1

French Quarter Festival (New Orleans)

Every March since 1984, New Orleans turns into one big open-air stage during the French Quarter Festival. With hundreds of performances spread across the neighborhood, live music is around every corner. What makes it special is its local flavor — you’re hearing musicians who live and breathe the city’s sound. It’s lively, welcoming, and admission is free! Bonus: Throughout the fest, you can sample food from beloved local restaurants, too.

2

Louis Armstrong House Museum (Queens, New York)

In Queens, New York, the Louis Armstrong House Museum lets you see the quieter side of a global legend. This is where Armstrong lived with his wife Lucille from 1943 until his death in 1971, and walking through the building feels surprisingly intimate. Guided tours share stories that go beyond the stage, giving you a sense of the man behind the music. It’s a simple but meaningful stop for anyone who has ever hummed "What a Wonderful World."

3

Jazz at Lincoln Center (New York)

At New York City’s Columbus Circle, the Jazz at Lincoln Center tour offers more than just a seat in the audience. You get a peek inside Frederick P. Rose Hall , along with sweeping views of Central Park from the House of Swings, which makes the visit feel extra special. The tour brings the jazz world to life through stories and history lessons. You can learn about the educational programs the center offers, as well as how performances come together in one of the country’s top venues.

4

Apollo Theater (New York)

Built in 1914, the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem has launched some of the biggest names in music: Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., and so many more. Stepping through its doors, you’ll discover a place where audiences enjoyed unforgettable performances while careers were born. You can access guided tours only by reservation, so check the webpage for details on booking your visit.

5

Satchmo SummerFest (New Orleans)

Late summer in New Orleans brings Satchmo SummerFest, a two-day tribute to Louis Armstrong . The atmosphere is relaxed, the music is rich, and it’s free! More than anything, it feels like a community gathering, one that keeps Armstrong’s spirit alive while supporting local musicians. It’s the kind of event that leaves you smiling long after the last note fades.

6

Nat King Cole’s birth house (Montgomery, Alabama)

Montgomery, Alabama, offers a look at where Nat King Cole was born in 1919. The entrance is free, but it’s currently going through renovations . However, a curbside visit can be enough to get a sense of Cole’s history. The house was moved from its original location in Montgomery County to the campus of Alabama State University in 2000, where it is part of the Selma to Montgomery Civil Rights Trail.

7

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park , located in the Treme neighborhood and created in 1994, gives you a deeper appreciation for how jazz began. Rangers host talks, while frequent live performances make the music feel personal and immediate. Not far away, the New Orleans Jazz Museum adds another layer, with thousands of artifacts and regular concerts.

8

Village Vanguard (New York)

The Village Vanguard is one of those rare places that has stood the test of time. Located in New York’s Greenwich Village downtown, the club opened in 1935 and became a jazz hotspot in 1957 . Unlike other historic sites that closed, it still hosts live jazz in the same cozy space. Sitting there, you can almost feel history coming from the speakers. Monday nights are a treat with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, but any evening offers a chance to hear world-class musicians up close.

9

New Orleans Jazz Museum

Few places are as closely tied to jazz as New Orleans. With its mix of cultures, the city created the perfect setting for a new kind of music to take shape at the turn of the 20th century. At the New Orleans Jazz Museum, you’ll find thousands of artifacts that trace jazz from its earliest days. Not far away, Preservation Hall continues the tradition with live performances that stay true to the original sound.

10

Dizzy Gillespie Home Site Park (Cheraw, South Carolina)

In Cheraw, South Carolina, a small park called the Dizzy Gillespie Home Site Park celebrates the great trumpeter. It’s a quieter stop, but one that feels personal. You can follow a simple brochure to explore spots tied to Dizzy’s early life, including Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church and the Robert Smalls School. If you visit in October, the town’s jazz festival adds a lively touch, turning this peaceful place into a celebration of music and community.

1

Florida – Meter feeding for elephants

Image: AJ Robbie

Florida’s traffic code once required that if you tied your elephant, goat, or alligator to a parking meter, you had to pay the fee, just as you would for a car. It sounds wild today, but it’s rooted in a time when people actually rode animals into town.

