It has been said that New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrates indulgence  like no other U.S. city; its reputation for feasting and revelry,  especially during Mardi Gras, is legendary. After Hurricane Katrina, the  city rebuilt with fervor and tourism is flourishing. New restaurants,  hotels and attractions draw millions of visitors to the city each year.

Although some neighborhoods still struggle with the aftermath of  the storm, visitors to New Orleans' Central Business District, the  French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, the Garden District and  Uptown along St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street will find a city  alive and thriving.

In this city synonymous with resilience and  rebirth, it takes more than a hurricane or an oil spill to make New  Orleanians lose their appetite for fun, food and merriment.

New  Orleans is an extraordinary city, and with its unique culture and  history, it has long enchanted a wide variety of visitors with a  yearning for the romantic, the spiritual, the beautiful or the off-beat.  (In what other U.S. city would a voodoo priestess be buried next to the  mayor's family, or funerals be celebrated with a jazz band and a  processional?) That magic feeling is stronger than ever, a calling card  to a city with a spirit too beautiful to ever break.

Cozumel, Mexico, should not be compared to Cancun, the splashy resort  just 40 mi/65 km to the north and one of its nearest neighbors. In the  past, Cozumel had a laid-back, sedate atmosphere, and its superior  fishing, snorkeling and diving gave it a definite edge.

Today,  Cozumel retains its unique vibe and remains a better choice for those  who don't like planned resorts, but the island is no longer an  escapist's paradise. The snorkeling, diving and fishing are still great,  but no one would mistake present-day Cozumel for the sleepy backwater  it once was.

One reason is cruise ships. Cozumel is the most  popular cruise stop in Mexico and has hosted as many as 33 ships in one  week. When more than one ship looms on the horizon, Cozumel's  restaurants, bars and shops fill with day-trippers.

Still,  Cozumel can be fun, especially for travelers interested in exploring its  coral reefs on scuba and snorkeling outings. After all, it's home of  the largest reef in the Americas. The island's only town, San Miguel,  has retained much of its pleasant, small-town atmosphere. Those with  enough time for a day trip will find the Mayan ruins of Tulum and  Chichen Itza, on the Yucatan mainland, within striking distance.

Located 20 mi/32 km north of Merida, Progreso has been the Yucatan  Peninsula's main port of entry since the 1870s, when its sisal crops  were its major economic force. That industry since has died down, and  Progreso is now a major stop for cruise ships.

It might seem  disappointing to some because there are no wide expanses of white-sand  beaches, ruins or colonial architecture, and most of its hotels are  small, nondescript cement-block affairs. Many families from Merida  maintain weekend beach homes there, and the small town fills up with  locals during Easter week and the Christmas holidays. Many Canadians  like to spend the winter there (and in villages to the east and west) in  small rentals to escape the harsh weather farther north.

Still,  this friendly port does have a spate of decent open-air seafood  restaurants along its four-block-long waterfront, where you'll find the  liveliest action and the main beach. Near a few reefs offshore, divers  can visit a sunken ship. Progreso is also close to Merida and  surrounding Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal, which make good  day trips for cruise passengers. When ships are in port, a handicrafts  market comes to life in a municipal plaza on the main shopping street.