Whether this is your first time to New Orleans or you’re a seasoned visitor, the city’s invigorating spirit is sure to inspire, captivate and motivate you to jump in and see and do so much. With so many options and many things to do all the time, narrowing the playing field can be a challenge. Think of it this way: divide how much time you have by what your priorities are – history, art, music, culture, and on and on - and then add in a little time for the spontaneous joy that is the Crescent City’s calling card. Subtract a few hours for sleep, multiply your dining pleasure by at least three times a day, and you have the perfect equation for an amazing New Orleans experience. Here is where to start making decisions. https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/
NEW ORLEANS MUSIC
The sounds of the New Orleans embrace and charm
Always, forever, the city’s music is its beating heart – especially true during Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and other celebrations. The musical notes of jazz, brass, R&B, soul and many mixes fill the air along with night–blooming jasmine and other fabulous tropical fragrances. Walk down Frenchmen Street, the main artery of the Marigny neighborhood adjacent to the French Quarter and take in the vibrant blocks of cafes, music clubs and restaurants including Snug Harbor, d.b.a. and the Spotted Cat. New Orleans has produced its share of musical giants, from greats like Louis Armstrong, Dr. John and Allen Toussaint to contemporary acts like Trombone Shorty, Big Freedia and Hurray for the Riffraff. Preservation Hall on Bourbon Street is always a hit but also visit the Mother-In-Law Lounge on Claiborne Avenue, Rock-N-Bowl in Mid-City, the Maple Leaf Uptown and Vaughn’s in the Bywater. These local dives and music venues will keep you dancing all night. It’s all part of the magic, part of the brilliant je ne sais quoi that is found only in New Orleans. https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/music/
A GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS NIGHTLIFE
Come sundown, the night lights shine in clubs, on stages and on the dance floors of the city
New Orleans likes to stay up late. The city that is the birthplace of jazz and cocktails and hosts Mardi Gras every year is no sleepy head. While music is the local language any time of the day or night, come sundown in New Orleans, opportunities to listen and dance to live music and catch cabaret shows are in every nook and cranny. The city comes alive at night, keeping a syncopated beat that is irresistible and is still going strong when the sun comes up. https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/nightlife/
BEST NEW ORLEANS TOURS
There are so many ways to behold New Orleans, a city of infinite possibilities
Whether you want to explore history or haunts, shopping or swamps, food or just have fun, there’s a tour for you with a locals’ perspective. Pick your passion or simply get to know New Orleans from a new point of view. Either way, diving a little deeper into the city’s stories and culture will reveal so much more left to discover. So follow your NOLA with one or more of these excursions.
New Orleans' Most Famous Neighborhood. Also known as the Vieux Carre
Often called the Crown Jewel of New Orleans, the French Quarter is one of NOLA's most historic neighborhoods. But you'll find plenty of new mixed in with the old. There’s a reimagined French Market, modern boutiques and artisan cocktails mix with beloved antique stores and old restaurants. (Antoine’s. Arnaud’s. Galatoire’s. Brennan’s – the world would be far less flavorful without you!)
Like the Creole aristocrats lining the galleries of the Historic New Orleans Collection, the French Quarter is a timeless portrait – especially come dusk when swallows glide above the fortunetellers on Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral’s butter-crème-colored walls reflect the fiery sunset. Ghost tours troop past mad Madame LaLaurie’s mansion while neon signs stutter to life on Bourbon Street where syrupy red Hurricanes, slosh in famed ‘go cups’– those plastic tumblers responsible for uncountable curbside parties. Night falls. Horse hooves clop, music throbs and gaslights flicker in a place full of long-told legends and those waiting to be born. Create one of your own. https://www.neworleans.com/plan/neighborhoods/french-quarter/
