Driving Downtown Streets - Decatur Street - New Orleans Louisiana USA - Episode 71. Starting Point: https://goo.gl/maps/jAyvbS1ZAwK2 . Decatur Street is a street in the French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. The most famous sights on Decatur Street are Jackson Square and nearby Café du Monde. For about a century, upper Decatur Street (the portion closer to Canal Street) had many businesses catering to sailors visiting the port of New Orleans. In the late 20th century, it was redeveloped and became more upscale, with establishments such as the House of Blues. Decatur was formerly known as "Levee Street" or Rue de la Levée, as it was originally the location of the levee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decatur_Street_(New_Orleans) New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The city is named after the Duke of Orleans, who reigned as Regent for Louis XV from 1715 to 1723, as it was established by French colonists and strongly influenced by their European culture. It is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage.[8] New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine, music (particularly as the birthplace of jazz),[9][10] and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras, dating to French colonial times. The city is often referred to as the "most unique"[11] in the United States. Economy New Orleans has one of the largest and busiest ports in the world, and metropolitan New Orleans is a center of maritime industry. The New Orleans region also accounts for a significant portion of the nation's oil refining and petrochemical production, and serves as a white-collar corporate base for onshore and offshore petroleum and natural gas production. Tourism New Orleans has many visitor attractions, from the world-renowned French Quarter; to St. Charles Avenue, (home of Tulane and Loyola Universities, the historic Pontchartrain Hotel, and many 19th-century mansions); to Magazine Street, with its boutique stores and antique shops. According to current travel guides, New Orleans is one of the top ten most-visited cities in the United States; 10.1 million visitors came to New Orleans in 2004. The French Quarter (known locally as "the Quarter" or Vieux Carré), which was the colonial-era city and is bounded by the Mississippi River, Rampart Street, Canal Street, and Esplanade Avenue, contains many popular hotels, bars, and nightclubs. Notable tourist attractions in the Quarter include Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the French Market (including Café du Monde, famous for café au lait and beignets), and Preservation Hall. Entertainment and Performing Arts The New Orleans area is home to numerous celebrations, the most popular of which is Carnival, often referred to as Mardi Gras. Carnival officially begins on the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as the "Twelfth Night". Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday"), the final and grandest day of festivities, is the last Tuesday before the Catholic liturgical season of Lent, which commences on Ash Wednesday. Food New Orleans is world-famous for its food. The indigenous cuisine is distinctive and influential. From centuries of amalgamation of the local Creole, haute Creole, and New Orleans French cuisines, New Orleans food has developed. Local ingredients, French, Spanish, Italian, African, Native American, Cajun, Chinese, and a hint of Cuban traditions combine to produce a truly unique and easily recognizable Louisiana flavor. Sports New Orleans' professional sports teams include the 2009 Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints (NFL), the New Orleans Pelicans (NBA), and the New Orleans Zephyrs (PCL). The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is the home of the Saints, the Sugar Bowl, and other prominent events. Each year New Orleans plays host to the Sugar Bowl, the New Orleans Bowl and the Zurich Classic, a ...