Central Business District: the talk of the town
Once down-at-heel, the downtown area of New Orleans is now a heady mix of glass skyscrapers, lively nightlife venues and modern eateries, in a district that runs along the Mississippi River just south of the French Quarter. Get your wallet ready because there's upmarket shopping spaces along Canal Street and the South Market District. Come in the summer and you can immerse yourself in one of the regular outdoor concerts or performances at Lafayette Square. Alternatively, you can dive into the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, to discover life under the oceans, or try your luck at with a flutter at the casino.
Take a steamboat in Central Business District
So, you arrived at your Central Business District vacation rental, but what do you do in the New Orleans' downtown? Fear not, this district teems with trendy bars, eateries and some serious retail spaces. If you're in town on a Saturday and you like to eat, make a beeline for the Crescent City Farmers Market, where you can pick up Southern produce like freshly-caught shrimp to take back to your rental. Alternatively, hop on board the Steamboat Natchez for a 2-hour cruise and experience that French quarter elegance, while dining on Creole cuisine accompanied by the sounds of live jazz music.
Escape the cold weather in Central Business District
The best time to stay in a Central Business District vacation rental is during the spring months, when the climate is more agreeable, and the Mardi Gras festivities are in full swing. If you're looking to get away from the cold winters further north, New Orleans might just be your new best friend. It might not be hot between December and February, but the mild climes might just be the ticket. The humid summers aren't the peak season around here, but if you don't mind the sizzling temperatures, you can score some bargains on rentals.
Dive into the aquarium in Central Business District
This built-up urban sprawl has little in the way of nature or wildlife, bar the odd backyard critter. If getting face-to-face with wildlife is important, you should make a beeline for the Aquarium of the Americas, which houses more than 10,000 creatures within its impressive walls. It would simply be impossible to list every creature at the aquarium, but highlights include a whole tank of sharks, shoals of piranhas and magnificent stingrays. In the Amazon exhibit, you shouldn't skip spotting the huge anaconda, nor should you miss the white alligator at the Mississippi River gallery.