Must See Sights and Landmarks in River Ridge Area

"A prominent landmark on Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral (officially the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis King of France) stands tall and proud, beckoning French Quarter visitors to take a little time out from drinking and dancing to admire the oldest continuously used cathedral in the United States. The seat of the city's Roman Catholic Archdiocese, the cathedral was built in 1789 and rebuilt in 1850, and today, its all-white, Spanish Colonial façade with three black spires is one of the most instantly recognizable landmarks in the South. The inside is just as beautiful.More"

"The Andrew Jackson statue placed in the middle with the St. Louis Cathedral neatly tucked behind it, is an iconic landmark that represents the city of New Orleans. The Jackson square and the St. Louis Cathedral share deep rootedhistorythat is worth learning about. St. Louis Cathedral is open to visitors from all walks of life."

"Located in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter, Jackson Square is a beautiful and historic park area surrounded by some of the oldest buildings in the city. Once here, you will find a local artist colony here, too. Many artists paint, draw, create, and display their works throughout the Square and is really great for an afternoon stroll."

"Part of the magic of New Orleans is its constant flow of live music. There’s always an excuse to dance, especially when you’re with your loved one on Valentine’s Day!. Jackson Square is beautiful as is, but live music creates an incredibly romantic atmosphere to dance hand-in-hand under the stars."

"Initially laid out with the rest of the old French Quarter, Jackson Square sits in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. Also called the Place d’Armes, it is the oldest space in the city. Trees and walkways were added to it in the 1830s and the equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson was added in 1856."

"It’s also an excellent place to people watch and where a number of New Orleans’ historical landmarks like The St Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo, and The Presbytère are located (with Preservation Hall and The Historic New Orleans Collection nearby). Tons of artists, musicians, and fortune tellers hang out in Jackson Square and in the spirit of disclosure, I spent most of my time here people-watching and eating beignets. However, if you want to be a little more cultured than I was, visit one or several of the above-mentioned landmarks for even more NOLA history."

"If you’re a fan of live jazz performances, then you must make plans to attend an upcoming show at Preservation Hall. Situated in the heart of the French Quarter on St. Peter Street, the venue presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans Jazz concerts featuring ensembles from a collective of more than 50 local master practitioners."

"The oldest and most storied of New Orleans’ many cemeteries, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is a Roman Catholic burial place a block west of the French Quarter. It opened in 1789 during the city’s redesign following the Great Fire of 1788. In a city partially below water level, cemeteries need to be above ground using decorative vaults."

"Any of the cemeteries downtown make for a great photo opportunity, but we really enjoyed St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. You are required to take a tour to get in, but it was well worth it. We did the $10 tour with French Quarters New Orleans Tour and loved it."

"If you’re looking for unique stuff to do in New Orleans, then definitely consider dropping by St. Louis Cemetery No. 1."

"The French Quarter’s central attraction isBourbon Street. Quiet during the day but especially rowdy at night, Bourbon Street channels some serious spring break frat party vibes: not cute when you aren’t in college anymore. So while it’s worth spending a little time on Bourbon Street to get a feel for it, you’re better off going elsewhere for a more low-key night out."

"The infamous Bourbon Street, also known as Rue Bourbon, conjures up images of endless partying, drinks of all shapes and sizes, bachelorette parties, and of course, Mardi Gras. Outside of Mardi Gras season, visitors flock to this playground of the South for its Creole restaurants, live music venues, souvenir shops, and well-known drinking establishments.More"

"Take your pick for nightlife: Bourbon Street or Frenchmen Street. New Orleans is famous for its nightlife, and no New Orleans itinerary would be complete without including it: this isn’t a place to call it quits and head back to the hotel after dinner."

"Start the day with a bike tour of Marigny and Bywater The two neighborhoods this tour goes on is Marigny and Bywater. These are “coming up” areas, kind of a little hipster and definitely not the standard places to visit. You’ll go to the bike shop in the French Quarter to meet the tour instructor then ride off!"

"After lunch take at least 15 minutes to explore the next few blocks of colorful homes in Marigny. There isn’t much else to do other take great photos and enjoy the neighborhood that has alot of character before heading back to the French Quarter."

"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."

"If you’re down in the CBD or headed toward the French Quarter, one small church lies hidden on Rampart Street. Peering through the doors, you see a rather simple sanctuary and some of the homeless asleep on the pews. The real beauty is to either side of the altar: the shrines to St. Jude and Our Lady of Guadalupe."

"So from the French Quarter, you then go to the Garden District on the way out, then Magazine Street, so it makes sense to hit up Magazine Street while you’re out this way. This is a key shopping area but also has very trendy places to eat and drink. You’ll find luxe homewares and vintage clothes – antiques and hipster novelty items. Take some time to explore the local shops."

"For shopping, dining or just casual strolling, no place in New Orleans outside the French Quarter beats Magazine Street. A six-mile-long stretch of this Garden District and Uptown thoroughfare features some of the best antique stores, art galleries ...[Learn more]"

"Magazine street is a long street full inquisitive and interesting shops. Taking a walk through this enchanting street, will prepare you for a pleasant surprise."