Though it’s not actively enforced (we checked), the law technically still lingers on the books. So, you'd better leave your pet elephant behind from now on!

2

Idaho – Seniors and motorcycles don’t mix

Image: Harley-Davidson

In Idaho Falls, it’s long been rumored that a local ordinance makes it illegal for anyone over 88 to ride a motorcycle. That sounds oddly specific—and a bit ageist. Whether it was meant to encourage safety, misinterpreted, or inspired by one daredevil granny, no one’s quite sure.

While there's no sign of active enforcement (or even proof it still exists), the message seems clear: once you’re nearing 90, it might be time to stick to the golf cart.

3

Arizona – Don’t even think about driving in reverse

Image: Jerry Kavan

Arizona doesn't mess around when it comes to driving in reverse. On public roads, moving backward is a big no-no. While it’s unlikely you’ll get arrested for backing out of a driveway, pulling a full-speed reverse cruise down Main Street might land you in hot water. Arizona wants you to move forward in life—literally.

4

Illinois – You need a steering wheel to drive

Image: Zach Wiley

Well, isn’t that obvious? Apparently not—because Illinois actually has a law stating that you can’t drive a car without a steering wheel.

Even if it seems like common sense, laws like this were created during the early days of car modifications, when people got creative (and sometimes reckless). So, if you were planning to steer your car using a rope-and-pulley system… maybe don’t.

5

Maine – No Sunday car shopping

Image: Hilbert Hill

In Maine, it’s illegal to buy a car on Sunday. Dealerships are closed by law, making it impossible to seal the deal on the most relaxing day of the weekend. Why? The rule has roots in so-called "blue laws," which were designed to preserve Sunday as a day of rest. So in Maine, if you get a wild urge to car shop after church, you’ll have to wait until Monday.

6

Michigan – Streets are not for reading

Image: bruce mars

Michigan has a law that says you can’t sit in the middle of the road and read a newspaper. Yeah, no joke!

We know—it’s hard to imagine someone actually doing this (unless it was a very juicy headline), but the law’s goal is clearly about safety. Still, you have to admit the mental image is pretty great—just don’t try it unless you want to make the evening news.

7

New Hampshire – Bus fumes are not a high

Image: Lizgrin F

New Hampshire takes a hard stance on inhaling bus fumes "with intent to cause euphoria." That’s a legal phrase, not a band name. It’s part of the state’s broader anti-huffing laws, aimed at curbing substance abuse.

Well, that’s odd!

8

Vermont – Backfiring is a no-go in Rutland

Image: RoonZ nl

In Rutland, Vermont, letting your car backfire could technically get you in trouble. This law was probably put in place to cut down on noise or prevent panic during quieter times in history.

Today, it’s unlikely to get you arrested, but a surprise backfire might still earn you some serious side-eye from the locals. If you ask us, this should be a law everywhere!

9

Wisconsin – Hands off the handlebars? Not allowed

Image: Darko Pribeg

In Wisconsin, you’re not allowed to ride a bicycle with no hands. Even if you’re showing off your balance skills from the 1970s, the law says at least one hand must stay on the handlebars.

It’s all about safety—but if you’re feeling rebellious, maybe show off at the park. Just don’t do it on public roads. Keep it hands-on!

10

South Carolina – No trash hoarding in Hilton Head

Image: Alireza Mirzabegi

In Hilton Head, it’s illegal to store trash in your car. That’s right—your vehicle can’t double as a mobile garbage can. The law aims to keep the area clean and tourist-friendly, but it also sounds like a not-so-subtle jab at anyone using their backseat as a trash bin. Hilton Head wants pristine beaches and clean cars!

1

Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California

Image: Aman

Los Angeles’ hellish traffic is world-famous and every experienced driver in this city has her or his own shortcuts to save time. But this one is a universal one for sure.

When driving through Hollywood, never take Hollywood Boulevard . Take, instead, Franklin or Fountain to get around the tourist mayhem. And, if you want to avoid the awful traffic of a Hollywood Bowl show, try Mulholland Drive.

2

Getting to the airport in Los Angeles, California

Image: Lukas Souza

Nobody likes missing a flight. Or, at least, most of us don’t care for that particular situation. And, when driving in the terrible Los Angeles traffic, that possibility is always looming in the background.

