New Orleans is a confluence of cultures. Originally settled by the French, then the Spanish, then reverting back to the French and their Haitian friends before finally being sold to the Americans, this eclectic city has more than its fair share of heritage. And to be sure, that’s its main selling point. Whether or not you’re in town for a festival, to see Mardi Gras, or go tromping around in the swamps, all visitors are impressed with the city’s myriad charms: something unique, but distinctly Southern.

Day 1: Tour the City

Most visitors to New Orleans will want to tour the  French Quarter and rightly so – it’s definitely one of the most fascinating neighborhoods of the city. Much of the music and soulful jazz New Orleans is famous for originates in these neighborhoods, and if live music is your thing, consider a late night walking tour.

Day 2: New Orleans Culture

After the Haitian Revolution in 1804, Haitians immigrated to New Orleans in droves. Mix that with Cajuns, the Arcadian French, the Spanish and the backwater fishermen, and you’ve got an area ripe with hearsay, doublespeak, religion, suspicion, and everything in-between. In short, its culture you’ll get, but why not poke about the more interesting bits like a haunted tour or satiate your curiosity with a Post-Katrina Hurricane Tour. Even just a walking tour of the Garden District will give you insight into the vast history of the city. All this walking is bound to give you an appetite, which, as any New Orleanian will happily tell you, is a good thing. New Orleans isn’t New Orleans without the food, and any restaurant worth its chops will prove this. Consider a  Jazz Brunch, or try your hand at it yourself, with a New Orleans  cooking class.

Day 3: Day Trips From New Orleans

New Orleans lies at the mouth of the Mississippi, but is also the gateway to the subtle beauty of the Louisiana waterways. A Swamp and  Bayou tour will take you to the nesting grounds of alligators and many species of snakes, and highlight the conservation efforts being undertaken, while the Cajun Bayou Tour takes you to Cajun country, the heart of French culture in Louisiana, and includes a narrated boat tour of the Bayous.