Things to Do in New Orleans (2025 Ultimate Guide)

New Orleans is unlike any other city in America—a cultural powerhouse where jazz fills the air, Creole cuisine tantalizes every sense, and centuries-old architecture tells stories of French, African, Caribbean, and American heritage. From the historic French Quarter's wrought-iron balconies to the soulful sounds of Preservation Hall, from beignets at Café du Monde to ghost tours through ancient cemeteries, the Big Easy offers an intoxicating blend of music, food, nightlife, and Southern charm that captivates every visitor.

Whether you're drawn to the vibrant energy of Bourbon Street, the elegant mansions of the Garden District, the authentic jazz clubs of Frenchmen Street, or the mysterious allure of voodoo and ghost stories, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to experience the soul of New Orleans. Use our Trip Time Calculator to plan your routes, estimate travel times, and make the most of your New Orleans adventure.

Top Attractions in New Orleans

The French Quarter

The historic heart of New Orleans, the French Quarter (Vieux Carré) is where the city's soul truly lives. This 13-block neighborhood features stunning 18th and 19th-century architecture with distinctive wrought-iron balconies, hidden courtyards, and colorful Creole townhouses. Walk the narrow streets to discover live jazz pouring from doorways, street performers entertaining crowds, artists displaying their work, and the intoxicating aromas of Creole cooking.

Must-See Spots:

• Jackson Square: Historic park surrounded by St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, and Presbytère museums, with local artists and fortune tellers lining the fence
• St. Louis Cathedral: Iconic 1794 cathedral with stunning white facade and triple steeples, the oldest continuously active cathedral in the United States
• Royal Street: Elegant street lined with antique shops, art galleries, and street musicians (quieter alternative to Bourbon Street)
• French Market: Historic open-air market dating to 1791, featuring local crafts, food vendors, and souvenirs

Photography Tips: Early morning (7-9 AM) offers the best light and fewer crowds for capturing the Quarter's architecture. The balconies along Royal Street and the view of St. Louis Cathedral from Jackson Square are iconic shots.

Bourbon Street

The most famous street in New Orleans, Bourbon Street is synonymous with nightlife, live music, and uninhibited celebration. This 13-block stretch through the French Quarter transforms into a pedestrian party zone after dark, with neon lights, live bands, street performers, and bars serving the city's signature hurricanes and hand grenades.

While Bourbon Street is known for its party atmosphere, it also features historic jazz clubs like Maison Bourbon and Fritzel's European Jazz Pub where you can hear authentic New Orleans jazz. During the day, the street is much quieter and offers a different perspective on this legendary thoroughfare.

Insider Tips: Visit during the day for photos without crowds, return at night for the full experience. Drinks can be carried on the street (in plastic cups only), but pace yourself and stay hydrated. The best jazz clubs are often on the quieter blocks or side streets.

Garden District

A stark contrast to the French Quarter, the Garden District showcases New Orleans' antebellum wealth with magnificent Greek Revival and Italianate mansions set among centuries-old oak trees draped in Spanish moss. This upscale neighborhood, developed in the 1830s-1850s by wealthy Americans, features some of the most photographed homes in the South.

Highlights:

• Magazine Street: Six-mile shopping corridor with boutiques, antique stores, galleries, and restaurants
• Lafayette Cemetery No. 1: Historic 1833 cemetery with above-ground tombs (guided tours recommended)
• Commander's Palace: Legendary restaurant in a Victorian mansion, famous for its Creole cuisine and jazz brunch
• Walking Tours: Self-guided or guided tours reveal the architecture and history of these grand estates

Take the historic St. Charles streetcar from the French Quarter to the Garden District—it's an experience in itself, riding on these 1920s wooden streetcars past beautiful homes and oak-lined streets.

Audubon Park & Zoo

This 350-acre park along the Mississippi River offers a peaceful escape with walking paths, lagoons, centuries-old oak trees, and the highly-rated Audubon Zoo. The zoo features Louisiana Swamp exhibits with alligators and native wildlife, African Savanna, Asian Domain, and the popular Cool Zoo splash park for kids. The park itself is perfect for jogging, picnicking, or simply relaxing under the massive live oaks.

