United States ☁️ 28°C · Now Feb-Apr cool · jazz capital · 24/7 open container legal

New Orleans

Q: How many days?

3-4 days. Day 1: French Quarter + Café du Monde + Bourbon Street + Frenchmen jazz. Day 2: Garden District + St Charles Streetcar + Magazine Street. Day 3: Plantation + swamp tour + Preservation Hall jazz. Day 4: Departure.

Q: Safety?

French Quarter + Garden District + Marigny generally safe. 6th + 9th wards higher crime. Bourbon Street sketchy late night — pickpockets + petty theft. Don't walk alone at night east of Bourbon Street. Use Uber after 22:00.

Q: Famous food?

Café du Monde beignets + chicory coffee (1862 — $5-8 — 24/7). Po-boys (Domilise's institution since 1918 $8-15). Jambalaya + Gumbo + Étouffée (Cajun staples $15-25). Antoine's (1840 oldest US family restaurant — Oysters Rockefeller invented here $80-150). Commander's Palace (Brennan family Garden District 1893 — jazz brunch $50-100). Galatoire's (1905 institution — Friday lunch religious $40-80). King cake (Jan-Feb only Mardi Gras season). Sazerac cocktail (NOLA's official + invented 1850 + rye + absinthe $12-20).

United States

#Jazz #Mardi Gras #Cajun Food

New Orleans at a glance

As of 2026

As of 2026, New Orleans travel is best in Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, from about $54/day (budget, ex-flights), with a 3-day itinerary. Top sight: French Quarter (Vieux Carré) walking.

Daily budget

$54+

Budget tier · excl. flights

Direct flights

From major hubs

MSY (Louis Armstrong New Orleans)

Visa

Visa-free 90 days

For most Western passports

Exchange

USD

Local currency

Best time

Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov

Currently Jun

Climate

Humid subtropical

Now ☁️ 28°C

Local time

01:24

CST (UTC-6/-5)

Language

English

Cajun French heritage

Why visit New Orleans?

New Orleans is Louisiana's largest city — population 380,000 city + 1.3M metro on Mississippi River's Gulf Coast curve. Founded 1718 by French Bienville + ceded to Spain 1763 + sold to US 1803 (Louisiana Purchase). The most uniquely American city — French + Spanish + African + Caribbean cultural fusion creates something that exists nowhere else on earth.

Birthplace of jazz (Buddy Bolden 1895 + Louis Armstrong + Jelly Roll Morton + Sidney Bechet — born here on Storyville's red light district), home of Mardi Gras (Carnival celebration peaking Fat Tuesday before Lent — 1.4M visitors + 70+ parades), and capital of Cajun + Creole cuisine (gumbo + jambalaya + étouffée + beignets + po-boys + king cake + crawfish boil + bananas Foster — invented at Brennan's 1951).

Famous for French Quarter (Vieux Carré) — 1718 original colonial grid + Spanish architecture preserved post-1788 fire + Bourbon Street nightlife + 24/7 open container drinking legal (one of only US cities). Oldest neighborhood in US still inhabited. Bourbon Street at night = chaos but iconic — Pat O'Brien's Hurricane (invented 1940s) + Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (oldest continuously operating bar US 1722) + Cat's Meow karaoke. Royal Street is the quiet alternative — antiques + galleries.

St Louis Cathedral (1850 — oldest continuously active US Catholic cathedral + Jackson Square front) anchors the Quarter. Jackson Square has street performers + tarot readers + sketch artists. Café du Monde (1862 — 24/7 open + chicory coffee + 3 beignets covered in powdered sugar = $5-8 — DC institution). Frenchmen Street is locals' alternative to Bourbon — live jazz nightly + dba + Spotted Cat + Three Muses + free entry.

Garden District (Antebellum mansions 1832 + Magazine Street 6 miles boutiques + Lafayette Cemetery #1 1833 with above-ground tombs — Anne Rice 'Witching Hour' setting + Sandra Bullock + John Goodman + Trent Reznor own homes here). St Charles Streetcar (since 1835 — oldest continuously operating streetcar US) connects Garden District to French Quarter.

