New Orleans

If jazz had a mischievous, street-savvy sibling who crashed parties and scoffed at authority, the second line parade would be it-and Treme is its legendary stomping ground. Born from mournful funeral processions turned jubilant celebrations, second lines burst spontaneously to life, sweeping up locals, travelers, dancers, musicians, and even clueless bystanders into a joyous, brass-fueled conga line through the colorful streets of New Orleans' oldest African-American neighborhood. It's part living jazz documentary, part moving block party, and entirely unpredictable. Sunday afternoons are prime second-line territory, so keep your ears tuned and your dancing shoes handy-ideally ones you don't mind baptizing in beer or mud, as street etiquette dictates you surrender personal space and dryness to fully participate. Budget-wise, bring cash for tipping bands, slurping ice-cold drinks from street vendors, and grabbing local bites-budget around $20-$40 and you'll feast like a sweaty, tipsy king. Why attend? Because there's nothing quite like dancing shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers beneath waving parasols and technicolor feathered costumes, following a beat powerful enough to shake a century-old neighborhood awake. Plus, who doesn't want to boast they temporarily joined the happiest mob in America-if only for the bragging rights back home.