French Quarter's iconic wrought-iron balconies and Creole architecture

New Orleans Music & Culture

Preservation Hall

This intimate, no-frills venue on St. Peter Street is the beating heart of traditional New Orleans jazz. Since 1961, Preservation Hall has been dedicated to protecting and perpetuating authentic New Orleans jazz, hosting nightly performances by legendary musicians and rising stars in a historic 1750s building.

What to Know: Shows are standing-room-only (limited bench seating), no food or drinks allowed, no air conditioning (fans only), and tickets sell out quickly. Arrive early or book online in advance. The stripped-down atmosphere puts all focus on the music—exactly as it should be. Performances run 45 minutes with multiple shows nightly starting at 5 PM.

Frenchmen Street

While tourists flock to Bourbon Street, locals head to Frenchmen Street in the Marigny neighborhood for authentic live music. This three-block stretch features a dozen music venues, bars, and clubs showcasing jazz, blues, funk, brass bands, and more—often with no cover charge. The street comes alive after dark with music pouring from every doorway and street performers entertaining crowds.

Top Venues:

• The Spotted Cat Music Club: Intimate venue with nightly jazz, swing, and brass bands (no cover)
• d.b.a.: Larger space with diverse lineup from jazz to funk to indie rock
• Snug Harbor: Premier jazz bistro with ticketed shows and full restaurant
• Blue Nile: Upstairs venue with balcony overlooking the street, featuring funk and brass bands

The Frenchmen Art Market (open evenings) features local artists selling jewelry, paintings, and crafts. This is where you'll experience New Orleans music culture as locals do—authentic, unpretentious, and unforgettable.

New Orleans Festivals

New Orleans hosts world-renowned festivals that draw millions of visitors annually. These celebrations showcase the city's music, food, and cultural heritage:

• Mardi Gras (February-March): The ultimate New Orleans celebration with parades, balls, costumes, and street parties for two weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday. Book accommodations months in advance and expect massive crowds, higher prices, and an unforgettable experience.
• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (late April-early May): Seven-day festival featuring 500+ artists across multiple stages, showcasing jazz, blues, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, and more, plus incredible food vendors representing Louisiana cuisine.
• French Quarter Festival (April): Free festival celebrating local music with 20+ stages throughout the French Quarter, featuring 300+ Louisiana musicians and food from 60+ restaurants.
• Essence Festival (July): Major celebration of African American culture with concerts, empowerment seminars, and cultural experiences.
• Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (October): Multi-day music festival in City Park featuring rock, hip-hop, electronic, and more.

Authentic New Orleans jazz in an intimate club setting

Best Food Experiences in New Orleans

New Orleans cuisine is a unique fusion of French, Spanish, West African, and Native American influences, creating dishes found nowhere else in the world. The city takes food seriously—it's not just sustenance, it's culture, celebration, and art.

Must-Try New Orleans Dishes

• Beignets: Pillowy fried dough covered in powdered sugar, best enjoyed at Café du Monde (open 24 hours) with chicory coffee while watching the Mississippi River
• Gumbo: Rich, dark roux-based stew with seafood or chicken and andouille sausage, served over rice—every restaurant has their own version
• Po'boy Sandwiches: French bread stuffed with fried seafood (shrimp, oyster, catfish) or roast beef "dressed" with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo
• Jambalaya: One-pot rice dish with meat, seafood, and vegetables, influenced by Spanish paella and West African jollof rice
• Crawfish Étouffée: Crawfish tails smothered in a rich, spicy sauce served over rice (seasonal, best March-June)
• Muffuletta: Massive round sandwich with Italian meats, cheeses, and olive salad on sesame bread—invented at Central Grocery in 1906
• Red Beans and Rice: Traditional Monday dish (historically made with Sunday's leftover ham bone), creamy and comforting
• Chargrilled Oysters: Fresh Gulf oysters grilled with garlic butter, herbs, and parmesan—Drago's and Acme Oyster House are famous for these
• Bananas Foster: Dessert of bananas flambéed in rum, brown sugar, and cinnamon, served over vanilla ice cream—created at Brennan's in 1951
• King Cake: Oval braided pastry decorated in Mardi Gras colors (purple, green, gold) with a hidden plastic baby inside—available January through Mardi Gras

