If you’re searching for issues to do in New Orleans, you’ll uncover that there’s a lot to select from. Whereas it’s identified for Mardi Gras and its legendary 24-hour events on Bourbon Road, New Orleans is a lot extra than simply booze and boobs.
It has a tremendous music scene, sturdy ties to Voodoo and the supernatural, wealthy Cajun tradition, and a improbable meals scene. Should you dig deeper past the bars of the French Quarter and also you’ll uncover a metropolis steeped in custom whereas embracing the twenty first century. There are such a lot of superb issues to do in New Orleans, you’ll wish to return time and again. (I do know we do!).
Prime Issues to do in New Orleans (NOLA)
New Orleans goes by many names being lovingly known as the Massive Straightforward, Crescent Metropolis, NOLA, or N’Awlins, however one factor is for sure, New Orleans is superior.
Whereas most individuals know of the French Quarter in New Orleans, there are a number of different superb neighborhoods to discover. We’ve got damaged up this information by neighborhood as a way to discover every NOLA attraction from Frenchmen Road to the Backyard District and see what’s in every place.
1. Discover the French Quarter – Vieux Carré
The French Quarter is the primary place it’s essential to go to when touring to Crescent Metropolis, it’s the heartbeat of town and social gathering central with proficient avenue performers taking part in Dixieland Jazz and partiers out till the wee hours of the morning. It’s additionally the place New Orleans obtained its nickname “The Massive Straightforward.” However as town’s oldest neighborhood, it has stunning structure to admire and loads of New Orleans historical past to discover.
The French Quarter has that laid-back really feel with music golf equipment and museums interspersed among the many bars. As revelers walked down the streets with drinks in hand, we watched on in awe. It’s as if time has stood nonetheless within the French Quarter. A number of the most well-known landmarks in New Orleans might be discovered within the French Quarter and also you’ll find yourself discovering that you just’ll be spending a number of time right here. Let’s discover out why.
2. Stroll on Bourbon Road
Bourbon Road is the primary avenue within the coronary heart of the French Quarter of Crescent Metropolis and no journey to New Orleans could be full with out strolling down this legendary thoroughfare. It’s loud, it’s busy, and it’s the place to social gathering. Balconies line the road making with hanging crops and complex baroque ironwork. These balconies are the centerpiece of Mardi Gras bead throwing.
Bars line every block the place you may pop in for a signature cocktail and take your drink to go! From Canal Road to Esplanade Avenue, Bourbon Road has infinite New Orleans factors of curiosity. It’s not simply bars and beer alongside Bourbon Road, there are many issues to do within the French Quarter. Let’s have a look.
3. Tour its Cemeteries
Early settlers had a tough time preserving corpses down resulting from New Orleans’s excessive water desk. They stuffed coffins with stones and stuffed them with water to attempt to hold the dearly departed useless and buried. However because the saying goes, “You simply can’t hold a great individual down!”
The cemeteries of New Orleans actually do remind us of the well-known Paris cemeteries like Pere Lachaise, and it’s no marvel, NOLA was settled by the French. As a matter a reality, New Orleans has a French Canadian connection.
The French Quarter was based by Montreal native Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville who was initially from Dieppe, France. The French tradition continues to be very sturdy to at the present time. At present, New Orleans buries their residents above floor in cemeteries which are actually artistic endeavors.
4. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
One of many metropolis’s hottest cemeteries to go to is St. Louis Cemetery No 1 the place well-known voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau is buried. You can’t enter this cemetery with out occurring a tour because it has seen a lot vandalism over time. The cemetery is price visiting for Marie Laveau’s tomb alone, however there are numerous issues price seeing.
There are wall vaults and household tombs, and you may see the pyramid tomb owned by Nicolas Cage. The St. Louis Cemetery actually is an attractive place to go to. However keep in mind, it’s nonetheless a working cemetery so be sure that to be respectful of households visiting their dearly departed.
