New Orleans - America's Unique Spring Getaway

Lots of places count tourism as their biggest business. But, face it - most are built to be that way, and if you've seen one resort beach, one slick modern hotel or one glitzy, sprawling disco, you've seen them all.
New Orleans is different, though. Its appeal to tourists comes from the hundreds of years of culture, cuisine and architecture created by the unique melting pot of peoples who built the city. In other words, it's not some developer's recent idea of what a target audience wants. New Orleans is real, authentic and genuine, on every corner, at every turn.

If you're looking for a party, of course there's none bigger or better than Mardi Gras in New Orleans. If you want to make it this year, you'll have to hurry. Fat Tuesday is March 8, when all the parades and parties culminate in one last blowout. The Krewes of Zulu and Rex roll through the streets that morning past thousands of people screaming, "Throw me something, mister!" Then it's off to Bourbon Street for hurricanes, Abita beers and who knows what else.

But if you miss Mardi Gras, there always something going on in "The City That Care Forgot." Any week of the year is a good time to be in New Orleans, really, but if you're looking for something special, start by checking out the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. It runs on two extended weekends - April 29-May 1 and May 5-8 - and it is a music festival like no other.

New Orleans is, after all, the city that gave birth to jazz and made major contributions to American blues, R&B and rock and roll. More than any American city, it has its own styles of music, and not just one - there's the Dixieland swing of Hirt and Fountain, the jazz from Armstrong to Marsalis, and the boisterous blues-y rock of artists like Dr. John, Fats Domino and Professor Longhair. All of those styles and more are there at the Jazz Fest. Big stars this year include Willie Nelson, Michelle Shocked, Gregg Allman, Tom Jones and Lucinda Williams, but be sure to see jazz legend Sonny Rollins and New Orleans icons Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas. And, by all means, do not miss Dr. John's Jazz Fest performance - it is one of the best times you'll ever have.

If you're itching to get away from Chicago's unpredictable spring weather a little more quickly than that, April 7-10 are the dates for this year's French Quarter Festival. There's tons of food and other concessions booths and, of course, plenty of music - 18 outdoor stages of it, in fact, featuring more than 800 local musicians. As for the food at the festival, well, they bill it as "the world's largest jazz brunch" for good reason. Participating restaurants include Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, Emeril's NOLA, the famed Court of Two Sisters, Pat O'Brien's and the legendary Antoine's.

Food is a big deal in New Orleans. No city in America has such a richly developed local cuisine, so whenever you go, be prepared to enjoy it. There's amazingly good dining to fit any budget, too. One of New Orleans' most enduring traditions - coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde - is inexpensive and well worth waiting in line for. The beignets are just out of this world and the original Cafe Du Monde at the French Market on Decatur is open 24 hours a day.

A muffuletta at Central Grocery, just across Decatur from Cafe Du Monde, feeds two people - it's an Italian sandwich invented at Central Grocery more than 100 years ago, 10 inches across on a round loaf of Italian bread and incredibly satisfying.

A personal favorite is Johnny's Po-Boys, open for 60 years now at 511 St. Louis St. It's the oldest family-owned po-boy restaurant in New Orleans and serves up awesome versions of this uniquely New Orleans sub. The fried oyster po-boy is wonderful, but Johnny's offers more than 50 varieties of po-boys, so they've likely got one for you, whether your taste runs to ham & cheese, crawfish, shrimp, roast beef or to more varied things like alligator sausage. And Johnny's makes a really authentic New Orleans seafood gumbo - get a bowl on the side with your po-boy or try their sweet potato fries or jambalaya. Again, Johnny's is very easy on the budget, too, a great place to grab lunch while you're wandering around the French Quarter.

One more for the bargain hunters is Willie Mae's Scotch House, where you'll find fried chicken that's (appropriately) been called the best in the country. Throw in some great homemade cornbread, green beans and sweet tea and you'll walk out full and happy. It's a 10-minute cab ride from the quarter to Willie Mae's at 2401 St. Ann St. and it is well worth it if you have to wait a bit for a table.

You can spend more on dining in New Orleans, too, and have your pick of some of America's finest restaurants. For a classic courtyard dining experience, the Court of Two Sisters at 613 Royal St. is legendary. You can also choose from the romantic Commander's Palace, the elegant Bayona, the fantastic Gautreau's and many, many more. And for another New Orleans classic, Bananas Foster, consider Arnaud's, a Crescent City institution since 1918.

There's art in New Orleans, too. Lots of small galleries are scattered throughout the Quarter, Faubourg-Marigny and the old Warehouse District, now called the Arts District. The New Orleans Museum of Art is known for its strong French and American collections, including works by Edgar Degas, who lived and painted for a time in New Orleans.

The Ogden Museum of Art at the University of New Orleans is considered to house the finest collection of Southern art in the world and is a highly recommended stop on any art lover's tour of New Orleans. Check out the Ogden every Thursday evening for After Hours, featuring a live music performance by Southern musicians and a discussion with Southern music historians.

For nightlife, well, forget about comparing any other city's nightlife to New Orleans' - it's just in a league by itself. The gay bar scene is mostly in the French Quarter - though there are good nightspots elsewhere - and features bars for every crowd. Dance at Oz and the Bourbon Pub/Parade, relax at Good Friends, belly up to the bar at Rawhide and check out the strippers at the Corner Pocket - or do all of that in one mad pub crawl. But if you only go to one gay bar in New Orleans, make it Cafe Lafitte in Exile at 901 Bourbon Street. It is the oldest gay bar in the United States, dating back to the 1920s, it was Tennessee Williams' favorite hangout and the staff is super-friendly and does a great job of making sure everyone has a good time. Cafe Lafitte is a genuine treasure.

And don't forget - you can also try to win back a bit of your vacation money at Harrah's New Orleans, which gets raves from veteran casino-goers. Aside from the slots and other games of chance, Harrah's also features Masquerade, with its massive, state-of-the-art light tower and 32-foot-long Ice Bar. Harrah's is a great hotel option, just steps from the French Quarter with 450 luxurious rooms and suites. And it's TAG-approved, meaning that it's been certified as an LGBT-friendly company to work at and do business with.

There are many more fun things to do in New Orleans. To learn more go to NewOrleansOnline.com. They'll send you, free of charge, a New Orleans Guidebook, with event listings, maps and valuable coupons. For specific travel info for the LGBT community, including hotel, shopping and nightlife guides, click on NewOrleansOnline.com/neworleans/glbt.

There are ample nonstop flight options from Chicago to New Orleans, including American and United from O'Hare and Southwest from Midway, and Amtrak's City of New Orleans also runs between Chicago and the Big Easy.

Any time, be it for an event like the Jazz Fest or just because you need to get away, something good is cooking in New Orleans. So what are you waiting for? Let's get going, ya'll, and "let the good times roll."