Old Metairie is located just outside New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a suburb of New Orleans. The city is large, with a population of over 140,000 people. The location is not a city, per see, because it is unincorporated. It serves as the largest community in Jefferson Parish and one of the largest locations in the state. The community is large and offers plenty of options in shopping, schools and churches of various denominations. A number of sports teams play in the city as well.
The location was settled for the first time by the French in the late 1700's in Metairie Ridge, which is a naturally formed levee that was created by the Bayou. Visitors to the city can visit Veteran's Boulevard located within. This road was first placed alongside the drainage canal. It has served as a popular part of the city for commercial use. The Central Business District of Metairie is located near Lake Ponchartrain on Causeway Boulevard. The city provides a range of unique shopping and dining facilities. The largest grossing mall in the New Orleans region is that of Lakeside Shopping Center, located in Metairie. A number of nightclubs, bars and restaurants opened in a section of the city called Fat City in the 70's and 80's and serve as the night scene for the city. Visitors often come to Old Metairie for Mardi Gras which is held here, though it is a more family friendly version over nearby New Orleans.
Visitors to the city may find some landmarks and buildings destroyed due to the effects of hurricane Katrina in 2005.