5. Make a Want at Marie Laveau’s Tomb
Marie Laveau was a excessive priestess who was born a free lady of colour in New Orleans and this cemetery was her ultimate resting place. She was a healer and herbalist who was extremely revered even after demise. Her grave has turn into fairly the attraction just like Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde’s tombs within the Cemetiere Pere la Chaise.
At one time her grave was coated in black crosses and graffiti as individuals carried out rituals at her grave to have needs granted. We have been informed that as we speak you merely want to position a hand on the grave and ask her for a blessing. If it comes true, pay it ahead in Marie Laveau’s identify. I did make a want on her grave and my want did come true!
This Cemetery Tour takes you off the crushed path to discover a number of different cemeteries outdoors of St. Louis Cemetery No 1 beginning at Greenwood Cemetery. You’ll be taught of New Orleans’s historical past, and go to the memorial to Hurricane Katrina victims in addition to different cemeteries with a number of the metropolis’s most spectacular tombs, Civil Battle monuments, Chinese language society tombs, and a memorial to the unknown Civil Battle troopers.
- We advocate reserving this St. Louise Cemetery Tour as you aren’t allowed to go to alone except you could have household buried there due to vandalism.
6. Louis Armstrong Park
After your go to to the cemetery, take a stroll over to Louis Armstrong Park to see the statue of this iconic jazz legend. The 2 locations are inside shut proximity to at least one one other. This park is price visiting simply steps from the French Quarter. Moreover the statue of Louis Armstrong, there’s the historic web site often called Congo Sq.. It was a gathering place within the 1800s for slaves.
7. Immerse in Voodoo and Vampires
Voodoo Lounges, Vampires, and tales of ghosts hang-out the historic streets. It’s no shock that the supernatural is alive and properly in New Orleans. It’s, in spite of everything, The Metropolis of the Lifeless. New Orleans is taken into account probably the most haunted metropolis in America. Do you imagine in vampires? In New Orleans they do, and the Vatican has even frequented town to maintain the vampires at bay.
Haunted locations normally have a number of water round them and New Orleans is a haunted Mecca surrounded by a number of water. It’s not only a coastal metropolis, it’s engulfed in water from Lake Pontchartrain to the mighty Mississippi River. There are haunted inns, church buildings, and buildings. Plus there are numerous ghost tales and voodoo legends available. See our full information to The Most Haunted Locations in New Orleans
This guided tour of the French Quarter is an effective way to be taught concerning the historical past and voodoo previous of New Orleans. Observe your tour information by means of Congo Sq., Jackson Sq. the place you’ll be taught concerning the St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbytère, and the Cabildo earlier than stopping on the former house of Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau.
8. Home of Voodoo
After you could have visited Mari Laveau’s Tomb within the cemetery, be sure that so as to add Marie Laveau’s Home of Voodoo to your checklist. Voodoo retailers are a must-see in New Orleans. The voodoo queen is famous and it’s mentioned that her ghost nonetheless walks the halls.
You’ll be able to have your fortune informed right here and if there’s one place on this planet to get your fortune informed, it’s New Orleans. The fortune tellers appear fairly genuine and it actually appears like there’s a connection to the spirit world right here. New Orleans actually has its fill of the paranormal. Try this Haunted Tour that we did by means of the French Quarter.
9. Voodoo Museum
The odd and macabre continues as you go to the Voodoo Museum which tells of the historical past of how Voodoo made its technique to New Orleans. African slaves who have been purchased and bought in New Orleans had in depth information of herbs and crops.
They held on to their African tradition and practiced Voodoo with the custom nonetheless persevering with as we speak. You can’t go to New Orleans with out studying of Voodoo and its darkish slavery buying and selling previous.
An attention-grabbing cease is the Voodoo Museum. It’s a tiny museum of two rooms that solely prices $5 to go to, nevertheless it packs a punch. There are articles and photographs of voodoo clergymen and practitioners, and there are alters that aren’t to be touched, however you may depart an providing and historical relics of Voodoo dolls and magical masks.
