The 45 Best Things To Do In New Orleans

Our ultimate guide to the Crescent City

In This Article

Enjoy The Sounds

Fill Up On Food

Sip Something Remarkable

Spend The Night Somewhere Special

Shop Till You Drop

Bask In The Culture

PHOTO: SEANPAVONEPHOTO/GETTY

New Orleans is like nowhere else on earth, with aromas of Tabasco and fried chicken, the spires of the St. Louis Cathedral stabbing a perfectly blue sky, and a trumpet note meeting a drumbeat.

The French Quarter and Lower Garden District’s towering Creole townhouses are decorated in ornate Spanish balconies. The Marigny and Bywater blocks are prime for afternoon architecture strolls, with Caribbean-hued ornate cottages.

From late night Jazz sets to enduring authors, foggy winter mornings to poolside August afternoons, Jazz Fest to Mardi Gras, City Park to peaceful, bird-filled swamps—New Orleans is a true gumbo of history and culture, carved over three centuries.

New Orleans is a place where color meets spice, music meets mischief, and the sacred meets the profane. We have the ultimate guide for the Crescent City, a Southern city unlike any other.

Enjoy The Sounds

“There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.” – Bob Dylan

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. CAMILLE BARNETT

Catch A Set At Preservation Hall

Preservation Hall is a historic music venue, but it also encompasses a foundation that supports local musicians, a collective of more than 50 jazz artists, and a world-renowned touring band. Inside the petite concert space on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter, ensembles from the collective play sets each evening. Multiple shows per day run 360 nights per year. To sit on the weathered benches inside the centuries-old building, with its sepia walls and fading art pieces, to hear some of the best Jazz musicians living today harmonizing on trumpet, clarinet, and keys...well, this is as New Orleans as anything gets.

Preservation Hall; 726 St Peter, New Orleans, LA 70116; (504) 522-2841

Experience The Wonder Of Music Box Village

Deep in the Bywater, behind a huge fence, exists a remarkable feat. A nonprofit called the Airlift Foundation built shacks from largely discarded materials. These structures take the place of traditional instruments, from loose floorboards acting as drumsticks to porch strings you can pluck. The Pitchbo House, for example, has sliding doors that simulate guitar and bass notes, and the upper floorboards create melodic string sounds. Local and national artists, including Solange Knowles, Animal Collective, and Wilco, have taken to these unusual stages. While the site is currently closed to the public, check the monthly calendar for upcoming events.

Music Box Village, 4557 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Try A Tuesday Night At Maple Leaf

The Maple Leaf bar has live music seven nights a week, but Tuesdays are packed when notable brass bands the stage. Though the act rotates, you can always count on this dive-y, wonderful Uptown bar to deliver legendary tunes. There’s a great back patio too, for when you need a little fresh air.

The Maple Leaf; 8316 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118; (504) 866-9359

Hang At Bacchanal's Backyard Parties

Once you enter this old-world, small wine shop, with its crumbling walls and scattered wooden racks, you'll see European, New World, and Biodynamic labels to choose from, as well as charcuterie and cheese in the fridge. Once you’ve selected a bottle, they give you a bucket of ice for your vino and send you out back. In the big yard, Funk, Brass and Jazz bands strike up beneath palm trees strung in colorful fairy lights. Twenty years on, it’s still one of the coolest hangouts in the whole city.

Bacchanal Wine; 600 Poland Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117; (504) 948-9111

Fill Up On Food

“New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin.” – Mark Twain

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ARNAUD'S RESTAURANT

Enjoy Dinner With A Group At Arnaud’s

We are suckers for the shining white tiles, chandeliers, and loud fanfare of the main dining room at Arnaud’s. However, there is something special about private dining here. Open since 1918, this massive, family-owned, historic restaurant has 17 private spaces, where groups can dig into conversation, flanked by gorgeous dishes, be it the famous Shrimp Louie with house remoulade or their turtle soup topped with sherry. The options are opulent. The Bacchus Room, for example, is encased in mirrors, hung on deep aubergine walls, and the Dauphine Room features antique fireplaces and a private balcony.

