Mardi Gras World, New Orleans – A Behind the Scenes Tour

Mardi Gras World 1In January we took a 3-day weekend to use up some travel vouchers before they expired thanks to the selfish Chinese leader 🙁 However, we did have a great time. While we had been there before and checked out Jackson Square in the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, there was still something we hadn’t done on those previous trips, see a float parade during Mardi Gras.  As it turned out, we were there during what would have been the beginning of Carnival and Mardi Gras, but again the parades and such were canceled by the aforementioned pathetic Chinese leader.  While we were disappointed,  we decided to finally check out Mardi Gras World! This is where all the floats are designed and created. We had a blast, and it was a great substitution.

Continue reading “Mardi Gras World, New Orleans – A Behind the Scenes Tour”

The RiverWalk and Outlet Collection – New Orleans, Louisiana

Riverwalk - BridgeWe had the most amazing time during our visit to New Orleans in December of 2017. On our first afternoon in the city, we took a trolley down to check out the RiverWalk.  While it wasn’t on my post titled 8 Free Things To Do in New Orleans, Louisiana, it is definitely something I am glad we didn’t miss. Not only can you see the beautiful Mississippi River, the amazing Crescent City Connection Bridge (formerly known as the Greater New Orleans Bridge),  the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Ship, as well as the Outlet Collection at Riverwalk Mall. We walked around the mall a little bit, but I was more interested in checking out the River Walk, the river, the ship, and the bridge. There is also a hotel connected to the RiverWalk Outlet Collection called the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. It turned out to be a great place to get a few pictures of us and the bridge. Continue reading “The RiverWalk and Outlet Collection – New Orleans, Louisiana”

Musical Legends Park – Louisiana Celebrates the Musical Greats

Musical Legends Park - FrontIn December of 2017 / January of 2018, we were lucky enough to spend New Year’s Eve in New Orleans. We had an amazing time and saw some great places such as Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral, their Riverwalk Outlet, as well as the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street. One thing that wasn’t on the to-do list that we stumbled upon was the New Orleans Musical Legends Park. I am so glad we found this place accidentally. Continue reading “Musical Legends Park – Louisiana Celebrates the Musical Greats”

Saint Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter – New Orleans, Louisiana

Saint Louis Cathedral-Outside-1Not only is the Saint Louis Cathedral exquisite, but it is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. While we were in Jackson Square in December of 2018, we definitely had to check it out. Located next to Jackson Square and facing the Mississippi River in the heart of New Orleans, it is situated between the historic buildings of the Cabildo and the Presbytère.

Continue reading “Saint Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter – New Orleans, Louisiana”

New Orleans, Louisiana – 8 Free Things To Do in the Crescent City

New Orleans - BuildingI wrote this in November of 2017 while getting excited about our trip to New Orleans, Louisiana over News Years. I couldn’t wait to visit and share my post. However, I never got around to publishing this post, so I decided to do it now. Several years before this trip we were in Tallahassee Florida to see their State Capitol and then spent a week in the Panhandle area. While there we decided to take a day trip to check out NOLA. Sadly we weren’t there long enough to get any kind of feel for the city. This time I was hoping to come back with a better appreciation of their amazing jazz, and a full belly of their tasty gumbo 🙂 Now that we have back a couple of times, we have done a few of these free attractions on this post. As always, I try to find some free or cheaper things to do in new cities.  With that in mind, here is my list of 8 FREE things we hope to do while in the colorful city of New Orleans.
Continue reading “New Orleans, Louisiana – 8 Free Things To Do in the Crescent City”

Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana – Our Visit to this Iconic Street

Bourbon Street-SignIn January of 2018, we were in New Orleans and saw the beginning of Mardi Gras. I was so excited and happy to share our visit to New Orleans and especially our experiences on Bourbon Street. It is a place that you can’t really explain unless you have been there. It’s extremely LOUD (volume and color), but nobody seems to mind and everyone has a good time. Before I share my thoughts, I wanted to share a little history of how Bourbon Street became the icon it is today. Continue reading “Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana – Our Visit to this Iconic Street”

Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge – The Pelican State

Louisiana State Capitol - FrontAfter spending New Year’s Eve in New Orleans in December of 2018, I can happily say we checked off two more states’ capitols while in the area. We toured the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, as well as the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson.  Both were interesting, but the capitol in Louisiana was absolutely amazing.  Granted it was still all decorated for the Christmas season, but it would be incredible without them.  Continue reading “Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge – The Pelican State”

Hawaii – Maryland – US States Number 11 Through 20

HAWAII – MARYLAND

USA Flag

We have traveled a lot throughout the US and have actually been to 41 of the 50 States. Thus I decided to share some information about each state as well as the state road sign. If we didn’t get to a state sign yet (or forgot to get one while we were there), I have posted another picture of a state sign and will replace it once we have pictures. In the meantime, please enjoy the information on the states from Hawaii-Maryland.  FYI, these are in alphabetical order.

Continue reading “Hawaii – Maryland – US States Number 11 Through 20”

French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana – The Many Sights and Sounds

French Quarter-Bldg1Earlier I shared my post which focused on Jackson Square in the French Quarter. This post is also about the sights and sounds in the French Quarter. Also known as the Vieux Carré District, it is the oldest section of the City of New Orleans and was designated a historical landmark on Dec 21, 1965. It is also the home of the beautiful Saint Louis Cathedral.  We were thrilled to be able to explore this historic city while in the area for New Year’s Eve 2017/2018. It was one of the most amazing New Year’s Eve celebrations we’ve been to. Just wanted to share that before I moved on,  lol Continue reading “French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana – The Many Sights and Sounds”

Jackson Square in the French Quarter – New Orleans, Louisiana

Jackson-Square-Statue-1No trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to Jackson Square in the French Quarter.  Thus we made sure to check it out while in the area, December 2017. The square was designed after the famous 17th-century Place des Vosges in Paris, France, by the architect and landscape architect Louis H. Pilié. and is roughly the size of a city block. Though it may be small in size, it is huge in history. Continue reading “Jackson Square in the French Quarter – New Orleans, Louisiana”