A Cajun-style Christmas on the river also involves sky-high pyres and explosives.

The first plantation museum in the United States to focus on the lives of enslaved people.

A museum of unusual collections, mini-towns, and a half-dog, half-alligator.

Legend says a primate-like cryptid prowls this otherworldy sliver of the Louisiana bayou.

The world-record holder for the longest bridge stretching continuously over water.

This knobby, drooping New Orleans oak is a favorite place both for climbing and for meeting giraffes.

The first patented shaved-ice machine heralded a snowy wonderland of iced treats at a favorite New Orleans summer shack.

New Orleans' famous cemetery, located on the site of a former race track.

The tallest monument in a historic New Orleans cemetery was prompted by romance and dash of pettiness.

This historic New Orleans cemetery is the final resting place of members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

A haunting, yet lovingly hand-hewn potters' field full of graves that flood with each heavy rain.

A private museum dedicated to preserving the heritage of Mardi Gras' most beloved underdog parades, open by appointment.

An otherworldly musical haven in The Big Easy.

This historic "City of the Dead" lies prominently in the center of New Orleans' famous Garden District.

This New Orleans tree is filled with hidden chimes that produce a carefully tuned melody.

A little piece of Paris in the sultry south of the U.S.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

It's clear this abandoned Art Deco gem was no ordinary cleaners.

Formerly known as National D-Day Museum, this collection commemorates the battles of Normandy and WWII.

Parts of the civil rights movement unfolded in this historic eatery, helmed by the "Queen of Creole Cuisine."

A 19th-century shrine covered with prosthetic body parts as votive offerings.

Imagine playing a version of Legends of the Hidden Temple, but with a distinctly Southern Gothic flare.

This "second" cemetery represents New Orleans' attempt to keep cholera at bay.

An abandoned warehouse turned art sanctuary in New Orleans.