Arnaud’s, 813 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70112; (504) 523-5433

Make New Friends At Mosquito Supper Club

Chef Melissa Martin grew up on the bayou in Chauvin, Louisiana, and she shares a deep connection with the land and water there. Her restaurant, in a historic cottage Uptown, originally started as a pop-up dinner series. That sense of supper club remains, with coursed seatings offered from September until July. She’s retained great partnerships with small farms and fishing boat captains, and the bounty arrives at rough-hewn, communal tables, where you and other guests pass platters of marinated crab claws, bowls of Cajun stew, fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market, and great bottles of wine.

Mosquito Supper Club; 3824 Dryades St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Pair Potatoes With Bubbles At Sylvain

If we had to sketch a perfect French Quarter dining scene, this would be the one. Traverse the low-lit carriage way to the tavern-styled dining room, with its long and lively bar, mismatched wooden chairs, and charcoal walls decorated in antique prints. The courtyard is Sylvain’s most romantic respite, bathed in candlelight and scrolls of jasmine along stone walls. Find your perfect spot and partake in the restaurant’s quirky, high-low pairing: For $90, you get an icy bottle of Champagne Canard Duchene and piping-hot, salty, basket of French frites.

Sylvain; 625 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 265-8123

Celebrate Dim Sum Sundays At Mister Mao

Pink walls and tropical wallpaper sets the tone at this celebratory, Southeast Asian outpost in Uptown. The menu, by chef Sophina Uong and partner William “Wildcat” Greenwell, marries Louisiana ingredients with Cantonese dim sum in dishes like the Crispy Popcorn Shrimp with a honey milk mayo, and their Covey Rise Sugar Snaps with sesame sauce. A few times per week, the ‘Here Comes the Chuckwagon’ experience rolls through—quite literally. Waiters serve from traditional dim sum carts, painted brilliant blue, with die-cut detailing. If you want the prime-time seating—Sundays at 2 p.m.—it’s best to reserve weeks ahead.

Mister Mao, 4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115; (504) 345-2056

Treat Yourself To A Milkshake At Camellia Grill

At this landmark diner, located in a stately, white, four-column house on the elegant Carrolton Avenue, the line cooks have been calling out shorthand orders since 1946. Milkshakes are a classic here and you can request them regular, thick, or double-thick. Opt for their famous classic—The Orange Freeze. It’s a frothy combo of fresh orange juice, simple syrup, and vanilla ice cream.

Camellia Grill, 626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118; (504) 866-9573

Grab A Bag Of Beignets At Café Du Monde

Careful. Sticking your hand in the paper bag too soon can burn your fingers. It’s a weird game of hot-potato fishing these square, puffed, fried creations out, powdered sugar falling like sticky snow on your table. Yet, you want them hot and very fresh. Beignets don’t travel, and, while Café Du Monde might be the most touristy place in town, it’s with good reason. The locals line up here, too, although, you’re more apt to find them under the green-and-white awning after a night of drinking, rather than joining the long lines at breakfast.

Cafe Du Monde, 800 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116; (800) 772-2927

Dig Into Nola’s Extensive Southeast Asian Cuisine

The city has a thriving Southeast Asian population, and while you might have come for Cajun and Creole, you’d be remiss to not make time for pho, Thai noodles, and even Burmese food. The latter can be found at Laksa Nola inside the St. Roch Food Hall, where Burmese-born Owner Than Lin Regules doles out steaming ladles of coconut broth over chicken, eggs, and noodles.

Le’s Baguette Bahn Mi Café serves some of the best Vietnamese food in town in a small house Uptown. Don't miss the Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi with cucumber, shredded daikon, cilantro, and spicy aioli. Or, adventure to New Orleans East, where the famous Dong Phuong Bakery is famous for heavenly pho, with deep, fragrant broth and tender slices of flank.

The Thai food scene is equally explosive, particularly in the Marigny. Budsi Thai sells Bangkok’s street foods at affordable prices. And, SukhoThai, is an upscale mainstay, with several locations and lovely renditions of Green Curry and creamy Massaman.

Snag A To-Go Po-Boy From Verti Marte

Nicholas Cage counts this tiny cornerstore in the middle of the French Quarter among his favorites, where you will find no frills but plenty of flavor. Make your way past the racks of chips and drink coolers. At the back counter, they create some of the city’s best po-boys, from spicy sausage to roast-beef slathered with debris to a fried shrimp with crunchy pickles and cold mayo. Everything here is to-go, and the deft wrapping makes it easy to take your sandwich for a Royal Street stroll.

