New Orleans is justly renowned for its superb gourmet restaurants, which offer Creole specialities (a blend of French, Spanish and African tomato-based cuisines). One can savour a breakfast of beignets and café au lait, dine while overlooking the city or the riverfront, or travel to the seafood houses out by the lake. Southern Cookin’, found in the Crossroads region in northern Louisiana, is savoured for its delicious fried chicken, barbecued meat, cornbread and peach pie.

Regional specialities:
• Creole/Cajun cooking.
• Seafood: fresh fish, shrimp, crabs, oysters and crayfish.
• Gumbo (spicy shellfish stew or soup served with rice).
• Crayfish étouffé (spicy tomato-based roux with vegetables, crayfish and shrimp).
• Jambalaya (spicy Creole mix of meat, vegetables, seafood and rice).
• Po’ boy (submarine sandwich usually filled with fried seafood).

Nightlife is especially lively in New Orleans. The shows and cabarets of Bourbon Street are renowned – every third door on this famous street is a nightclub.

Louisiana offers tax-free shopping to international visitors for items sold by a participating merchant. A tax refund voucher can be requested from any Louisiana Tax Free Shopping (LTFS) participator and the tax can be refunded at the LTFS centre at New Orleans airport on presentation of voucher, receipt, passport and travel ticket. Refunds can also be obtained by mail (Louisiana Tax Free Shopping, 2 Canal Street, Suite 2017, New Orleans, LA 70130) if sent with voucher, receipts, travel ticket and a notarised statement explaining why vouchers were not redeemed at the airport as well as the present whereabouts of the merchandise.

Among the cities of this state, New Orleans has many excellent shopping opportunities. Souvenirs are plentiful, and other good buys include Creole pecan pralines, Mardi Gras masks, beautifully bottled and hand-mixed perfumes, and various antiques on sale in shops on Royal Street. In addition, fine retail shops can be found at Jackson Brewery. The French Market is the USA’s oldest city market and offers a mix of speciality shops, chain stores and restaurants. For second-hand items, the Community Flea Market is located nearby.