Do: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival, 25 April - 4 May
New Orleans without jazz is like tea without milk – it’s just wrong. This spring, the Jazz & Heritage festival wheels into town for its 45th anniversary to celebrate the city's vibrant history, and it’s set to go off with a bang. Not many festivals have Eric Clapton, Christina Aguilera and Robin Thicke sharing a stage, so do yourself a favour and lay off the air saxophone. nojazzfest.com
Stay: W New Orleans, 333 Poydras St. Double rooms from £98
A cool city deserves an equally cool hotel, and unsurprisingly the W doesn't disappoint. Sticking to its jazz roots, each room is influenced by the city's favourite music. Close to the bijou French quarter, this W has a trendy lounge bar – Whiskey Blue – plus a rooftop pool with cabanas to relax in, if the jazz all gets a bit too much. And with the hotel's 'whenever, wherever' policy, you can get anything delivered 24/7 – steak, drinks, or a full-on jazz band if you really want.
Drink: Bourbon Street
Unsurprisingly, Bourbon Street is the ultimate spirit mecca in New Orleans, and it’s one of the only places in America where you can drink on the street. For the ultimate pub crawl, start at the Old Absinthe House, a slightly dilapidated corner joint fitted with balcony seating, and sip a signature Absinthe House Frappe. Stagger onwards to Tropical Isle for a 'hand grenade', drop by hipster joint Half Moon on nearby St Mary St and don't leave without a booze up at a classic dive bar – try Snake and Jake’s on Oak St.