Vetri Marte; 1201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116; (504) 525-4767

Revisit The 1980s At Hungry Eyes

When Mason Hereford and his team first opened Turkey and The Wolf, it quickly earned national raves and local acclaim for their enormous, inventive sandwiches. It’s still a great lunch option, but their newest venture, opened in 2023 on upper Magazine Street, is already a hotspot. It celebrates—of all things—the 1980s, with wacky modular furniture, pink neon, cold Cosmos, and Duran Duran on the stereo. The design at Hungry Eyes will make you nostalgic for the era of Saved by the Bell and Risky Business, but the menu is far more modern and curated. Shareable plates might include house-cured pastrami or Salt & Pepper Celery Root with crispy rice noodles.

Hungry Eyes; 4206 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115; (504) 766-0054

Slurp An Oyster At Peche

Chef Ryan Prewitt has a long love affair with Louisiana’s bivalves, as well as those from Florida, Texas, or Alabama. He’s a proud participant in multiple sustainable fishing and seafood initiatives across the Gulf South, and he earned a Best Chef South James Beard Award in 2014. Peche is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and there has never been a better time to saddle up to the restaurant’s impressive raw bar, which features a rotating, curated selection of options, like Brightside Oysters, Salty Birds, Little Honey, and Shiny Dimes.

Peche, 800 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 522-1744

Sip Something Remarkable

“Don’t you just love those long afternoons in New Orleans when an hour isn’t just an hour–but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands–and who knows what to do with it?” - Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire)

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CURE Nola. CURE NOLA

Visit the Cocktail Bar That Changed the City

Cure is widely regarded as the city’s most influential drinking den, open since 2009, when it helped bring back the city’s serious cocktail culture. Today, it remains one of the best choices for a craft beverage, both modern and classic.

Cure, 4905 Freret St, New Orleans, LA 70115; 504.302.2357

Try Haiti’s National Spirit At Cane & Table

Clairin is the national distillate of Haiti, and it might remind you of a rough and tumble rum, marked by notes of oil and earth or grassy tones with deep minerality. Clairin’s flavors can be vastly different depending on where it’s made on the island, and stateside it can be a little tough to find. Unless, you head to Cane & Table in the French Quarter. The beverage program highlights rare Caribbean spirits, and it is only equaled by the food menu by Chef Alfredo Nogueria. Great libations perfectly pair with crispy, deep-fried pork ribs with Caribbean slaw and sweet plantains with salsa macha and cold crema.

Cane And Table; 1113 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116; (504) 581-1112

Grab A Frozen Irish At Erin Rose

Nothing beats a hot day (or a hangover) quite like a Frozen Irish Coffee at Erin Rose. On a busy weekend, this dive bar serves hundreds from a repurposed Daiquiri machine. The little, black, logo’d to-go cup holds a secret slushy recipe that's partly rich coffee liqueur and heavy cream. The top is sprinkled with coffee grounds and the whole thing is heavily spiked with brandy. Is there whiskey in there too? Probably.

Erin Rose, 811 Conti St, New Orleans, LA 70112; (504) 522-3573

Get A Haircut (and A Drink) At R Bar

R Bar is a dog-friendly dive bar in the Marigny with a loyal following. It’s easy to understand why, when you consider the free crawfish boils in-season, the flatscreens curbside for Saints games, and their awesome Monday-night special. For more than a decade, stylists have manned the bar’s antique barber chair each Monday, giving trims starting at 7 p.m. A haircut costs $15, and each comes with a free shot.

R Bar; 1431 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116; (504) 948-7499

Order A Pimm’s Cup At Napoleon House

Napoleon House is no secret. It's listed in every city brochure and every stop on every passing carriage tour. Inside these mottled walls, however, lives history, both true and tall tale—from plans hatched in the attic to rescue Napoleon (never happened) to Tennessee Williams enjoying vinyl records here frequently (absolutely true). Belly up to the bar, chat with dapper barkeeps, and request their most popular call—the Pimm’s Cup. It’s an effervescent combination of Pimm’s herbal liqueur, lemonade, soda, cucumbers, and lots of ice.

