New Orleans… it’s been in the news a bit recently. Beginning with Hurricane Katrina, the national spotlight turned on the city as it never had before. And with the Saints winning the Super-Bowl, the nation’s attention is again on New Orleans. And then there’s the vampires. Good god, the vampires. It started with Anne Rice and her “Interview with the Vampire”. Today it continues with Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse novels, or as they?re more widely known, the basis for HBO?s “True Blood”, in which New Orleans is veritable Mecca for the undead. No matter how you look at it though, New Orleans is an exotic city and even arguably the most unique in the United States.

Bourbon Street

photo credit: eschipul

Back when New Orleans was founded, the center of the city was its French Quarter. Today, the city has expanded, but the French Quarter is still the heart of New Orleans culture. Bourbon Street runs straight through this quarter. Largely quiet during the day, the street comes to life at night with its many bars, restaurants and strip clubs. The party of all parties is, of course, Mardi Gras. Bourbon Street is also home to the Cafe-Lafitte-In-Exile, the oldest gay bar within the United States. As it is with many famous streets, once you leave the touristy areas, Bourbon street becomes a street like any other with a quaint residential area and shops established to serve the locals.

Garden District

photo credit: *clairity*

Initially, this area was home to a number of plantations built by Americans who had no interest in living among the creoles who called the French Quarter home. The neighborhood came to be known as the “Garden District” because of the vast, beautiful gardens surrounding the plantation mansions. Since the late 1800′s however, those plantations were subdivided and smaller Victorian homes were built in their place, leaving only the mansion itself intact. The neighborhood is now known more for its astounding architecture.

Longue Vue House and Gardens

Originally there was a house here owned by Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Bloom Stern. In 1934, however, work began on landscaping the grounds with several beautiful gardens. The Sterns decided their home did not allow them to fully enjoy their new grounds, so their original house was moved and a new one constructed in its place with three stories and twenty rooms. The new house is unique. Each of its four facades bears a different appearance to match the garden on that side of the house. Though damaged during Hurricane Katrina, the house and gardens have since been repaired. The home is open daily for tours.

Pontchartrain Hotel

Opened in 1927, this historic hotel has been a mainstay in New Orleans for over 80 years. An earlier hotel existed on this site as far back as 1825. Since opening, the hotel has had a number of notable guests including George H. Bush, and Tennessee Williams who worked on his famous play “Streetcar Named Desire” while staying there. The hotel closed for extensive renovations in July, 2007, and will now serve as a home for retirees with the rooms being converted into senior apartments.

Saint Louis Cemetery #1

photo credit: CGehlen

There are three St. Louis Cemeteries. This one is the oldest. Founded in 1789, when it was the main burial ground for the city, it is still functioning today. With that in mind, one might picture expansive grounds. Saint Louis Cemetery #1, however, is only the size of one city block. Despite that, over 100,000 dead have been interred here. The graves in each Saint Louis Cemetery are above-ground vaults. This is due to cultural tradition, not New Orleans water table. Tours of the cemetery are available.

St. Louis Cathedral

photo credit:?faungg

This is, simply put, the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States. So how old is it? The first church on this site was constructed in 1718. The church has been rebuilt from scratch three times, the most recent in 1789. The current church was in turn largely expanded and rebuilt itself in 1850. And while we’re inundating you with dates, the church was upgraded to cathedral rank in 1793 and designated as a minor basilica in 1964. Surprisingly, this is not the largest nor grandest church in New Orleans. That said, it is obviously the most historic, which is why it is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans.

The Cabildo

photo credit: Ken Lund

Adjacent to St. Louis Cathedral stands The Cabildo. This beautiful building was the seat of local government during New Orleans colonial era. As with much of New Orleans, the original building burnt down during the great fire of 1788. Since being rebuilt, it has served several purposes, especially as a courthouse. This building was also the site of the Louisiana Purchase ceremonies in 1803. In 1895, it was suggested the building be demolished as it had fallen into disrepair. Fortunately, the building was ultimately saved through the efforts of artist William Woodward. Since 1911, the building has partially housed the Louisiana State Museum.

The Presbytere

photo credit: sfmission.com

Also adjacent to St. Louis Cathedral, The Presbytere was originally constructed by the cathedral to house members of the clergy. However, it was never used for this purpose. The building was first used for commercial purposes, then by the Louisiana Supreme Court as a courthouse. Today, it partially houses the Louisiana State Museum. The Presbytere obviously shares much of its history with The Cabildo, which is fitting since the Presbytere was originally designed to match The Cabildo in order to better frame St. Louis Cathedral.

A poll by CNN in 2007 found New Orleans to be the top city in the United States for nightlife, live music, cheap food, antique markets, flea shopping, wild weekends, cocktail hours, and girlfriend getaways. Suffice to say, if you strip away the attention the city has gained due to the hurricane, Super Bowl, and vampire lore, you’re still left with a lively and unique city. Granted, it also ranked dead last when it comes to safety and cleanliness, so perhaps it’d be best to leave the kids at home.