When I got to New Orleans, the city was hosting the annual Essence Festival, it was the week of Fourth of July and the temperatures were around 35 °C/95 °F. I stayed there for a full week and went on two worthwile tours: Oak Alley Plantation and a swamp tour on the Pearl River.

See

• Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, Mississippi River, French Market

• Garden District and Magazine Street

• Museum of Art and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

• Botanical Garden

Do

• Ride a historic streetcar

• Visit Oak Alley Plantation

• Go on a swamp tour

• Listen to live jazz at Preservation Hall or at Musical Legends Park

• Try Creole and Cajun cuisine; I loved Po’boy, beans & rice, pralines and beignets.

Eat

Breakfast/Brunch

• Majoria’s Commerce Restaurant

• Willa Jean

• Whole Foods

Lunch/Dinner

• Olde Nola Cookery

• Kingfish

• Palace Café

Cafés

• Café du Monde

• Sucré

• The Rabbit’s Foot