This is our second article on New Orleans' status as the up-and-coming LGBT destination. For more information on why your next vacation should be in New Orleans read Jon Fairbanks' article, "The Castro, Weho, and... New Orleans?"
New Orleans is on the way to being one of the hottest LGBT destinations in the world. LGBT research firm Community Marketing Inc, recently surveyed 4,800 LGBT travelers from all over America to determine the annual rankings of the gayest destinations in the nation. And while gay travelers were tightening their grips on their travel budgets, to the tune of a 1-3 % reduction overall, they were letting loose in NOLA: The Big Easy jumped 6 spots to number 13 in the overall 2010 rankings, and was the only city in the US of A that showed an increase in LGBT travel from the previous year.
The Crescent City is a riot to visit, and so it makes perfect sense that New Orleans is rising in esteem among the LGBT traveling set. The 5th anniversary of Katrina recently passed, and the city has risen like a phoenix to become even more vibrant, diverse and welcoming than it was prior to the horrific floods that Katrina wrought.
Even though only roughly 80% of the population has returned, there are now more restaurants here than before the storm, more young people aged 25-35 and plenty-o’-gays moving into fixer-uppers.But why? Here are five reasons why New Orleans is fast becoming a Top Ten Gay Destination:
Booze
This is the most obvious one, because New Orleans has the most strict open container laws in the nation: if you aren’t walking around with one, then it’s criminal! To-go cups are the norm, encouraging you to grab a Hand Grenade and wander to your heart’s content.
Party
The Big Apple ain’t got nothing on the Big Easy. This is the true City That Never Sleeps, with many bars and clubs open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Booze can be had at almost any hour, people are carousing at all hours, and congregating over a juicy hamburger and fries as the sun rises over the wrought-iron balconies of the French Quarter.
Music
This is one wildly musical city. Live music bursts out from seemingly every other venue, and this musical passion permeates everything – locals positively buzz with acoustical energy, bouncing from venue to venue, activity to activity, smile to smile. It gets your foot tapping, and you instantly love being here in this most expressive and authentic environment.
Lifestyle
They don’t call it the Big Easy for nothing: “Here, it’s a little more relaxed, a little more subtle, a little more stewed,” says Bryan Batt, actor and native New Orleanian. People here enjoy life at a slower pace, one that prioritizes friends and family over work and business. The work-life balance here is definitely skewed towards life, and that makes this one of the most laid-back metropolitan cities in the United States.
Celebrations
New Orleans is a celebratory city, and it’s virtually impossible to visit and not see some sort of festivity: a raucous funeral parade, a traditional second line twirling and following a brass band, a krewe parading for Mardi Gras or Halloween, or even something as simple as a boisterous birthday celebration. New Orleans knows how to make merry, and as a visitor, you are urged to bring your own energies and contribute mightily to the merriment.Let’s be real here: New Orleans is a place unlike anywhere else in the USA. San Francisco, New York, Vegas, Philadelphia…they are also unique in their own right. But New Orleans is a slice of an old world alive and well in today’s contemporary times. It’s animated, breathing, vibrant and lively, perfect for us gay travelers. Where’s next on your travel list?