New Orleans wants you back

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Cars fill the lot at Deanie's Seafood Restaurant - known for plates piled high with fried catfish and oysters. French bread smothered with the creamy goodness of Crab au Gratin or a plate of stuffed shrimp reminds visitors of the numerous reasons New Orleans has always been a favorite tourist destination.

But a visit to the Big Easy is a bit different now.

Since being completely devistated by Hurricane Katrina in August of 2005, New Orleans has had a very tough uphill battle to rebuild the city, with several residential areas still very evident of the destruction left by the category 4 killer storm.

Convention business in New Orleans is only 40 percent of what it was before Katrina struck. Rooms are often easier to book, and many hotels are running specials, making visiting New Orleans a much cheaper prospect than before. Louis Armstrong International Airport now offers 109 flights a day to 32 cities - about 75 percent of the pre-hurricane flights.

Despite all that has changed since Hurricane Katrina, most of what attracts tourists to New Orleans still exists.

Getting a table at Cafe Du Monde for a batch of melt-in-your-mouth beignets covered in powdered sugar isn't quite as tough, and you can make your way down Bourbon Street with much less jostling too. Along Bourbon Street, bars with bright flashing lights and loud music offer a host of frozen concoctions, from the ever-popular (if ironic) Hurricane to pina coladas.

In the city's beloved French Quarter, very few signs of destruction linger. Streets are lined with shops waiting to cater to eager travelers. Tarot card readers promise a glimpse into the future, while Artists strive to capture the image of your vacation in just moments of sketching. Circus-like entertainers still wow crowds with their acrobatics.

Tours of some of the hardest hit areas such as the Lower 9th Ward and East New Orleans, and the destruction left behind the hurricane, have become a popular part of the tourist experience. Much of the recovery will be thanks to tourist dollars. And because of that, visitors are often treated to an extra dose of friendliness from grateful New Orleans residents.

Whether you have never been to the Big Easy, or you have and want to re-live some of the Cajun hospitality, right now is prime time for stretching your vacation dollars, and experiencing the world famous atmosphere you will only find in New Orleans.