New Orleans on a Rainy Day
Fun indoors, in the Big Easy
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Living in a subtropical climate can mean a lot of rainy days in New Orleans. Good for the plants but not so good for your vacation. Here are some things to do when Mother Nature interferes with your plans.
Enjoy some art
New Orleans has a number of different museums to choose from. The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is nestled among the oak trees in City Park. The oldest museum in New Orleans, it opened in 1912. A much younger museum is the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. This five- story building houses over 4000 works of art created by people living in the Southern states. Just across the street from the Ogden is the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC), which houses a smaller collection of mostly local artists. The CAC also has an active calendar of performance art pieces.
Check out New Orleans wildlife
Just because it is raining doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy what nature has to offer. The Aquarium of the Americas offers chances to touch sting rays, feed parakeets, or just sit and watch penguins and otters at play. Nearby at Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium you can snack on chocolate chirp cookies or just relax in a Japanese garden while butterflies float by.
Go to the movies
This is a perfect activity for a rainy day. In a mostly residential area in New Orleans lies a 100-year-old neighborhood theater. The Prytania shows new movies as well as classics. They even have balcony seating and an old piano on the stage from when they were needed to accompany silent movies. If you want a bit more pampering check out the Cinebarre Canal Place 9 downtown. There you can watch a movie in comfortable chairs while servers bring you food and drink.
Listen to music
New Orleans is home to many different kinds of music: jazz, hip hop, bounce…. Rain just gives you more time to enjoy one of the many local music venues. Go to Preservation Hall and enjoy traditional jazz in the city of its birth. Listen to local and mostly undiscovered talent at the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse. Or enjoy the eclectic mix that can be found at The Maple Leaf Bar.
No matter what the weather, there is always fun to be had in New Orleans. So come on down and laissez les bon temps rouler!