Why I love new orleans: nobody asks IF I love it
Like most people in the world I love New Orleans. Even those who have never been to our beautiful city know of it's magical draw to all people. The music, the food, the culture, the drinking, the parties, the parades, Mardi Gras; there's something for everyone. As a historian and tour guide I have a special relationship with New Orleans, and a particular love for the city. As I like to say to those of us in the tourist industry, "It's not our job to make people fall in love with New Orleans, everyone already loves New Orleans! It's our job to help them understand why they love it."
This city gets in your blood and bones and once someone visited they can't wait to get back. I moved here in 2015 with my wife after a three day vacation to see if it was the kind if place we'd like to live. We were here for two hours when I turned to her and said, "I know it's early, but I want to live here. I just do." To which she responded, "Thank God you said that! I felt that way an hour ago." There was no explanation of what we loved...we couldn't put our finger on it and we couldn't turn it into words. But we knew what we knew, this was home. Since living here for the last three years we've discovered hundreds of reasons why we love this city. The history, the architecture, the food and music, the people, all the normal reasons, but none of them has made us love the city any more than the first time we stepped out of a car and breathed the NOLA air.
The history of the city is rich and palpable. You can see it in every corner of the city. Having my degree in French and Spanish history gave me a great desire to visit New Orleans, but it's the things I've learned since living here that continue to renew my love affair with the city. Every house has a story and past, every street has a history, and every day you can learn something new and unbelievable about the people who founded and built the city.
The parties are second to none as well. Whether it's a Tuesday night with your friends at a local bar that just happens to be 90 years old, or the New Year's fireworks on the river, or Mardi Gras with it's endless parades and music. You'll never be short of things to do and fun to have, the city is defined by the very joie de vivre that keeps its citizens and visitors smiling and dancing all year long.
The food and drink are incredible as well. Many who come to visit New Orleans complain about the weight they've gained on vacation. You can eat gumbo every day and never get bored. You can try a new cocktail every day for a year and never repeat the same one. The creativity and passion that goes into our dining and drinking experiences define the city every bit as much as it's history and parties.
The list could go on and on about the reasons to love New Orleans and the reasons I love New Orleans. We could go in depth about the architecture, music scene, musical history, hospitality, etc. There will never be a shortage of reasons and they'll all sound like people writing text books to explain the unexplainable. They try and box up the ever changing nature of New Orlean's intoxicating effect on the rest of the world. But the true reason I love New Orleans is because people always ask, "Why do you love New Orleans." No one has ever asked, "Do you love New Orleans?"
Alan Berg moved to New Orleans from Las Vegas in 2015 and started working as a tour guide immediately. In October of 2016, he started his own company History and Horrors tours. Use the links below to contact Alan and book a tour!