Discount Hotels Near French Quarter

New Orleans is the most unique city in the United States and at its heart is the French Quarter. The Quarter is not just another tourist destination. It is the blending of people, architecture and the soul of the city that makes visitors want to come back year after year. From the sounds of jazz floating on the sultry air down Bourbon Street to the sights of lush and serene hidden courtyards peeking through wrought iron gates; from the scents of Magnolia and Jasmine perfuming the air to the tastes of some of the world's finest restaurants - the French Quarter offers unforgettable and endless experiences to the traveler.

The most historic area in a city steeped in history, the French Quarter is the only intact French Colonial and Spanish settlement remaining in the United States. It has been a continuous residential neighborhood since 1718.

In 1699 two French brothers, Iberville and Bienville, decided to try their luck colonizing the New World: in 1704 Iberville built a fort at Lake Pontchartrain, now called the "Old Spanish Fort", and wanted to establish a town on Bayou St. John near the river portage. Bienville preferred the Mississippi River end of the portage, so in 1718 he started building a town at what is now Conti Street. From 1721 to 1722 Bienville teamed up with two French engineers to design a city street plan, making New Orleans one of the first planned cities in America. This plan, which has remained to this day, featured a central square (now called Jackson Square) surrounded by a grid of city blocks.

In 1762, the Spanish took control of New Orleans for the next 38 years, introducing the first streetlights, newspaper, theatre and police force. in 1788, there was a major fire in which almost the entire French Quarter was burned down; over 850 structures, including the St. Louis Church, the rectory, the prison and other government buildings were destroyed. This is the time period in which the city gained it's Spanish architectural flavor. In 1794 there was another fire. It destroyed the area from Canal Street to Orleans and from the river to Bourbon Street. The Spanish then introduced building codes requiring the use of brick, tile and slate.

The French Quarter offers endless attractions for all ages and interests. A typical day of sightseeing might start with a stroll along the Mississippi River to the Aquarium of the Americas, where you can then board the John James Audubon Riverboat to the Audubon Zoo. Upon your return, stop in Jackson Square and have your fortune told by one of the many tarot card readers that inhabit this historic meeting place. After dinner, perhaps schedule a Haunted History Tour to see the spookier side of the French Quarter, or head over to Harrah's Casino where you'll find thousands of the newest slots and plenty of exciting table games in a Mardi Gras-themed atmosphere.

The French Quarter is a first-class shopping destination. Royal Street is at it's heart with 8 blocks of antique shops, art galleries and unique clothing and gifts stores. Don't neglect the rest of the Quarter when shopping, though - Chartres Street has a reputation for more moderately priced antiques and Decatur Street offers fun, youthful clothing and shoe stores, as well as some great vintage second hand shops where you never know what you might find. For more designer tastes, the Shops at Canal Place is a high-end mall including Gucci, Betsey Johnson and Saks Fifth Avenue. Just down the block are Tower Records and the Virgin Mega Store, supplying music lovers with possibly every CD ever released. Can't wait until Mardi Gras for beads? The French Quarter is full of gift shops selling beads, feather boas, t-shirts and everything else New Orleans.

Bourbon Street may be more famous (or notorious) than New Orleans, itself. Contrary to a lot of opinion, it is NOT named after the Kentucky Whisky. When the city was founded, it was named after the French Royal Family, the "House of Bourbon", which produced a number of French kings, including Louis XIV, The Sun King.

Bourbon Street was a prestigious residential street during the early days of New Orleans. For the past century, particularly since World War II, it has had an entirely different reputation, which is now more closely related to that Kentucky Whisky. Intermingled here are traditional jazz clubs, strip joints, restaurants, bars of every type, and the ubiquitous souvenir shops.

Bourbon St. during the day is much like any other French Quarter street. Reeking with the aromas and stenches of the previous night's partying, it is quiet, with delivery trucks, and bar and restaurant owners, who are busy hosing down the sidewalks. At twilight, however, as the lights come on, it comes alive with crowds of partygoers and the curious. There is a cacophony of music emanating from the various bars and clubs, as barkers try to entice people inside their respective establishments.

During Mardi Gras, however, the street is closed to vehicles for five days, and it seem as if the party goes on forever. Twenty-four hours a day, you can get a first hand view of Bourbon Street from several locations. These Bourbon St. Web Cams let you see first hand what Bourbon St. is really.
The first location is the Mike Anderson's Restaurant Web Cam, looking down Bourbon Street. This location is closer to Canal Street, and will have slightly thinner crowds than other locations.
One of the more popular Bourbon St. Web Cams is the one located at The Cat's Meow. Looking diagonally across the intersection, you get a true image of what Bourbon Street crowds are like. Remember that Bourbon Street is closed to vehicles at night, and becomes a pedestrian mall.
A third location is the Web Cam at the Tricou House Restaurant, 711 Bourbon Street. It warns of possible adult content, but keep in mind, this is a view of a public street. The warning may be just so much hype.

Jackson Square has always been an open area and the heart of the French Quarter. Originally, known as the Plaza d'Armas, it was a large open common, used at times as military parade grounds, and later as a market place for fish, fowl, and produce.
Jackson Square faces the Mississippi River, and is bounded by the St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytere on Chartres Street (the northwest side), and is flanked by the Upper and Lower Pontalba Apartments along St. Peter and St. Ann Streets. Inside is its namesake, a statue of Andrew Jackson, and hero of the Battle of New Orleans.
Surrounding Jackson Square is a pedestrian mall, and an iron fence that has been used for decades by artists, at times numbering 300 or more, who work and display at Jackson Square. Tourists have, for years, come to Jackson Square to purchase paintings of New Orleans, the French Quarter, and other topics, or to sit in the shade of the oak trees while having their portrait made.
Tourists have also enjoyed the shops on the ground level of the Pontalba Apartments. They include toys stores, gift and clothing stores, retailers of seasonings and candy, ice cream parlors and restaurants. It is very convenient for those waiting for their turn to have their portrait made.
Jackson Square is not without its share of intrigue, though. If you look inside the fence near the St. Ann Street gates, you can see a musket ball dent in one of the iron bars. According to the story, an enraged woman waited inside the square, and tried to assassinate her husband as he emerged from the building. The bullet hit the fence bar, and he was not injured.

One of the most recognizable landmarks of the New Orleans French Quarter is the Brulatour Patio, with it's signature arch and stairway, and its fan doors and windows. This patio, like most in the French Quarter, was originally an open area behind the residences, and adjacent to stables, where the owners kept their horses and carriages. The Brulatour dates to 1816, when François Seignouret built it.