The French founded New Orleans in the 1700s and control passed from the Spanish then back to France. New Orleans became part of the United States since it was part of the Louisiana Purchase. France sold Louisiana to the U.S. in 1803. Mardi Gras became a formal affair in 1857 when social organizations, called krewes, introduced formalized parades and decorative floats. While New Orleans has always had colleges and universities, it first got a state-funded university when the school now known as the University of New Orleans opened in 1958 as the first racially integrated public university in the South. In the 1950s and 1960s, several transportation projects opened. These included the Union Passenger Terminal on Loyola Avenue, which opened in 1954. The facility is home to Amtrak and bus operators. The Crescent City Connection opened in 1958 and connected the east bank of New Orleans with the west bank. In 1965, the twin span bridge on Interstate 10 opened. This connected New Orleans to Slidell in St. Tammany Parish.

While it certainly has plenty of big-city amenities, New Orleans has a popular outdoor area. City Park is located near Mid-City and Lakeview and has trails, spots for fishing, miniature golf, the New Orleans Botanical Garden, the Louisiana Children’s Museum, the New Orleans Art Museum, plus many other attractions such as a coffee shop. High school football and soccer teams can compete at either Pan-American or Tad Gormley stadiums. With many schools in land-locked areas lacking space for fields, having two available facilities can provide a central destination with increased parking capacity.
Another option for outdoor enjoyment is Audubon Park in Uptown. There’s a zoo, athletic facilities, and a lot of green space that faces St. Charles Avenue. Its location, directly across from Tulane and Loyola Universities, makes it a great place for students, faculty, and employees to relax. With parking along St. Charles Avenue, Audubon Park can be a great choice for relaxing while waiting for a meeting or another function at one of the nearby churches. There’s also a streetcar line that runs toward the Central Business District. The streetcar gives others a chance to head to the park without a car.
Athletics is a big part of Crescent City life and it permeates through the professional athletes to younger players in middle and elementary school.
Football is big in New Orleans and the National Football League’s Saints play in the spacious Caesars Superdome, located in the Central Business District. On game days, expect to see people parking in various spots and making the walk t get to their seats. Regardless of their performance on the field, the Saints are a fan favorite and always a topic of conversation around town. To show team spirit, fans of all ages wear their jerseys on the last day of the week before a game, if it’s on a weekend. For weekday games, fans normally sport their jerseys that day.
There’s also the National Basketball Association’s New Orleans Pelicans that play in the adjacent Smoothie King Center.
For those buying land in New Orleans, there are also college athletics. Both Tulane and UNO offer multiple sports.
Tulane recently brought its home football games back to an on-campus stadium after being at the Superdome. Now fans have a chance to catch a game in a cozier setting.
There are also riveting high school athletic rivalries and while football and basketball can certainly attract fans, interest in other sports is high. Volleyball, baseball, and softball can sometimes attract a spirited crowd.
There’s certainly more as New Orleans has a thriving running scene with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and Crescent City Classic 10k as two of the well-known races in the city.