Napoleon House, 500 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 524-9752

Beat the Heat With A Sno-ball

Don’t confuse this iconic Louisiana treat with a snowcone. Sno-balls were invented in New Orleans in the ‘30s, when Ernest Hanson created a machine for finely shaving ice. The texture of a sno-ball is not crunchy, but soft and fluffy, hit with artisan syrups that mingle the whole way through the snow-like confection. You can still visit Ernest’s original outpost—Hansen’s Sno-Bliz—on Tchoupitoulas Street, but there are dozens of huts, which open every spring and summer across town. We love Imperial Woodpecker on Magazine (an outstanding Pineapple-Cilantro flavor) and also Chance in Hell Snoballs. At this front porch operation in the Bywater, the owners get experimental, from Sour Cherry to Sazerac flavors.

Spend The Night Somewhere Special

“How did you fall in love with New Orleans? At once, madly. Sometimes I think it was predestined.” - Andrei Codrescu

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THE COLUMNS

Live Like Thomas Sully At The Columns

Live oaks stretch out their crooked, battered limbs, marred by age and long-distant hurricanes. Through their veil of Spanish moss, The Columns Hotel peeks out. Architect Thomas Sully completed the house in 1883, as a private residence for well-to-do tobacco merchant. Today, it offers a handful of expansive suites, dressed in Victorian wallpapers, big wooden beds, and deep porches. The lobby bar is dark and dreamy, a perfect counterpoint to the tropical foliage and sunshine of the front lawn café seating.

The Columns, 3811 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115; (504) 899-9308

Nap In The Lap Of Luxury

The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans got a revamp a few years ago, right around the same time that The Four Seasons opened. Both hotel properties, only blocks from each other, feature all the trappings of a five-star-stay, with personal touches. The Ritz-Carlton has a private penthouse residence, with a 3,500-square foot private roof deck, an oversized marble soaking tub, and a dining table for 10. The Four Seasons features a glittering awarded lobby space called The Chandelier Bar, a pool overlooking the Mississippi River and two highly acclaimed, fine-dining restaurants. Even if you don’t stay, both feature spas that are absolutely worth your time, whether it’s a Biologique Recherche facial at Four Seasons or a Mississippi Mud Detox treatment Ritz-Carlton.

The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, 921 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70112; (504) 524-1331

Four Seasons New Orleans, 2 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (800) 819-5053

Make A Wes Anderson Instagram Reel At Maison De La Luz

Wes Anderson fans rejoice, from the black and white floors to the grand staircase to the quirky check-in desk with its wall decorated of big brass keys, this is a film-set-worthy hotel. The rooms are spacious, with crisp linens, thick robes, and great views of the CBD. It’s hard to stay upstairs, however, with so much happening below, from the private, French-blue breakfast room with Chinoiserie accents to the secret bookcase. It moves aside to let you access Bar Marilou—the property’s French-inspired cocktail lounge, with red lacquer walls, colorful cocktails, and delectable small plates.

Maison de la Luz, 546 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 814-7720

Sprawl Out at Hotel Saint Vincent

The Hotel Saint Vincent meets guests with a grand brick façade, double-level deep porches, and scrolling, filigreed wrought iron. Fronted by a courtyard of palm trees and candy-striped umbrellas, the Lower Garden District building dates to 1861, when an Irish immigrant named Margaret Haughery opened it as The Saint Vincent’s Infant Asylum. It was rehabbed and in 2021, debuted as a luxe, art-laden boutique property, where Art Deco meets old-world charm. The 75 rooms feature cherry-red velvet headboards, soaking tubs, and Murano-glass chandeliers. Downstairs, guests enjoy three bar/restaurant concepts, a boutique gift shop, and a swoon-worthy courtyard swimming pool.

Hotel Saint Vincent, 1507 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 350-2450

Shop Till You Drop

“You don’t need a guidebook to see New Orleans–just a good pair of shoes.” – James Carville

ZACK SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY/NEWORLEANS.COM

Craft Correspondence At Papier & Plume

This petite, old-world shop in the French Quarter supplies all your etiquette needs, from kits to create wax seals to single sheets of gorgeous wrapping paper. You’ll find stationary by New Orleans artist and bon vivant Alexa Pulitzer here too, with notecards and journals featuring her original NOLA-inspired drawings of Sazerac cocktails, partying and regal animals, as well as celebratory Minotaur dressed in Victorian garb.