Iconic NOLA food: Beignets + chicory coffee (Café du Monde 1862 — 24/7 — beignets $5-8), Po-boys (sandwich on French bread + roast beef or fried shrimp $8-15 — Domilise's Po-Boy locals' favorite), Jambalaya (Cajun rice + sausage + chicken + shrimp $15-25), Gumbo (Cajun stew + roux + okra + seafood $15-25), Étouffée (Cajun stew + crawfish or shrimp on rice $20-30), Crawfish boil (Cajun seasoning crawfish + potatoes + corn $25-40 Mar-May season), Muffuletta (Sicilian-American sandwich + olive salad $15-25 — Central Grocery 1906), Bananas Foster (rum-flambéed bananas $15-25 invented at Brennan's 1951), King cake (Mardi Gras cake + plastic baby figurine inside $20-40 Jan-Feb only). Drink: Sazerac (NOLA's official cocktail — rye + absinthe + Peychaud's Bitters $12-20 — invented 1850), Hurricane (Pat O'Brien's invention 1940s rum cocktail $10-15), Vieux Carré (cocktail + Hotel Monteleone Carousel Bar $15-25).

Best NOLA restaurants: Antoine's (1840 — oldest US family-run restaurant — Oysters Rockefeller invented here + French Creole $80-150), Galatoire's (1905 institution — Friday lunch is religious + shrimp rémoulade $40-80), Commander's Palace (Brennan family Garden District 1893 + 25¢ martinis lunch + jazz brunch $50-100), Cochon (Donald Link Cajun farmhouse $40-80), Café du Monde (1862 institution $5-8), Domilise's Po-Boy (1918 locals' favorite $8-15).

Bottom line: NOLA is canonical American jazz + French Quarter + Cajun cuisine + Mardi Gras + Garden District. 3-4 days: French Quarter + Café du Monde 1 day + Garden District + Frenchmen jazz 1 day + plantation + swamp 1 day + departure. Mardi Gras (Feb-Mar) = chaos + 3-4x prices.

Things to do in New Orleans

French Quarter + History + Architecture

French Quarter (Vieux Carré) walking

1718 French colonial grid + Spanish architecture rebuilt after 1788+1794 fires + Bourbon Street + Royal Street + Jackson Square + St Louis Cathedral. The oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in the US. 13 blocks by 6 blocks — fully walkable in half a day.

Free; guided walking tours $25-30 Always open; tours 10:00-16:00 Half day

Tip: Best 9-11 am (cool + no crowds). Royal Street art galleries are the quiet alternative to Bourbon. Walk to Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (1722, oldest US bar) for an early cocktail. Cobblestones — wear flats or sneakers, not heels.

Jackson Square + St Louis Cathedral

Triple-spired 1727-founded cathedral (current building 1850) — the oldest continuously active US Catholic cathedral. Free entry. Jackson Square in front: street artists, tarot readers, horse-drawn carriages, statue of Andrew Jackson. The single most photographed angle in NOLA.

Free; carriage tours $20-25 Cathedral 8:30-16:00 daily; mass Sun 8/9:30/11 + 18:00 1 hour

Tip: Photo from Café du Monde across Decatur or from Washington Artillery Park steps for full triple-spire frame. Free organ concerts most Wednesdays. Sketch portraits by Square artists $20-40.

Bourbon Street nightlife strip

13-block pedestrianized nightlife corridor — bars, neon, balcony beads, Pat O'Brien's Hurricane (invented here 1940s), Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (1722 candlelit oldest bar in the US), Cat's Meow karaoke. Loud, sticky, iconic. One night is plenty for most travelers.

Free walking; cocktails $10-25; Hurricane $15 Liveliest 21:00-02:00; pedestrianized after 19:00 Evening

Tip: Open container is legal — get drinks in plastic 'go cups' to walk between bars. Watch your wallet — pickpocketing peaks weekends. Avoid 'Hand Grenade' green cocktails ($12 + hangover). Skip the 'I bet I know where you got your shoes' bet (it's a shoe-shine scam).

