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I'm a New Yorker with a passion for travel and art. I founded DowntownTraveler.com after returning from a year-long backpacking trip around the world. Find me on Twitter at @leslietravel. 
![Great- now other passengers roll their eyes at YOU! I was the person who always groaned when a couple with a baby approached my row on an airplane. Sitting next […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Sleeping-baby-on-a-plane-36x36.jpg "How to take a baby on a plane: Tips for seat assignments, feeding and diaper change"){kind=small}
How to take a baby on a plane: Tips for seat assignments, feeding and diaper change![Germs, crazy people and tons of stairs are just a few reasons I hesitated to take my newborn baby on the New York City subway. I’ve been more adventurous than […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Baby-on-NYC-Subway-1-36x36.jpg "How to take a baby on the New York City subway – tips for new moms"){kind=small}
How to take a baby on the New York City subway – tips for new moms![This review is written by Downtown Traveler contributor Claudia Oddo, a first-time visitor to Blackout Haunted House. In 2014, Blackout plays by new rules. Do not speak unless instructed to […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Claudia-blackout-36x36.jpg "Review: What to expect at Blackout Haunted House in New York City (Halloween 2014)"){kind=small}
Review: What to expect at Blackout Haunted House in New York City (Halloween 2014)![New Yorkers, get ready to face your fears. Now in its 11th season, Nightmare haunted house stays fresh by embracing a new theme each year. The 2014 haunt, New York, pays […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nightmare-haunted-house-2-36x36.jpg "Experience NYC’s scary past at Nightmare haunted house (2014 review)"){kind=small}
Experience NYC’s scary past at Nightmare haunted house (2014 review)![Got scythes? If you’ve always dreamed of wielding a massive sword, scythe, hammer or gun, then you need to get yourself to NY Comic Con. It’s a safe place to […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NY-COMIC-CON-WEAPON-LINX-36x36.jpg "22 Badass Cosplay Weapons from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)"){kind=small}
22 Badass Cosplay Weapons from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)![What kid doesn’t like dressing up for Halloween? The only thing better is dressing up on a random day, meeting up with tens of thousands of like-minded peers, and receiving […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NY-Comic-Con-Baby-Batman-36x36.jpg "23 Creative Kids Costumes from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)"){kind=small}
23 Creative Kids Costumes from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)![Think all the attendees of NY Comic Con look like “Comic Book Guy” from The Simpsons? Get with the program… this is 2014! The annual pop-culture convention at the Javits […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NY-Comic-Con-Womens-Costume-36x36.jpg "Top 10 Trends in Womens Costumes at NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)"){kind=small}
Top 10 Trends in Womens Costumes at NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)![Today’s post is written by Claudia Oddo, a New York City-based writer and editor of NewYorkerAbroad.com. This was her first time visiting a New York City haunted house. You haven’t […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/10608518_10203403847080894_3987049205411782236_o-36x36.jpg "Celebrating 10 Years of Terror: 5 Reasons to Visit NYC’s Blood Manor Haunted House"){kind=small}
Celebrating 10 Years of Terror: 5 Reasons to Visit NYC’s Blood Manor Haunted House![Our brush with a 12-foot gator in the Louisiana bayou There’s a reason swamp tours are a top attraction in Louisiana’s Cajun Country: alligators are dangerous, sexy and cool. Who […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Screen-Shot-2013-06-22-at-7.16.47-PM-36x36.png "PHOTOS: Alligator sighting! A kayak tour of the Lousiana bayou"){kind=small}
PHOTOS: Alligator sighting! A kayak tour of the Lousiana bayou![Would you like a craft beer with your jambalaya? Cajun Country is not traditionally known for its craft beer, but locals clearly appreciate a fine brew. Karlos Knott, owner of […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Louisiana-Getaway-Cajun-Country-2-15-36x36.jpg "PHOTOS: Cajun Country brewery pairs craft beers with traditional Louisiana dishes"){kind=small}
PHOTOS: Cajun Country brewery pairs craft beers with traditional Louisiana dishes![Really? A World War II museum? I was skeptical when a coworker told me I absolutely had to visit the National World War II Museum during my vacation in New […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_1443-36x36.jpg "PHOTOS: Art and History at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans"){kind=small}
PHOTOS: Art and History at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans![I never thought frog’s legs would be the highlight of my vacation. Cajun Country is well-known for its unique cuisine, from gumbo to crawfish etouffee. This fall I had the […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Cajun-Cuisine_Grilled-Alligator-36x36.jpg "Top 10 traditional Cajun Country foods- from alligator to cracklins"){kind=small}
Top 10 traditional Cajun Country foods- from alligator to cracklins![Local food is all the rage and one farm in Cajun Country has taken it to a new level. At family-run Belle Ecorce Farms, you can sample artisanal goat cheeses […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Louisiana-Getaway-Cajun-Country-6-3-36x36.jpg "Meet the goat behind your cheese at Belle Ecorce Farms – Cajun Country road trip"){kind=small}
Meet the goat behind your cheese at Belle Ecorce Farms – Cajun Country road trip![New York may host the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but New Orleans has something better: the Bayou Classic. This New Orleans Thanksgiving parade features lively bands, dancers and a seemingly […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_1226-36x36.jpg "PHOTOS: Beads and bands at the New Orleans Thanksgiving Parade"){kind=small}
PHOTOS: Beads and bands at the New Orleans Thanksgiving Parade![Jazz, fine dining and public drinking: the perfect getaway? Seven years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, New Orleans is once again a bustling weekend getaway and bachelor(ette) party destination. […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0277-36x36.jpg "First Impressions of New Orleans: Bourbon Street (Photos)"){kind=small}
First Impressions of New Orleans: Bourbon Street (Photos)