Audubon Nature Institute

#1 Frenchmen Street If you want an authentic New Orleans experience more removed from the touristy areas of Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, head to the lively Frenchmen Street. A popular spot ... Read more » Billy Metcalf Photography / Flickr

#2 French Quarter If you want to experience New Orleans properly, it's best to begin your tour here. Recent visitors said the neighborhood is lively, with lots to do and see and ... Read more » Fotoluminate LLC / Shutterstock

#3 Garden District Take a walking tour of the Garden District (located a little less than 3 miles southwest of the French Quarter) for a peek at some of the city's most ... Read more » Fotoluminate LLC / Shutterstock

#4 The National WWII Museum You don't have to be a history buff to enjoy The National WWII Musuem, according to recent travelers. Having opened June 6, 2000 (the 56th anniversary of D-Day), the ... Read more » Courtesy of The National WWII Museum

#5 New Orleans Swamp Tours Stretching from Houston to Mobile, Alabama, the Bayou Country played a crucial role in the development of the United States in terms of communication and transportation. In fact, there would ... Read more » Sam Spicer / Getty Images

#6 Cemetery Tours Some of New Orleans' must-see attractions are its cemeteries. Many of the tombs found in these "cities of the dead" are above ground to protect them from rising water levels ... Read more » Nick Martucci / Shutterstock

#7 St. Louis Cathedral As the centerpiece of the French Quarter, St. Louis Cathedral is one of New Orleans' most recognizable landmarks. The oldest cathedral in North America, St. Louis Cathedral was originally built ... Read more » gary718 / Shutterstock

#8 The Cabildo Flanking Jackson Square in the heart of the French Quarter, the Cabildo was originally constructed in 1799 (when New Orleans was under Spanish rule), as the seat of the Spanish ... Read more » Jorg Hackemann / Shutterstock

#9 New Orleans Museum of Art Since opening in 1911, the New Orleans Museum of Art (known simply as "NOMA") has assembled more than 40,000 works of art­ – an impressive compilation considering the museum opened ... Read more » Zack Smith / Courtesy New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau

#10 City Park City Park offers a lovely respite from the city and is a great place to spend an afternoon, according to recent visitors. Take a nature stroll through the 12-acre New ... Read more » Zack Smith / Courtesy New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau

#11 Audubon Nature Institute Families on vacation should make some time to visit the Audubon Nature Institute. This massive facility is home to a zoo, an aquarium, and butterfly garden and insectarium, not to ... Read more » Fotoluminate LLC / Shutterstock

#12 Chalmette Battlefield & Jean Lafitte National Park Chalmette Battlefield – the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans – is just 6 miles east of New Orleans along the Mississippi River. As many history buffs know, this battle ... Read more » Brberrys / Shutterstock

#13 Steamboat Natchez The only steamboat in New Orleans, Steamboat Natchez launched in 1975 and is a traditional sternwheel steamboat that takes visitors on a tour of the Mississippi River. The tours aim ... Read more » temis / Getty Images

#14 Backstreet Cultural Museum One of the best places to get a feel for the city's unique identity is at the Backstreet Cultural Museum. This off-the-beaten-path attraction was established by local photographer and ... Read more » Joseph McCarty / Flickr

#15 Louisiana Children's Museum When people say that New Orleans isn't the best place to bring kids, they're forgetting about the Louisiana Children's Museum. Yes, Bourbon Street may be too rowdy ... Read more » Paul Broussard / Courtesy New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau

#16 Mardi Gras World Even if you're not in town for the actual festival, don't miss your chance to go behind the scenes of one of America's most renowned (and most ... Read more » Paul Mannix / Flickr

# Kayak-iti-yat Kayaking Tours Read more » Joanna Penn / Flickr

# Doctor Gumbo Tours Read more » Jocelyn & Cathy / Flickr