Top Ten Things for Kids in New Orleans

The Aquarium of the Americas

Main entrance to the Aquarium of the Americas at night.

The Aquarium of the Americas noses out some of the other attractions for the number one spot on this list because of one main consideration: it's indoors and air-conditioned. That may sound like a silly reason to make it the top of the list, but it's a very important consideration when bringing children to New Orleans during the summer. Face it, families still do most of their traveling during the summer--it's easier on the school and athletic schedules to go in July and August. Those months are also the slowest times for our convention trade, so room prices are usually discounted as well. Catch is that the weather can be a real problem for managing children. New Orleans in July and August is hot, humid, muggy, and we have a monsoon-style thundershower almost every afternoon.

That's where the Aquarium of the Americas comes in. Most resorts are weak on indoor attractions. They might have a video arcade or some such, but nothing of real interest. A rainy afternoon often means you're cooped up in the hotel room. Not so in New Orleans. You can plan to beat the heat with a really exciting activity by going to the Aquarium. There are four main sections to the complex: The Carribbean Reef, The Amazon Rainforest, The Mississippi River, and The Gulf of Mexico. There are great exhibits in each one of those sections. The Aquarium also has wonderful educational and hands-on exhibits for the kids as well as special features. The food is pretty good in the restaurant, and reasonably priced. This is an exciting, world-class facility that's worth a visit any time of the year!

For more information, jump to the Audubon Institute Home Page.

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Photo courtesy Susie Q. Leavines