Getting to know the Big Easy is as easy as going for a walk

Do a little dance. Make a little love. Get down tonight. This is the Big Easy, after all.

The history of New Orleans isn't an easy one - slavery, plagues, fires, floods - but the people here are amazingly resilient. It's almost as if each tragedy gives birth to a new way to celebrate life - Mardi Gras, African-Indian parades, saints holidays - and don't forget Zydeco and jazz musicians and Cajun food. 

The first time I visited New Orleans (pre-Katrina), I fellFrench Quarter in love with the energy, the passion, the joie de vivre that defines the people who live here. My girlfriend and I walked from the French Quarter to the Garden District - an adventure that took us through some of the poorest sections of the city.

We walked past historic buildings, street sellers hawking sweet pralines, run-down tenement buildings, seedy coffee joints and plenty of people willing to stop and chat with us - and quite a few who saw us as a blight.

New Orleans tours - why you need to go on one

Walking New Orleans is as much a history lesson as it is a study in human behavior.

I'll fess up. I took a walking tour of New Orleans as well. Tour guides are gold mines of local culture and they love people who ask questions - it gets the group more involved - and they're more than willing to chat after a tour (maybe even share some local secrets over a beer).

If you've never been to New Orleans before, the experience changes each time you visit. My favorite tour company, Haunted History Tours, is recommended by the Travel Channel, Fox Network, A& E for its enthusiasm, knowledge and attention to detail.

Bourbon st, French QuarterI love that you can choose the part of New Orleans you want to get up close and personal with - ghosts, antebellum history, vampires or garden homes.

Have you been to New Orleans lately? What do you love most about the city?If you've never been and are planning a trip, visit New Orleans Online to begin your planning. 

Got a favorite thing to do in the Big Easy? Shae your secrets with us in a comment below or  follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook and let's start talking!