One of the many historic antebellum homes in New Orleans.

New Orleans is truly a melting pot—no other city in the nation has blended so colorfully the cultures of the French, Spanish, Acadians, Africans and American Indians. This artistic jambalaya has resulted in Dixieland jazz, French and Spanish architecture, Cajun and Creole cuisine, voodoo folklore and the winners of this year’s Super Bowl! Combine this with the welcoming nature of New Orleanians, and it’s no wonder that millions of visitors make the “Big Easy” their destination each year. Enjoy some of the best New Orleans has to offer by taking a tour during the American Thoracic Society’s 2010 International Conference. For more information about these tours or to register online, visitwww.accentoca.com/atstours10.

1. Welcome to New Orleans will give you an overview of not-to-be missed attractions at no charge. (Friday, May 14, 8 to 8:45 a.m.)
2. Experience the beauty and serenity of one of the wildest natural areas on the Louisiana Flatboat Swamp Tour. Your captain, a native of the region, will narrate the tour by providing a history of the indigenous plants and animals you encounter. (Friday, May 14, 9 a.m. to noon; Tuesday, May 18, 1 to 4 p.m.; $62/person; note that this tour involves light walking)
3. Hear stories about antebellum life during the 1800s in Splendor of Days Gone By: Houmas House Plantation. View Louisiana artwork and artifacts dating back to the original “Sugar Palace” plantation and enjoy a stroll in its beautiful gardens. (Saturday, May 15, 9:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.; $54/person; note that this tour involves moderate walking)
4. Witness the city’s recovery from the destruction caused by 2005’s Hurricane Katrina on a History, Highlights and Hope motorcoach ride. This tour, which highlights rebuilding efforts, will leave you with a sense of the city’s resilient spirit, proud history and rich culture. (Saturday, May 15, 1 to 4 p.m.; Sunday, May 16, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Monday, May 17, 2 to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, May 18, 9 a.m. to noon; $38/person; note that this tour involves light walking)
5. The Magic of Mardi Gras will take participants to two venues: a studio where artists are putting the finishing touches on props used for the floats and a museum filled with elaborate artifacts that capture the true spirit of Mardi Gras. (Saturday, May 15, 1:30 to 4 p.m.; $52/person; note that this tour involves moderate walking)
6. The Perspectives on Antebellum Life: Laura and Oak Alley Plantations tour gives you a look at life on both a Creole and an American-style plantation. (Sunday, May 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $100/person; note that this tour involves moderate walking)
7. Discover New Orleans’ dark and sultry past on the Ghostly Spirits and Scandalous Tales Tour, which takes you through the streets of the historic French Quarter. (Sunday, May 16, 1 to 3 p.m.; $38/person; note that this tour involves moderate walking)
8. Watch a professional chef in action and learn more about the culinary profession in New Orleans on That Deep South Cuisine tour, which includes a light lunch. (Monday, May 17, 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.; $56/person; note that this tour involves light walking)
9. Stroll through the picturesque neighborhood where celebrities Sandra Bullock, Nicolas Cage and John Goodman reside, in the narrated Garden District Grandeur tour. Attendees will also tour a private home in the Garden District. (Monday, May 17, 9 a.m. to noon; $42/person; note that this tour involves moderate walking)
10. Wind through the 46-room mansion of an heiress to the Sears-Roebuck fortune, filled with priceless antiques and art collections from around the world, and then head to City Park to explore one of the premier sculpture gardens in the U.S. on the Artistic Treasures: Longue Vue and Sculpture Gardens tour. (Wednesday, May 19, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; $42/person; note that this tour involves moderate walking)