A Big Easy lure

Burlesque, gay pride and (boiled) crabs: Big events in New Orleans beckon (withvideo)

New Orleans will be rocking with big events in the next several weeks.
Nicholas Phillips
You might not have to go that far for that last-minute summer escape.
Photo by Peter Barnes

As the final month of summer sneaks away like a fat-bellied raccoon from a campsite dumpster, the deadline looms large for planning a last-minute summer road trip.

Might I suggest New Orleans? I know, I know, I just wrote about the Big Easy, but there are a few more events worth considering in the coming weeks.

- Enjoy Houston’s ongoing Restaurant Week? Two dozen NOLA restos also offer a discounted prix-fixe, three-course menu during COOLinary New Orleans this month and next.

It also happens to overlap with the New Orleans Seafood Festival in Lafayette Square the weekend of Sept. 10.

- Not feeling the traditional picnic and/or camping trip over Labor Day? Consider attending Southern Decadence, a massive pride festival that’s swarmed the French Quarter for the last 38 years.

Last year's event drew 100,000 attendees — not quite as many as Houston’s Pride Festival, but still impressive given NOLA’s population is about one-fourth the size.

- Prefer a risqué getaway that caters to straighter tastes? The New Orleans Burlesque Festival takes place two weeks later.

Peter Barnes' taste of New Orleans:

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schedule your pto

Far West Texas city recognized as a top travel destination for 2026

Photo by Raul Miranda on Unsplash

El Paso was named one of the "Rising Star Destinations" to book for a vacation in 2026.

A new 2026 Travel Trends Forecast from vacation rental marketplace HomeToGo has unveiled the top U.S. cities that are on travelers' minds for the next year, and one unsuspecting far West Texas city was included on the list: El Paso.

El Paso was named one of six most sought-after "Rising Star Destinations" in the Southwest and Mountain West regions. Search trends revealed traveler interest in El Paso skyrocketed 191 percent year-over-year, with vacationers pining after "desert landscapes" and "frontier-style towns with modern Western flair."

To determine where travelers are planning on booking their 2026 vacations, HomeToGo surveyed 1,000 American adults from November 26-28, 2025 to discover which locales offer "both affordability and under-the-radar appeal." Search interest and price insights were based on observed searches executed via HomeToGo's website from August 1-November 15, 2025, with a check-in date during 2026.

The reports findings show the vacation accommodations in El Paso cost a median $62.21 per night, earning the city a reputation for being more affordable than Texas' major cities like Dallas or Houston. HomeToGo also said travelers are "increasingly turning to smaller [Southwestern] towns" to find accommodations rather than booking a stay at a large resort.

Additionally, younger travelers like Gen Zers and Millennials are driving the shift toward these hidden gem destinations after collecting inspiration from social media sites like Instagram and TikTok.

"Western destinations are seeing a rise in interest, fueled by a broader cultural moment that has placed such locations firmly in the spotlight," the report's author wrote. "In 2025, artists such as Beyoncé and Sabrina Carpenter brought fresh takes on the visual language of country music firmly into the mainstream, with this movement further amplified across social media platforms."

There's plenty to do in the self-proclaimed "Sun City," such as hiking in Franklin Mountains State Park or Guadalupe Mountains National Park, visiting local museums, and much more.

Other top "Neo-Western Revival" destinations to visit in 2026 include:

Marana, Arizona
Cañon City, Colorado
Yucca Valley, California
Queen Creek, Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona

"According to the survey findings, 76 percent of U.S. travelers plan to go on vacation in 2026, with over a quarter (26 percent) actively booking longer and more extravagant breaks," the report said. "Fifty-seven percent plan to spend more on vacations in comparison to 2025, indicating that the appetite for travel is clearly growing."

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