10 Things to Do in New Orleans: A Guide to the Big Easy at Its Best

Planning a New Orleans trip? I'd love to help you put together the perfect itinerary — reach out here.

New Orleans is my favorite city to visit — and I mean that literally. It's the one place I insist on returning to every single year, ever since I first experienced its particular magic nearly a decade ago.

What makes it so singular? New Orleans is a city unlike any other in America — part French, part Acadian (yes, that's where the word Cajun comes from), part Creole, which is itself a beautiful fusion of French colonial, Caribbean, and West African influences. The food, the music, the architecture, the energy on the streets at night — none of it exists in quite the same combination anywhere else.

If you haven't been, you're missing something. Here's where I'd start. And if you're looking for just places to eat, see my post on my 25+ favorite restaurants in New Orleans.

A note on timing: The best months to visit are March and April, when the weather is still mild and crawfish season is in full swing. Mardi Gras (late February to early March) is an experience, but it's also the most crowded and expensive time of year. Jazz Fest in April and May is a genuine must for music lovers. And if you want great live music and food without the madness, French Quarter Fest — a more low-key local version — delivers everything that makes New Orleans special without the overwhelming crowds.

1. Eat Everything — Especially the Crawfish

I have a full post dedicated to where to eat in New Orleans, so I'll keep this brief — but the food alone is reason enough to visit. The non-negotiables: crawfish boils, boudin (sausage or balls), BBQ shrimp (which have nothing to do with American BBQ and everything to do with butter, garlic, and Cajun spice), gumbo, étouffée, po'boy sandwiches, and beignets. And drink some local beer while you're at it — Abita is the most famous Louisiana brewery, and some of its beers, including The Boot, are only sold in-state.

2. Take a Ghost Tour through the French Quarter

If any city in America is genuinely haunted, it's New Orleans. Between wars, fires, yellow fever epidemics, and floods, more people have died per square foot here than almost anywhere else in the country. Add in the history of voodoo, vampire lore, and the truly chilling story of Madame LaLaurie — a socialite turned alleged murderer whose mansion still stands in the French Quarter — and you have the ingredients for one of the best ghost tours anywhere. Go in the evening. It's just more fun that way. Plenty of tour companies run these nightly; pick one with good reviews on TripAdvisor.

3. Take a Tour of One of the Cemeteries

It sounds strange until you see them, and then it makes complete sense. Because New Orleans sits below sea level, traditional underground burial isn't really an option. So the city developed its distinctive above-ground tombs and mausoleums, many of which are beautifully crafted and arranged in ways that feel more like outdoor galleries than graveyards. Some draw visitors for famous residents like voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. At least one cemetery is worth visiting regardless of your interest in the subject — it's one of the most visually distinctive things about the city.

4. Spend a Day (or Two) at the World War II Museum

The National WWII Museum is consistently the top-rated tourist attraction in New Orleans on TripAdvisor — and it earns it. Designated by Congress as the official WWII Museum of the United States, it's enormous, thoughtfully curated, and genuinely immersive in a way that works for visitors of all ages. I've spent multiple full days here over the years and still haven't seen everything. Buy tickets online in advance to skip the lines, and don't miss the 4D film.

5. See Bourbon Street — In the Afternoon

Bourbon Street is one of those places where the recommendation comes with a caveat. By late evening it becomes genuinely chaotic, and pickpockets do target distracted tourists. But visiting in the afternoon is a completely different experience — and I still think it's worth doing. Have a Hand Grenade cocktail (it's a New Orleans rite of passage), duck into Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar — one of the oldest bars in America, predating the country itself — and then head to Frenchmen Street for the actual evening out.

6. Spend an Evening on Frenchmen Street

This is where locals go, and where you should go too. Two to three blocks packed with around 11 bars, nearly all with live music most nights of the week. The musical history here is real — many celebrated New Orleans musicians got their start on Frenchmen Street — and the energy is everything Bourbon Street promises but rarely delivers. It's just northeast of the French Quarter; walk north on Decatur or Chartres and you'll hit it. Plan to stay a while.

7. Wander & Shop on Royal Street

Royal Street runs parallel to Bourbon, one block toward the river — and it's the most photogenic street in the French Quarter. Art galleries, antique shops, beautifully balconied buildings, hot sauces, local crafts, and the kind of unexpected finds (rhinestone tiaras, sequin dusters, vintage chandeliers) that you only stumble into in New Orleans. Two stops worth making while you're here: the carousel bar inside Hotel Monteleone, which slowly rotates as you drink, and Café Beignet if the line isn't too long.

8. Take a Food Tour of Another Neighborhood

New Orleans rewards the curious eater, and a food tour is a great way to discover neighborhoods and dishes you might not find on your own. The Magazine Street food tour from New Orleans Secrets is the one I've done and loved — it covers the Garden District and Uptown with a guide who knows the stories behind every stop. TripAdvisor has a wide range of options across different neighborhoods. If I were booking one now, I'd also look for a Tremé food tour — the oldest African-American neighborhood in America, considered a birthplace of jazz, and deeply worth exploring.

9. Get a Tarot Card Reading

There's a long, genuine history of voodoo and mysticism in Louisiana, rooted in Creole culture and tradition — and getting a card reading is one of those only-in-New-Orleans experiences that's equal parts fascinating and fun. I've done it with a group of friends at Hex, a witchcraft store in the French Quarter that offers readings by appointment. A handful of other reputable options exist in the city. Just go in with an open and lighthearted spirit and enjoy it for what it is.

10. Go on a Swamp Tour & See the Gators

Getting out of the city for a half-day swamp or bayou tour is something I'd recommend to anyone, first-time visitor or repeat. The bayou ecosystem is extraordinary — gators, herons, cypress trees draped in Spanish moss — and a good captain will fill the whole ride with stories, jokes, and local history. You can do it by airboat, regular boat, or kayak. We chose the small adult-only boat through Cajun Encounters and had Captain Walker, who was genuinely excellent. It's a few hours well spent.

Bonus: Take a Plantation Tour

If you're in New Orleans for more than a few days or it's not your first visit, a half-day or full-day plantation tour is worth the time. It's a complicated, important, and genuinely moving part of Louisiana history — and the properties themselves are extraordinary. Browse TripAdvisor for options and look for one that includes a visit to Oak Alley, with its famous canopy of live oaks leading to the antebellum house. It's one of the most striking places in the state.

Ready to Plan Your New Orleans Trip?

Whether you're coming for the food, the music, the history, or all three — New Orleans is one of those cities that gets into your blood. As a certified travel advisor, I'd love to help you plan a trip that doesn't miss a thing. Reach out here and let's put it together.