Royal Street antiques + galleries

Bourbon's elegant parallel — antique shops (M.S. Rau, Moss Antiques), fine-art galleries, jazz buskers on the 300-400 blocks. The street the locals actually walk. Free open-air concerts most weekend afternoons. UNESCO-worthy ironwork balconies on every block.

Free walking; antiques $50-50,000+ Galleries 10:00-18:00 most days 2-3 hours

Tip: Best Sat-Sun 12:00-17:00 for buskers. Cornstalk Hotel (915 Royal) and Lalaurie Mansion (1140 Royal, the city's most haunted house) are signature photo stops. Free Sazerac tasting at Sazerac House on Canal nearby.

St Louis Cemetery No. 1 + Marie Laveau tomb

1789 — the oldest cemetery in New Orleans, with above-ground vault tombs (the city's high water table makes traditional burial impossible). Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau (d. 1881) is buried here. Guided tour required for entry (Archdiocese restriction since 2015 to stop vandalism).

Guided tour $25; required for entry Tour times Mon-Sat 10:00-15:00; Sun 10:00-12:00 1 hour

Tip: Book through Save Our Cemeteries (proceeds fund preservation) for the canonical tour. Modest dress (cemetery). Do not touch tombs or leave Xs (vandalism is why the lock-down happened). Pair with Voodoo Museum (724 Dumaine) afterwards.

Cabildo + Presbytère museums (Louisiana State Museum)

Twin Spanish colonial buildings flanking St Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square. The Cabildo (1799) hosted the 1803 Louisiana Purchase signing — now Louisiana's history museum (slave revolts, Napoleon's death mask). The Presbytère (1813) houses the Mardi Gras Museum and a moving Hurricane Katrina exhibit.

$10 each; combo $15 Tue-Sun 10:00-16:30; closed Mon 2-3 hours both

Tip: Presbytère's Katrina 'Living with Hurricanes' exhibit is the most honest in the city — go even if you skip the Mardi Gras gallery. Free entry every first Wednesday of the month. Combo with Cabildo same day.

Voodoo Museum + Marie Laveau spiritual heritage

Tiny one-room storefront at 724 Dumaine — packed with Voodoo dolls, gris-gris bags, Marie Laveau portraits, and altars. Run by Voodoo priests since 1972. Walk through in 30 minutes; the on-site readings ($35-75) by working practitioners are the real draw.

$10 entry; readings $35-75 10:00-18:00 daily 30-60 min

Tip: Take Voodoo seriously — it's an active religion practiced by 15,000+ in Louisiana, not a Halloween prop. No flash photography of altars. Combo with St Louis Cemetery No. 1 guided tour ($25) earlier the same day.

Jazz + Music + Nightlife

Preservation Hall (1961, traditional NOLA jazz)

Tiny 100-seat candlelit hall on St Peter Street — founded 1961 specifically to keep traditional New Orleans jazz alive. No drinks served, no AC, hard wooden benches. 45-minute sets at 17:00, 18:00, 20:00, 21:00, 22:00 nightly with rotating Preservation Hall Jazz Band lineups.

$25-50 advance online; $25 walk-up first-come 5 sets nightly 17:00-22:00 45 min per set

Tip: Book the 17:00 or 18:00 set online 1-2 weeks ahead (smaller crowd, family-friendly). Walk-up line forms 60+ min before show. Music is the point — phones off, no talking. The most authentic jazz hour in America.

Frenchmen Street live jazz (Marigny)

Locals' alternative to Bourbon — 4 blocks with 12+ live music venues. Spotted Cat (no cover, traditional jazz), Snug Harbor (top-tier modern jazz $25-35), dba (eclectic, no cover most nights), Three Muses (jazz + small plates). Open-air Frenchmen Art Market most evenings.

Free entry most; $5-15 drinks; $5-10 tip jar/musician 20:00-02:00 nightly Evening (3-4 hours bar-hopping)

Tip: 10-minute walk east from Jackson Square along Decatur. Best after 21:00 when bands swap. Cash $20 in singles for tip jars. The real-deal jazz scene Bourbon Street pretends to be. Walk back in a group after 23:00.

