4 days in New Orleans

Day by day

1. Day 1: Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral

   Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral and Café du Monde and the French Market, then Bourbon Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Jackson Square

      Allow 45 minutes (free). Climb up to the Moonwalk riverfront promenade opposite the square for a view of the Mississippi and the cathedral together.

   2. Late morning

      St. Louis Cathedral

      The present building dates from 1789–94 and was largely rebuilt in 1849–50, on a site used for churches since the early 18th century. Entry is free outside services.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Beignets

      Café du Monde at the French Market, serving them since 1862, and Café Beignet on Royal and Bourbon streets.

   4. Afternoon

      Café du Monde and the French Market

      Allow 1 hour (low cost). Table queues build by mid-morning; the takeaway window round the side usually moves faster. Avoid wearing black.

   5. Evening

      Bourbon Street

      See it once early in the evening, then head to Frenchmen Street for better live music.

2. Day 2: The Cabildo and The Historic New Orleans Collection

   The Cabildo, The Historic New Orleans Collection and New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, then Preservation Hall in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Cabildo

      Now part of the Louisiana State Museum, it covers the region's history from Native American settlement through colonial rule, slavery and Reconstruction, and holds one of Napoleon's death masks.

   2. Late morning

      The Historic New Orleans Collection

      Allow 1 hour (free). Step into the courtyards between galleries for a rare peaceful pause in the Quarter.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Gumbo

      Almost every Creole restaurant; Dooky Chase's in Tremé is known for its gumbo z'herbes, a green gumbo served on Holy Thursday.

   4. Afternoon

      New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint

      Mint of 1835 at the downriver edge of the French Quarter, the Jazz Museum displays instruments, recordings and photographs, including a cornet Louis Armstrong played as a boy, and its performance hall hosts frequent concerts.

   5. Evening

      Preservation Hall

      Stand near the front for the closest view of the band; sets are about 45 minutes, so it fits before a late dinner.

3. Day 3: Frenchmen Street and The National WWII Museum

   Frenchmen Street, The National WWII Museum and Mardi Gras World, then Frenchmen Street in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Frenchmen Street

      Allow An evening (free). Carry small bills for the band's tip bucket and a one-drink minimum, wander between clubs and stay where the music grabs you.

   2. Late morning

      The National WWII Museum

      The 4D film Beyond All Boundaries, narrated by Tom Hanks, is an optional extra.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Jambalaya

      Creole and Cajun restaurants across the city, and food stalls at Jazz Fest and French Quarter Festival.

   4. Afternoon

      Mardi Gras World

      Allow 1–1.5 hours (mid-priced). Visit if you can't be in town for Carnival; it is the closest you will get to the floats up close.

   5. Evening

      Frenchmen Street

      The best concentration of live-music clubs, with jazz, brass and funk from late afternoon into the small hours.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Whitney Plantation

   About 1 hour by car each way. Getting there: Car or guided tour.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Whitney Plantation

      About 1 hour by car (Car or guided tour); about 80 km.

   2. Day

      Whitney Plantation

      On River Road in Wallace, the Whitney is a museum dedicated to the lives of the enslaved people who worked Louisiana's sugar plantations, told through memorials, first-person testimony and preserved buildings. It is a sobering and essential counterpoint to the grand plantation houses nearby.

   3. Evening

      Back in New Orleans

      Dinner: try Po'boy.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Preservation Hall before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, French Quarter keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Faubourg Marigny ($$) suits nightlife, solo travellers and budget. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–21 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.2 hours in December to 14.1 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in New Orleans
• 2 days in New Orleans
• 3 days in New Orleans
• 5 days in New Orleans
• 7 days in New Orleans

Questions travellers ask