New Orleans is wholly unlike anywhere else in America. Some would say its wholly unlike anywhere else in the world.
New Orleans is wholly unlike anywhere else in America. Some would say its wholly unlike anywhere else in the world.
Its like this most probably because of the eclectic mix of nationalities and ethnicities that have made up its population for two centuries: it must have the most diverse gene pool on the planet. You can hear French and Spanish spoken on the streets, and the cooking contains influences from a dizzying variety of world cuisines. Its a little like Noahs Ark. A little of each bit of the whole world exists within the city limits.
A vacation in the Crescent City (or The Big Easy, or any of a host of other nicknames) essentially means a vacation in the French Quarter. In fact, straying far beyond the French Quarter may not be such a good idea; New Orleans may feel like a cultured European city at times, but its not as safe as most transatlantic destinations. It suffers from many of the same problems as L.A. poverty, ethnic violence and drug crime. Stay in the French Quarter, however, and use your common sense, and you should be fine. The city places a high value on tourists, and much is done to make them feel secure.
The French Quarter is essentially the New Orleans youve seen in the movies: intricate wrought-iron railings, balconies, hanging flower baskets, and gently fading pastel stucco walls. It feels a lot like Trastevere in Rome, or the Left Bank in Paris. Just within a few hundred yards of Jackson Square theres a huge amount to see and do.
Before you get started on wandering around, however, its a good idea to get used to the citys peculiar geography and the way the locals describe it. New Orleans sits on primeval swampland (now drained, thankfully) between the salt Lake Pontchartrain and the Caribbean. The mighty Mississippi winds through this strip of land and residents of the city use it as a point of reference. Giving you directions, they may refer to upriver (roughly south) and downriver (roughly north). A good map is pretty much essential in the city. It may be in principle laid out according to a traditional U.S. grid pattern of streets, but those streets seem to bend and twist off in the strangest directions following the line of the Mississippi as it grinds its way toward the sea.
You can take a cruise on the river. If youve a little money to spare, and you really feel like recreating the heyday of New Orleans high society, you can take a trip on the SS Creole Queen. The Queen is a restored paddle steamer that plies her trade through the city most nights, usually with a live jazz band playing.
How did we get so far into this article and not mention jazz? New Orleans is the home of this most American of music and a lot of residents will tell you that real jazz has never truly left. Its hard to tell you exactly where to go to hear great jazz, as its absolutely everywhere in the city. If you dont like jazz dont go to New Orleans. You wont like the place, and it wont like you.
And jazz pervades the place not just as an art-form, but as a state of mind. You can taste it, for example, in the cooking. While youre in Louisiana make sure you try some Creole food. Not the stuff you buy in boxes in Wal-Mart that claims to be Creole. Try the real stuff. And remember that Cajun and Creole is not the same thing. Gumbo, Jambalaya and red-beans-and-rice come from a cultural background miles away from the French-inspired roux dishes of most Cajun cooking. Its in the kitchens and cafs of the city that you see the real evidence of its diversity.
A great way and a safe one of seeing the city is to take one of the regular guided tours that set off from Jackson Square. One of the good things about these is that the knowledgeable and streetwise local guides can take large groups to places not mentioned in the guidebooks, or to see sights in areas you might not necessarily want to visit by yourself.
One of the absolute highlights of one of these tours is a visit to one of the famous New Orleans cemeteries. This may sound pretty grim and boring, but actually they are wonderful places. Years ago it was discovered that if people were buried in the swampy ground on which the city is built the bodies would pop to the surface again before very long not really something that would meet the approval of the local real estate industry. So dead folks got buried in above-ground structures. Some of these mausoleums are richly decorated and spectacular, revealing a lot about the citys varied history. Kids will love the spooky atmosphere.
Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Well, maybe not yet but you will do when you leave!
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Nags Head has grown into a summer resort area and has some of the best beach recreation on the North Carolina Coast. The name of the town has many tales associated with it. The most popular is the story that pirates would tie lanterns to the necks of their horses or nags, and walk them on the beach at night. The ship captains, thinking this was a safe opportunity to rob the ships. This is a far cry from Nags Head’s attraction today. Once a remote area, Nags Head now has accomodations ranging from classic, old timey cottages to oceanfront vacation homes. Other options include cozy cottages, quaint bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels.
Whether you are single, a couple, or a family, the area is well suited for virtually any type of vacation plans. Nags Head has a reputation as a top notch recreational destination. Watersports and fishing related activities abound. Let’s not forget the world renowned Oregon Fishing Inlet. This area is home to some of the top world-class deep sea fishing. There’s always the poular amuesment parks with miniature golf, waterslides, and go-karts.
The world’s tallest sand dune on the east coast calls Nags Head it’s home. Jockey’s Ridge is approximately 100 feet tall. Feeling adventurous? Jockey’s Ridge is the ideal place to hang glide. Or if you want to chill out, you can walk the beach, watch the sunrise, or enjoy a breathtaking sunset, or just explore the numerous nature trails.
There’s tons of opportunities to pick up souveniers along the way. There are outlet stores, an indoor mall and many local specialty shops. No vacation would be complete without checking out the local restaurants. There are many locally owned restaurants as well as all of the national chain restaurants. The selection of food is excellent. From chicken fingers to filet mignon. Make sure to try the seafood, since much of it is locally caught, and therefore, extremely fresh!