Jazz brunch at Commander's Palace + Brennan's

NOLA's signature Sat-Sun mid-morning ritual: live jazz trio table-side + cocktails before noon. Commander's Palace (Garden District, 1893, Brennan family, 25¢ martinis at lunch limit 3, jazz Sat-Sun 11:30-13:30 $50-80). Brennan's (French Quarter, 1946, Bananas Foster invented here 1951, jazz brunch $80-120).

$50-120/person + tax + 20% tip Sat-Sun 10:30-14:00 2-2.5 hours

Tip: Reservation 2-4 weeks ahead (Sunday Commander's books out monthly). Smart-casual; men jacket recommended after 18:00. Order the turtle soup au sherry at Commander's, Bananas Foster tableside at Brennan's.

Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone (1949 rotating bar)

World's first rotating bar — 25-seat circular merry-go-round bar inside Hotel Monteleone's 1886 lobby that completes a full rotation every 15 minutes. Vieux Carré cocktail (rye + cognac + sweet vermouth + Bénédictine + Peychaud's) invented here 1937. Literary lore — Faulkner, Hemingway, Capote, Tennessee Williams all drank here.

Cocktails $14-22; Vieux Carré $16 11:00-02:00 daily 1-2 hours

Tip: 21+ photo ID. Bar seats are the experience — wait 15-30 min on weekend evenings. Order the Vieux Carré (the bar's signature) or Sazerac. Hotel lobby is open to non-guests. Free piano lobby music most evenings.

Louis Armstrong Park + Congo Square (Treme)

32-acre park at the edge of Treme honoring NOLA's most famous son. Congo Square inside (free) — the actual spot where enslaved Africans were allowed to gather Sundays in the 1700-1800s to drum, dance and trade, planting the roots of jazz, blues, gospel, and rock. Sunday Congo Square drum circles 15:00-19:00 are free + magical.

Free Park 06:00-22:00; drum circle Sun 15:00-19:00 1-2 hours

Tip: Daytime only solo (Treme has rough blocks one street over). Pair with the New Orleans Jazz Museum (1.2 km, $8) or Sidney Bechet's birthplace (1700 Marais St). Sunday drum circles are free + open-mic — bring a percussion instrument or just listen.

Jazz & Heritage Festival (JazzFest, late Apr–early May)

7-day festival across the last weekend of April + first weekend of May at Fair Grounds Race Course. 14 stages — jazz, blues, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, funk, hip-hop. 70+ food vendors selling Creole + Cajun classics. Past headliners: Stones, Springsteen, Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin (her last public concert was here 2018).

Day pass $90-110; VIP $700-2,000 11:00-19:00 each festival day Full day

Tip: Buy day passes 3-6 months early (early-bird $80 saves $30). Hotels triple — book 6-12 months out. Bring small backpack (allowed), refillable water bottle, cash for vendors. Crawfish bread + cochon de lait po-boy are the must-eats.

Steamboat Natchez Mississippi jazz cruise

1975-built last authentic steam-powered sternwheeler operating on the Mississippi. 2-hour cruise with live Dixieland jazz from the Dukes of Dixieland, Creole buffet lunch, optional dinner cruise with sunset views. Calliope steam organ plays before each departure (audible across the French Quarter).

Day jazz cruise $50-90; dinner cruise $90-130 Day 11:30 + 14:30; dinner 19:00 2 hours

Tip: Board at Toulouse Street Wharf 15 min before departure (walk 10 min from Jackson Square). Sunset dinner cruise is the honeymoon pick — book 1-2 weeks ahead. Calliope free concert daily 11:00 + 14:00 even if you don't sail.

Cajun + Creole Food + Cocktails

Café du Monde (1862, 24/7 beignets)

The 1862-founded institution at Decatur + St Ann across from Jackson Square. Three fluffy square donuts buried in powdered sugar + chicory café au lait for $5-8. Open 24 hours, 7 days, 363 days a year (closes Christmas Day and during hurricanes only). The most iconic 30-minute experience in the city.

