Southwest® flights from Los Angeles to New Orleans from $159

New Orleans—also known as Crescent City, the Big Easy, and NOLA—is a multicultural hub on the Mississippi River known for its vibrant history, party spirit, and, last but not least, cuisine. Visitors to New Orleans should take advantage of the city’s year-round warm temperatures and spend plenty of time outside, exploring the city and surrounding natural areas on foot, by streetcar, or by boat. Start your walking tour in the French Quarter with Jackson Square, reveling in the street performances and live music this historic park has to offer. Spend an afternoon wandering through the aptly name Garden District, known for its architecturally significant homes and lush gardens. When your feet need a rest, make your way up uptown on the New Orleans streetcar, which has been in continuous operation since 1835.

Be sure to squeeze in some culture with a visit to one of New Orleans’s diverse museums. Visitors can marvel at Louis Armstrong’s first cornet at the Jazz Museum, take in over 40,000 pieces of art at the New Orleans Museum of Art, or learn about the area’s natural history at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park’s Barataria Preserve. Nature lovers will also enjoy exploring the 350-acre Audubon Park, located across the street from Tulane University and home to the Audubon Zoo.