Right down the road (from Nags Head) is the town of Kill Devil Hills. You can easily spend a good half day here, without seeing all the sights. This town became famous when the Wright Brothers made history when they flew the first airplane here in 1903. The Wright Brothers National Memorial is made of granite, rises 61 feet into the air and is the focal point of this town. A 314-acre national park honors this momentous event with a flight museum and an airstrip. Take one of the air tours of the Outer Banks. Its a spectacular, and exciting way to get a bird’s eye view of these islands.
The Visitor’s Center, is a gorgeous glass covered structure that showcases a replica of that simple canvas-covered 605-pound doubled-winged plane, which Orville Wright flew on that history-making day. Looking at it today, it’s hard to imagine that it could even get off the ground.
A popular attraction for kids and adults alike, is kite flying. One of the reasons the Wright Brtothers picked this area was because it is so windy. This makes for consistently soaring kite flying. The Park Service supplies simple box kites and 20 feet of string. It’s normal to see dozens of kids and adults (acting like kids) laughing and with huge smiles on their faces, with their own flying contraptions in a pleasant five mile an hour breeze. When you visit, be sure to make time for touring the various museum exhibits. You can even attend a ranger conducted program, take a tour of the reconstructed camp buildings and the first flight trail area, and climb up Kill Devil Hill to view the memorial pylon.
Located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills offers residents and visitors alike, a unique and relaxing environment with plenty of fascinating, and fun things to see and do year-round.
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About The Author Elizabeth Ann Wares is an avid traveler and shares travel and vacation tips. She is the webmaster of Airfare X, a leading resource for discount airfare: http://www.airfarex.com
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Cheap Tickets, Discount Airfare, Cheap Cruises, Hawaiian Vacations, Las Vegas Vacations or Cancun Vacations. by: Mike Yeager
Finding the best deals for cheap tickets has just become easier. In the past, if you wanted to find cheap tickets and discount airfares you had to contact a travel agent and explain where and when you wanted to go. They would do some research and eventually get back to you with a deal. Well, not anymore! Today you can seek out and find cheap tickets and discount airfares offering the best deal, just by entering a few words into a computer right from your own home. Are you looking for cheap cruises, Hawaiian vacations or an exciting Las Vegas vacation? Well, in a few minutes you can find a plane ticket that will take you anywhere you want to go. You can search out the Cheapest, most Discounted airfare originating from anywhere and going to anywhere…literally in the world. You choose your destination, you choose your schedule, you choose which ticket price suits YOU best and when you’re finished, you complete the transaction, right from the comfort of your own home. Cheap tickets and discount airfares, it can’t get any easier than that! The best Cheap Tickets and Discount Airfares resource you’ll find. When shopping online for cheap tickets and discount airfares, be sure to compare prices with flight departure times and schedules. Seasonal variations can affect travel prices and flight schedules. You’ll find that searching for and purchasing a plane ticket online is easy and fun.
With summer just around the corner, how are you doing with your vacation plans? Have you ever considered visiting the Delaware Beaches? Beside being known as the “First State”, the Rehoboth Beach area in Delaware has also been referred to as “The Nation’s Summer Capital”. This pouplar and fun beach resort is located on the Atlantic Coast. Because it’s only only two hours from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, Philadelphia, PA, and the South Jersey area, you will enjoy a vacation destination that offers a calmness and welcoming feeling, in a relaxing, slower paced family atmosphere. Accommodations run the gamut and include anything from quaint bed and breakfasts to fine hotels and everything in between. Apartments, condominiums, cottages, and private homes are just a few of the options to choose from. The local realtors offer services to assist you in finding the ideal lodging for your stay. There is an abundance of food choices. Whether you decide to eat at your hotel or go exploring, each eatery has their own specialty. Menus range from the local catch of the day to vegetarian. The area is also well known for it’s shopping opportunities. There are many local artisans, as well as factory outlets where you can really stretch your vacation dollars. Another thing that Rehoboth Beach is famous for is its mile-long boardwalk. Many people come down just to walk the boards and watch the ocean waves. You can also bike ride or jog or just hang out and people-watch. If you are lucky enough you can catch a glimpse of dolphins, porpoises, and other wildlife, such as pelicans. Other activities which are great for the kids as well as adults include arcades, musical entertainment, miniature golf and the many festivals that schedule Rehoboth Beach for their venues. For those of you who are into more natural surroundings, there is Cape Henlopen State Park close by in Lewes, Delaware The open shoreline of Cape Henlopen State Park is perfectly suited for swimming, crabbing, fishing, walking or just soaking up the sun. The highest sand dune between Cape Hatteras and Cape Cod is located on this beach. This “great dune” towers more than 80 feet above the shoreline. There is a restored World War II Observation Tower, if you are inclined, where the public is able to see the area from a bird’s eye view. The story behind the tower is fascinating. Bird lovers will want to keep an eye out for ospreys and hawks. The protected piping plover and bald eagles have also been spotted occasionally. Finding another location that matches this resort area’s variety and charm would be a challenging task, because it really has everything you would want or need to have a fun and relaxing vacation. Do yourself a favor and visit”The Nation’s Summer Capital”. You’ll be glad you did!
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