10 Best Things to Do
New Orleans is a city of courtyard houses, long meals and music heard at close quarters. The French Quarter’s balconies and old brick streets give way to Tremé’s cultural institutions, the Garden District’s shaded houses and the Warehouse District’s museums. Preservation Hall and Snug Harbor make jazz an evening’s main event; Creole dining rooms share the food scene with inventive Senegalese and contemporary American kitchens. City Park lies beyond the central neighbourhoods, worth a separate trip for its art museum and sculpture garden.
Jazz at Preservation Hall
French Quarter, New Orleans, United States
Preservation Hall makes the relationship between musicians and listeners the centre of the evening. Its intimate, weathered room gives traditional New Orleans jazz an immediacy that a larger concert hall cannot reproduce. The rotating programme brings different ensembles and personalities to the stage, so choose a performance rather than expecting one fixed house band. Book ahead, check the seating category carefully and arrive ready to listen: the modest surroundings are part of the experience, not a promise of lounge-style comfort.
Traditional jazz in an intimate setting
The National WWII Museum
Warehouse District, New Orleans, United States
The National WWII Museum deserves a generous part of the day, with a campus that follows the American experience of the war through objects, personal testimony and carefully staged interpretation. The scale can be emotionally and physically demanding, making a selective route more rewarding than rushing every gallery. Begin with the subjects that interest you most, then leave time to absorb individual stories. Check the current admission options before booking, since some films and additional experiences require separate tickets.
A substantial encounter with wartime history
New Orleans Museum of Art and Besthoff Sculpture Garden
City Park, New Orleans, United States
New Orleans Museum of Art pairs a broad collection with one of the city’s most appealing outdoor art experiences. Explore the galleries according to your interests, then continue into the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, where substantial works interact with trees, water and changing light. The contrast encourages an unhurried visit rather than a checklist of famous names. Check the museum’s temporary exhibitions before arriving, and remember that museum admission and access to the free sculpture garden follow different arrangements.
Art indoors and among the trees
Garden District Walking Tour with Historic New Orleans Tours
Garden District, New Orleans, United States
Historic New Orleans Tours gives the Garden District’s handsome streets a narrative beyond their façades. The guided walk uses architectural detail and the neighbourhood’s development to explain how different communities shaped this part of the city. It suits visitors who want informed context while moving at walking pace, with time to look closely at houses and gardens. Lafayette Cemetery remains closed for repairs, so its history is discussed from the gates; the tour does not promise access inside.
Architecture with historical context
The Historic New Orleans Collection
French Quarter, New Orleans, United States
The Historic New Orleans Collection offers a thoughtful counterpoint to the French Quarter’s busiest streets. Exhibitions examine the city and the wider Gulf South through art, historical objects and the stories behind familiar places. Its setting also rewards attention, giving architecture and courtyards a role in the visit. Choose a current exhibition to explore in depth rather than expecting a single fixed narrative. Admission is free, but the museum requires a ticket, so check the current visiting arrangements before arriving.
A deeper reading of the city
Backstreet Cultural Museum
Tremé, New Orleans, United States
Backstreet Cultural Museum brings visitors close to the craft and community behind some of New Orleans’ most distinctive cultural traditions. Elaborate Black Masking Indian suits and archival material reveal the labour, creativity and social relationships that a passing parade cannot fully explain. The compact setting rewards careful looking and an interest in the people who sustain these practices. Check current opening arrangements and use the museum’s present St Philip Street address, then allow time to absorb the stories rather than rushing through.
The artistry behind living traditions
Mississippi River Cruise with New Orleans Steamboat Company
French Quarter riverfront, New Orleans, United States
A cruise with New Orleans Steamboat Company shifts attention from the streets to the river that helped shape them. The waterfront and working port provide a different perspective, while selected sailings add live jazz and optional meals. Choose the cruise format carefully rather than assuming every departure includes the same programme. The company operates both NATCHEZ and CITY OF NEW ORLEANS; confirm the scheduled vessel when booking, particularly if experiencing a working steam-powered boat is important to you.
The working river from the water
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Warehouse District, New Orleans, United States
Ogden Museum of Southern Art gives the region’s creative life room to be varied, complex and surprising. Historical work, contemporary practice and self-taught artists sit within a programme that encourages visitors to reconsider what Southern art can mean. The museum is well suited to a focused afternoon, with enough depth to reward lingering without demanding an entire day. Check the current exhibitions and events before visiting, and leave time for a few works that challenge your first impressions.
Southern art beyond familiar categories
Authorized St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Tour
Near the French Quarter, New Orleans, United States
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 reveals a distinctive landscape of family vaults and society tombs within a compact historic enclosure. An authorized guided visit connects this architecture with the lives and customs of the people commemorated there. The experience works best with an interest in history rather than expectations of a theatrical ghost tour. Book through the authorized operator and check in at Basin St. Station before the tour; independent entry is not available to ordinary visitors.
Architecture, memory and burial traditions
Jazz at Snug Harbor
Faubourg Marigny, New Orleans, United States
Snug Harbor offers a deliberate listening experience amid Frenchmen Street’s lively nightlife. Its intimate music room brings the audience close to the performers, with a programme rooted in the city’s jazz community and room for different generations and styles. Choose the artist and set that appeal to you, then book the performance separately from any dinner plans. This is a place to give the music your attention, making it a rewarding evening for both committed jazz listeners and curious newcomers.
A close listening encounter on Frenchmen Street