New Orleans Travel Guide: Things to Do, Best Time to Visit & Itinerary

Day 1: The Heart of the French Quarter

• Morning: Start your trip with three beignets and a café au lait at the original Café du Monde on Decatur Street for about $10. Walk off the sugar rush by exploring Jackson Square and visiting the St. Louis Cathedral and the Presbytère museum to learn about Mardi Gras history.
• Afternoon: Grab a muffuletta sandwich from Central Grocery or a po-boy at Killer Poboys for lunch for around $15 per person. Spend the rest of the afternoon browsing the antique shops and art galleries along Royal Street, which runs parallel to the louder Bourbon Street.
• Evening: Enjoy a classic Creole dinner at Galatoire’s or Antoine’s where jackets are often required and the bill runs about $150 for two. End your night with a traditional jazz performance at Preservation Hall, where tickets start around $40 and must be booked in advance.

Day 2: Uptown Elegance and Garden Districts

• Morning: Board the St. Charles Streetcar for $1.25 and ride it uptown to the Garden District. Take a self-guided walking tour to see the Buckner Mansion and the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, though check if the cemetery gates are open to the public.
• Afternoon: Indulge in the famous 25-cent martini lunch specials at Commander’s Palace, provided you purchase an entrée, for a total lunch cost of roughly $80. After lunch, take a short Uber ride to Magazine Street for miles of boutique shopping and local coffee shops.
• Evening: Head back toward the Warehouse District for a modern dinner at Pêche or Cochon for approximately $100 for two. Walk a few blocks to the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone to have a nightcap on the slowly rotating bar.

Day 3: Art, Parks, and Music

• Morning: Take a taxi or ride share about 3 miles to City Park to visit the Besthoff Sculpture Garden which is free to enter. You can also visit the New Orleans Museum of Art located right next door for $15 per adult.
• Afternoon: Rent a Blue Bike or walk through the Bayou St. John neighborhood and grab lunch at Parkway Bakery and Tavern for their famous surf-and-turf po-boy. Take a relaxing paddle boat ride on the Big Lake in City Park if the weather is mild.
• Evening: Spend your final night on Frenchmen Street in the Marigny neighborhood, starting with dinner at The Praline Connection or Marigny Brasserie. Hop between clubs like The Spotted Cat and d.b.a. to hear live brass bands, bringing cash for covers and tip jars.

Day 1: The Dark Side of History

• Morning: Begin with a guided history tour of the French Quarter that focuses on the colonial era and the complex history of the slave trade. Stop by the Historic New Orleans Collection on Royal Street, which offers free admission to their excellent rotating exhibits.
• Afternoon: Visit the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum for $10 to see questionable 19th-century medical instruments and voodoo potions. Grab a casual lunch at Napoleon House, famous for their Pimm’s Cup cocktail and muffulettas.
• Evening: Book a Haunted History Ghost Tour that departs at dusk for about $30 per person to learn about the LaLaurie Mansion and other spooky sites. Dinner follows at Muriel’s Jackson Square, where they set a table for their resident ghost.

Day 2: The American Sector

• Morning: Dedicate your morning to The National WWII Museum in the Warehouse District, as tickets are $32.50 and the campus is massive. Start with the ‘Beyond All Boundaries’ 4D cinematic experience to set the context for the war.
• Afternoon: Continue exploring the museum’s extensive pavilions, including the Road to Berlin and Road to Tokyo exhibits. For a late lunch, eat at The American Sector restaurant located on the museum grounds.
• Evening: Walk to the nearby Arts District for a sophisticated dinner at Gianna or Herbsaint for around $120. Afterwards, take a cab to Tipitina’s uptown if there is a local funk or soul band playing at this legendary venue.

Day 3: Plantations and Swamps

• Morning: Rent a car or take a scheduled tour bus about 50 miles west to visit a River Road plantation like Whitney Plantation, which focuses specifically on the lives of the enslaved people. Tours generally cost around $25 to $35 per person.
• Afternoon: On the way back to the city, stop for a swamp tour in the Manchac area to see the natural side of Louisiana. High-speed airboat tours are thrilling and cost around $50 to $75 per person depending on the operator.
• Evening: Return to the city and head to the Treme neighborhood for a casual, soulful dinner at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. This historic venue was a meeting place for Civil Rights leaders and serves some of the best fried chicken in the city.

Day 4: Voodoo and Culture

• Morning: Visit the New Orleans Voodoo Museum on Dumaine Street for a small entry fee of $10 to distinguish the religion from the Hollywood myths. Afterward, visit the Backstreet Cultural Museum in Treme to see elaborate Mardi Gras Indian suits.
• Afternoon: Enjoy a seafood boil at a local spot like Clesi’s or The Galley if crawfish are in season during the spring. If not, try a shrimp boil or chargrilled oysters at Drago’s Seafood Restaurant downtown.
• Evening: Conclude your trip with a sunset jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez for approximately $50 per person without dinner. Watch the paddlewheel turn and the city lights fade as you cruise down the Mississippi River.