Audubon Zoo

Take a peek beneath the surface with a visit to the reimagined, state-of-the-art Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans. Marvel at more than 3,600 animals from over 250 species in an AZA-accredited aquarium voted one of the top five aquariums in the USA Today 10 Best reader poll. Make your own way to the aquarium, which is adjacent to the French Quarter. Once inside, explore a vast underwater world spanning the Caribbean and the Amazon Rainforest to the waters that give New Orleans its lifeblood: the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. See a large variety of marine life, including endangered species. Touch sharks and stingrays in the Shark Discovery Touch Pool, and enter a 30-foot-long tunnel to admire aquatic creatures of all shapes and sizes as they swim through the Great Maya Reef habitat. In the Amazon Rainforest gallery, discover lush plant life, free-flying birds, stunning aquatic species such as piranhas and pacus, an anaconda snake, and much more. Feel amazed by the array of aquatic life in the aquarium’s largest exhibit, the 450,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico habitat. Upgrade to include combination tickets and make savings on individual entry. Opt to include Audubon Zoo, located in spacious grounds in uptown, or both Audubon Zoo and Audubon Insectarium and Butterfly Garden, which is located in the same building as the aquarium.

Step into New Orleans' Audubon Zoo with your pre-booked ticket. Enjoy 50+ acres of innovative natural habitats and 1,700+ animals representing more than 350 species. Upgrade to a combined option and enjoy access to Audubon Aquarium and/or Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. See the African lion habitat featuring breathtakingly close views of 3 females and 1 male, and the outdoor Sumatran orangutan habitat featuring orangutan babies born at the zoo. Discover the famous Monkey Hill, featuring a 5-level treehouse. Be transported to Central America at the Jaguar Jungle, complete with an archeological dig, spider monkeys, ocelots, a jaguar, and the “Criaturas de la Noche” bat house. Check out the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit, the world’s only urban swamp, showcasing animals from South Louisiana like black bears, bobcats, foxes, and the white alligator. Interact with domestic species, such as sheep and goats, while learning about sustainable agricultural practices at Watoto Farm.

Experience the beauty and history of New Orleans at a walking pace with this city sightseeing tour covering 25 square miles of iconic neighborhoods through three centuries. Board your bus in the French Quarter then follow the history of New Orleans’ expansion up Esplanade Avenue. Learn about the tradition of above-ground burial before you hop off to explore St. Louis Cemetery #3. Cross Bayou St. John into City Park, where you can purchase beignets at Café du Monde or set out to find your own “Instagrammable moment”. The park’s museums, attractions, and sculpture gardens are nestled among picturesque lagoons, bayous, and groves of ancient oaks, some ovrt 800 years old. Hop back on the bus to travel along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, past a post-Katrina pumping station, seafood restaurants, marina, and a historic lighthouse with the 24-mile-long Causeway Bridge in the distance. Although called a lake, Lake Pontchartrain is actually one of the largest brackish estuaries in North America at 630 square miles (1600 km2) fed by freshwater rivers and connected to the Gulf of Mexico. Continue to St. Charles Avenue, home to Audubon Park and lined with elegant mansions, churches, and schools, including Loyola and Tulane Universities. Follow the route of streetcars and Mardi Gras parades to the Garden District, one of the most well-preserved living neighborhoods in the US.