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North America

New OrleansUnited States

Jazz every night, Creole cooking and iron-balconied streets in the French Quarter.

The vibe

EnergeticArtsyFood-focusedAction-packedHistoric

Derived from New Orleans’s strongest Destination DNA attributes.

Where is New Orleans?

Map showing the location of New Orleans, United StatesNew Orleans, United States is in North America. The marker shows its approximate position.
Simplified location map: New Orleans, United States, North America.

New Orleans is in the southern United States, on the Mississippi river in Louisiana near the Gulf coast.

At a glance

Country
United States
Region
North America
City size
Medium
English
Native English-speaking

Why you might like New Orleans

  • Live music
  • Food
  • Nightlife
  • History
  • Museums
  • Entertainment

New Orleans has a musical culture that runs continuously through its bars, brass bands and second-line parades, and a Creole and Cajun kitchen unlike anywhere else in the country. The French Quarter and Garden District are walkable, and Mardi Gras reshapes the city each spring.

New Orleans in facts

Country
United States
Region
North America
City size
Medium · ~380,000 residents

Urban area population · UN World Urbanization Prospects and national statistics offices, 2024

English
Native English-speaking

Not scored by the index because English is a native or official everyday language.

Why New Orleans stands out

  1. The French Quarter's architecture reflects French and Spanish colonial rule, with wrought-iron balconies dating largely from the Spanish period.

  2. New Orleans is widely credited as the birthplace of jazz, and live music remains central to daily life on streets like Frenchmen Street.

  3. Mardi Gras, with its parades and krewe traditions, culminates each year on the day before Ash Wednesday.

  4. The city's cuisine, including gumbo, jambalaya and po'boys, blends French, African, Spanish and Caribbean influences known as Creole and Cajun cooking.

Good to know

  • The city sits below sea level in parts and remains vulnerable to hurricanes, with peak hurricane season running June through November.
  • The French Quarter and Garden District are walkable, but the streetcar system helps cover longer distances without a car.
  • Mardi Gras season brings large crowds and higher accommodation prices in the weeks leading up to the event.

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