New Orleans

Creole institutions, Frenchmen Street jazz, and oak-lined streetcar rides — our local guide to eating, exploring, and staying in New Orleans.

Browse New Orleans

Find hotels in New Orleans Book tours & experiences

New Orleans is one of the most rewarding US cities to explore, and this local guide brings together the best things to do, where to eat and where to stay in one place. Highlights include the French Quarter, the live jazz of Frenchmen Street and a ride on the historic St. Charles Avenue streetcar, with Creole cooking and festival spirit year-round. Below you will find a set of hand-picked local recommendations across sights, restaurants, hotels and tours, which you can filter by category and budget to plan the perfect trip, whether you have a weekend or a week.

New Orleans at a glance

Ideal stay: 3 days
Best time to visit: February to May
Highlights: the French Quarter and Frenchmen Street
Where to stay: the French Quarter or the Garden District
Local picks: hand-chosen recommendations
Getting around: walkable Quarter, plus historic streetcars

Where to stay in New Orleans

Compare live hotel prices and availability on the map. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Treme

Backstreet Cultural Museum

Why it matters: This small Treme museum documents the living Black cultural traditions of New Orleans, from Mardi Gras Indian suits and second-line parades to jazz funerals, much of it collected by fo

Central City

Cafe Reconcile

Why it matters: Cafe Reconcile is a nonprofit that trains young people from underserved neighborhoods in restaurant and hospitality work, with your lunch tab supporting the program. The food is honest

★ 4.7

Honey Island Swamp

Cajun Encounters Swamp Tour

For a taste of the wild wetlands outside the city, Cajun Encounters runs boat tours through the Honey Island Swamp, one of the least-altered river swamps in the country. Expect alligators, herons, tur

Uptown

Casamento’s Restaurant

Open since 1919 and still run by the founding family, Casamento’s is a tiled, old-school oyster house on Magazine Street. Sit at the marble bar for freshly shucked oysters or order the oyster loaf, fr

★ 4.4

Garden District

Commander’s Palace

The grand dame of Garden District dining, Commander’s Palace has served polished Creole cuisine from its turquoise Victorian since 1893 and launched chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme. Come

★ 4.6

Marigny

Confederacy of Cruisers Bike Tours

Running out of the Marigny, this outfit leads relaxed bike tours on cruiser bikes along the flat back streets, well off the tourist crush. The signature Creole New Orleans ride covers the Marigny, Byw

Uptown / citywide

Crescent City Farmers Market

Why it matters: Run by the nonprofit Market Umbrella, these markets connect small regional farmers, fishers and food makers directly with the community and support local food access programs. Rotating

Bywater

Crescent Park

This riverfront park stretches along the Mississippi through the Bywater and Marigny, offering some of the best unobstructed skyline and river views in the city. Locals come to jog, walk dogs and watc

Uptown

Dirty Coast

A homegrown shop selling t-shirts, prints and gifts designed around New Orleans in-jokes, neighborhoods and local pride. It is where locals buy shirts like the famous ‘Be a New Orleanian, Wherever You

French Quarter

Doctor Gumbo Food Tours

Doctor Gumbo runs walking food tours that thread French Quarter history together with tastings of local staples like gumbo, jambalaya, muffulettas and beignets. Guides keep groups small and the storyt

Treme

Dooky Chase’s Restaurant

Why it matters: This is one of the country’s most storied Black-owned restaurants, opened in 1941 and shaped for decades by Leah Chase, who fed civil rights leaders in the upstairs room when few other

★ 4.4

Bywater

Euclid Records

A two-story independent record store in the Bywater with deep bins of new and used vinyl, strong on local New Orleans jazz, funk and R&B. Crate-diggers can lose an afternoon here, and the shop hosts o

French Quarter

Faulkner House Books

Tucked into Pirate’s Alley in the building where William Faulkner once lived and wrote, this tiny independent bookstore is a treasure for lovers of literature. It specializes in fine editions, Souther

French Quarter

Hotel Monteleone

A French Quarter fixture since 1886, the Monteleone has been owned by five generations of the same family, a rarity among grand hotels. Its famous Carousel Bar slowly revolves as you sip, and the lite

Marigny

Hotel Peter and Paul

Set in a restored 19th-century church, schoolhouse, rectory and convent in the Marigny, Hotel Peter and Paul is one of the city’s most atmospheric boutique stays. Rooms are individually styled with an

French Quarter

Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral

The heart of the French Quarter, Jackson Square is a landscaped park framed by the triple-spired St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest continuously operating Catholic cathedral in the U.S. Around the fenced

Carrollton

Maple Leaf Bar

A pressed-tin-ceilinged neighborhood music bar on Oak Street, the Maple Leaf is best known for the Rebirth Brass Band’s raucous late-night Tuesday residency, a New Orleans rite of passage. The rest of

Riverfront

Mardi Gras World

This is the working warehouse of Kern Studios, which builds many of the giant floats you see roll during Carnival. Guided tours take you among towering sculptures and half-finished floats, with a look

Before you go

Things we recommend sorting before any trip. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Travel medical insuranceSafetyWing's Nomad Insurance works like a subscription: pay by the month, cover in most countries worldwide, and you can sign up even after your trip has started.Check prices on SafetyWing

Data the moment you landAn Airalo eSIM gets your phone online in 200+ destinations before you even leave the airport - no SIM swap, no surprise roaming bill. Use code UNLIMITED4YOU for 15% off your first Unlimited eSIM (through Sept 30, 2026).Get an eSIM on Airalo

Book your trip to New Orleans

Find the best hotels and book tours and experiences, all in one place.

Find hotels in New Orleans Book tours and experiences

New Orleans travel FAQ

How many days do you need in New Orleans?

Around three days is enough to explore the French Quarter, hear live jazz and take in the Garden District at a relaxed pace.

Where is the best area to stay in New Orleans?

The French Quarter keeps you in the middle of the action, while the Garden District offers a quieter, tree-lined base on the streetcar line.

What are the best things to do in New Orleans?

Browse the local picks above, from the French Quarter and Frenchmen Street jazz to Creole restaurants and where to stay.

What is the best time to visit New Orleans?

February to May brings mild weather and the city’s biggest celebrations, though New Orleans is worth visiting year-round.