New Orleans essentials

This selection highlights the architectural and cultural landmarks of the French Quarter, including the 18th-century Cabildo and the St. Louis Cathedral. It covers culinary staples like beignets at Café du Monde and the distinct nightlife of Bourbon and Frenchmen Streets. Historical sites range from the above-ground tombs of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to the 1722 structure of Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. The list also features the Mississippi River via the Steamboat Natchez and the city's jazz heritage at Preservation Hall and Louis Armstrong Park.