Beignets 3-pack $4.99; café au lait $3.79 24/7 (closed Christmas) 30-45 min

Tip: Go at 07:00-10:00 or 23:00-02:00 to skip the 30-60 min midday line. Cash speeds the order. Don't wear dark colors (powdered sugar will land everywhere). Don't inhale before biting — sugar in the lungs is a real thing.

Antoine's (1840, oldest US family-run restaurant)

The oldest continuously operating family-run restaurant in the United States — founded 1840 by Antoine Alciatore, now in its 5th generation. 14 historic dining rooms inside one French Quarter block. Oysters Rockefeller invented here 1899 (recipe still a Foucauld family secret). French Creole haute cuisine — soufflé potatoes, Pompano en Papillote, Baked Alaska.

$60-150 dinner; lunch prix-fixe $35-50 Lunch Tue-Sat 11:30-14:00; dinner Tue-Sat 17:30-21:00 2-3 hours

Tip: Reservation 2-4 weeks ahead. Jacket required for men at dinner. Try the 25¢ classic-cocktail lunch special (Sazerac, Vieux Carré). The 1840 Room is the original dining room — request it. Friday lunch is a 4-hour local ritual.

Commander's Palace (1893, Garden District legend)

1893-founded turquoise Victorian mansion in the Garden District — Brennan family flagship since 1974. Launched the careers of chefs Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, Tory McPhail. Famous for turtle soup au sherry, pecan-crusted Gulf fish, bread pudding soufflé, and the 25¢ martini lunch (3 limit). James Beard Outstanding Restaurant 1996, 2018.

Brunch $50-80; dinner $80-150 Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-14:00; brunch Sat-Sun 10:30-13:00; dinner daily 18:00-22:00 2-3 hours

Tip: Reservation 4-8 weeks ahead (Sun jazz brunch books out monthly). Jacket suggested. Lunch is the value play (same menu, 30-40% cheaper). Walk through the courtyard to the Garden Room for the iconic view. Order anything Tory McPhail-era.

Cajun gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée canon (Coop's, Cochon)

Cajun = rustic country French-Acadian cooking from west Louisiana bayous (one-pot, spicy, dark roux). Coop's Place (French Quarter, $15-25 cash only 21+, Coop's Taste Plate samples 5 dishes including rabbit + sausage jambalaya). Cochon (Warehouse, James Beard winner Donald Link, $40-80, whole-hog Cajun farmhouse with Boucherie meat plate).

Coop's $15-25; Cochon $40-80 Coop's 11:00-02:00 daily; Cochon Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00 1-2 hours

Tip: Coop's = cash only, 21+ only (no kids ever), counter seating Fri-Sat queue 45 min. Cochon = reservation 1-2 weeks ahead. Order Coop's rabbit + sausage jambalaya, Cochon's wood-fired oysters + boudin balls. Both 100% authentic Cajun (not Creole).

Po'boys + Muffuletta sandwiches (Mother's, Domilise's, Central Grocery)

Po'boy = New Orleans-invented French-bread sandwich filled with fried shrimp, oysters, roast beef, or 'debris' (slow-cooked beef + gravy). Mother's (1938, CBD, $12-18, debris po'boy canonical). Domilise's (Uptown, 1918, $10-16, shrimp po'boy locals' #1). Muffuletta = 1906 Sicilian sesame round + olive salad + Italian meats invented at Central Grocery on Decatur.

Po'boy $10-18; muffuletta full $20, quarter $6 Mother's 07:00-22:00; Domilise's Tue-Sat 11:00-19:00; Central Grocery 10:00-17:00 1 hour each

Tip: Mother's queue 30 min standard but fast. Domilise's cash + line (closed Sun-Mon). Central Grocery quarter muffuletta enough for one + great Mississippi riverfront picnic — buy and walk to the Moonwalk. 'Dressed' = lettuce + tomato + mayo + pickles.