Iconic New Orleans Restaurants

• Café du Monde (French Quarter): Since 1862, serving beignets and café au lait 24/7—expect lines but they move quickly
• Commander's Palace (Garden District): Award-winning Creole fine dining in a Victorian mansion, famous for jazz brunch and 25-cent martini lunch
• Central Grocery (French Quarter): Home of the original muffuletta sandwich since 1906—order at the counter and eat at the small tables or take it to go
• Brennan's (French Quarter): Elegant Creole restaurant known for breakfast and brunch, birthplace of bananas foster
• Antoine's (French Quarter): America's oldest family-run restaurant (since 1840), famous for oysters Rockefeller and classic French-Creole cuisine
• Cochon (Warehouse District): Contemporary Cajun cuisine focusing on pork dishes and Louisiana ingredients
• Dooky Chase's Restaurant (Treme): Legendary Creole soul food restaurant, a civil rights meeting place and cultural institution
• Parkway Bakery & Tavern (Mid-City): Casual spot serving some of the city's best po'boys since 1911

Use our places calculator to discover restaurants near your hotel or attractions and plan your culinary journey through New Orleans.

Outdoor Activities & Scenic Spots

Mississippi Riverfront & Woldenberg Park

The Mississippi Riverfront offers a scenic escape with walking paths, benches, and views of the mighty river and passing ships. Woldenberg Park features sculptures, fountains, and green spaces perfect for relaxing after exploring the French Quarter. Watch massive cargo ships and riverboats navigate the Crescent City bend, or catch sunset over the river with the city skyline behind you.

Steamboat Natchez Cruise

Experience New Orleans from the water aboard the authentic steamboat Natchez, one of the last true steam-powered sternwheel riverboats. The two-hour harbor cruise features live jazz, narrated history, optional Creole lunch or dinner, and stunning views of the city and river. Evening cruises offer romantic sunset views and a full dinner buffet. The calliope (steam-powered organ) concert before departure is a unique New Orleans tradition.

City Park & New Orleans Museum of Art

At 1,300 acres, City Park is one of America's largest urban parks, featuring ancient live oak trees (some over 600 years old), lagoons, walking trails, botanical gardens, and cultural attractions. The park offers a peaceful retreat from the city's energy.

Highlights:

• New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA): Impressive collection of 40,000+ objects including French, American, African, and Japanese art
• Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden: Free 11-acre garden with 90+ sculptures among lagoons and centuries-old oaks
• New Orleans Botanical Garden: 12-acre garden with themed areas, seasonal displays, and art deco architecture
• Storyland: Whimsical playground with storybook sculptures and play structures for children
• Pedal Boats: Rent boats to explore the park's scenic lagoons

Historic steamboat on the Mississippi River at sunset

Tours & Unique Experiences

Ghost & Cemetery Tours

New Orleans' reputation as America's most haunted city makes ghost tours a must-do experience. The city's above-ground cemeteries, known as "Cities of the Dead," are fascinating both historically and architecturally. Due to the high water table, bodies are buried in above-ground tombs and mausoleums, creating unique cemetery landscapes.

Popular Tours:

• St. Louis Cemetery No. 1: Oldest cemetery (1789) featuring the tomb of voodoo queen Marie Laveau—guided tours required for entry
• French Quarter Ghost Tours: Evening walking tours sharing haunted history, voodoo legends, and vampire tales
• Garden District Cemetery Tours: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 with its historic above-ground tombs and movie filming locations
• Haunted Pub Crawls: Combine ghost stories with stops at haunted bars throughout the French Quarter

Safety Note: Never enter cemeteries alone or after dark. Always use licensed tour guides who know the history and can ensure your safety. Some cemeteries require guided tours for entry.

Swamp Tours

Experience Louisiana's mysterious bayous and swamps on a guided boat tour through cypress forests draped in Spanish moss. These tours offer close encounters with alligators, herons, egrets, turtles, and other wetland wildlife while learning about the unique ecosystem and Cajun culture.

Tour Options:

• Airboat Tours: Fast-paced rides through narrow channels with thrilling speeds and close wildlife encounters
• Pontoon Boat Tours: Slower, more educational tours with naturalist guides explaining the ecosystem
• Jean Lafitte National Park: Free ranger-led walks through swamp boardwalks (30 minutes from downtown)
• Honey Island Swamp: One of the most pristine swamps in Louisiana, about 45 minutes from New Orleans

Most tours are 1.5-2 hours and include hotel pickup. Morning tours often have better wildlife activity. Bring sunscreen, bug spray, and a camera with zoom lens.

