Way down yonder in New Orleans, you'll find the roots of jazz and a blossoming culture that is unlike anything else on Earth. Here, the laid-back atmosphere of the riverfront South has mixed with French sophistication and African-American creativity and energy to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Though hit hard by Katrina, "Nawlins" remains the largest city in Louisiana and one of the top tourist destinations in the United States.

"Laissez les bons temps rouler" is what they say here in the Big Easy, and you too can "let the good times roll" with a cool stroll down Bourbon Street, a hot Dixieland band, and even hotter Creole cuisine. Mardi Gras may be the city's calling card, but that's just one day out of the hot and muggy year in New Orleans.