Most people assume New Orleans is just for people to get drunk on Bourbon Street, or only to visit during Mardi Gras, but New Orleans has so much more to offer than that!
I am kind of picky when it comes to what we do when we only have a short amount of time in a city. I do as much research as possible before going and ask the locals what they like to do.
So, after intensive research, these are the best things we personally found to do in no particular order. Pull up your Google Maps and start flagging our favorite places.
1. Take a Cocktail Tour
Cost: $60 USD per person
Hands down this is my favorite thing to do in New Orleans. Drink and Learn offers a walking history tour of the French Quarter. Sounds like every other tour right? Wrong. They also provide a bag of booze to bring along with you!
Elizabeth from Drink and Learn is the owner and operator of this super fun tour company. She managed to corral us through the streets, taught us about the history of sugar, described each drink we had in our bag, all the while teaching us fun and interesting facts about the area.
This is NOT a bar crawl, it’s a history tour with alcohol included. You MUST do this on your next trip to New Orleans. Seriously this was the highlight of our trip!
2. Tour a cemetery
Cost: Free
You have two options to see a cemetery: Pay $20 for a guided tour through St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 OR you can do a self-guided tour for free at Lafayette Cemetery No. 1.
As we like to save money, we choose the free option every time. You can find a detailed self-guided tour from Free Tours by Foot HERE. The online guide will walk you through the cemetery and point out interesting facts.
Here you can see that the owners never used this grave and left it open for us to see what the inside of the tomb looks like.
3. Eat Grilled Oysters
Cost: $15 for ½ dozen
There is a lot of debate on who serves the best-grilled oysters. You have a bunch of options, but the top three I have found are Acme, Drago’s, and Felix’s.
Located near Bourbon Street, Acme will usually have a line, but right across the street is Felix’s, and the oysters tasted very similar.
Acme is a tourist destination with the décor, but Felix’s has a rear seating area that looks like a school cafeteria. Drago’s is more upscale and located closer to the river.
4. Listen to Jazz Like They Did in the 1800’s
Cost: $25 or $50 for a reserved seat
There is no shortage of places to hear live jazz bands in New Orleans, but the one we highly suggest seeing is the band at Preservation Hall.
The hall was built in 1803 and the proceeds from ticket sales go towards the preservation of jazz music in the city.
The room is very small and offers wooden benches to sit on some floor seating, and a standing-room area. There is no air con, bathroom, or bar, but trust us, you will NOT be disappointed.
- Get in line 30-45 minutes before the showtime, you do not need to buy tickets in advance unless you want to be guaranteed a seat.
- Cash only at the door.
- Bring something to drink (alcohol is allowed in plastic or cans).
- The show lasts 45 minutes.
5. Get a Meal at Commander’s Palace
Cost: For dinner, an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and one drink is $200 per person
Some people say the food in New Orleans is the best in the world, and others like Gina say that it was nothing to write home about. Except for Commander’s Palace which opened in 1880. Known for its pricey dinner menu, the food and service are always excellent.
Be sure to make reservations in advance as it is booked out all year long. If you are on a budget, they do offer $0.25 martinis during weekday lunches, with the purchase of an entrée.
6. Eat a Beignet
Cost: $3 for 3
But not just any beignet, of course, you need to have one from Café Du Monde. For a tourist trap that has been in business since 1862, this location has the best beignets in town. We have yet to find one better!
You can also see how the beignets are made and the giant pile of powdered sugar they coat them in.
7. Chill out with the Locals on Frenchmen Street
Cost: Free to enter most bars, they start to charge a cover later in the night
Frenchmen Street is located 10 minutes walking distance away from Bourbon Street. The vibe is relaxed and they have live jazz in almost every bar.
The street is small enough that you can hit up every spot in one night. One place not to miss is the Blue Nile, they do charge a cover on some nights, however.
8. Survive Drinking a Monsoon
Cost: $15 monsoon ($8 for a smaller version), $15 meals
Located a few steps away from Frenchmen Street, Port of Call serves up a sweet drink called a Monsoon. This drink is an old recipe used frequently as a last request by pirates condemned to walk the plank.
Opened in 1963 this local spot serves up simple meals with a casual atmosphere. If you want to soak up some of that monsoon, the burger and baked potato are the way to go.
9. Visit a Museum
Cost: $7 – $30, depending on the museum
Raining and stuck indoors? Then head to a museum to beat the finicky Louisiana weather.
You have a lot of options like Mardi Gras World (opens after 4 pm), the National WWII Museum (open daily) or check out the list of museums HERE (some are closed on Mondays).
I enjoyed the WWII museum as it took a few hours to walk through. It’s on the expensive side, with $35 for entry and then you need to pay for “upgrades”, like to enter the submarine is an extra $5, but on a stormy day, it’s a perfect way to kill some time.
10. Chow Down on Some Fried Chicken
Cost: $10 for 3 pieces of chicken
But not just any fried chicken, you need to go to Willie Mae’s. Be prepared to wait in line, but we found if you go late in the day before they close it will have the shortest line. They are only open from 10 am -4 pm but the wait is worth it.
The chicken is moist and the skin is crispy. You can tell that a lot of love is put into the food here. The red beans were some of the best we have had in New Orleans as well.
Update: there was a fire at the New Orleans location and the re-opening is TBD, but you can still get their fried chicken in Los Angeles.
Another amazing option is Dooky Chase’s. This restaurant opened its doors for business in 1941. What was initially a sandwich shop and lottery ticket outlet in 1939 blossomed into a thriving bar and later a respected family restaurant.
In addition to the fried chicken, definitely order the Crawfish Etoufee!
11. Visit the Oldest Bar in the United States
Cost: Free to enter, beer $9, cocktails $15
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is the oldest structure in the United States still used as a bar and was constructed between 1722 and 1732.
The oldest bar in New Orleans bar has since been updated with restroom facilities and pre-made frozen drink machines. But you can still imagine what is like to pull up to the bar in your horse and carriage in the 1700s and have a cold one in this historical lounge.
12. Try Gumbo, Etouffee and Red Beans and Rice in one seating
Cost: $23 for a sampler platter
Shockingly the best meal I had was located on Bourbon Street in a place called Old N’awlins Cookery.
The plate full of Gumbo, Crawfish Etouffee, Red Beans, Rice, and a smoked sausage was perfect. It was better than my meal at Emeril’s Nola… but don’t tell her friends she said that!
Maybe it was the rainy weather that day and it was slow in the kitchen, but the chef turned out a mean sampler platter.
13. Take a Swamp Tour
Cost: $60 per person
Now granted this tour is located 45 minutes outside of New Orleans, however, this was the second-best experience we had. Cajun Encounters offers four boat tours a day and provides transportation to and from the swamp.
The boat is covered, so you can even enjoy the tour in the rain. The guides are super fun and keep you entertained. You will see how people live in the swamp, learn about the wildlife, and even feed a few alligators and pigs!
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