Things to do in  New Orleans

The French Quarter is easily the most popular area in New Orleans to visit and stay, thanks to its vibrant atmosphere and unique blend of architectural styles. It’s also the city’s oldest neighborhood, and its elegant streets are lined with an appealing mix of lively bars—especially along the legendary Bourbon Street—as well as historic monuments, hotels, restaurants, and plenty of entertainment venues.

LaLaurie Mansion is not your regular tourist attraction in New Orleans. Also known as LaLaurie House, this French Quarter spot has a particularly gruesome past that involves torture, murder, and acts of brutality. The house tends to attract horror and true crime buffs (especially after dark), as well as visitors who want to learn more about the property’s chilling history.

A prominent landmark on Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral stands tall and proud, beckoning French Quarter visitors to pause the revelry and admire the oldest continuously used cathedral in the United States. The seat of the city’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese, the church was built in 1789 and rebuilt in 1850. Today, its all-white, Spanish colonial facade—topped with three black spires—is one of the most recognizable landmarks in New Orleans.

In the heart of the French Quarter, Jackson Square is one of New Orleans’ most famous meeting points. A National Historic Landmark, it looks up to the fairy-tale spires of St. Louis Cathedral, as well as the Cabildo and Presbytère museums. Stroll through Washington Artillery Park on the banks of the Mississippi River, then wander around the square or take a seat to watch the many buskers, street performers, and artists.

New Orleans’ Garden District is the epitome of Southern charm. The neighborhood is full of historic mansions, complete with wrought-iron fences, verandas, and manicured gardens. Stretches of green parks separate the streets, and St. Charles Avenue—known for its famous St. Charles Streetcar—runs through the heart of it all. Other highlights range from the leafy Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 to Magazine Street, a favorite among brunchers and browsers.

New Orleans’ infamous Bourbon Street, also known as Rue Bourbon, conjures up images of endless partying, drinks of all shapes and sizes, bachelorette parties, and bead-throwing on Mardi Gras. Outside of Mardi Gras season, you'll want to visit this French Quarter playground for its Creole restaurants, live music venues, souvenir shops, and storied bars. No wonder it’s a staple of most New Orleans sightseeing tours.

Located in the heart of New Orleans’ vibrant French Quarter, the French Market is one of the oldest continuously operating open-air markets in the United States, making it a part of living Louisiana history. In addition to hosting vendors who sell everything from handmade goods to artisanal foods, the French Market also comprises a daily flea market, as well as a farmers market.

A central character in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the mighty Mississippi River has long captured the American imagination. It originates in Minnesota and sweeps south past 10 states, finishing in New Orleans, where it flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s among the largest rivers in the world, and has gained an almost mythical place in US history.

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is one of the oldest cemeteries in New Orleans and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1833 and ripe with ghost stories and the graves of notable New Orleans residents, this graveyard serves as the final resting place for more than 7,000 people. It’s situated in the leafy Garden District, which is home to many of the city’s most notable historic buildings.

Named after a legendary 19th-century French pirate, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve includes six sites across southern Louisiana, each highlighting a different part of the region’s culture and landscape—from Cajun traditions to battlefield history. The standout is Barataria Preserve near Marrero, a 23,000-acre (9,300-hectare) expanse of wetlands and forest. Visitors can spot local wildlife on boardwalk trails or explore the bayou on swamp tours, by kayak, or by canoe.

Housed in an 1820s French Quarter townhouse, this museum sits on the site of America’s first licensed pharmacy. Inside, visitors can find shelves lined with antique medicine bottles, voodoo potions, herbs, surgical tools, and even a vintage soda fountain. Comprising over 18,000 items, the collection offers visitors a fascinating look at the blend of science and folk healing traditions in early medicine.

Situated on the edge of the French Quarter, Louis Armstrong Park honors its namesake, one of New Orleans’ most famous jazz musicians. With sculptures of the city’s music legends as well as fountains, trees, and duck ponds, the green space offers a peaceful escape from the nearby bustle of Bourbon Street. It also holds festivals, concerts, and cultural events throughout the year.

Known for its galleries, restaurants, and curio shops, Royal Street in New Orleans is just a block away from the bar-fueled bustle and grit of Bourbon Street. But while it’s less well-known, it still oozes historic French Quarter character. The iron-lace balconies of French and Spanish colonial buildings overlook upscale stores and courtyard cafés along this charming street, which was made for wandering.

Covering 630 square miles (1,630 square kilometers), Lake Pontchartrain is one of the largest inland saltwater bodies in the United States. It’s a favorite spot for fishing, sailing, and swimming, and a big draw for wildlife fans—the lake’s shores and waters are home to a diverse ecosystem, including blue crabs, Atlantic stingrays, pelicans, ospreys, and occasionally bull sharks.

The oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley, the Old Ursuline Convent in New Orleans’ French Quarter also once functioned as a school for girls, a hospital, and an orphanage. Today, it houses a museum, whose rich collection of devotional art and artifacts makes it a treasure of the city’s Catholic community. Ghost hunters also routinely investigate the historic site for reports of paranormal activity.