Churches and Cathedrals in Lake Pontchartrain

"St. Louis Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the city and is undoubtedly one of the best free things to do in New Orleans."

"St. Augustine Catholic Church is the oldest African-American Catholic parish in the nation. It is located on Saint Claude Avenue near the French Quarter on the site of the old Claude Tremé plantation. The church is the location of the annual Jazz Mass that is held in conjunction with the Satchmo Festival, which pays homage to Louis Armstrong."

"Located on the corner of North Rampart Street, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is the oldest house of worship in New Orleans. Originally named the Mortuary Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua, the place of worship was built in 1826 to serve as a burial church for the victims of yellow fever. The current name of the church was received in 1918."

"Built in 1851 by the Jesuits, this breathtaking, Moorish-inspired structure melds Islamic architecture with Christian and Jewish symbolism (including hundreds of Stars of David). Massive bronze doors, soaring Arabesque arches, stunning stained glass (featuring 18 stations of the cross), cast-iron pews and columns are among the church’s many architectural highlights. Of special note is the towering cupola, the marble statue of Mary (originally carved for Marie Amélie, queen of Louis Philippe of France, during the mid 1800s) located above the onion-domed high altar and two Venetian-glass mosaic shrines at the rear of the sanctuary."

"Immaculate Conception church, locally known as Jesuit church, is a Roman Catholic church in the Central Business District of New Orleans. The original church was built on this site in 1857. Immaculate Conception church was built and designed in the Neo-Venetian Gothic style of Gothic Revival architecture, with Moorish Revival and Byzantine Revival elements."

"Various locationsWhat you’re getting: A pair of tacosWith a number of locations around town, Felipe’s has long been a place where locals and visitors alike enjoy satisfying their Mexican cuisine jones. For only $4.95 you can get two soft corn tortillas loaded up with your choice of filling (everything from chicken to chorizo, al pastor, carnitas, and grilled veggies) as well as cilantro, onion & guacamolillo sauce."

"The French Quarter outpost of this local chain serves cheap and mighty tasty Mexican food into the wee hours of the morning most nights, though the food is more than good enough to eat sober. Ingredients are impeccably fresh and service is quick and friendly."

"The Ruby Slipper Café is an award-winning café chain with five locations around the country that offer traditional Southern breakfast classics, brunch delights, and fresh lunch dishes with New Orleans flair. The family-owned and operated café serves classic dishes with a quirky twist such as the Festin' Benedict of poached eggs, fried green tomatoes, Louisiana crawfish, and three kinds of cheese on a buttermilk biscuit. The Dirtiest Pancake in the Game features a stack of buttermilk pancakes with Oreo crumbles, chocolate ganache, and cream cheese icing, and BuYa Honey Toast is a crispy French Toast-battered Brioche with a cream cheese filling, whipped cream, honey syrup, seasonal berries, and French toast croutons."

"Click your heels three times, and you’ll end up at the Ruby Slipper Cafe on the edge of the Garden District. Wake up, and rally at this boozy brunch spot, with a little vodka in your iced coffee or a little OJ in your mimosa. Go ahead, and order another round while you snack on pig candy bacon bites – your bananas foster pain perdu and crawfish & grits benedict will help you sober up."

"The family-owned restaurant with four locations around New Orleans spotlights house signature items like Chicken St. Charles, Eggs Cochon and Bananas Foster Pain Perdu. Prices start around the $9 range, topping out around $15. The spot doesn’t take reservations."

"The two-story 1800s Victorian mansion that is home to Cavan on Magazine Street is a go-to spot for enjoying coastal and Southern fare on the front patio. As fancy as the interiors and the menu are, the vibe here is uniquely laid-back. Specialty cocktails are not to be missed, with highlights including the Tea Dye For (made with vodka, lemon, herbal liqueur, chamomile and butterfly pea tea syrup) and the Memory’s Mistress (made with gin, rosemary, lime, sherry and soda)."

"This haunt is another popular go-to, with four stars out of 185 Yelp reviews. Head over to 3607 Magazine St. (between Napoleon and Louisiana) to see for yourself. The menu offers such dishes as jerk-spiced fish with sweet potato hash and charred pineapple, grilled steak with truffle Parmesan fries, crawfish bolognese with mushroom ragout and linguine, and coconut barbecue shrimp and grits with charred poblano peppers."

"3607 Magazine St. My family and I spent our Mother’s Day brunch, here. Along with August, the dining room at Cavan is one of my wife’s favorites. Rooms have certain “feels” to me."

"The French Market is a six-block-long bustling, open-air shopping center that can hold as many as 220 vendors on a busy day. You can shop for local art, t-shirts and hats and all things Mardi Gras while enjoying New Orleans street music and the aroma of fresh gumbo and jambalaya from the food stalls. The market has a ton of history, having existed on the same piece of land for more than 200 years."

"The French Market is a bustling, open-air shopping center that can hold up over 220 vendors on a given day. You can shop for paintings, clothing and specialty items while enjoying the famous New Orleans street music and smells of fresh gumbo and jambalaya. The market has a ton of history, having existed on the same piece of land for more than 200 years."

"Address: 700-1010 Decatur StreetNew Orleans, LA 70130Phone: (504) 636-6400Website. French Market is a popular open-air market and food hall in New Orleans. The space has permanent food stalls serving local étouffée, char-broiled oysters, crawfish, and more."

"Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing. Are you looking for a mall with fewer crowds?. Cypress Plaza Shopping Center is relatively smaller and only houses a few shops, making the shopping experience here more relaxed."

"Elmwood Shopping Center in Harahan is over 1 million square feet, making it one of the largest open-air shopping centers in Louisiana and one of the highest performing regional shopping centers in the United States. Elmwood’s tenant anchors include Home Depot, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, Best Buy, Office Max, Petsmart, DSW, Ulta, Old Navy, Cost Plus World Market and Michael’s Arts and Crafts."

"Elmwood isn't an enclosed mall, but a sprawling outdoor collection of department stores, boutiques, big box retailers and more. Some of the big names holding court are Best Buy, Big Lots, World Market, Old Navy, Ulta and Marshall's. As you drive from place to place, there are tons of national and regionally based food places for you to grab a quick bite."