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17 Can’t-Miss Things To Do in New Orleans, Louisiana

The Crescent City, the Big Easy, NOLA — whatever you call it, New Orleans should be at the top of your bucket list! Here are the best things do to in New Orleans that you won’t want to miss.

From jazz to history to haunts, this Southern city has it all. Whether you want to party it up on Bourbon Street or taste the best Cajun cooking, you’ll find plenty to do in NOLA.

After multiple trips to the Crescent City, I’ve put together this list of awesome, can’t-miss things to do on your next trip to New Orleans.

Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana

Best Things To Do in New Orleans

1. Visit Jackson Square

Jackson Square, New Orleans, Louisiana

At the center of New Orleans’ famed French Quarter is Jackson Square, one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The 2.5 acre park is the perfect place to start your trip to New Orleans.

You can shop for works by local artists displayed on the outside of the park’s iron fence. There are also plenty of street performers to keep you entertained. And if you want a palm reading or tarot reading, this is a great place to do it!

Related tour: French Quarter Historical Sights and Stories Walking Tour

2. Indulge on Beignets at Café Du Monde

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

Café Du Monde is the most famous place to get a beignet in New Orleans. The café is literally open all day, every day, except for Christmas and when a hurricane blows through.

So what’s a beignet? Basically, it’s a fried square of dough covered with powdered sugar. Be sure to order it with a café au lait for a classic New Orleans treat.

3. Drink on Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana

Bourbon Street is famous for its bars, clubs, and nightlife. The street extends for 13 blocks of non-stop partying.

It’s also the place to be for any celebration, from bachelor and bachelorette parties to gay-pride events to Mardi Gras.

Check out the iconic bars like the Old Absinthe House or Lafitte’s, the oldest gay bar in the country.

Related tour: New Orleans Bourbon Street Bar Crawl w/ Shots & Souvenir Cup

4. Walk Down Frenchmen Street

Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, Louisiana

Frenchmen Street is the best place in the city to find great jazz music. Iconic music venues and bars line the street.

You can hear all kinds of music here — jazz, blues, reggae, rock. Check out popular spots like the Spotted Cat Music Club, d.b.a., Blue Nile, and Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro. You can also hear some great music just walking down Frenchman Street.

Related tour: Frenchmen Street VIP Live Music Pub Crawl in New Orleans

5. Take the Streetcar to the Garden District

First Street, Garden District, New Orleans, Louisiana
Garden District, New Orleans by Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr

The Garden District is full of oak-lined streets and historic homes. These antebellum homes are dripping in opulence and are surrounded by lush gardens. They certainly paint a pretty picture of what it would be like to live in New Orleans.

You can take a tour of the Garden District to learn about these stately homes, and the celebrities who live here, and explore the beautiful Lafayette Cemetery.

Book your Garden District tour here.

6. Stroll Through St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 & 2

Mausoleums at St Louis Cemetery No.1

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest and most famous New Orleans cemetery, and St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 is the final resting place for several famous musicians and historical figures.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the more famous section. It is where Marie Laveau, Voodoo priestess, is said to be buried. The rumor goes that if you want her to grant you a wish, you have to draw an X on the tomb, turn around three times, knock on the tomb, yell out your wish, and if it was granted, come back , circle your X, and leave an offering.

But because of this legend, this and other graves often become vandalized. Now, you can only tour St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 with a guided, licensed tour.

Book your official St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Walking Tour here.

7. Go on a Haunted Ghost Tour

Yellow House on a New Orleans Ghost Tour

New Orleans has more than 300 years of history and a deep connection to voodoo and magic contributing to its haunted history.

There are so many great ghost tours in New Orleans exploring everywhere from the Garden District to the French Quarter. You’ll see plenty of haunted homes and cemeteries.

And if you want to add vampires, witches, and voodoo to your ghosts, the New Orleans Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Tour has you covered. You’ll see the city’s best haunted spots from the the LaLaurie Mansion and New Orleans Pharmacy Museum.

Book your Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Walking Tour here.

8. Grab a Po’boy from Mother’s

Po'boy from Mother's Restaurant, New Orleans, Louisiana
Po’boy by Shubert Ciencia (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

Mother’s Restaurant has been serving up po’boys since 1938. They’re known for their Ferdi Special and the debris po’boy.

The Ferdi Special, named for a Mother’s regular, is a po’boy with ham and roast beef. The Debris is a po’boy with the extra shavings off a freshly carved roast beef.

Both are delicious, and you can’t go wrong with either one!

9. Have a Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s

Hurricane from Pat O'Brien's, New Orleans, Louisiana
Hurricane by Darren Foreman (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

Pat O’Brien’s Bar is one of the city’s favorite watering holes. Grab their signature Hurricane — a super sweet red rum drink — named for the shape of the glass rather than the storm.

Head into to one of their three bars — the main bar, the dueling piano lounge, or the patio. I highly recommend the patio where you’ll be surrounded by lush foliage and good time vibes.

10. Visit the New Orleans Museum of Art

LOVE Sculpture at New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden

The New Orleans Museum of Art is the oldest fine arts museum in the city. It has an impressive collection of 40,000 permanent pieces of art on display.

With the city’s French history, it’s only fitting that the museum feature plenty of French art, including many important works by French Impressionists Degas, Monet, and Renoir.

The museum also has a beautiful Sculpture Garden across 11 acres of the adjacent City Park. The garden contains more than 90 works of art.