Plantation Tours

Louisiana's historic plantations offer important insights into the antebellum South, slavery, and the complex history that shaped the region. These tours provide educational experiences about both the grandeur of plantation architecture and the harsh realities of enslaved people who built and maintained these estates.

Notable Plantations:

• Oak Alley Plantation: Famous for its quarter-mile canopy of 300-year-old oak trees leading to a Greek Revival mansion (1 hour from New Orleans)
• Whitney Plantation: The only plantation museum focused entirely on slavery, offering powerful and educational tours about enslaved people's experiences
• Laura Plantation: Creole plantation with colorful buildings and tours focusing on the women who ran the estate and the enslaved community
• Destrehan Plantation: Oldest documented plantation in the lower Mississippi Valley (1787), closest to New Orleans (30 minutes)

Plan for half-day or full-day trips. Many tour companies offer combination tours visiting multiple plantations. Use our distance calculator and time calculator to plan your plantation tour route.

Shopping & Local Markets

New Orleans offers unique shopping experiences from historic markets to upscale boutiques, antique stores, and local artisan shops.

• French Market: Historic open-air market (since 1791) stretching six blocks along the Mississippi, featuring local crafts, jewelry, art, hot sauce, pralines, and souvenirs. The Farmers Market section offers fresh produce and prepared foods.
• Royal Street: Elegant shopping street in the French Quarter with high-end antique stores, art galleries, jewelry shops, and street performers. Less touristy than Bourbon Street with beautiful architecture.
• Magazine Street: Six-mile shopping corridor through multiple neighborhoods featuring 200+ boutiques, antique stores, galleries, vintage shops, and restaurants. Take the streetcar or plan to explore specific sections.
• Frenchmen Art Market: Evening outdoor market (Fri-Sun) on Frenchmen Street featuring local artists selling handmade jewelry, paintings, photography, and crafts while live music plays nearby.
• Riverwalk Marketplace: Indoor shopping mall along the riverfront with 75+ stores, restaurants, and views of the Mississippi River.
• Local Specialties: Look for Mardi Gras masks, voodoo dolls, hot sauce, pralines, chicory coffee, local art, jazz recordings, and Saints/Pelicans merchandise.

St. Louis Cemetery's iconic above-ground tombs

Best Day Trips from New Orleans

New Orleans' location offers easy access to Louisiana's diverse attractions, from historic cities to natural wonders. Use our distance calculator, time calculator, and cost calculator to plan your day trips efficiently.

• Baton Rouge (80 miles, 1.5 hours): Louisiana's capital city featuring the State Capitol building, LSU campus, USS Kidd museum ship, and Cajun/Creole restaurants. Combine with plantation tours along River Road.
• Plantation Road (30-60 miles, various locations): Historic River Road (Highway 18) lined with antebellum plantations including Oak Alley, Laura, Whitney, and Destrehan. Plan for half-day or full-day tours.
• Jean Lafitte National Park (30 miles, 45 minutes): Barataria Preserve offers boardwalk trails through swamps, wildlife viewing, and ranger-led programs. Free admission, bring bug spray.
• Cajun Country (Lafayette area, 135 miles, 2.5 hours): Experience authentic Cajun culture, music, food, and swamp tours. Visit Avery Island (Tabasco factory), Vermilionville living history museum, and local dance halls.
• Gulf Coast Beaches (90-120 miles, 2-2.5 hours): Mississippi Gulf Coast beaches in Biloxi, Gulfport, and Pass Christian offer sandy shores, casinos, and seafood restaurants.
• Abita Springs (40 miles, 1 hour): Charming small town on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, home to Abita Brewery, antique shops, and the quirky UCM Museum (folk art).

Best Time to Visit New Orleans

New Orleans has distinct seasons that significantly impact your experience. Consider weather, crowds, prices, and events when planning your visit.

Peak Season: Mardi Gras (Feb-Mar), Jazz Fest (late April-early May), and French Quarter Fest (April) bring the largest crowds and highest prices. Book 6-12 months in advance for these periods.

What to Pack for New Orleans

Packing for New Orleans depends on the season, but some essentials apply year-round:

For a complete packing checklist, visit our travel packing list guide.

Iconic beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde

Safety & Practical Tips for Visiting New Orleans

New Orleans is generally safe for tourists who take standard precautions. The main tourist areas are well-patrolled, but awareness and common sense are essential.

For comprehensive safety guidance, visit our travel safety page.

Frequently Asked Questions