Sightseeing

Things to see and do around New Orleans!

The Ritz-Carlton is located in the historic French Quarter, away from the Bourbon Street hustle, but still within walking distance of stores, restaurants and culture. Below are a few suggestions for how to spend your free time in New Orleans.

The National World War II Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn.


Mardi Gras World is a tourist attraction located in New Orleans. Guests tour the 300,000 square foot working warehouse where floats are made for Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. Mardi Gras World is located along the Mississippi River, next to the New Orleans Morial Convention Center.


Noisy. Raucous. Nocturnal. For many New Orleans visitors, Bourbon Street embodies the life of a party town. The street is lit by neon lights, throbbing with music and decorated by beads and balconies. Named for a royal family in France and not the amber-colored alcohol, Bourbon Street has become a place for revelry of all sorts. With its windows and doors flung open to the wandering crowds, it should be no surprise that the famed sidewalk strolling libation known as the “go cup” was invented on Bourbon Street, according to Tulane University historian Richard Campanella. Many things change in New Orleans, but the color and excitement of Bourbon Street never falters.


St. Louis Cemetery #1, on the edge of the French Quarter, is one of the city’s premiere attractions for tourists. Opened in 1789 as a replacement for the St. Peter cemetery, which was deconsecrated in order to allow the residential development of the block bounded by N. Rampart, St. Peter, Burgundy, and Toulouse streets, St. Louis #1 is the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.  Its most famous resident is Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau (the third most visited tomb in the country behind Elvis and JFK), but it also serves as the final resting place of civil rights pioneers Homer Plessy and Dr. Louis Charles Roudanez, among other notable historical figures such as Bernard de Marigny and Paul Morphy.  Nicholas Cage’s future tomb is also a big draw.  The cemetery’s age and unique above ground burial tombs have long attracted visitors, especially after it was featured in the classic counter-culture film, Easy Rider (1969).


The Mississippi River Delta is disappearing at the rate of one American football field (110 meters by 49 meters) per hour due to man-made and natural forces. To explore its fragile beauty, drive 26 kilometers south to Houma. The Intracoastal Waterway and several bayous flow through this city of 34,000 people, making it a prime spot to start swamp tours. Look for eco-minded trips, alligator-feeding tours and excursions with a focus on local history and culture. When on the water, watch for the mysterious rougarou. According to Cajun folklore, this red-eyed werewolf-like creature roams the swamps searching for naughty children and Lent-breaking Catholics.