Few cities in the U.S. have the sense of place that New Orleans does.
The city has so much to take in, from architecture and history to incredible food and music. But while some visitors focus on the sort of revelry that's found on Bourbon Street, don't forget that New Orleans is awash in other fascinating cultural experiences, too. Here's a look at some ways to dig deeper into the Crescent City.
Props for 'Pops'
New Orleans is a city of festivals, and the festivities don't cease when the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival packs up its food and music tents in the spring.
August brings the two-day Satchmo Summerfest to the Old U.S. Mint, now home to the New Orleans Jazz Museum, on the edge of the French Quarter. The annual event draws some of the city's top musicians to celebrate the music of the Big Easy's most famous son, Louis Armstrong, best known to many as Satchmo or Pops. The lineup for this year's festival, set for Aug. 3 and 4, hasn't been announced, but past performers have included the Rebirth Brass Band, Charmaine Neville, Leroy Jones and Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers.
A trip to the city isn't complete without a visit to the renowned Preservation Hall. This well-worn space in the French Quarter has been a beacon of traditional New Orleans music for more than six decades. Guests will experience a joyful hourlong performance with local legends like Wendell Brunious and Shannon Powell as well as the resident Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Tickets are available for front row, general seating or standing room only. The hall is very intimate in scope, so it is best to buy tickets well in advance.
Musicians in the Peacock Room in the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot. Photo Credit: Lance Jethrow
If clients are interested in libations with their music, they should stop by the gorgeously appointed Peacock Room in the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, just a short walk from the French Quarter. This sultry cocktail bar is dark and intimate, with rich emerald and gold decor -- and of course plenty of peacocks and other animal accents. It's a wonderful place to rub shoulders with NOLA's movers and shakers and enjoy a rotating cast of live singers on a weekend evening.
Exhibits with a lively pulse
One of the city's quirkier venues is JamNOLA, in the up-and-coming Bywater neighborhood. The exhibits are a topsy-turvy trip through worlds created by more than 30 local artists. The institution's name stands for joy, art and music in New Orleans.
Quirky exhibits at JamNOLA. Photo Credit: Lance Jethrow
A little bit fun house and a little bit folk art, guests will discover glowing neon bayous here along with representations of New Orleans neighborhoods, psychedelic rooms full of lights and mirrors and tributes to local musicians and the revelry and artistry of Mardi Gras.
For insights into New Orleans' extensive LGBTQ+ history, one of Quinn L Bishop's Queer Underground tours is recommended. Bishop guides guests from the 1850s to the present, educating them on how LGBTQ+ residents have influenced the city's history from the beginning. lients will learn about the early sex industry and how the Catholic Church tried (and failed) to suppress it as well as about Storyville, the red-light district established by the city at the turn of the 20th century. Bishop's historical insight and delightful sense of humor make this tour a real winner.
Alcohol is a big part of New Orleans' culture, as anyone who steps onto Bourbon Street on a Saturday night can tell you. But it does have a refined side, too. According to Mike Dupree, food and beverage manager for the city's iconic Hotel Monteleone, "You go to California for wine, to the Midwest for beer and to New Orleans for cocktails," he said.
The hotel's Carousel Bar & Lounge, which is packed daily from its 11 a.m. opening until late into the night, is a good place to start. Unveiled in 1949, the 25-seat bar rotates 360 degrees every 15 minutes, and grabbing a seat here is not an easy feat.
Hotel guests can book an hourlong tour of the space at 10 a.m. each morning, when Dupree provides a fascinating history of both the bar and the city.
Dupree explained that while New Orleans didn't invent the cocktail, the city helped put it on the map. Today, visitors can indulge in local favorites like the Sazerac, Hurricane, Pimm's Cup or even the Hand Grenade.
"Music and alcohol really represent us as a people," he said.