The City of New Orleans from Memphis

I enjoy leaving Memphis -- and coming back -- by train. To and from New Orleans. My family and I have taken this trip 3 times over the past 5 years and we have always had a great time. We'll almost certainly take it again this summer.

Visually, it's a journey worthy of these mythic cities. You start off at Central Station in downtown Memphis early, but not too early, in the morning. With none of the blandness and placelessness of mowed freeway exits and medians, you pass through, and under, and over, the forests, swamps, farmland, lakes and small towns and Jacksons of Mississippi and Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans in the afternoon. It's a distinct Memphis experience, grounded in this place, where we are.

We've always made the trip in summer. For reasons obvious, New Orleans isn't as popular in the summer so we've always been able to get very good hotel rates in the French Quarter. Summer in New Orleans not only doesn't bother me, I like it. I feel (or imagine) the essence of New Orleans on a sweltering day.

Here's a Flickr slideshow for photos (most not mine) tagged with City of New Orleans:



Great for kids too!