Destination: New Orleans

The French Quarter, New OrleansDon't let memories of Hurricane Katrina put you off visiting New Orleans. True, there's still a lot of rebuilding to be done, but visitors will find that 'Nawlins' is very much open for business and that Southern hospitality makes you very welcome

The battered, charming French Quarter was the site of the original settlement in New Orleans and remains the place that tourists favour. Its streets are lined with beautiful buildings, many with fanciful cast iron balconies.

Although many of the buildings look fairly non-descript from the front, they usually have hidden courtyards away from the street where the owners can relax. Restaurants often use these courtyards as additional dining space, and with its warm climate, you can enjoy al fresco dining for most of the year.

There are orientation tours operating around the city that will show you the sights, and add a dash of local colour. You can choose different themes for tours, including a food-based one, or another that focuses on the Voodoo traditions of the town, but there's a lot of pleasure in just wandering on your own.

You can't really get lost as the streets are on a grid, and it's fairly easy to find your bearings. The whole French Quarter is only 13 blocks wide, so distances are no problem. You can easily walk from here to the Mississippi River to gain an understanding of how New Orleans came about.

Hotel Monteleone

If you want to immerse yourself in the French Quarter, stay at the Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street. This landmark hotel is the oldest in the city and has been run by the same family since 1886. With its elegant Baroque facade and beautiful marble lobby, you feel as if you're entering a different world when you step inside.

The rooms are very comfy, with wonderful bathrooms, and the hotel has a stunning rooftop pool if you need a refreshing dip. There's also a revolving carousel bar which is well worth a look, even if you're not staying.

Finding Desire

Be sure to ride the street cars. Immortalised by Tennessee Williams in his play A Streetcar named Desire, these original vehicles with their wooden seats, epitomise the charm and romance of the city. Catch them where you see a small yellow sign that reads 'Car Stop'. The fares are cheap ($1.25) but you do need the right change.

The St Charles Line travels from the edge of the French Quarter into the Garden District. This historic area, full of huge, elegant mansions, dates from the 1850s when the nouveau riche of the time moved there. You can take a walking tour of the area to learn more about the history or just head off on your own and admire the views.

The mighty Mississippi

A boat on the MississippiThe Mississippi was the lifeblood of New Orleans for many years. It's the second longest river in the United States stretching 2,340 miles from its source in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. During the 19th century, steamboats starting travelling along its length, carrying both passengers and freight. The river's power was demonstrated again in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated the area, submerging 80 per cent of the city as levees were breached.

The people are doing a remarkable job at repairing and rebuilding, and the overall feeling in the town is upbeat and determined. Many of the people who lost everything worked in the tourist industry and there's a huge push to encourage visitors again, not only to bring some money back to the city, but also to provide jobs.

There are many high-profile projects, such as the Pink Project by the Make it Right foundation. This scheme, fronted by Brad Pitt, plans to rebuild 150 homes, while Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis of Habitat for Humanity are building a Musicians Village with 72 single family homes. These cheerfully painted buildings will provide homes to many of the musicians for which New Orleans is justly famous.

'Somebody scream!'

Music is everywhere in New Orleans! The rhythm of the city is jazzy and jubilant, soulful and spiritual, rocking and rolling. Whether it's buskers on the streets or bands playing in bars, you're guaranteed to find something you like, and you'll most likely hear the local catchphrase, 'Somebody scream!'

Many tourists head to Bourbon Street to sample the ridiculously strong Hurricane and Hand Grenade cocktails, so it's no surprise that this area is packed with drunks of varying degrees come nightfall. Don't be surprised if you see women flashing their boobs here. Men drinking in the balcony bars that line the street throw strings of beads down to women walking below, who often respond by raising their tee-shirts!

Pat O'Brien's Patio Bar is a favourite with visitors, with its Flaming Fountain, a stone and copper water feature with real flames! This friendly courtyard bar has become an institution since opening in 1933, and provides welcome relief from the sleazier girlie bars.

Away from Bourbon Street

New Orleans night lifeBourbon Street is worth dipping in and out of for some great people watching and a chance to enjoy the year-round carnival atmosphere, but if you want to get away from the crowds, head to Frenchmen Street. Located on the edge of the French Quarter and the neighbouring Faubourg Marigny district, this road is packed with bars and music.

This is where the locals hang out and is a late-night place, with a real mixture of sounds, from reggae to traditional jazz. Just stroll along and stop at any of the bars that take your fancy. They don't charge for the music, although you are expected to tip. The drinking laws are relaxed in New Orleans, so it's common practice to take your drink (in a plastic cup) from bar to bar, so you don't worry about downing drinks if you want to move on.

If you want to listen to jazz while you eat, try the Palm Court Jazz Cafe on Decatur Street. Surprisingly, there aren't many places that offer the mix of food and music, but this place offers basic food with top-notch jazz performances. Another option is the Court of Two Sisters on Royal Street, which offers an extremely popular daily jazz brunch from 9am to 3pm, with just about everything you could wish for, together with the New Orleans staple - the King cake - a Danish pastry dough-cake iced with the colours of the Mardi Gras.

Need to know

Mardi Gras is New Orleans carnival season and runs every year from January 6 until Ash Wednesday (February 6). Introduced to the city in the 1740s, this celebration mixes the Christian customs of marking the beginning of Lent with feasts and parties, with African and Caribbean traditions. The result is a non-stop street party with masked balls and parades.

From March 2008, foreign visitors to the US will be required to give all ten fingerprints on arrival, which will then be stored on a biometrics database. Since 2004, the Homeland Security Department has been collecting index fingerprints from foreign visitors aged from 14 to 79 and now has 90 million sets of prints on record. It is hoped collecting additional fingerprints will improve security and make it harder for people to travel on forged passports.

We flew on Delta, which has daily flights from London Gatwick to Atlanta and then connecting flights to New Orleans. In keeping with other US carriers, Delta charges for alcoholic drinks on the flight (although they offer a complimentary drink with a meal). The airline's economy seats are basic with standard leg room. The plane was old and showed its films on overhead screens.

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