Acme Oyster House (1910, raw + chargrilled oysters)

1910-founded French Quarter classic at Iberville + Bourbon — Gulf oysters shucked-to-order ($1.25-2.50 each raw, half-dozen chargrilled $14). Chargrilled oysters (butter + garlic + Romano + Parmesan + parsley) were popularized here in the 1990s. Po'boys, gumbo, jambalaya rounds out the menu. Always a 30-60 min line; worth it.

Raw oysters $1.25-2.50; chargrilled half-dozen $14; po'boys $14-22 10:00-22:00 daily 1-1.5 hours

Tip: Line longest 12:00-14:00 + 18:00-20:00 — go 14:30-17:00 or after 21:00 to skip. Sit at the oyster bar to watch the shucker (faster + entertainment included). Drago's (Hilton Riverside) and Parkway Bakery are the chargrilled rivals.

Willie Mae's Scotch House (Treme fried chicken canon)

1957-founded Treme soul-food cabin — three-time James Beard 'America's Classic' winner. Food Network 'America's Best Fried Chicken'. The chicken is brined, dredged in seasoned flour, fried in a cast-iron skillet that's been seasoned since the Eisenhower administration. $20-30 for 3-piece + 2 sides (red beans + cornbread).

$20-30/person Tue-Sat 11:00-17:00; closed Sun-Mon 1.5 hours including queue

Tip: Treme location — Uber both ways ($10 each way, do not walk after dark). Queue 45 min standard; the doors open at 11:00 so arrive 10:45. Cash + card OK. Family-style sharing works (one bird = 4 people). Anthony Bourdain's go-to NOLA spot.

Sazerac + Hurricane + Vieux Carré cocktail trail

NOLA invented the cocktail (the word itself, allegedly). Sazerac (rye + sugar + Peychaud's bitters + absinthe rinse, invented 1850s, $15-25) at Sazerac Bar inside the Roosevelt Hotel — 1949 art deco bar with murals by Paul Ninas. Hurricane (rum + passion fruit + lime, invented at Pat O'Brien's 1940s, $15) in a hurricane-lamp glass. Vieux Carré (1937, $16) at Carousel Bar.

$15-25 per cocktail Sazerac Bar 11:00-23:00; Pat O'Brien's 12:00-02:00; Carousel Bar 11:00-02:00 Half day (3 stops)

Tip: Walking loop: Sazerac Bar (Roosevelt CBD) → Carousel Bar (Hotel Monteleone French Quarter) → Pat O'Brien's (Bourbon). 21+ photo ID. The Sazerac House museum (free, Canal St) has Sazerac-making demos + tastings hourly.

Garden District + Day Trips + Festivals

Garden District + St Charles Streetcar (1835 oldest in world)

1832-platted neighborhood of Greek Revival + Italianate antebellum mansions — Anne Rice's 'Witching Hour' setting. Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, Trent Reznor still own homes here. St Charles Streetcar (since 1835, the oldest continuously operating streetcar in the world) connects French Quarter to Audubon Park along the mansion strip — $1.25 one-way, 50-minute end-to-end.

Streetcar $1.25 one-way; Jazzy Pass day $3 Streetcar 24/7 Half day

Tip: Board at Canal + Carondelet. Sit on the right (outbound) for the best mansion views. Get off at Washington Ave for the heart of the District (1239 1st St = Anne Rice). Walk Magazine Street back for boutique shopping. Buy the Jazzy Pass on the RTA Le Pass app.

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (Garden District 1833)

1833 above-ground tomb cemetery a block from Commander's Palace — Anne Rice set 'Interview with the Vampire' burial scenes here, and her own family tomb is the most-visited. Closed for full restoration 2020-2024, reopened with guided-tour-only access April 2024. Tom Cruise + Brad Pitt's film tour spot.

Guided tour $20-30; required since 2020 vandalism Tour Mon-Sat 10:00-15:00 1 hour

Tip: Book through Save Our Cemeteries (the preservation nonprofit, proceeds fund restoration). Pair with Commander's Palace lunch (across Washington Ave) for the canonical Garden District half-day combo.

