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Why?  Despite still working at recovering from devastation by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans is still a top holiday spot, preserving its reputation for hot weather, great food, swinging music and sensational debauchery. The sounds of jazz permeate the streets and a Mardi Gras atmosphere prevails all year round, making a New Orleans holiday an event to remember.

When?  The best time to travel to New Orleans is during the pleasant, warm days of early spring when azaleas colour the streets and outdoor festivals abound. Mid-summer is unbearably hot and sticky, and winters can be chilly. Hurricane season is between June and November and occasional heavy rainstorms occur.

Who for?  Essentially a holiday in New Orleans is for party people; those who enjoy good food, tasty cocktails, and partying in a jazz club until the early hours will revel in this unique city.

More Info:  Those who are planning a holiday in New Orleans can find out all they need to know about the city in our New Orleans travel guide, which contains all sorts of information, from public transport to the best restaurants. The guide can be printed out to take with you on holiday, or emailed.

Overview

When Jean Baptiste Le Moyne picked out the strategic spot on the Mississippi River for his French colony in 1718, little did he know that he had doomed a future city to tragedy nearly 290 years later. Situated on a swamp, and surrounded by the sea, Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River, the subsiding city of New Orleans chose to swim rather than sink with the construction of a system of levees, pumps and canals to protect the city from flooding.

However, on the 30 August 2005 Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst hurricanes ever to hit the United States, slammed into the region, catapulting New Orleans into world headlines that followed the struggle of the community to cope with extensive damage, loss of life and the flooding of more than 75 percent of the city.

Despite the 'I told you so' attitude of much of the world, the proud residents of New Orleans were more determined than ever to rebuild their city, to bring back the jazz, the extravagant celebrations and the 'Big Easy' lifestyle that once made it the party capital of America. Local musicians are returning home, after-dark options are burgeoning and the strains of jazz and blues rhythms are once again echoing through the streets of the atmospheric French Quarter. Legendary Bourbon Street continues to host carnivals and parades, including the annual Mardi Gras, which has a reputation for being the most scandalous and sensational event on the world's festival calendar.

Besides all the partying, New Orleans has plenty of serious sightseeing to offer. The city is full of picturesque historic buildings, lush parks, interesting museums displaying everything from voodoo culture to modern technology, riverboats and historic streetcars, and of course jazz cafes. But for now evidence of the calamity, as well as the city's determination to survive, take first place in any visitor's 'to do' list.