Sure, the swamps are full of egrets, herons, turtles, nutria and other exotic creatures, but people go to see the gators.
In the heat of summer, the alligators are quite active and not the least bit shy about swamp boats. Whether it’s instinct or wishful thinking, they will check out a boat to see if a [...]

Visitors to New Orleans usually learn pretty quickly that much of the city is below sea level. That’s one of the reasons that there are so many above ground cemeteries. But much of South Louisiana is covered by swamp and marshland. The wetlands are a natural filter between the overflow of the Mississippi River and [...]

“You can’t have an aquarium without sharks,” says John Hewitt, director of husbandry at the Aquarium of the Americas. Even 25 years after the release of Jaws, popular fascination with sharks still draws frenzied viewers to Aquariums.
The thriller shed light on the toothy predators and stretched some truths. Hewitt knows because he has first hand [...]

Among the strange personalities visitors can meet along the Riverfront is Patience. She’s 21 years old, friendly, single and perhaps looks a tad overdressed in summer. But it goes with the territory for penguins. The African Black Footed penguin is one of the stars of the Aquarium of the America’s Behind the Scenes Tour. It’s [...]

Who’s Who In The Plantation Country
Plantation mansions are some of the most recognizable images of South Louisiana, but most of the people behind them are far from household names. With such prominent addresses along the river and such a bounty of activity and trade, however, the region was full of colorful characters. Bigeasy.com takes at [...]

New Orleans is so full of interesting attractions, from the historic French Quarter to the emerging museum district, that it is easy to not look beyond the city limits. But as close as 15 minutes on the other side of the Mississippi River there are lush swamps to explore. Within less than an hour sit [...]

Constructed in Moss Point, Mississippi, the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen took her maiden voyage on October 1, 1983. She is an authentic paddlewheeler powered by a 24 foot diameter paddlewheel and the most modern, fuel efficient GE diesel-electric system ever installed in a boat of this class. Even though the Creole Queen would have been right [...]

The City of New Orleans used to promote Mardi Gras with the slogan “The greatest free show on earth.” They meant that it was free to watch all of the parades and costumes and fun on the streets of the Quarter but somehow the phrase took on other implications. The city quietly parted with the [...]

The Riverboat Cajun Queen Constructed in New Orleans, Louisiana and launched on June 1, 1987, the Riverboat Cajun Queen was built for speed and distance. She is an authentic replica of an old riverboat that provided passenger service along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts during the late 19th Century. Of course, the Cajun Queen provides [...]