The "Big Easy" invites all to eat, drink and be merry, especially during Mardi Gras, its famous late-winter bacchanal. A combination of cultures distinguishes this city on the Mississippi, with French, Caribbean and African threads woven into an enchanting tapestry. The food and overall vibe here is unforgettable.

Key things to do in New Orleans (local tip: it's pronounced New Or-LUNS, not New Or-LEENS) include sipping a daquiri on Bourbon Street, seeing Jackson Square, visiting the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, taking a horse-drawn carriage, and getting a beignet and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde. A river cruise on the Steamboat Natchez provides another perspective on this wondrous city.