10. New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
One other distinctive place to go to in NOLA is the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. It was the primary licensed apothecary within the nation (Did we point out that New Orleans is outdated?) This self-guided tour takes you thru the unusual and whacky historical past of medication.
I really like going into these outdated pharmacies when touring, it actually offers an perception into the historical past and tradition of the realm. I’m additionally reminded of how good our well being care is in as we speak’s world after seeing the surgical instruments and odd elements within the apothecary jars.
11. Haunted Excursions of New Orleans
Probably the greatest methods to find out about voodoo and darkish historical past is to take one in every of its many ghost excursions. New Orleans has the excellence of being one of the crucial haunted cities in america.
With its darkish previous, voodoo historical past, and a number of debauchery and homicide, there are many tales to be informed on a haunted strolling tour. Take pleasure in studying our breakdown of the Most Haunted Place in New Orleans.
12. Loosen up at Jackson Sq.
Essentially the most recognizable place in New Orleans is certainly Jackson Sq.. This metropolis’s inexperienced house was the positioning of the Louisiana Buy and was declared a nationwide historic landmark naming it one in every of America’s “Nice Public Areas.”
Jackson Sq. is actually a gathering place in New Orleans with horse-drawn carriages lining up in entrance ready for keen vacationers to tour town. With a stunning view of St. Louis Cathedral sitting amongst majestic mansions of Cabildo and Presbytère on both aspect, the scene gives that iconic picture second of New Orleans.
Guide this Carriage Experience upfront to avoid wasting on haggling that takes you on a tour from the French Quarter to historic Faubourg Marigny.
13. St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral is a Nationwide Historic Landmark and stands on the head of Jackson Sq. going through the Mississippi River. It’s the oldest constantly run cathedral in america. Like many locations in New Orleans, the cathedral is alleged to be haunted. Individuals have noticed the priest Père Antoine strolling its halls.
For a guided tour of the French Quarter, this reasonably priced, extremely rated tour takes you across the French Quarter to sights resembling Jackson Sq., the French Market, and the Mississippi River.
14. Tour the Cabildo
Situated beside St. Louis Cathedral are two different necessary New Orleans landmarks, the historic Cabildo and Presbytere. Each of those are a part of the Louisiana State Museum system resulting from their necessary historic significance.
The Cabildo is a Spanish colonial constructing courting constructed between 1795 and 1799 that has historic significance being the positioning of the historic Louisiana Buy switch. At present it shows historic artifacts from New Orleans historical past.
15. Presbytère
On the opposite aspect of St. Louis Cathedral and the equally historic Cabildo is Presbytere. It was in-built 1791 to match the Cabildo. A go to to Presbytere takes you thru the historical past of Mardi Gras plus the rebuilding and resilience of the New Orleans individuals rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.
There are 5 museums within the French Quarter that fall below the Louisiana State Museum system that embody the 2 above, the New Orleans Jazz Museum, 1850 Home, and Madame John’s Legacy. (at the moment below renovations)
16. Café Beignet
Beignets are a Louisiana staple meals and when visiting Jackson Sq., take a stroll to Café Beignet Decatur for his or her scrumptious treats. Beignets are deep-fried dough fritters sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Café Beignet is among the most well-known eating places in New Orleans and has been a French Quarter staple for extra 30 years. So no go to to New Orleans could be full with out tasting contemporary Beignets.
Café Beignet is positioned at 334 Royal Road within the French Quarter.
17. Meals Tour of New Orleans
New Orleans has among the finest meals scenes in America. There are a number of distinctive meals in New Orleans and there are such a lot of eating places to select from, a meals tour actually helps to get your bearings. From Gumbo to Muffuletta and Po Boy sandwiches to jambalaya and pralines, consuming is the most effective New Orleans expertise that appears like an occasion unto itself.
