Fun Facts about New Orleans

There’s so much to do and see in New Orleans, Louisiana! New Orleans is full of awesome music, delicious cuisine, unique vibes, and incredible history. There truly is no other place like it in the world! So, are you ready to learn some fun facts about this fantastic place?

1. Did you know that Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. that is divided up into parishes rather than counties? The greater New Orleans area spans over eight parishes, however, the inner city is mostly Orleans Parish.
2. New Orleans is often referred to as NOLA, which is a combination of the abbreviations for New Orleans and Louisiana.
3. Because the location of the city is actually below sea level, rather than having basements like many other homes in the U.S., most of these houses are raised off the ground.
4. New Orleans’s city motto is “Laissez les bon temps rouler,” which translates from French to “let the good times roll!”
5. New Orleans earned the nickname “The Big Easy” for its laidback, easy-going vibe. This is very different from “The Big Apple” (New York), where its busy and face-paced all the time!
6. The NFL team for New Orleans is the New Orleans Saints. So far, they’ve only won one Super Bowl (2010), and it was a huge achievement for the city!
7. If you’re looking to escape from the cold winters up north, come visit New Orleans. The climate here is humid and subtropical. Most visitors find that the best time to come is between February and May before it gets too hot. The average high-temperature peak during the summer is 91.1°
8. Ready for a scare? New Orleans is said to be one of the most haunted cities in the United States. In the 1800s, Voodoo was made popular by Marie Laveau, also known as the “The Voodoo Queen” for her voodoo and exorcism practices.
9. Speaking of Marie Laveau, did you know that her tomb attracts more tourists per year than Elvis Presley’s does in Graceland, Memphis?
10. New Orleans is probably most widely known for its Mardi Gras celebrations. Mardi Gras is held across the city two weeks prior to and through Shrove Tuesday. The actual day of Mardi Gras is considered an official holiday throughout the state of Louisiana.
11. Have you ever wondered about the official colors of Mardi Gras? These colors have been around since 1872, and each stand for a different thing. Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power.
12. New Orleans is also just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the fishing village of Delacroix. Since the 20^th century, this little area has been regionally renowned for fishing and trapping. If you’d like to hop on a boat and catch some great fish, join me at Whiskey Bayou Charters! Whiskey Bayou Charters is just 45 minutes from downtown New Orleans, and we target redfish and speckled trout. You’re sure to have a great time with us!

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