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6 Reasons Beyond Mardi Gras You Need to Visit New Orleans

Ariel GoldbergAriel Goldberg

New Orleans. What do you think of when you hear that city’s name?

Is it Mardi Gras? Does your mind immediately conjure images of Bourbon Street? Do you think of parade floats, of feathers, of crowds of people with purple/green/gold beads strung around their necks? Of lots and lots of alcohol?

Probably. And you’re not wrong for it. Mardi Gras and New Orleans go hand-in-hand.

But — and it may sound like a cliché — New Orleans has so much to offer beyond Mardi Gras. I visited for a long weekend last February. I arrived the day after Mardi Gras. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

I had a whirlwind three days overflowing with decadent food, kaleidoscopes of color, euphoric sounds, and an immense amount of fun. It’s your prerogative if you’re only going to party, but you’ll be missing out on so much if that’s all you have in mind for your trip.

Ready to get your trip started? Check out reason #6 for an amazing opportunity to go with some Wanderful sisters!

1. The Colors

And the architecture. But especially the colors.

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These colors strike me like lightning.

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I first came to Louisiana a year ago and I knew that if I ever came back I was coming back to stay. Well, my dream came true. My feelings for this city and this state are so strong. There is so much joy in the day to day of life and there is a certain resilience during times of tragedy. I'm living in Baton Rouge now and I'm just thankful to be here and to be serving in AmeriCorps City Year. If you know where you want to go in life, just go. . . . . #showmeyournola #followyournola #nola #neworleans #louisiana #visitneworleans #southernroamers #createdtoexplore #exploretocreate #collectivelycreate #stayandwander #livefolk #liveauthentic #alwaysgo #Bywater #Iheartnola #onlylouisiana #itsyournola #lf10k

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2. The Beignets

JUST LOOK AT THOSE. Fried hunks of sugar-coated heaven.

3. The Music

“The music in Nola isn’t just in the jazz clubs. It’s everywhere.”

 

4. The History

Spooky, sad, fun, and beyond. It’s got it all.

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TUNE IN! Jazzfest '68

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5. The Vibes

They don’t call it “The Big Easy” for nothing.

 

 

6. The Sisterhood

Did you know that Wanderful is organizing a festival in New Orleans?

Get all of the above plus an incredible weekend shared with like-minded women who love to travel. Wanderfest is the world’s first outdoor travel festival for women to gather, share, learn, dance, and celebrate the sisterhood.

Will we see you there??

Get connected with our global community and learn more about Wanderfest.

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Ariel Goldberg
Program & Creative Director, Women in Travel Summit Ariel is a queer, multiracial writer, activist, and traveler based in Brooklyn, New York. When she’s not working on WITS, she serves as Deputy Digital Director for Lambda Legal, the largest LGBTQ and HIV civil rights legal organization in the world. She has worked, edited, and traveled across the globe, but most often dreams of selling everything she owns and booking a one-way ticket to Amsterdam.

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1 Comment

  1. […] Are you ready to join us in New Orleans? Get excited with this NOLA travel inspiration. […]

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