If you wish to get to the foundation of New Orleans cooking, pop into Pepper Palace. They’ve one scorching sauce that’s so scorching, you could signal a waiver earlier than tasting it! We’ve got a whole article about New Orleans meals at our New Orleans Meals Tour – The place to Eat in New Orleans.
18. Eating out in New Orleans
- Meril: Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant identified for its small plates and new American delicacies positioned at 424 Girod St. within the Warehouse District.
- Peche: A coastal seafood restaurant by Chef Donald Hyperlink. Peche was honored because the James Beard Greatest New Restaurant in 2014. Situated at 800 Journal Road within the Warehouse District.
- The Nation Membership – Charming restaurant and pool clubhouse positioned within the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans.
- Baccahanal Wine – A wine store with an lovable yard for sipping positioned within the New Orleans Ninth Ward.
- Kingfish: Recent spins on basic Louisiana dishes positioned within the French Quarter
- Sylvain: an intimate gastropub in a former carriage home
- Cane & Desk: Professional-tiki bar and an array of huge and small plates
- Muriel’s – Situated in Jackson Sq.. Muriels is a cool restaurant the place you may dine with a ghost in a haunted restaurant. Every night time, Muriel units a desk for the resident ghost to maintain it from inflicting disruptions.
There are numerous meals excursions in New Orleans. We took the Physician Gumbo Meals Tour and it was excellent. We sampled all the highest dishes of town together with Po Boys Jambalaya, Muffuletta, and Gumbo.
New Orleans has one of many richest meals scenes in America and a meals tour is a should. If you wish to strive some by yourself, try NOLA Po boys for an genuine Po Boy sandwich, and Central Grocery and Deli for an genuine Muffuletta.
19. The Outdated Absinthe Home
One thing that may be very cool about going to New Orleans is how outdated lots of the bars and buildings are. This metropolis is stuffed with historical past and historical past lovers can even get pleasure from visiting The Outdated Absinthe Home. This 200-year-old bar performed an necessary function within the warfare of 1812. It was normal Andrew Jackson who approached the outlawed pirate Jean Lafitte who was being held right here to assist the People defeat the British Navy.
This iconic bar has attracted celebrities to see its historic setting in a constructing that has stood the take a look at of time with the identical fixtures and partitions from the 1800s. It even has the identical fountains serving absinthe that the pirate Lafitte and Basic Jackson could have been served from in historical past.
20. Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Store Haunted Bar
One other historic bar is Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Store positioned on Bourbon Road within the French Quarter. It is among the oldest surviving buildings in New Orleans that was constructed across the 1770s. By means of the years it has been frequented by the likes of Noel Coward and Tennesee Williams.
If you’re on a haunted strolling tour of New Orleans, chances are high you’ll cease right here, it’s one of the crucial haunted locations within the metropolis. Jean Lafitte was a privateer and smuggler who used this home as his headquarters and enjoyable reality, he helped Andrew Jackson struggle the British. It’s mentioned that he nonetheless haunts the partitions of this historic constructing.
Guide this New Orleans Haunted Pub Crawl to see all of the haunted watering holes within the metropolis. We began at Tujague’s- The oldest stand-up bar in New Orleans. Right here, you’ll meet your native tour information to start a tour of fascinating and haunted within the metropolis, together with the notorious Lalaurie Mansion (as seen on “American Horror Story: Coven”), the Sultan’s Palace, and naturally Lafitte’s Blacksmith Store.
21. New Orleans Jazz – Stay Music
Jazz is on the coronary heart of the tradition in New Orleans and there are jazz golf equipment scattered all through the French Quarter, Bourbon Road, and Frenchmen Road. No customer to New Orleans ought to miss experiencing its music scene. Even in case you can’t get right into a bar, you’ll usually discover a brass band taking part in on the road nook or strolling by means of the streets.
We couldn’t get sufficient of listening to Jazz each night. The native musicians are a number of the most proficient on earth. Listed below are a number of locations to immerse in jazz.
