Visit the warehouses where they construct the giant floats of Mardi Gras at Mardi Gras World, and watch the artists first hand.

For a truly unique experience, not much comes close to Preservation Hall. This intimate birthplace of Jazz is about one thing - the music. You can soak up the atmosphere, and make a personal request with a contribution to the hat.

If you're going to Mardi Gras, keep your eyes peeled for the Zulu Parade. Rare and sought after, a Zulu coconut is the ultimate prize for all Mardi Gras on-lookers. Of course catching some beads is pretty fun too.

The John James Audubon riverboat travels from the Aquarium to the Audubon Zoo along 7 miles of Mississippi river and New Orleans waterfront.

New Orleans is a great place for Christmas. The streets are lit up, actors dressed in period costume wander about, and you feel like you have the city all to yourself. Oh, and the weather is glorious.

An incredible 10 days of music and culture. Too many big names to mention. Incredible food. Enough culture to last you a whole year.