Magazine Street (6-mile boutique shopping)

6 miles of pre-Civil War shotgun shops + Italianate storefronts running from Audubon Park through Uptown to the Lower Garden District. 500+ boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, cafés, and chef-driven restaurants (Coquette, La Petite Grocery, Shaya). The 'anti-mall' shopping strip locals actually use.

Free walking; varies for shops Most shops 10:00-18:00; restaurants until 22:00 Half day to full day

Tip: Best stretches: 2800-3700 (Garden District boutiques) and 4500-5500 (Audubon area antiques). Magazine Street bus #11 runs the length ($1.25). Coquette for chef-driven Southern lunch. Sucré for macarons (NOLA's best).

National WWII Museum (TripAdvisor #1 US museum)

TripAdvisor + USA Today consistent #1 US museum, founded by historian Stephen Ambrose because the D-Day Higgins boats were built in New Orleans. 5 pavilions covering Pacific, European, Home Front, Road to Berlin, and Road to Tokyo theaters. Tom Hanks-narrated 4D 'Beyond All Boundaries' film inside the Solomon Victory Theater is essential.

$35.50 entry + $7 4D film; 2-day pass $40 09:00-17:00 daily Full day (6-8 hours for serious visitors)

Tip: Buy the 2-day pass ($40, only $4.50 more than single day) — one day rushes it. Beyond All Boundaries film at 10:00 or 13:30. American Sector restaurant on-site by Emeril Lagasse (lunch $20-30). Free shuttle from French Quarter (Decatur St every hour).

Mardi Gras (Carnival, Jan 6 to Fat Tuesday)

World's largest free street party. Carnival season runs Jan 6 (Twelfth Night) through Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday, varies Feb-early Mar). 70+ Krewe parades over the final 2-3 weeks. 1.4M visitors. Throws (beads, doubloons, decorated coconuts from Zulu) caught with hands not feet (cardinal rule). King cake (Jan-Feb only) season-only.

Free public events; hotels 3-5x normal Parade season last 2-3 weeks before Fat Tuesday Multi-day

Tip: Book hotels 6-12 months ahead ($400-1,200/night French Quarter). Day parades family-friendly; Bourbon Street at night adult-only. St Charles Ave Uptown parades = safer + saner than Bourbon. Pack waterproof shoes (streets get sticky).

Swamp + Bayou tour (Honey Island or Manchac, alligators)

30-60 min west of NOLA — airboat or flatboat through Spanish-moss-draped Cypress swamps with alligator viewing, herons, snapping turtles. Honey Island Swamp (45 min east, fast airboat 50 mph, $50-80) for adrenaline. Manchac Swamp (45 min west, slow flatboat with history narration, $60-100) for photography + Cajun lore.

$50-100/person; hotel pickup +$15 Tours 09:00, 12:00, 14:00; pickup +1h Half day (4-5 hours total)

Tip: Hotel pickup tours simplest (Cajun Encounters, Cajun Pride). Best Mar-Oct (gators sluggish below 16°C). Bring sunscreen, hat, bug spray (DEET). Long sleeves for sun + spray. Don't dangle fingers in the water (gators are real). 'Forrest Gump' bayou scenes were filmed on Manchac.

Oak Alley Plantation (1837, Twelve Years a Slave filmed)

1837 Greek Revival sugar plantation 90 min west of NOLA on River Road — the iconic 28-oak alley canopy was planted 1700s by an earlier settler. 'Interview with the Vampire', 'Beyoncé Déjà Vu', 'Twelve Years a Slave' all filmed scenes here. Enslaved-people exhibit added 2014 contextualizes the antebellum aesthetic.

$25 self-tour; $70-100 with NOLA pickup tour 09:00-17:00 daily Half day (with transit)

Tip: Drive 1.5h via I-10 W or guided tour from NOLA $70-100 (combines with swamp tour often). Photo from the river-side levee for the oak-alley shot. Pair with Laura Plantation 15 min away (Creole sugar plantation, more honest slave history) for full day.

Whitney Plantation (slavery history, most honest tour)

The only US plantation museum focused entirely on the lives of the enslaved — opened 2014 by attorney John Cummings on a $8M personal investment. Tells the history through enslaved peoples' first-person narratives + memorial walls + church + slave cabins still standing. 90 min west of NOLA, 15 min from Oak Alley.

