What comes to mind when you think of New Orleans? Mardi Gras, year-round festivals with music and partying in the streets, the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, jazz, great Creole and cajun cuisine. Rich in culture and history, you'll find fascinating things to do in New Orleans year round.

Year Round Vacation Ideas in New Orleans

Riverwalk Marketplace (pictured above) offers visitors a true taste of New Orleans plus fantastic river views as well as 140 shops, a food court, and live entertainment. Located on the riverfront between Aquarium and Convention Center. Nearby attractions for the family include:

• Louisiana Children’s Museum
• Louisiana’s Civil War Museum
• Audubon Nature Institute
• Southern Food & Beverage Museum

For a bit of history, visit centuries-old plantations on the Mississippi and learn how people lived and worked in the antebellum era.

Take a Carriage Ride through the French Quarter.

Mark your calendars for the third Saturday of every month. Markey Park's Bywater Art Market presents local artists displaying and selling their work at affordable prices. Paintings, photography, jewelry, textiles, sculpture, furniture, and pottery are among the many fascinating items to choose from. Enjoy demos, live music, and food as you stroll the grounds for an enjoyable day's outing. Royal Street at Piety in Bywater.

Located along the Mississippi River, you'll find the Audubon Park. Enjoy jogging and biking trails, tennis courts, picnic facilities, the Audubon Zoo with family-oriented programs throughout the year, an aquarium, insectarium, and golf course.

Take a Culinary Tour and sample local cuisine and New Orleans style coffee. Sign up for cooking classes and bring home a little bit of "New Orleans" with you as you learn some of the secrets to the local restaurants' great Creole and cajun dishes served. In the mood for crawfish, shrimp, or alligator? Take in one of the many festivals throughout the year to sample some of these delicacies.

Visit the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park and see the magnificent outdoor Sculpture Gardens.

Spring Vacation Ideas in New Orleans

St. Patrick's Day - green beer, parades along Magazine Street, Irish music and dancing, plenty of food at block parties around town, arts and craft displays. Partying at all the Irish pubs.

Read more about The French Quarter Festival, a celebration of French Quarter life, on our April Vacation Ideas page, as well as the Jazz Fest, a popular annual event expecting 400,000 visitors to the area.

Summer Vacation Ideas in New Orleans

Take a Riverboat Cruise on the Mississippi.

Fall Vacation Ideas in New Orleans

Halloween - another great time to party, and New Orleans is certainly known for their outrageously fantastic parties. Check out their many tours: haunted, cemetery, romantic, history heritage, swamp tours, night or plantation tours. Whether walking, taking a limo or bus, a carriage tour, or on a riverboat, you have many options to choose from. Stop off at the voodoo shops where you'll learn more about the local culture. Costumes are welcome all over town, so feel free to let your imagination run wild.

And don't miss the Voodoo Music Experience, a multi-day music festival held in late October in celebration of Halloween at City Park.

If it's Haunted Houses you're interested in, read more about the LaLaurie House on our Haunted Vacation Ideas page.

The Gretna Heritage Festival, just 3 miles from New Orleans, takes place this year in early October. Read more about it on our October Vacation Ideas page.

Winter Vacation Ideas in New Orleans

For a month-long celebration, see our December Vacation Ideas page for Christmas in New Orleans, followed by an exciting New Year's Eve celebration.

Visit our Mardi Gras page for a look at one of New Orleans' most popular festivals of the year.

Participants and on-lookers will enjoy New Orleans' Mardi Gras Marathon on February 28, 2010 at the Louisiana Superdome. The course travels through historic and scenic areas such as the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, St. Charles Avenue, Garden District, and the Audubon Park. Walkers and runners are welcome.