For couples · New Orleans · United States
Romantic things to do in New Orleans
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Clem from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
New Orleans is made for slow, sultry evenings: candlelit courtyards, live jazz in small rooms, cocktails in historic bars and streetcar rides under the oaks. Spring and autumn evenings are warm enough to linger outdoors. Couples tend to stay in French Quarter.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- French Quarter
- Best months
- February–April and October–November
Romantic ideas
1.Courtyard dinner in the French Quarter
Many old restaurants seat diners in candlelit, plant-filled courtyards hidden behind the street facades.
2.Jazz on Frenchmen Street
Squeeze into a small club such as the Spotted Cat and dance to a traditional jazz band.
3.Sunset on the Natchez
An evening jazz cruise on the steamboat shows the river and skyline at dusk.
4.Sazerac at the Roosevelt
Have the city's official cocktail in the Art Deco Sazerac Bar on Baronne Street.
5.Garden District stroll
Ride the St. Charles streetcar and walk the mansion-lined streets before dinner at Commander's Palace.
6.Algiers Point ferry
Cross the Mississippi at sunset for the view back to the French Quarter and the skyline lighting up.
Sights couples love
Experience · French Quarter
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.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Iconic
- History
- Couples
Experience · Riverfront
Steamboat Natchez river cruise
Go below deck during the cruise to watch the steam engines working.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · Garden District
Garden District walk
Start from the Washington Avenue streetcar stop and finish with lunch or shopping on Magazine Street.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Couples
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, couples and culture
French Quarter
The original city, laid out by the French in 1718, is a grid of about 80 blocks along the Mississippi. Most of its buildings date from the Spanish period after the fires of 1788 and 1794, hence the courtyards and cast-iron galleries. Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral sit at its centre, Royal Street holds antique shops and galleries, and Bourbon Street's bars run all night. Frenchmen Street and the Warehouse District are both a short walk away.
- Good
- Walk to most sights and music venues; Historic hotels with courtyards; Lively at any hour
- Watch out
- Noisy near Bourbon Street; Rates soar during Mardi Gras and festivals; Parking is scarce and expensive
- Nearby
- Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, French Market
Romantic day trips
- Oak Alley Plantation (About 1 hour by car) — A Greek Revival mansion at the end of an avenue of 28 live oaks nearly 300 years old, with exhibits on the enslaved people who lived and worked on the estate.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Gumbo, Jambalaya and Muffuletta. Many restaurants close one or two days a week, often early in the week; check before planning a special meal.
Questions travellers ask
+Is New Orleans romantic?
New Orleans is made for slow, sultry evenings: candlelit courtyards, live jazz in small rooms, cocktails in historic bars and streetcar rides under the oaks. Spring and autumn evenings are warm enough to linger outdoors.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in New Orleans?
Courtyard dinner in the French Quarter: Many old restaurants seat diners in candlelit, plant-filled courtyards hidden behind the street facades.
+Where should couples stay in New Orleans?
French Quarter: Cast-iron balconies, Jackson Square, Royal Street galleries and Bourbon Street's bars.