Top 10 things to do in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS – For those of you fortunate enough to make it down here to New Orleans, be sure to live it up. Now that you have a day without a UK game, you should enjoy the city. The Big Easy is definitely the most attractive venue UK will be visiting this tournament (Syracuse and potentially Indianapolis await in the later rounds), and it’s really a fantastic city for visitors. Here’s a list of some of the top things to make sure you do while you’re in town.

10. Stop by the Superdome – Home of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints and a symbol of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, it’s also the world’s largest domed stadium. It won’t be hard for you to take a look at it if you’re here for the games, because it’s right across the street from New Orleans Arena.

9. Mingle with the players around town – I’ve seen players and cheerleaders from almost every team playing in town, and if you wander around downtown you’re likely to run into them as well. Remember, these guys are here to play basketball, but they’re also college students who are here on spring break. It’s a great experience for them, and you might not get another chance to meet some of them.

8. Visit the New Orleans Aquarium – It’s right on the Mississippi River, beautifully located in a park that’s dotted with art and steamboats. It’s less than $20, and includes some of the largest collections of sharks and jellyfish in the country. Definitely worth a look if you get a few hours and you’re into animals.

7. Catch some beads – Come on, it’s New Orleans. Are you really going to visit this town and not walk away with more mardi gras beads than your neck can handle? Sure, you could just buy some, but it’s way more fun to head out on the town and try to catch them from someone driving by or throwing them from a hotel balcony.

6. Savor the weather – As mentioned above, UK’s future tournament locales include Syracuse and Indianapolis, so if you’re here, appreciate the balmy 70-degree weather and the breeze you get from being so close to the ocean. It’s a heckuva lot warmer here than Lexington, and if UK had landed in Milwaukee for the opening rounds as predicted, you might be dealing with snow this weekend.

5. Gamble at Harrah’s – You can’t miss the behemoth of a casino if you head downtown, and no trip to New Orleans would be complete without a couple dollars spent at the slots. Not to endorse gambling, but hey, if your bracket is busted already, maybe your luck will turn around.

4. Go shopping on Canal and Magazine Street – You’ll find everything here, from designer shops and jewelers to hole-in-the-wall tourist traps that sell t-shirts at four for $20. It’s one of the most famous streets in the world to shop on, and it’s right in the middle of downtown.

3. See the street performers in the French Quarter –From homeless men just picking at a guitar to full-on jazz bands set up in the street, you’ll find all kinds of entertainment around every corner here. There are impersonators, mimes, everything. There’s always something different to see, and you should really take advantage of it as much as possible.

2. Check out Bourbon Street – It’s world famous for a reason, and even when it isn’t Mardi Gras, it’s still a huge party every night. If you’re of age, any bar is a good bet. If you’re not, you can still wander around at night and just take the scene in. It’s like nothing else out there.

1. Sample the local cuisine – There aren’t many cities with as much unique fare as New Orleans, and you’d be a fool if you spent time here without eating as much Louisiana food as humanly possible. You have to try some beignets, jambalaya, po-boys, seafood, and whatever else you can find. It’s all incredible, and you won’t find it like this anywhere else.