"Bourbon Street is a little overdone as a New Orleans tourist go-to, but some must-see gems that are worth visiting remain. One of them is the Musical Legends Park, which is a small park showcasing the musical and cultural background of New Orleans, Louisiana, teeming with a rich heritage. Throughout the park, there are life-sized, intricately made statues in bronze of many famous local musicians."

"What is particularly noteworthy on Bourbon Street is New Orleans Musical Legends, a cozy park with live jazz music flowing daily. There’s outdoor seating available for you to enjoy the music and it’s connected to Café Beignet (the BEST beignets), if you’d like a snack along with your musical enjoyment."

"If you want a place that is surrounded by musical history, then the Musical Legends Park should be on your list. Sit and sip on a drink and eat some beignets while you listen to live music. Artists display their artwork around the park."

"Biscuits & Buns on Banks is a casual coffee shop with lovely sidewalk seating that serves all-American cuisine with Creole accents for breakfast and lunch. Located in a renovated house on a pretty tree-lined residential street in the heart of New Orleans, Biscuits & Buns on Banks is owned by a husband-and-wife team whose primary focus is – as the name states – biscuits, and of those, there are many selections. A variety of breakfast dishes and daily specials include French toast with caramelized bananas and pancetta, pulled pork breakfast nachos, pancakes with fresh peaches, and barbecue seafood etouffeé with crawfish or shrimp over house biscuit or creamy grits."

"Enjoy brunch in a cozy neighborhood setting with food selections ranging from simple to savory. Grab simple breakfast items around $3, with higher options peaking at $11. Some menu stand outs include Grilled Brie on Waffles, Fried Andouille Sausage Hash Cakes and Abita Glazed Pot Roast and Debris Jus."

"Comfy coffee shop with sidewalk seating serving American & Creole breakfast & lunch standards. Open for breakfast and lunchDress code: CasualPhone: +1 504-273-4600"

"4848 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite B, Metairie, (504) 780-9964; www.bonefishgrill.com. Wood-grilled cobia is served with a choice of sauces such as lemon butter, mango salsa or Oscar style with crabmeat and asparagus. Reservations accepted."

"This Carrollton Avenue spot offers authentic renditions of dishes from the state of Veracruz, along Mexico’s Gulf coast. Seafood is the star at this humble and homey spot but a recent breakfast of Huevos con Jamon (scrambled eggs with ham and fresh Cojita cheese) was so utterly delicious and inexpensive ($6.25 for a heaping plate with a pile of just-made tortillas) as to have rendered the meal unforgettable."

"At this Uptown neighborhood bakery, you can get a taste of king cake year-round. Their light, fluffy, and sweet cake is offered with a variety of fillings and doused with purple, green, and gold sugar."

"Bakers Dozen serves some of the best donuts in New Orleans, from the traditional classics to more creative creations such as a salty caramel pretzel donut. Everything here is bursting with flavour and some of the finest, most inventive ingredients around. Apple fritters and honeybuns are particularly delicious here, but you should definitely sample one of their seasonal specialty donuts while you’re at it, too."

"You have to get here early to get your fix, since they’re only open until 11 am (and closed Mondays and Tuesdays), but this straightforward spot is a favorite of local epicures and chefs for a reason. They make great basics, like the glazed twist, and do them brilliantly. But they also have a little more fun with themed specials, like during Carnival season when they make a mind-blowing donut king cake."

"Baker's Dozen in Jefferson has set itself apart with creatively themed doughnuts — munch on your favorite super hero for $1.50 — as well as delicious combinations like its sweet and salty caramel pretzel doughnut (pictured). All up, a nice neighborhood spot with lots of regulars."

"How could you not want to dig into a slice of this beautiful multi-layered cake?. These cakes from Bakery Bar can be ordered and customized for a specific occasion, or you can just stop by for a slice of your choosing. The cake is fluffy and moist and the buttercream icing and filling brings the flavors together perfectly."

"We satisfied our rainbow dreams with this slice of Rainbow Surprise Wedding Cake with almond pudding and almond icing. Located on the other side of the Crescent City Connection Bridge, Bakery Bar looks kind of bleak from the outside. But inside is another matter."

"A Pop-Turnt is a country-style meat pie with braised rabbit, boar sausage and fruit filling, whipped bone marrow butter and chicken skin sprinkles."

"A Haiku roll includes spicy tuna, snow crab and asparagus topped with salmon and tuna and served with vegetables, ponzu and spicy mayonnaise."

"The team at Warehouse District food hall Auction House has an on-trend new cocktail menu for summer, offering a Kalimotxo that marries the traditional Basque punch and a Whiskey Sour; a Barcelona style G&T with gin, El Guapo tonic, thyme, clove, house tincture, and grapefruit; and the cloudy Pau Hana, made with rum, manzanilla sherry, lime, banana and pimento dram. The bright, plant-filled space makes for a nice setting to sip drinks, and there’s are new happy hour specials weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m."

"I actually went here twice because of its location, and it’s obviously got some delicious options. It was only a few minutes walk from our first hotel, Loews New Orleans, and also near the WWII Museum. The food hall is from the same team that’s behind the more well known St. Roch Market, and it has a number of different vendors."

"I've enjoyed everything from the Yum Woon Sen Noodles at Long Chim Thai Street Food to a Bibimbap Salad at Happy Jaxx to empanadas from Empanola Empanadas at Auction House Market ... all super delicious!"