Inside New Orleans If music, art and handcrafted treasures excite your family, plan a stop by the historic French Market , a treat for the senses that also hosts a free monthly concert series featuring children's music. Stroll through the ever-artsy French Quarter , or stop by nearby Dutch Alley , home to the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, where you’ll find live music and programs for kids. Keep the creativity flowing with a visit to Jackson Square, and wander the pedestrian mall to watch artists at work. For a behind-the-scenes peek at the artistic side of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebrations, drop by Mardi Gras World , where your family can learn about the floats that roll during Carnival season. Take a photo in front of floats, with parade props, or wearing traditional carnival costumes. Get some fresh air with a Royal Carriages mule-drawn carriage tour through the French Quarter. Or take a tour with stories, props and stops geared just for kids with French Quartour Kids , whose new teen tour takes kids on a historical New Orleans journey, seen through the eyes of a 19th-century teenager. LEARN Still have a hunger for history? Then head over to the Louisiana State Museum's Cabildo , Presbytere and 1850 House , located in the heart of Jackson Square, to learn many of the state’s fascinating, true tales. Longue Vue House & Gardens offers visitors an inside peek at how wealthy New Orleans philanthropists lived decades ago. New Canal Lighthouse is a real working lighthouse and museum where children and adults can learn fascinating facts about Louisiana’s ecology. The National WWII Museum 's new Road to Tokyo exhibit is an interactive, awe-inspiring peek into Pacific battles the Allies faced. Round out your adventure at one of the many plantations that are open to the public. On your plantation tour , you’ll see and hear about Louisiana history right where it was made. PHOTOS (from top): Honey Island Swamp Tour ©Cajun Encounters • Face painting at French Quarter Festival ©Greg Long • Exterior ©The National WWII Museum • Longue Vue House & Gardens ©Ryan Lips • Royal Carriages ©Nancy Landry V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E AT N E W O R L E A N S I N F O . C O M 39
New Orleans Official Visitors Guide Winter/Spring 2017: Page 39