A sound advice from frequent flyers is to avoid the freeway altogether and take Crescent Heights until it dead-ends. Then, drive through La Cienaga to La Tijera all the way to the symbols that point to the airport.

3

Leaving New York is never easy, New York City, New York

Image: Matteo Catanese

Caught at the right time, New York City traffic can be as bad as LA traffic. And, as it usually happens, commute hours are the worst. The endless crowds and vehicles getting in and out of Manhattan through the different bridges and tunnels can create some serious delays.

Brooklyn Bridge, George Washington Bridge, and the Lincoln Tunnel are some of the most congested routes during rush hours. So, if you have no other options, make sure to schedule extra time just in case the traffic is as bad as it can be.

4

I-95, Miami, Florida

Image: Baron Alloway

Another city with legendary traffic is, without a doubt, Miami. And, as usual, commute hours can be a nightmare. I-95 is a major Interstate Highway on the East Coast and the Miami section is usually very congested . If you are trying to go south from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. or north from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., you have to expect delays, since those are the peak times for commuters who work downtown.

The High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes run from north of Miami to north Dade. You can only enter these lanes before 112/I-95 and you can only get off at the Golden Glades exit. Don’t take these lanes if you are trying to go anywhere between downtown and Northwest 183rd Street as there are no exits. Also, HOT lanes only accept SunPass as payment.

5

Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois

Image: Neal Kharawala

Continuing with another one of the monster-traffic cities of America, we can’t avoid the Windy City. Locals say that the city has two seasons: winter and construction , as the number of blocked streets, avenues, and roads can be nerve-wracking.

A shortcut locals use when driving through Lake Shore Drive to get off on Michigan Ave, heading southbound with a final destination past Illinois Ave, is to take Inner Lake Shore Drive and avoid the heavy congestion on Michigan Ave, as well as the occasional standstills on southbound Lake Shore Drive.

6

San Felipe instead of Westheimer, Houston, Texas

Image: Kevin Hernandez

Houston locals are familiar with busy Westheimer Avenue and know better than to fall into its trap during rush hour. They’d get stuck between multiple METRO bus routes, potholes, and never-ending construction sites.

The savvy drivers instead use San Felipe to get downtown or to the Galleria in a much shorter time.

7

Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, Phoenix, Arizona

Image: Nils Huenerfuerst

Even the widest highway will become congested once everyone finds out about it. We are looking at you, Los Angeles. But, for a while at least, new roads offer a smooth and quiet ride to the lucky few who discover them first.

This is the case with Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway. The 22-mile-long portion of the Valley beltway from 59th Avenue on the west side to Ahwatukee , which opened in late 2019, is a smooth drive. Rolling through a part of the Valley unspoiled by development, this freeway has light traffic and no, or very few, holes –for now.

8

San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California

Image: Justin Wolff

It may seem calmer compared to neighboring Los Angeles, but San Diego can have its traffic congestion, like any big city. Getting to the airport on time is always paramount and locals have tricks up their sleeves for this ride.

Drivers can take Washington Street to Pacific Highway and get to the airport that way, or they can also take Pacific Highway north to Barnett, then Lytton, then Rosecrans, then Nimitz, which can be better than going through Sassafras if there’s traffic.

9

LBJ interchange, Dallas, Texas

Image: Zack Brame

Dallas, Texas, is a major city with major traffic jams during rush hours. Trying to get to the LBJ interchange can be a recipe for disaster if you are in a hurry but there is a shortcut that can save quite some time.

If you are on the Central Expressway, you can get off at Coit Road , which will allow you to bypass the interchange. Instead, you'll wind around a corner and find yourself right back at the entrance ramps for LBJ. From there, you just wait for a light and merge back onto LBJ, having skipped over the whole mess.

10

I-35 alternatives, Austin, Texas

Image: MJ Tangonan

Texas’ hippest city, Austin has some major highways, including the I-35, Mopac Expressway (Loop 1), and Highway 183. These big highways can cause big delays if taken from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

But the city provides alternatives. Lamar Boulevard and Burnet Road provide time-saving options for I-35 . During rush hour and special events, knowing these lesser-used routes can save time.