IF YOU'VE MANAGED to tack on a few extra days to your trip to Medtrade this year, you'll probably want to take in the lively sights and sounds of New Orleans — and there are many.

Immerse yourself in a melting pot of French, Spanish, Caribbean and American culture as you tap down Bourbon Street or through the old Storyville District to the lively rhythms of jazz. Nibble pralines and beignets in the French Quarter, then hop a streetcar to the mighty Mississippi for a riverboat cruise. Take a tour of the Louisiana swamp, relive tales of phantoms and ghosts, and visit famed above-ground cemeteries.

Whatever your personal taste, New Orleans has it all, so grab a comfortable pair of walking shoes, a light umbrella, and, as the locals say, let the good times roll!

Following is a brief guide to some of the Big Easy's main attractions.

Audubon Zoo: From the furry to the feathered, the Audubon Zoo houses some of the most majestic species in the animal kingdom, including white alligators and jaguars. Exhibits at the zoo, which is among the nation's top five, incorporate folklore from the various cultures to which the animals are important.
Web site: www.auduboninstitute.org/html/aa_ zoo main.html
6500 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70130-1152
800/774-7394

Aquarium of the Americas: The Audubon Aquarium is one of the top facilities of its kind in the United States. In addition to its comprehensive collection of regional and rare sea life, the aquarium has added Pacific Coast Adventures to its attractions.
Web site: www.auduboninstitute.org/html/aa_zoomain.html
1 Canal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130-1152
800/774-7394

City Park: City Park is a 1,500-acre span of natural wonders and recreational facilities in the Historic New Orleans Trace. It is the home of the world's largest community of aged oak trees as well as the New Orleans Museum of Art. Also gracing the expanses between the park's lagoons and meadows are Storyland, the William H. Hines Carousel, the Botanical Gardens and several historical buildings.
Web site: www.neworleanscitypark.com
1 Palm Drive
New Orleans, LA 70124-4608
504/482-4888

Cookin' Cajun Cooking School: This family-owned house of Cajun and Creole creations is located amid the hustle and bustle of the Riverwalk Marketplace. Experts of regional cuisine will take students through a step-by-step lesson on how to cook one of their many house specialties. A flavorful meal is served following the presentation, and guests can later recreate the tastes of New Orleans with complimentary printed recipes.
Web site: www.cookincajun.com
1 Poydras St., Riverwalk Store 116
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 586-8832
800/786-0941

Jazzland Theme Park: This New Orleans-themed park blends the atmosphere of carnival with family fun. Sun on the shores of Pontchartrain Beach, cut a rug in Jazz Plaza or challenge the strength of your vocal chords on Jazzland's signature monster roller coaster, the MegaZeph.
Web site: www.jazzlandthemepark.com
12301 Lake Forest Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70129
504/253-8100

Mardi Gras Museum: Visitors can witness this regal display of Mardi Gras photographs, court antiques and costumes, including the Queen's collection, during dining hours at the popular Arnaud's restaurant.
Web site: www.arnauds.com/museum.html
813 Rue Bienville
New Orleans, LA 70112
504/523-5433

Riverwalk Marketplace: Peruse numerous stores and enjoy New Orleans delicacies along the Mississippi River at this shopping extravaganza. Appreciate the beautiful fountain in the Spanish Plaza while boogying to the southern stylings of the Riverwalk Jazzband. Here, international visitors can capitalize on tax-free shopping.
Web site: www.riverwalkmarketplace.com
1 Poydras St., Suite 101
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/522-1555

Swamp Tours: Be indulged by legends of infamous pirates and the elusive Big Foot as expert tour guides take you through some of Louisiana's least altered wetlands. Whether it is via airboat, fishing boat or a private party, watch out, because you may see alligators, deer, red fox, wild boar, water snakes or even a Florida cougar!
Web site: www.honeyislandswamp.com
41491 Crawford Landing
Slidell, LA 70461-1300
504/641-1769

Haunting and Vampire Tours: A variety of blood-chilling excursions are available in the Crescent City. Ghost tours visit locations of documented hauntings in the French Quarter, while vampire tours blend fact with fiction a la Rice and Stoker and highlight reported crimes suspect of real vampire activity.
Web site: www.hauntedhistorytours.com
Haunted History Tours
97 Fountainbleau Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125
504/861-2727

Cemetery and Voodoo Tours: With their crumbling statues and towering tombs, the Big Easy's most unique points of interest are its cities of the dead. Venture into these historic yet eerie burial grounds to visit the tomb of voodoo queen Marie Laveau or visit a genuine voodoo temple.
Web site: www.tourneworleans.com
Historic New Orleans Walking Tours
P.O. Box 19381
New Orleans, LA 70179-0381
504/947-2120

Garden District Tours: Take a tour of the stately Garden District, where one can stroll down parkways under ancient oak trees to admire the Antebellum, Greek Revival and Italianate architecture of New Orleans' American sector. Such tours may also take you by the home of gothic novelist Anne Rice or through the Lafayette Cemetery.
Web site: www.graylineneworleans.com
Gray Line New Orleans
2 Canal St., Suite 2500
New Orleans, LA 70130-1857
504/569-1401
800/535-7786

Riverboat Tours: While in New Orleans, don't miss out on the splendor of the Mississippi River. Tour lines offer everything from historic adventures that stop at the site of the Battle of New Orleans, to decadent, floating dinner and jazz parties. Or just take a lazy cruise around the harbor.
Web site: www.bigeasy.com
New Orleans Paddlewheels
610 S. Peters, Suite 100
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/529-4567
888/311-4109

St. Louis Cathedral: The three-steepled cathedral has weathered fires and numerous reconstructions. It is sandwiched between the Presbytere and the Cabildo and is prefaced by Jackson Square. Inside the chapel, devotional details are captured in decorative paintings, and colorful stained glass windows shed light on events that have shaped the church's history and purpose.
Web site: www.saintlouiscathedral.org
St. Louis Cathedral
615 Pere Antoine Alley
New Orleans, LA70116
504/525-9585

World Trade Center: The World Trade Center's 33 stories shadow the Spanish Plaza and the Aquarium of the Americas. Enjoy the night life on the top floor, a lounge decorated in '70s flare. The bar, serving specialty drinks and light snacks, revolves 360 degrees for an unmatched view of the Big Easy's skyline and the Mississippi River.
Web site: http://wtc-no.org/
2 Canal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/529-1601