Travel guide · United States
New Orleans travel guide
Live jazz every night, Creole cooking, Mardi Gras and the French Quarter
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: George Bannister, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
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 everywhere central and ride the historic streetcars out to the Garden District, Uptown and City Park. The draw is the city's living culture: brass bands and jazz clubs every night, Creole and Cajun cooking, Mardi Gras and a calendar of festivals unlike anywhere else in the US. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are February–April and October–November.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- Best time to visit
- February–April and October–November
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- MSY
- Mid-range daily budget
- $220–$350 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Jazz, Mardi Gras, French Quarter and Creole and Cajun food
Why visit New Orleans
- Live music plays every night of the week, from Preservation Hall's traditional jazz to the brass bands and funk on Frenchmen Street.
- Creole and Cajun cooking is the local cuisine: gumbo, jambalaya, po'boys, beignets, chargrilled oysters and spring crawfish boils.
- Mardi Gras, French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest make late winter and spring the most festive season in any US city.
- The French Quarter's cast-iron balconies, the Garden District's mansions and the 1835 St. Charles streetcar line are all easy to explore on foot or by tram.
- The National WWII Museum is one of the most highly regarded history museums in the country.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 20 things to do.
Landmark · French Quarter
Jackson Square
The former Place d'Armes, renamed after Andrew Jackson's 1815 victory at the Battle of New Orleans, is the French Quarter's central square, framed by St.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
Religious site · French Quarter
St. Louis Cathedral
The white, triple-spired cathedral facing Jackson Square is among the oldest Catholic cathedrals in continuous use in the US.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Iconic
- After dark
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Market · French Quarter
Café du Monde and the French Market
Café du Monde has served beignets, square doughnuts buried in powdered sugar, with chicory café au lait under its green-and-white awning since 1862.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Iconic
- Kids
- Shopping
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Street · French Quarter
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street's 13 blocks through the French Quarter are the city's party strip, with neon-lit bars, cover bands, daiquiri counters and balcony crowds throwing beads.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- After dark
- Free
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Street · Faubourg Marigny
Frenchmen Street
Three blocks of Frenchmen Street pack in live-music clubs such as the Spotted Cat, d.b.a.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Free
- After dark
- Free
- Iconic
Experience · French Quarter
Preservation Hall
Founded in 1961 to protect traditional New Orleans jazz, Preservation Hall is a bare, dimly lit room on St.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Iconic
- History
- Couples
Where to stay
French Quarter is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, couples and culture
French Quarter
Cast-iron balconies, Jackson Square, Royal Street galleries and Bourbon Street's bars
$$ · Best for nightlife, solo travellers and budget
Faubourg Marigny
Painted Creole cottages and the live-music clubs of Frenchmen Street
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and food lovers
Bywater
Colourful shotgun houses, murals and riverside Crescent Park
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and families
Garden District
Antebellum mansions, live oaks and Commander's Palace
What to eat
- Beignets — Square pillows of fried dough buried under powdered sugar, eaten hot with café au lait made from coffee blended with roasted chicory root.
- Gumbo — A thick stew built on a dark roux and the 'holy trinity' of onion, celery and green pepper, thickened with okra or ground sassafras (filé) and made with chicken and andouille sausage or seafood, served over rice.
- Jambalaya — Rice cooked with sausage, chicken or shrimp; the Creole city version is red with tomatoes, while the Cajun country version is brown and made without tomato.
- Po'boy — A sandwich on light, crackly New Orleans French bread, filled with fried shrimp or oysters or slow-cooked roast beef in gravy, and ordered 'dressed' with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayonnaise.
- Muffuletta — A round Sicilian sesame loaf layered with salami, ham, mortadella, provolone and chopped olive salad, created by Italian immigrants in the French Quarter in the early 1900s.
- Red beans and rice — Kidney beans slow-cooked with ham hock or sausage until creamy and served over rice; traditionally a Monday meal, when the pot simmered all day while the household did the washing.
When to go
The best times to visit New Orleans are February to May and October to November, when the weather is warm but not oppressive and the big festivals — Mardi Gras, French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest — take place. Those festival weeks also bring the highest hotel prices, so book early. August and September are hot, humid and the peak of hurricane season, though prices are at their lowest.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Warm, bright weather, azaleas and crawfish season, with French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest drawing big crowds in April and early May. |
| Summer | June–August | Very hot and humid with daily thunderstorms and the start of hurricane season; prices drop and festivals such as Essence Fest fill some weekends. |
| Autumn | September–November | Hurricane risk and heat linger in September, then October and November turn dry and pleasant, with Halloween parades and a busy convention season. |
| Winter | December–February | Mild with occasional cold snaps; Réveillon dinners in December, king cake from January and Mardi Gras, which falls in February or early March. |
Getting there and around
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is about 25 km west of the French Quarter. Taxis charge a set fare to the central area and take about 25–35 minutes; ride-hailing and shared shuttles are also available, and a public Airport Express bus runs to downtown.
The French Quarter, Marigny and Warehouse District are compact and walkable. The RTA's streetcars run along St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street, the riverfront and Rampart Street, buses cover the rest, and taxis and ride-hailing fill the gaps at night.
Plan your days
Three days covers the French Quarter, the Garden District by streetcar, the WWII Museum and two nights of live music. A fourth day adds City Park, a swamp tour or a plantation visit; with a week you can reach Cajun Country around Lafayette.
Practical information
- Currency
- USD
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated and safe to drink; occasional boil-water advisories are announced locally.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
- Tipping
- Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars to musicians you stop to listen to.
Stick to busy, well-lit streets at night and use a taxi or ride-hailing between neighbourhoods after dark rather than walking through quiet blocks. Pickpocketing and street hustles happen in crowded parts of the French Quarter. Summer heat and humidity are serious, and hurricane season runs from June to November, so watch forecasts and follow local advice.
Flights to New Orleans
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in New Orleans?
Three days covers the French Quarter, the Garden District by streetcar, the WWII Museum and two nights of live music. A fourth day adds City Park, a swamp tour or a plantation visit; with a week you can reach Cajun Country around Lafayette. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit New Orleans?
The best times to visit New Orleans are February to May and October to November, when the weather is warm but not oppressive and the big festivals — Mardi Gras, French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest — take place. Those festival weeks also bring the highest hotel prices, so book early. August and September are hot, humid and the peak of hurricane season, though prices are at their lowest.
+What is New Orleans known for?
Jazz, Mardi Gras, French Quarter, Creole and Cajun food, Beignets, Streetcars and Bourbon Street. Live music plays every night of the week, from Preservation Hall's traditional jazz to the brass bands and funk on Frenchmen Street.
+Is New Orleans expensive?
New Orleans is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $220–$350 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in New Orleans?
No for the city itself; French Quarter parking is scarce and expensive. A car helps for River Road plantations, swamp tours that don't include pick-up and trips to Cajun Country.