Top 15 Things You Must Do In New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a lively city filled to the brim with rich culture, fascinating history, incredible music, and delicious cuisine. If you are planning a visit to “The Big Easy” anytime soon, I have great news-there won’t be a shortage of things to do! From world class museums and lively nightlife to beautiful architecture and unique historic sites, there really is something for everyone in New Orleans.
Keep reading to discover the top 15 things you must do while in New Orleans! Just be sure to save some time on your New Orleans itinerary to simply kick, back relax, and take it easy in “The Big Easy” 😉 .
1. Hang Out in Jackson Square
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Jackson Square serves as the French Quarter’s main square and is impossible to miss when in New Orleans. Jackson Square dates back to the 1700s, and is surrounded by historic buildings and the stunning St. Louis Cathedral. Take some time to wander around the square and take in the local artists, musicians, and performers that often gather here. Bonus points if you can find a set of Mardi Gras beads in the surrounding trees!
2. Explore the Historic French Quarter
Put on your best pair of shoes for exploring and prepare to be totally enchanted by the historic New Orleans French Quarter. This area of the city dates back to the 18th century and is home to some of the most beautiful and historic architecture in New Orleans. The beautiful colors of the buildings, wrought iron metalwork, and working gas lamps you will spot throughout the quarter will have you feeling as though you stepped back in time! I highly recommend heading on a walking tour of the French Quarter to learn more about individual buildings and the famous residents of the past. You can find out more about my walking tour experience in this post!
3. Visit the WWII Museum
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The National WWII Museum is actually the No. 1 attraction in New Orleans, according to Tripadvisor, and the museum has a 5-star rating. Be sure to allow between 4-6 hours to experience the museum. There is so much to see and discover there, including a film about the war narrated by Tom Hanks. I totally regret that I didn’t have time to visit on my trip to New Orleans, but both of my parents went and said it was an absolute must!
4. Pay Your Respects at Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world. The above ground tombs date all the way back to the 1700s. The cemetery is eerily beautiful, with crumbling monuments standing side-by-side. The cemetery houses more than a few famous New Orleans figures such as the famous Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau. You will even have the chance to see the future tomb of Nicholas Cage. Read more about touring the cemetery here!
5. Grab some beignets at the Cafe du Monde
Your sweet tooth will thank you for stopping by the Cafe du Monde! This New Orleans treasure is known for having some of the best beignets in town, in fact, beignets and coffee are pretty much all this busy cafe is serving up! The best part? Cafe du Monde is open 24-hours, meaning you can satisfy your sugar cravings at all hours of the day-and night!
6. Get rowdy on Bourbon Street (or head to Frenchman street!)
For those looking to experience some of New Orleans’ legendary nightlife scene, you’ll definitely want to head over to the popular Bourbon Street, a street in the heart of the French Quarter known for its lovely (and sometimes rowdy) nightlife scene. This area tends to be filled with tourists, so if you are looking for a more local nightlife scene, consider heading over to Frenchman street-an area where you will find more locals and some really great Jazz music.
7. See some local wildlife on a Swamp Tour
One of the highlights of my visit to New Orleans was the Honey Island swamp tour I went on. While on the tour we got to explore the swamp by boat. The swamp is, believe it or not, quite beautiful, filled with trees, local flora and fauna, and stunning Spanish moss. Dand during the tour we saw alligators, wild hogs, birds, turtles, and even a snake (all from the safety of our boat). You can learn more about why I put the swamp tour on my list of New Orleans must dos by checking out my post all about it here!
8. Head to Mardi Gras World
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If you aren’t able to visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras, consider heading to Mardi Gras World. Here, you’ll be able to see where the magic behind the epic festival takes place and tour the workshop where the parade floats are all assembled. You’ll also watch a short video about the festival’s history, and learn what makes Mardi Gras such a popular event in NOLA.
9. Take a day trip to a nearby plantation (or two)
Just outside of New Orleans you’ll find quite a few beautifully preserved plantations which are definitely worth visiting. During my time in New Orleans, I took a day trip and visited both Oak Alley Plantation (a 19th-century plantation known for its gorgeous 200-year-old oak trees) and Laura plantation, a creole plantation with an excellent historical tour. If you have time, I highly recommend visiting both plantations so that you can take in the beauty of Oak Alley and learn some important plantation history at Laura. You can click here to discover what I enjoyed about each plantation, and decide if a visit is in your future.
10. Explore the Garden District
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If you didn’t get enough of the beautiful architecture of the French Quarter, consider taking the historic trolley to the Garden District where you will find even more charming homes, such as the one featured in Benjamin Button! During my visit to New Orleans, I actually stayed in the Garden District at the Pontchartrain Hotel (see why I loved it here) and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the surrounding area.
11. Grab a drink at the Carousel Bar
It isn’t every day you can grab a drink inside a bar on a real live, working carousel. Make sure to stop by the Hotel Monteleone to experience this awesome ride! The drinks are fantastic, and the atmosphere is truly one-of-a-kind. It is pretty entertaining to watch the bartenders mix drinks as you circle around. Be sure to get there early though, as seats fill up quite quickly!
12. Discover haunted New Orleans on a ghost tour
New Orleans has quite a long and sometimes spooky history. During your visit, be sure to head on an evening ghost tour of the city, where you will learn about some of the NOLA’s most haunted houses and creepy tales. Murders, vampires, haunted hotels and more await! You may even learn that your own hotel is haunted! You can read more about my experience on a New Orleans ghost tour here (mwahahaha).
13. Hear some jazz at Preservation Hall
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You won’t want to leave New Orleans without catching some amazing Jazz. While there are many venues throughout the city to catch some great music, Preservation Hall has several performances nightly. Just be sure to book your tickets in advance!
14. Head to one of NOLA’s lesser-known museums
The WWII museum isn’t the only museum in town! The Cabildo, Presbytere, Ogden Museum of Sothern Art, 1850 house (pictured above), and Voodoo museum are just a few of the places that history buffs can add to their New Orleans itinerary.
15. Hit a rooftop bar
Once you’ve made it to as many of these attractions and sights as time allows, celebrate by grabbing a drink with a view ot one of New Orleans’ rooftop bars. This picture was taken at the Hot Tin rooftop bar at the Pontchartrain Hotel. I loved my drink and the view! The perfect way to celebrate an excellent visit to NOLA.
Which of these awesome things to do will you be sure to put on your New Orleans itinerary? Let me know in the comments!
You might also enjoy these New Orleans posts:
- Exploring New Orleans’ French Quarter + Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1
- Getting Wild in New Orleans: Honey Island Swamp Tour With Cajun Encounters
- The Suite Life: Checking Into New Orleans’ Historic Pontchartrain Hotel
- Discovering Haunted New Orleans On A Ghost Tour
- Discovering Louisiana’s Historic Plantations: Oak Alley And Laura
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