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With many nicknames - The City that Care Forgot, the Crescent City, the Big Easy - New Orleans has a style of its own. It is famous for its cuisine, architecture, music (the birthplace of jazz) and its laidback residents. The annual Mardi Gras and the other celebrations and festivals that dot the city's events calendar bring travellers on cheap flights to New Orleans from around the world.
New Orleans was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 but its spirit never wavered. The historic, cultural and business districts, as they were on higher ground, came through in good shape and things are now mostly back to normal, but lower-lying residential areas suffered greatly. Just half of the pre-Katrina population is back living in the city, but the welcome for tourists is as great as ever.
The oldest, most visited, part of New Orleans is the French Quarter. This is the place to sample Creole food, listen to the music, visit the museums and antique shops and sink a hurricane, a red rum mixture. Nearby is the Central Business District, an area of hotels, restaurants, museums and galleries.
Faubourg Marigny, a hip, Bohemian neighbourhood, offers a taste of non-touristy nightlife.
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Peak Season:The best time to take cheap flights to New Orleans is February through May. Not only is the weather good, but this is when Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest take place.
Shoulder Season:Early fall is a good time to visit. The summer crowds have melted away and the weather is generally mild.
Off Season:Summers can be very hot and humid and there is a risk of hurricanes. If you're willing to brave the heat and possible hurricanes, it can be a good time to get discounted flights and accommodations.
Once travellers have landed on cheap flights to New Orleans, renting a car is quick and easy. There are also taxi and limousine services. The E-2 Airport Bus (operated by Jefferson Transit) can be boarded on the upper level of the airport. It runs to Tulane and Loyola Avenues in downtown New Orleans, two blocks from Canal Street. Fares are about $2 one-way.
Once travellers have settled in after their cheap flights to New Orleans, walking is one of the best ways of seeing the city. The locals have a word for it. "Hoofing it" means to walk or grab a mule-drawn carriage.
There is a good public transit system. RTA operates buses and streetcars in New Orleans and Kenner, and Jefferson Transit serves Jefferson Parish, including Metairie, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, and Marrero. Fares are no more than a couple of dollars.
One of the nicest ways of seeing New Orleans is by streetcar. The streetcar travels between Canal Street and Carrollton and Claiborne Avenues seven days a week. During daylight hours cars operate every ten minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes at weekends. The fare is $1.25.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) (website: www.flymsy.com) The airport is situated 22km west of downtown New Orleans.
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John Kennedy TooleThe story of Ignatius J. Reilly, intelligent but lazy, who lives with his mother at the age of 30. Searching for a job, he has adventures with several French-Quarter characters.
Anne RiceLouis, a desolate plantation owner, encounters Lestat, the powerful vampire, who offers everlasting life as a member of the Undead? Together, the pair feast on innocents, but is it enough?
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