New Orleans: Sights, Eats, and City Guide
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. I only recommend activities I have personally been on and enjoyed.
Where To Stay:
If you're only in town for a short time, you definitely need to be near all the action! But you can choose the specific spot based on what vibe you're going for.
French Quarter:
If your focus in New Orleans is partying, this is where you should be. Outside of partying, it's a great central location for exploring the city. You can stay in the thick of it near Bourbon street, or opt for a quieter side street.
Garden District:
If you're looking for somewhere central but a bit calmer, check out this area known for its historic mansions. The French Quarter is still easily accessible from here and you'll enjoy a more relaxing atmosphere.
Check out Airbnbs in this area as well! Especially if you are looking for cost saving deals, the Garden Dis
What To Do:
*Please note I only recommend tours I have personally taken and enjoyed
French Quarter
-Take a Walking Tour:
The French Quarter (and really NOLA in general) has an absolutely fascinating history! Whether you are a history buff or not, I would highly recommend taking this walking tour. It's small group and the guides are so knowledgeable and really give you the full history of how NOLA has evolved while walking through the French Quarter to help you get familiar with your new surroundings.
-Jazz It Up:
THE MUSIC is to die for here. You'll hear live music pretty much everywhere you go, but I'd recommend starting with a stop to the Jazz Museum to learn the history of Jazz in New Orleans. Follow that up with a stop to one of my recommended live music spots, with live music usually starting around 2/3 pm daily! Frenchman Street is where you'll find a lot of the live music venues, so take a stroll and walk into whatever place is playing music that peaks your interest!
-Tour a Cemetery:
New Orleans cemeteries are not your average cemeteries and are a must stop while you're in town. Many of them are not open to the public, so be careful if you see a tour that says it includes a cemetery, as what they most often mean is includes a stop outside of a cemetery. If you want to go in and get the full effect, check out this St. Louis Cemetery No.1 walking tour.
-Take a Cruise:
Tour the Mississippi with the Creole Queen to visit the historic Chalmette Battlefield, complete with narrated history. My personal favorite part of this trip was on the return from the battlefield, when they discussed in-depth the events around Hurricane Katrina and it's impact on the city. Absolutely devastating but fascinating story. This cruise offers a food option, but I would skip it unless you're pressed for time.
-Stop By The Louisiana State Museum:
Multiple buildings and topics are housed within this network, so take your pick and enjoy!
-Visit the WWII Museum:
Did I mention New Orleans was for the history buffs? This museum is a must stop, probably one of my favorite museums in general.
-Go Shopping/Antiquing:
You'll find a large variety of boutiques in the French Quarter. Start on Royal Street and work your way around the area for some unique finds!
-Sazerac Time:
-Drink and Have Fun:
More on that in the Eats & Drinks Section
Garden District:
-Take a Walking Tour:
Am I sounding like a broken record yet? The Garden District is known for its historical mansions, with which comes a fascinating history (and some recent neighbor drama). This small group walking tour was great to learn all the details and peep on some of the homes that some very famous people own 👀
-Tour a Historic Home:
All the marvelous residences you'll see here are private, meaning all except one can only be seen from the outside. The one? The New Orleans Opera Guild Home. This is not advertised and not always consistently available, but if you're in town on a Monday, stop by between around 11-3pm and ask if you can take a tour. If you're lucky and they say yes, you'll pay $15 and can say you are one of the few who has seen the inside of one of these beautiful mansions.
-Shop and Check Out the Art:
Magazine Street is the main drag through the Garden District, and its filled with art shops and other boutiques. I found this area slightly more unique and inexpensive than French Quarter, so if you're looking to shop I would actually recommend starting here.
Nearby
-Take a Swamp Tour:
I cannot recommend this activity enough! The tour can pick you up from town and only takes a couple hours but could not be more fun! The company offers normal boat tours, but I'm telling you the airboat tour is what you need to do. The guide was hilarious and we saw so many gators. The landscape was also very unique and beautiful. Carve out the time, you won't regret it!
-Audubon Park:
Visit the Tree of Life!
-Studio Be:
Art, Culture, and Community
Eats & Drinks
French Quarter:
Garden District:
Nightlife:
Honestly if you're looking for a party, just head to Bourbon Street and pop in and out of places. For a more low key, quality drinking night, check out one of the other bars recommended.
Getting Around
New Orleans is super accessible by public transport! I'd actually recommend you don't get a car because its not necessary and break-ins are unfortunately common so save yourself the headache. I found the transportation safe, although if you are out particularly late, you may want to opt for an Uber.
-Take the Streetcar: Whether you need to or not, you have to take a trip on the iconic streetcars! Download the transport app and buy tickets there to avoid a line at the money collector machines they have on the cars (very old and don't always like to work). Whether you're staying in the Garden District or French Quarter, the streetcars run regularly between the two and I'd recommend taking them.
-Take the Bus: The buses in town are also very well connected and tickets can be bought with the same app.
Parting Notes
You'll have a blast in New Orleans, whether going for Mardi Gras or not! If you are going for Mardi Gras, be sure to start planning well in advance and things book out quickly! Packages are also available if you want to take the stress out of planning. Check out this site for all things Mardi Gras.
Not going for Mardi Gras? Don't worry, you can still get a taste by visiting Mardi Gras World.
And don't forget to look out for other events and parades in town! The St. Patricks Day parades are also a blast.
People will try to hand you beads, shots, etc. walking down the street. These are not free and they will try to charge you way too much. The shots will be half water (if you're lucky).
Please consider tipping! All tips go to more free guides, like this one!
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