Kids Fun In New Orleans

Known for Mardi Gras parties, its vibrant multi-ethnic culture and jazz, New Orleans, still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, is the spot for a great vacation.

Dubbed “The Big Easy” and “The Most Interesting City in America” depending on your viewpoint, New Orleans, Louisiana will not disappoint anyone on your next family vacation.  This charming Southern belle boasts a culture that is unique, music that is truly inspiring, cuisine to die for, entertainment that is wild and a dark history that will intrigue.  Straddling the mouth of the Mississippi River, still growing and recovering after the devastating Hurricane Karina of 2005, New Orleans can be as tame or as wild as your taste prefers, and is a must-see American city.  For more details, visit the New Orleans Visitor's Bureau.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
1 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/581-4629 or 800/774-7394
Audubon Zoo
6500 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
866/ITS-AZOO or 800/774-7394
The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is hailed as one of the top aquariums in America. See the 30-ft-long Caribbean reef tunnel and then say hello to Spots, the white alligator, penguins, and Buck and Emma, two sea otters rescued by the zoo.  Visit Adventure Island too, a fun interactive exhibit.  The Audubon Zoo, one of the top ranked zoos in the U.S, has animals from all over the world. Try out the rock climbing wall, the endangered species carousel, the archaeological dig, and the safari simulator ride. Visit the red river hogs, sea lions, white tigers, and other exotic species.  By Rachel Taube  

Historic New Orleans Collection
533 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/523-4662
Anyone with an appreciation for beautiful things will love the restored French Quarter’s southern homes in the Historic New Orleans Collection. Visit one of the HNOC buildings on the famous Royal Street to see art and photography from artists like Josephine Crawford and Michael P. Smith.  A great way to learn about Louisiana and the Cajun way of life, the Collection operates a museum, which includes the Williams Gallery and the Louisiana History Galleries. Be sure to visit the Williams Residence, an 18^th century home that has been largely untouched since the 1940s. Children and parents will like the HNOC’s Concerts in the Courtyard, an outdoor concert series with local musicians and complimentary food and beverages.  By Rachel Coleman

Confederate Museum
929 Camp Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/523-4522
The Civil War Museum’s Memorial Hall is the oldest museum in Louisiana and has the second largest collection of Confederate memorabilia in the US. All members of the family are sure to find something that interests them in the thousands of Confederate artifacts. Popular attractions include Confederate soldier uniforms, guns and swords, battle flags, paintings, and photographs. Be sure to see exhibits about Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, who was placed at Memorial Hall after his death for one and a half days, when more than 60,000 people came to pay their respects.  By Rachel Coleman

Magic Tours 
327 Belleville Street
New Orleans, LA 70114
504/588-9693
For a fun-filled, historically accurate experience, take a Magic Tour through historic New Orleans. Featuring scenic tours through the mansion-lined Garden District, the French Quarter, and the St. Louis Cemetery, the tour group offers themed tours based on culinary arts, New Orleans scandals, and literature. But a visit to New Orleans would not be complete without a true ghost tour. Since its founding, New Orleans has suffered numerous incidents of disease, disasters, destruction, and death, and it seems that almost every building has its own haunting story. If your family enjoys thrills, take an after-dark ghost walk to hear the ghost stories, vampire tales, and voodoo legends of New Orleans and see who can spot the living dead. Each tour leaves from a different location, so check the company’s website for details. Reservations are required for all tours.  By Rachel Coleman

Louisiana Superdome
1500 Sugar Bowl Dr.
New Orleans, LA 70112
504/587-3663
Besides being the home of the New Orleans Saints football team, the iconic Superdome also became a shelter for 30,000 people when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2006. And as the largest fixed dome structure in the world, the Superdome, located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, has hosted Pope John Paul II, the 1988 Republican National Convention, and the Rolling Stones in the world’s largest indoor concert ever. It cost $134 million to repair the Dome after Hurricane Katrina, and the building’s renovations include 192-foot windows, new sound systems, and four new scoreboards. Stop by the Dome with your family to see the massive building or catch one of the many concerts and shows that take place there during the year. Car and boat shows, house exhibits, and the Sugarbowl are just a few of the Dome’s huge annual events that your family can experience.  By Rachel Coleman

Riverwalk Marketplace
1 Poydras Street, Suite 101
New Orleans, LA  70130
504/522-1555  
It's hard to get a feel of what authentic New Orleans life is really like at Riverwalk Marketplace, the bustling marketplace along the Mississippi, but it's a fun tourist destination. Built on the site of the 1984 World’s Fair, this festive marketplace has lots of places to shop, eat, and find entertainment. Also located next to one of the busiest seaports, you can see cruise ships, freighters, and riverboats.  By Vanessa Cubillo

Mid City Lanes Rock 'n Bowl  
3000 S. Carrollton Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118
504/861-1700
Experience New Orleans nightlife with a twist at Mid City Lanes Rock ‘n Bowl. Enjoy some classic New Orleans rock while you bowl in this retro style, 18-lane bowling alley. Hear live music as you bowl; the whole family can dance on the lanes as you play.  By Vanessa Cubillo

The National World War II Museum
945 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/527-6012
The National World War II Museum, formerly the D-Day Museum and now part of the Smithsonian, is packed with exhibits and some of the most important artifacts of that time, as well as some of its most haunting images. Highlights of the museum include actual soldier's uniforms, weapons displays and oral history stations where visitors can hear the stories of veterans while watching film footage related to their experiences.  Check out the 110-seat Malcolm S. Forbes Theater, which shows Academy Award-nominated films about the war effort.  By Vanessa Cubillo

Southern Food and Beverage Museum
Riverwalk
1 Poydras Street #169
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/569-0405
The American South knows food and if the family really wants to get deep into understanding this unique culinary experience, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SoFAB) is the place to be.  Opened in 2008, SoFAB’s mission is for visitors to discover, understand and celebrate the culture of Southern food and the unique people and ethnicities that have helped create it over the centuries.  Opened seven days a week from 10am-7pm (with limited hours on Sunday), the museum hosts exhibits, demonstrations, lectures and even tastings.  Past exhibits include: “Lousiana Eats!,” “Eating in the White House” and even an Elvis display.  SoFAB offers summer cooking classes for kids and is sponsoring a Menu Project in an effort to collect menus from Southern-style eateries all over the globe.  Admission is $10.  By Jillian Ryan

Magazine Street
Spanning 6-miles east to west from Canal Street until Audubon Park, Magazine Street is a shopper’s paradise.  Boasting unique antique shops, delicious restaurants and interesting people, the street has it all.  It’s great for a family stroll (or get a one-day unlimited bus pass for $5), but make sure mom and dad watch their wallets.  For yummy treats stop by Blue Frog Chocolates at 5707 for fine domestic and imported chocolates; Lucky You! Candy Company at 4505 is a sweetshop that has everything from pez dispensers to cupcakes and popcorn to salt water taffy; and Sophies is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor serves up homemade gelato at 1912.  Kids will love to visit the stores that have things just for them.  Check out Angelique Baby at 3719 for funky clothing; Little Laughter at 5530 to browse child furniture; Magic Box , Ltd., a specialty toy store, at 5508; and Pippen Lane at 2929, a children’s emporium.  Adults will like Fleur d' Orleans at 3701A which features unique gifts designed with inspiration from New Orleans.  And after a long day of shopping, hit Joey K’s Restaurant, a neighborhood eatery that has Creole pot cooking and fried seafood.  By Jillian Ryan