Comparison · Nashville vs New Orleans · United States
Nashville vs New Orleans
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
Choose Nashville for Country music and Honky-tonks on Broadway; choose New Orleans for Jazz, Mardi Gras, free sights and a milder winter. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 756 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 756 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Nashville
- April–May and September–October
- Best time for New Orleans
- February–April and October–November
Side by side
| Nashville | New Orleans | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | United States |
| Known for | Country music, Honky-tonks on Broadway and Grand Ole Opry | Jazz, Mardi Gras and French Quarter |
| Best time to visit | April–May and September–October | February–April and October–November |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $220–$360 | $220–$350 |
| Cost level | Moderately priced | Moderately priced |
| Warmest month | July, 32°C (90°F) | July, 33°C (91°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 9°C (48°F) | January, 17°C (63°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 4 | 8 |
| Day trips in our guide | 5 | 6 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | BNA | MSY |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Nashville for…
Country music and Honky-tonks on Broadway. Nashville, Tennessee's capital on the Cumberland River, is the centre of the country-music industry, earning it the nickname Music City. Lower Broadway's honky-tonks play live music from late morning until late at night, while the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand…
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Choose New Orleans for…
Jazz, Mardi Gras, free sights and a milder winter. New Orleans sits in a bend of the Mississippi, and its oldest districts, the French Quarter and the Faubourg Marigny, hug the river within walking distance of each other. Most visitors stay in the Quarter or the neighbouring Warehouse District, walk…
Top sights compared
| # | Nashville | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum | Jackson Square |
| 2 | Ryman Auditorium | St. Louis Cathedral |
| 3 | Grand Ole Opry | The Cabildo |
| 4 | Lower Broadway honky-tonks | Café du Monde and the French Market |
| 5 | Johnny Cash Museum | Bourbon Street |
Food compared
| Nashville | New Orleans |
|---|---|
| Nashville hot chicken | Beignets |
| Meat-and-three | Gumbo |
| Biscuits | Jambalaya |
| Whole-hog barbecue | Po'boy |
Which is cheaper?
Nashville and New Orleans cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $220–$360 in Nashville and $220–$350 in New Orleans (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). New Orleans on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 756 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 8 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Nashville or New Orleans cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $220–$360 in Nashville and $220–$350 in New Orleans (estimates).
+Is Nashville or New Orleans better for a first trip?
Pick Nashville for Country music and Honky-tonks on Broadway, or New Orleans for Jazz, Mardi Gras, free sights and a milder winter.
+How far is Nashville from New Orleans?
About 756 km in a straight line.