$35 entry; tour included; pickup tours $90-130 Wed-Mon 10:00-15:30; closed Tue 2-3 hours

Tip: Reserve online (capacity-limited 75 per tour). The 90-minute walking tour is the experience. Pair with Oak Alley (15 min away) for the contrast in narratives — Whitney shows what Oak Alley sanitizes. Most emotionally heavy day of your NOLA trip. Skip kids under 12.

Travel cost

Per person, per day (excludes flights)

Hostel + local food + public transport

$54

Per person / day (excl. flights)

🏠Hotel

46%$25

🍽️Food

28%$15

🚇Transit

9%$5

🎫Activities

17%$9

📅 Total cost by trip duration (incl. flights)

3 days

$220

5 days

$350

7 days

$470

Flight estimate: $200-500 from US; $700-1,300 from Europe; $1,000-1,800 from Asia (MSY via DFW or LAX) (round-trip estimate)

💡NOLA is among cheapest US tourist cities — cheaper than NYC/LA/SF by ~50%. Stay in French Quarter for first-timers OR Garden District for upscale OR Bywater for hipster. Streetcar $1.25/ride + 1-day pass $3 + 3-day $9. Avoid Mardi Gras (Feb-Mar) = 3-4x prices + chaos. Tip 18-22% mandatory + $5-10 to musicians.

Monthly weather

Currently in New Orleans: ☁️ 28°C

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New Orleans now (Jun)

High 32°C / Low 23°C· Very Hot

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High 17°C / Low 7°C

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High 19°C / Low 9°C

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High 22°C / Low 12°C

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22°

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High 26°C / Low 16°C

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High 30°C / Low 20°C

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30°

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High 32°C / Low 23°C

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High 33°C / Low 24°C

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High 31°C / Low 22°C

Hot

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Sep

Oct ☀️

High 27°C / Low 16°C

Pleasant

★ Best time to visit

27°

OctBest

Nov 🌤️

High 22°C / Low 11°C

Pleasant

★ Best time to visit

22°

NovBest

Dec ⛅

High 18°C / Low 8°C

Mild

18°

Dec

Jan

⛅

17°

7°

Mild

Feb

⛅

19°

9°

Mild

★Best

Mar

🌤️

22°

12°

Pleasant

★Best

Apr

☀️

26°

16°

Pleasant

★Best

May

🔥

30°

20°

Hot

Jun

🔥

32°

23°

Very Hot

NOW

Jul

🔥

33°

24°

Very Hot

Aug

🔥

33°

24°

Very Hot

Sep

🔥

31°

22°

Hot

Oct

☀️

27°

16°

Pleasant

★Best

Nov

🌤️

22°

11°

Pleasant

★Best

Dec

⛅

18°

8°

Mild

This MonthBest TimeOther

Practical information

Getting there

MSY Airport to French Quarter: Airport Shuttle $24 / 30 min. Taxi/Uber $40 / 25 min.

Getting around

St Charles Streetcar (oldest US since 1835) connects Garden District to French Quarter $1.25/ride. Walking French Quarter compact 1km × 800m. Bourbon Street pedestrian only nights.

Money & payments

USD. Cards everywhere; cash preferred at Café du Monde + small bars.

Language

English; Cajun French heritage in signs + neighborhood names. NOLA pronunciation: New ORL-eens not New OR-lay-uns.

Cultural tips

Tipping: 18-22% at sit-down + $5-10 to musicians + $1-2 per drink. Sales tax 9.45%. Open container ALCOHOL LEGAL on Bourbon Street + French Quarter (rare in US). Costumes encouraged. Mardi Gras throws (beads + doubloons) caught with hands NOT feet (cardinal rule).

Money & payment

Currency

USD.

Card acceptance

Universal.

Tipping

18-22% mandatory at sit-down + $5-10 to musicians.

ATM

Capital One + Chase widely available.

Recommended itinerary

New Orleans 3-day route