For many, the experience down on the ground in the boozy thick of it -- particularly the French Quarter and its infamous Bourbon Street -- can prove daunting. If you want to be above it all, as it were, while still experiencing the sensory overload at a distance, New Orleans now provides more than a dozen rooftop bars and lounges. Like the Pontchartrain, the Ace rooftop is open to the public (non-guests must spend $20 on food or drink for admittance). And the streetcar line heading into the French Quarter is directly outside the door. Alto at the Ace Hotel has everything you'd want in a rooftop.

Source: CNN February 22, 2017 16:52 UTC