Exploring Nature in New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana is known for its fabulous cuisine and blend of cultures making it a popular travel destination. Although many families may shy away from a trip to the "Big Easy" because of its reputation as a party city, there are several family friendly sights to visit making it a great vacation spot for visitors of all ages.

As a child, my family made annual trips to New Orleans to visit family and I loved strolling through the French Quarter taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the city. I wanted my own daughter to have fond memories of the city as well so my husband and I took her this year for spring break. She was very excited about eating some of the staples of New Orleans cuisine such as  "Po' Boy" sandwiches and beignets, but her favorite things in the city were the Audubon animal exhibits.

The Audubon Nature Institute has 3 amazing facilities located in New Orleans: the Audubon Zoo, the Aquarium of the Americas and the Butterfly Garden and Insectarium.

The Audubon Zoo, which sits on 58 acres of land, is home to thousands of animals ranging in size from small chameleons to large African rhinoceroses. Most of the animal habitats are spacious and don't seem overcrowded and the landscaping of the zoo is beautiful with huge live oaks throughout the park. In addition to the animal exhibits, there are several interactive experiences for kids such as a petting zoo and play areas. Other opportunities available at additional costs include a carousel, dinosaur adventure, ropes course and water park.

The Aquarium of the Americas is a two-story building which houses an assortment of sea and fresh water marine animals as well as some tropical birds.The aquarium is organized into sections highlighting animals from North and South America. There is an impressive 400,000 gallon tank featuring sharks, stingrays and sea turtles found in the Gulf of Mexico. Another area we enjoyed was the multilevel Amazon Rain Forest that was home to tropical birds, fish and an anaconda. A stingray touch pool provides opportunities for hands-on learning.

The Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium is a great place to learn about insects in a non-threatening environment. The exhibits are very kid-friendly and informative. In the underground gallery, visitors feel they have shrunken to the size of an insect as they explore the caves created by insects and come face-to-face with some animatronic bugs. Other fun features include a bug cafe in which visitors get to sample treats made with insects and a success stories gallery with interactive animal survival games.

New Orleans offers a wide variety of experiences for people of all ages and the Audubon exhibits add education to the mix. For more information about these experiences, visit the Audubon Nature Institute online.