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The late, great singer-songwriter Dr. John once wrote, “If you wanna do some livin’ before you die, do it down in New Orleans.” And, he might have added, try to do it in the springtime.
After the Mardi Gras parties are over, the Big Easy only slows down a bit in March, April and May — offering visitors a little more elbow room for diving into the city's vibrant, multicultural gumbo of French and Spanish architecture; jazz, blues and Afro-Caribbean music; and, among others, Cajun and Creole cuisines.
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Spring also brings trees blooming with candy-scented flowers, and music festivals featuring outdoor stages, impressive street food and crafts from around the world — all before the sticky heat of summer descends.
Logistics
If arriving by plane, the city's new $1 billion terminal complex at the Louis Armstrong International Airport is a beautiful hors d'oeuvre for what's to come, with restaurants that include outposts from local chefs such as Susan Spicer and Emeril Lagasse, as well as live music. The airport has direct flights from many U.S. destinations, including New York, Boston, Seattle and Los Angeles.
If you're driving, forget about parking in the French Quarter unless you want to pay top dollar. But in other parts of the city, street parking is easy and free. If you're a train buff, hop on board Amtrak's City of New Orleans in Chicago and arrive in New Orleans 20 hours later (starting at $138 one way).
![BK Jackson, Troy Andrews aka Trombone Shorty, Pete Murano and Joey Peebles perform during the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 50th Anniversary BK Jackson, Troy Andrews aka Trombone Shorty, Pete Murano and Joey Peebles perform during the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 50th Anniversary](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/vacation-ideas/history-culture/info-2020/new-orleans-spring-getaway/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_travel_main_body/container_travel_body/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par6/articlecontentfragme/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/travel/Domestic/2020/02/1140-trombone-shorty-new-orleans-jazz-festival.jpg)
Festivals
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Choose among more than a dozen music stages spread across the Fair Grounds Race Course, where nearly half a million people arrive for Jazz Fest every year to appreciate not just jazz, but Zydeco, blues, bebop, gospel, folk, rock and more. In addition to talented acts you've never heard of, past performers have included Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Santana and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Don't skip the festival food, which, despite the paper plates, can taste as good as some of the city's finest dining. Highlights include the deep-fried soft shell crab po-boy, a snowball in your favorite flavor topped with a splash of condensed milk and a refreshing Rosemint herbal iced tea to wash it down. Thursdays and Fridays are less mobbed. It's $85 each day at the gate with packages available (April 23 to May 3, 2020).
French Quarter Festival. This free fest is the largest showcase of Louisiana music in the world and beloved by locals (April 16 to 19, 2020).