Papier & Plume, 42 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116; (504) 988-7265

Hunt for Exquisite Vintage at Century Girl

“I love every decade of dress,” laughs proprietor Leah Blake, who travels extensively to find one-of-a-kind vintage pieces in a range of prices and sizes. Dresses, coats, hats, and clutch purses range from the early 1900s to the ‘80s to worthy reproductions. Pale pink walls, fainting couches, and several chandeliers make for a dreamy backdrop. It’s likely you’ll find that vintage cocktail ring, the fur stole, or the Gucci belt you never knew you needed.

Century Girl Vintage, 2023 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 875-3105

Stroll Down Royal Street

Royal Street’s blocks through the French Quarter have enough shopping, culture, cuisine, and art to fill an entire afternoon. At Maison Royale, Wellington & Co., and Keil’s Antiques, you’ll find cases and cases of estate jewelry, from Memento Mori lockets to gold bracelets with inlaid enamel filigree. M.S. Rau and IDA Manheim are worth visiting, if just to ogle the massive chandeliers, four-poster beds, and marble fireplaces. Stopping by Frank Relle’s photography gallery gives you a glimpse into dreamscapes of the bayou at midnight, and follow the crowds outside to find street performers plucking tunes on the sidewalks every few blocks.

Venture Farther for Antiques

Sure, you can find plenty of bespoke furnishings on Royal Street, but you’ll also find the city’s highest price tags. Want old-world European furnishings and prices poised for haggling? Check out Dop Antiques off Jefferson Highway, about 20 minutes from downtown. This open airplane hangar is stocked full of marble sinks, dining tables, as well as gilded mirrors in every size and shape. Consign Consign and Merchant House are closer in, on Magazine, right next to each other. Both are great for mid-century furnishings and smaller items, like art, books, rugs, and jewelry. Their consignment pieces drop in price every 30 days.

Buy (& Play) With Local Art

On a sunny little corner in the Marigny neighborhood, Where Y’Art Works represents dozens of Louisiana and Gulf Coast artists, with mediums spanning sculpture, paintings, mixed media, and photography. You can visit their site online to purchase, but while in town, drop in to peruse the latest exhibits. Then, wander a few blocks to the Jam Factory. Where Y’Art helped create the experiential pop-up space, with 17 exhibits crafted for interacting with the artistic side of this wacky city. Don’t forget your cellphone. There are prime Instagram opportunities here.

Where Y'Art Works, 1901 Royal St. New Orleans, LA 70116; (504) 325-5672

Bask In The Culture

“New Orleans is unlike any city in America. Its cultural diversity is woven into the food, the music, the architecture–even the local superstitions. It’s a sensory experience on all levels and there’s a story lurking around every corner.” – Ruta Sepetys

COURTESY OF NEW ORLEANS TOURISM

Hire A Brass Band

Yes, you can really hire a Brass Band and have your own, mini Second Line parade. Kinfolk is one option with turnkey booking. For $850, they supply a five-piece brass marching band for a 30-minute parade. For $200 more, you can get a Grand Marshall and for $1600, they will cover all necessary city permits and help you choose the perfect parading routes. Now, all you need is an umbrella or a white handkerchief, a cold cocktail, and a feather boa.

Learn Cajun And Creole Cooking At SoFAB

The Southern Food & Beverage Museum is a non-profit education and culture center, dedicated to preserving and presenting the food culture of the South. The large space has thousands of pieces, from vintage advertisements to old cooking utensils, recipe books from a century past to bric-a-brac from long-gone restaurants. While every Southern state is included in the exhibits, the adjoining open kitchen hosts fantastic cooking courses two days a week, largely focused on Creole and Cajun recipes. Learn to whip up a gumbo or a jambalaya from some of the most talented chefs in the city. Kids courses are also available.

The Southern Food & Beverage Museum, 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113; (504) 569-0405

Tour the National WWII Museum

You could spend an hour or a day here, exploring five pavilions and a six-acre campus dedicated to the Second World War. The Arsenal of Democracy is one of the most interactive exhibits, showcasing life at home, through oral histories, videos, and memorabilia. The Road to Tokyo is thought provoking and emotional, retracing the days pre-and-post Pearl Harbor. One of the museum's newer additions is Beyond All Boundaries—a 4-D film and sensory experience produced by Tom Hanks.

