There’s no place like New Orleans. You know you’ll get some of the world’s best food and music, and it’s a must-go destination for fun, but The Big Easy also boasts being “Built to Host” conventions, meetings and events.

The city gets bragging rights when it comes to LEED Gold-certified Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The first convention center in the world awarded initial certification under LEED Gold v4.1 O+M, the project converted two lanes of convention center boulevard traffic to a 7.5-acre pedestrian park with 200 trees, covered porches, outdoor event spaces, water features and public art.

New Orleans is always in flux, ever enhancing and evolving. For example, the legendary Caesars Superdome will complete its $450 million, five-year renovation in time to show it off when NOLA hosts the 2025 Super Bowl. That’s not all that’s on tap: Caesars’ $435 million investment and rebranding of Harrah’s Casino includes a new, 340-room Caesars New Orleans Tower and a 55-suite NOBU and NOBU restaurant debuting in fall 2024, adding more luxury to the city’s latest fancy digs. Also look for Four Seasons Hotel and Residences with its 341 rooms and 29,000 square feet of meeting space. Plans are in the works for Omni Hotels & Resorts to own and operate what will be the headquarters hotel for the convention center, expected to bring more people and events to the city.

Jackson Square © Sean Pavone | Dreamstime.com

The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority and River District Neighborhood Investors recently broke ground on River District, a mixed-use development occupying 39 acres of prime riverfront land adjacent to the center. It will include dining, retail, housing and entertainment options.

“New Orleans has embarked on projects that will benefit residents and enhance the visitor experience for years to come: lighting projects on roads and bridges, road and sidewalk repair and resurfacing, beautification projects such as landscaping and art installations in public areas, park and recreation improvements, and telecommunication upgrades bringing 5G to the CBD,” said Stephanie Turner, senior vice president, Convention Sales and Strategies, New Orleans & Company, a destination marketing organization. “These projects, along with many others, demonstrate that New Orleans is and continues to be ‘Built to Host.’”

Boasting an array of Cajun, Creole, Southern and just about any other cuisine you can think of, New Orleans offers pure heaven for foodies. History buffs get their fill of the past in places like The National WWII Museum, the French Quarter with its stunning architecture, Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, among others. Music plays everywhere — from traditional jazz at Preservation Hall to Bourbon Street to Frenchmen Street, where you can go from one club to the next, each with a variety of awesome live music.

Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site © StevenGaertner | Dreamstime.com

When you’re ready for a respite from the revelry, find refuge in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at New Orleans
Museum of Art, Audubon Park for a picnic, or Café Du Monde in City Park instead of the one in the French Quarter.

Said Turner, “In addition to exceptional cuisine, a storied history and an architecturally rich backdrop that naturally enhances an event, New Orleans’ unique culture and hospitality set us apart from other destinations.”

SCENIC DRIVES
About a two-hour drive north, explore charming St. Francisville with its winding rivers, trails, parks, rolling hills, great golf and more. Browse antique shops and boutiques. If you’re in town on a Thursday, check out the farmers market for local produce, handmade crafts and artisanal products. The Magnolia Café and The Francis Southern Table & Bar are the go-tos for Cajun and Creole cuisine. For a fancy night out on the town, head to the historical St. Francisville Inn with dishes such as eggplant Lucille, with Louisiana crawfish, jumbo shrimp, fire-roasted peppers and Cajun cream.

Less than an hour north of New Orleans on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain lies Mandeville, beloved for its lakefront lined with giant oaks. If fishing is your thing, set yourself up on the seawall along Lakeshore Drive or Mandeville Pier at Sunset Point and see if you get lucky when you throw out your line. Fontainebleau State Park proves ideal for camping or renting a cabin. Enjoy the beach and explore the ruins of an 1830s sugar mill. Hike or bike the park’s trails, and kayak on the Cane and Castine bayous. There’s nothing like dining with water views. Do just that at Pat’s Rest a While or Rips on the Lake. Craft brew fans should hit The Barley Oak. Don’t miss the Dew Drop Jazz & Social Hall, said to be one of the oldest jazz halls on the planet.