Easy!
Cajun Critters Swamp Tours will take the home family on a trip through the backwaters, in places where Indians and pirates once roamed! The tours are incredibly atmospheric, as you are taken past beautiful cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, with the misty bayou all around you.
There is plenty of wildlife to spot too, from Dubills, to armadillos, and yes, those snap happy alligators!
Have a ROARing time in New Orleans with a visit to the iconic Audubon Zoo! Home to an exotic mix of animals from all over the globe, kids can meet their favorite animals face to face, as well as enjoy hands-on animal encounters!
What's also fun about Audubon Zoo, are the unique natural habitat exhibits, including the Louisiana Swamp and Jaguar Jungle. Kids can learn about the relationship between people and nature, AND see first hand other landscapes from around the world.
With daily animal presentations, feeds, invaluable lessons in conservation with species such as Amur leopards, tigers and orangutans (not to mention the mysterious white alligators), a visit to this zoo is fun AND educational, and parents, we know you love that!
Famous New Orleanians
Louis Armstrong
One of the cities most famous residents and famous for that gravelly voice, Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential jazz figures, with a career spanning five decades!
Image Copyright: Public Domain
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon is an Academy Award winning actress for her role as June Carter in Walk The Line. Her two biggest films were Sweet Home Alabama, & Legally Blonde!
Image Copyright: Public Domain
5 Fun New Orleans Facts
Impress your friends with your amazing New Orleans knowledge!
- The very first Opera EVER performed in the United States in 1796 was performed in New Orleans!
- Beignets are the signature sweet, and are made from deep fried dough sprinkled in sugar! YUM!
- The casino based games of Craps and Poker were invented here!
- The Superdome in New Orleans is the largest enclosed stadium in the world! Phew!
- Feeling musical? New Orleans was the birthplace of jazz!
Top 5 FREE Things To Do With Kids In New Orleans
Visit Jackson Square
Listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1960, iconic Jackson Square is a great place to visit just to take in the atmosphere!
The square is not only an icon of the city, but you can also find artists, musicians and street performers which are fun for kids. The square also features St Louis Cathedral, which is the OLDEST cathedral in North America!
Explore the Garden District
While you can take a tour here, it's just as easy to jump on the St Charles streetcar and just explore on foot.
Take your time making your way around the stunning gardens, ornate cemeteries and of course, the beautiful historic mansions, and finish at Magazine Street where you can grab some lunch or window shop!
Image Credit: www.neworleans.com
Attend one of MANY free festivals!
There is ALWAYS something going on in the Big Easy, including super fun festivals, and we don't just mean Mardi Gras
In April you can find the French Quarter Festival (which also happens to be the largest free festival in the South!), as well as Satchmo Summerfest in August, and the Crescent City BLues & BBQ Festival in October, just to name a few!
Image Credit: www.neworleans.com
Walk around City Park
The focal point of City Park is it's impressive lake, as well as the grand oak trees and picturesque moss canopies
City Park has been the largest outdoor attraction in the city since 1854, offering not only walking trails, but plenty of other activities, vendors, and museums too!
Keep an eye out for wildlife as well, because a turtle or an egret might just be behind you!
Image Credit: www.neworleans.com
Visit the French Market
The French Market is an historically charming open-air market that spans five blocks along the banks of the Mississippi River, and is a super fun place for kids to visit.
What began life in 1791 as a Native American trading post, has evolved into a thriving hub of food stands, live music, handmade crafts and yes kids, plenty of candy!
Image Credit: www.neworleans.com
Top 15 New Orleans Activities For Under $5!
There are so many iconic attractions and features of the South, and perhaps none so known as the Plantation homes. Luckily for you, a number of the most impressive are just a short trip from New Orleans, transporting you back into the history books.
The concept of Plantation homes is deeply rooted in southern United States, and they refer to the property that was found on agricultural plantations from the 17th century through to the 20th century. Many are rich in Civil War history, some even re-create battles, and many offer overnight accommodation too!
From New Orleans, you'll find a number of homes in driving distance, or there are tour companies that can take you on day tours to visit multiple (and some include a swamp tour too!)
Here’s our top 4 Plantation Homes to visit:
We hope you found this content useful! Please share with your friends, and if you have any comments, or want to let us know what we can do to further help you find fun days out with the family, then just email our team at [email protected]!
Let's get the family adventure started!
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