National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 528-1944

Study Whiskey History At Sazerac House

The Sazerac is America’s first cocktail. It was designated as the official drink of New Orleans back in 2008. This museum celebrates all the ways in which distilling and drinking shaped the town, from the profits in rum and molasses, to pharmaceutical uses of bitters and booze. Exhibits are spread across 48,000 square feet, there’s a bountiful, first-floor gift shop for aprons, bar tools, and cookbooks, and the 500-gallon still produces Sazerac rye whiskey, which you can also purchase on-site.

Sazerac House, 101 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130; (504) 910-0100

Take A Ride On A Street Car

Pick up the famous St. Charles Line to cruise past stately Gothic mansions, dapper Victorians, and lines of massive live oak trees. This line has been in operation for more than 150 years, and you’ll likely see a few remaining Mardi Gras beads dripping from the power lines as you pass. With their gleaming, dark green or red exteriors, worn wooden benches, bright headlights, and clanging bells, streetcars are fun to ride. They are equally marvelous to enjoy ambling by, from a patio with a good novel. For the later moment, we suggest The Chloe. This revamped Victorian hotel’s front porch provides shade and sight lines right out to the St. Charles line.

Walk, Bike, Or Run Crescent Park

This 1.4, mile, 20-acre linear park spans from the French Quarter through to the Bywater, hugging the Mississippi River. Bike paths and pavilions, street art, rusty bridges, and native landscaping serve to make each moment unique. There are great vantages for stopping to watch the famous Creole Queen paddlewheeler or the Natchez Steamboat chug past.

Crescent Park, 2300 N Peters St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Enjoy a Family Outing At Audubon Zoo

The Audubon Zoo got its start at the 1884 World Exposition, when exotic animals were brought to Audubon Park. The nationally acclaimed zoo today spans 58 acres, with a focus on global conservation, education, and animal protection efforts, as part of the larger Audubon Nature Institute. There’s a Jaguar Jungle and Monkey Hill, impressive architecture, and even a water park. However, the most fun section is the Louisiana Swamp, which winds you through acres of Cypress stumps and bayou huts, past flowering lilies and over cool foot bridges. This exhibit explores the connection of Cajun culture and ecology, and is also home to a duo of rare albino alligators.

The Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70118; (504) 861-2537

Splash In The City’s Best Blue Spaces

The Chloe’s pool will remind you of Palm Springs, with its walk-up bar window and checkerboard tiles. A pass costs $30 on weekdays and includes a towel. The Country Club, in the Bywater, is a big yellow mansion with excellent brunch. Behind the house is a backyard pool, flanked by sun loungers and cafe tables. It’s only $15 to swim here, but their topless optional policy can equal remarkable, rowdy parties on weekend afternoons. If you want to float rather than swim, there are multiple kayak and stand-up paddleboard operators servicing Bayou St. John, adjacent to City Park. This big city waterway sends you paddling right past turtles, egrets, and some of New Orleans’ most dramatic landmark homes.

Admire Antiquities And The Great Outdoors at City Park

City Park is home to some of the oldest Live Oak trees in the world. It’s home to a fun Putt-Putt course, a sprawling sculpture garden, wildflower fields, the city botanical gardens, and multiple weekly markets for art and fresh produce. It’s also home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, where globally touring exhibits arrive every few months.

New Orleans City Park, 1 Palm Drive New Orleans, LA 70124

Yell Who Dat at the Superdome

You can’t miss the Superdome when you drive into New Orleans, with its massive, curved roof gleaming in the sun. It has been home to Saints football since 1975, and inside on game days, expect high energy, as well as great food and drink options, luxe private boxes, and local art on the walls. Saints season is also all about the tailgates, and you’ll find them all over town, from parking lots to the neutral grounds.

caesarssuperdome.com, 1500 Sugar Bowl Dr, New Orleans, LA 70112

Open a Cabinet of Curiosities, at the Pharmacy Museum

Old leather valises, cracked spectacles, rickety wooden wheelchairs, and etched apothecary jars might give you the heebie jeebies, but this museum menagerie of often-macabre artifacts is also deftly dedicated to showcasing the advances in pharmacy science that happened right here in New Orleans. Louis Joseph Dufilho Jr. became America’s first licensed pharmacist, opening his shop on this site in 1823. He played a vital role in modern public health, and the museum does a great job of combining education with interesting tales of hauntings and early foibles in pseudoscience.

pharmacymuseum.org, 514 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

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