11. Explore Faulkner House Books

Faulkner House Books

Faulkner House Books, now an independent bookstore, was where William Faulkner lived for 6 months in 1925 while he worked on his first novel Soldier’s Pay. He lived on the first floor apartment, and artist William Spratling lived in the apartment upstairs. Together, they apparently shot BBs at passersby and made bathtub gin.

You’ll find this charming bookstore tucked away in Pirate’s Alley just off of Jackson Square. They sell new and used books and obviously have a great selection of Faulkner’s works. They also have plenty of books about New Orleans.

12. Stroll Through Washington Square Park

Musical Sculpture at Washington Square Park, New Orleans, Louisiana

Washington Square Park is a historic New Orleans park with shaded pathways, sculptures, and playsets.

It connects to Frenchmen street, known for its music, so it’s no wonder it’s a great spot to find street performers, concerts, and other special events.

13. Visit the Irish Cultural Museum

Covered Courtyard at the Irish Cultural Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana

The small Irish Cultural Museum of New Orleans tells a little bit about the Irish immigrants who came to New Orleans and helped shape the city.

The museum also houses St. Patrick’s Coffee House at the back of the courtyard. Here, you can get coffee, tee, and many different Irish whiskeys.

14. Take a Hurricane Katrina Tour

In 2005, flooding from Hurricane Katrina decimated parts of the city. Years later, and New Orleans still hasn’t fully recovered. The best way to really take in the reality of this storm is to take a quality Hurricane Katrina Tour.

A good tour will go beyond disaster voyeurism and give you a real look at what led to the destruction and how New Orleans continues to rebuild.

You’ll see key sites like the Ninth Ward, Lakeview, Gentilly, St. Bernard, high watermarks at the levee breach sites, and the Hurricane Katrina Memorial.

Book your Hurricane Katrina Tour here.

15. Boat on Lake Pontchartrain

Lake Ponchartrain at sunset, New Orleans, Louisiana
Lake Ponchartrain Sunset by Rick Berg (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr

Locals love to go boating and fishing on Lake Pontchartrain. When the weather is nice, you can find sailboats and motorboats lining the horizon.

You can book a pleasure cruise or take your own boat out. From the lake, you’ll get great views of Causeway Bridge, the longest bridge over water in the world.

16. Book a New Orleans Photoshoot with Flytographer

Couples Photoshoot in New Orleans, Louisiana

Explore New Orleans with a fun and talented photographer, learn local tips, and capture priceless memories with photogenic backdrops. It’s a win all around!

With Flytographer, you can hire an amazing local photographer for a fun vacation photoshoot. Get wall-worthy photos that allow you to relive your trip as the perfect souvenir.

You can use my link here for $25 off your first Flytographer photoshoot.

Book your New Orleans Flytographer photoshoot here, and get $25 off your first photoshoot.

17. Use the Tinggly Bucketlist box to find top experiences in New Orleans

Tinggly Bucketlist box

Valentine’s Day Sale: Get 20% off all experience gift boxes using code PaigeMTG from February 3, 2025 through February 17, 2025.

Treat yourself to an unforgettable adventure in New Orleans with the Tinggly Bucketlist box.

Tinggly boxes are essentially gift vouchers for experiences all around the world. But you can give yourself the gift of adventure, too. Especially because Tinggly has some New Orleans experiences you can’t find anywhere else!

With the Bucketlist box, you can treat yourself to unique New Orleans experiences like a New Orleans History of Drinking Cocktail Tour or an Airboat Swamp Tour.

Get yourself the Bucketlist box here, or check out other New Orleans experiences from Tinggly here.

Save on New Orleans’s Top Attractions

Want to save big on New Orleans’s top attractions? You’ve got two great options:

  • Go City New Orleans PassSave up to 50% on the cost of entrance tickets to 25+ museums, tours, and attractions all around the city
  • New Orleans Sightseeing Pass — Save up to 50% on 45+ attractions and tours, plus additional discounts and offers on shopping and dining

Visit bucket list attractions, enjoy top tours, and discover hidden gems handpicked by local experts. With one of these passes, you’ll have everything you need right on your phone.

Get your Go City new Orleans pass here, or get your New Orleans Sightseeing Pass here.

Best Things to Do in New Orleans Map

Ready to explore all these top things to do in New Orleans? Use the map below to plan out your trip!

I hope you have a great time discovering all that NOLA has to offer!

Top New Orleans Tours

With so much to see, New Orleans can be overwhelming for any first-time visitor. Take some of the stress out of planning your visit with a guided tour! Check out these top New Orleans tours to make the most of your visit.

Where to Stay in New Orleans

More Louisiana Travel Tips


Ready to visit New Orleans, Louisiana? Plan your trip with these tips.


Cheers!

Paige

17 Can't-Miss Things To Do in New Orleans, Louisiana

What are your favorite things to do in New Orleans? Let me know in the comments below!

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8 Comments

    1. It’s such a fun city, I would love to visit again sometime. I highly recommend the Faulkner Bookstore if you love literature!

  1. Being born & raised in New Orleans I am always a bit critical of what people say is can’t miss here in my home but you got some awesome Ideas! I love that you included the Faulkner House to this list! It is one of my favorite places to take people who love literature down Pirate’s Alley!

    1. Oh I’m so glad to have a local’s approval! I totally get it, I’m the same way with Huntsville and Atlanta posts lol! The Faulkner House was recommended by one of my writing professors in college, otherwise I would never have known about it! It’s such a great place for literature lovers

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