America's best golf destinations: New Orleans
By Ceri Mobley, PGATOUR.COM Associate Site Producer
Nawlens, New Or-LEANS, New OR-leans: A city with many names, many faces and one big, beating heart.
If you've never visited this Cajun carnival of colorful characters and Creole cuisine before, scribble it on your list a.s.a.p. or skip the planning and head down there this week for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Without actually being tropical, this is one of the most exotic stops for the PGA TOUR, and it won't take you long to work out why.
Since Louisiana's darling city hosts America's biggest party each spring, hotel choices abound from debutante-worthy Southern grace to new-wave Bohemian style. No matter your taste, New Orleans has a hotel with your name on it.
SOMEWHERE TO SNOOZE
The beauty of Bourbon: If you're staying in New Orleans, there's nowhere better than the Inn on Bourbon. This three-star hotel is located in the epicenter of New Orleans' French Quarter just one block from the famous Pat O'Brien's Bar. It has the signature look of a New Orleans building with wrought-iron balconies and decorative arches, complete with a courtyard pool and elegant fountain. Though you'll be about a 25-minute drive from TPC Louisiana, this week's host course, you will have the luxury of being able to walk to restaurants, pubs and various city landmarks. Rates start at $119 a night, and sometimes you have to stay for an entire week, so make sure you keep reading in case you need ideas for what to do when play ends.
Other options:
• Also in the French Quarter, the four-star Hotel Monteleone New Orleans is a great deal starting at around $180 a night. Your money buys you access to a rooftop pool, the revolving Carousel Bar (a Tennessee Williams haunt) and proximity to the shops of Rue Canal and of course the jazz clubs of Rue Bourbon. It's about 25 minutes from the course.
• For a hotel experience a la France, then consider the Historic French Market Inn. This three-star 19th-century hotel on the banks of the Mississippi River starts at around $85 a night and is also roughly 25 minutes from TPC Louisiana. A cool highlight here is its voodoo-themed bar.
SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT
While many tourists hesitate to visit this Gulf-coast city for fear of finding a town that's been left behind in the aftermath of 2005's Hurricane Katrina -- and even harbor a little guilt over the idea of enjoying themselves in a place that had its soul blasted to bits by 125 mph winds -- in actuality, it should be a completely different story. The rebirth of New Orleans tourism has helped pay for much of the desperately-needed renovations and breathed life back into this determined parish. New Orleans is very much open for business, and there's no better place to take your business than the French Quarter. The restaurants and bars in and around Rue Bourbon have life and personality as well as charming Southern hospitality and, of course, a stellar combination of perfect food and potent drinks. During the day, the sun beats down on European architecture that begs to be explored with its inviting verandahs and classic French churches, while at night, the district comes alive with masked and beaded party seekers, and yes, the occasional drunken stumbler who really needs to go home. If you don't understand the meaning of "ragin' Cajun" after spending a day and a night in the "quahtah," then something's terribly wrong.
More things to keep you busy
• Louisiana's clammy air plays havoc on the carefully crafted hairstyles of many of its visitors and locals, but the humidity does have a useful side. The swamps -- or bayous -- that stretch across the Pelican state are home to much of the wildlife and plants that make this region so unique. Take a swamp tour and learn about the ecosystem as well as the area's distinct history.
• At the mouth of the great Mississippi, New Orleans serves as the final destination for America's second-longest but most symbolic river. Over 2,300 miles of water rush to an end here, where you can take a traditional river cruise on the Steamboat Natchez. Fine out where Huck Finn might have ended up...
• The words New Orleans conjure images of Mardi Gras, crawfish étouffée and masquerade balls, but an unconventional icon of the city is Lafayette Cemetery. Possibly the most famous graveyard in America, the above-ground tombs and catacombs of Lafayette represent the history of New Orleans. It might sound morbid, but try to plan time for a tour of this "dead city."
THE MAIN EVENT
The PGA TOUR returns to one of its home courses this week as the Zurich Classic of New Orleans unfolds upon the greens of TPC Louisiana. Across the river from the heart of the city, the course sprawls over 250 acres. (Book a trip to play TPC Louisiana)
Like the mother ship, TPC Sawgrass, TPC Louisiana was born of a flatland swamp and has grown to mark the excellence of the name it bears. Designed by Pete Dye, the course lies on low wetlands in the Mississippi delta and has no residential areas.
The par-72 Bermuda-seeded course features five water ponds and 103 bunkers to test your game.
Located about 12 miles from New Orleans, the course offers quiet seclusion without being too far from Louisiana's big-time fun hotspot. Since Louisiana is on the gulf coast, creating a sub-tropical climate, you never know what you will get as far as weather. This leaves the course open for some tricky conditions when those tropical winds and heavy rains roll in off the water -- but who's not up for a challenge? On the other hand, players are often exhausted by the high temperatures and sticky air that sometimes begs for wind to break the muggy atmosphere. Whatever the weather at TPC Louisiana, you are in for a good old ragin' Cajun time.
STICKING AROUND
Got a few days to spare in New Orleans? If you need something to keep you busy, add these ideas to your itinerary.
• Lake Charles: You can gamble in New Orleans, but for a change of pace, head a few hours west to Lake Charles, the state's signature casino-resort town. L'Auberge du Lac is the latest resort hotel to settle in Lake Charles and it provides guests with luxurious Southern warmth but with a Cajun twist. If not everyone in your family enjoys the tables, local hunting, fishing, museums and festivals can keep the rest of your clan happy.
• Mardi Gras World: You're a little late for the party this year, but if you want a taste of it, then go to Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World for a behind-the-scenes look at what makes this famous festival so outrageous. Take your picture next to the hundreds of absurd floats and sculptures that paint the streets of New Orleans each spring like a Technicolor coat.
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On par with paradise
Arkansas is home to some of the most scenic courses in the country, and there are plenty of non-golfing activities as well.
