How to Spend a Weekend in New Orleans

New Orleans is such a unique city and has been on my bucket list of places to visit for a very long time. The architecture, the food, the music, the history, NOLA really seems to have it all!

You can pack a lot of activities into a short amount of time, so if you only have a weekend in New Orleans, here are a few of the things I did (and a few I wish I did) on my recent trip that can help you plan for yours!

When To Go

First thing’s first, timing your trip to New Orleans is a pretty crucial first step as the weather can really make or break your visit.

Nearly everyone says to avoid going at the height of summer (June - August) as it will be extremely hot and very humid, not to mention, the threat of hurricanes. Not that you can’t go during this time of course, you just may need to be flexible with your plans.

Instead, the best times to visit are February - May. If you’re not interested in all the Madri Gras celebrations (and chaos) just skip February all together.

Where We Stayed

The Hotel Monteleone is a beautiful, historic hotel in the heart of the French Quarter with-in walking distance to so many must-see attractions. Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, it’s worth a visit for a drink around the famous Carousel Bar.

As this was my first time to New Orleans, I really wanted to be in the heart of it all while still avoiding the debauchery that is Bourbon Street.

How To Get Around

If you only have a short time in New Orleans and aren’t planning on venturing past the French Quarter much, I would say a rental car would be unnecessary and somewhat cumbersome.

From the Airport, unless you have other arrangements made, it’s pretty easy (albeit a bit of a wait) to get a cab. The standard price is $36 + Tip from the airport to the French Quarter, the Warehouse District and Downtown.

A ride share like Lyft or Uber on the other hand can run up to about $90 from the airport based on demand, so unless you’re in a real hurry, save yourself the extra funds for libations during your trip and just take a cab.

While in town, each spot listed later in this post are very walkable.

But if you’re wanting to venture from the French Quarter to the Garden District for example, you’ll want to hail a cab which are in steady supply or hop on the streetcar for $1.25.

If you’re feeling fancy (or maybe too lazy to walk) you can take a readily available pedal cab or book a horse-drawn carriage tour.

Explore the French Quarter

When I think of New Orleans, the picture that comes to mind has always been the French Quarter. With those classic wrought-iron balconies and jazz musicians on the street, your trip truly isn’t complete without experiencing at least some of what this district has to offer.

Jackson Square is a historic park within the French Quarter home to artists and performers of all kinds. At night, the artists pack away their wares and tarot and palm readers take their place. Also, fun fact, Jackson Square is where the final version of the Louisiana Purchase was signed!

Just past Jackson Square you’ll find the French Market where you can find everything from handmade soaps to the most classic creole dishes to eat.

Wander down Royal street for art galleries and local boutique shops. If crystals and rocks are your thing, there are no shortage of shops to choose from!

Grab Some Gumbo

The food in New Orleans is incredible, and there are so many options! I knew when I booked my trip I wanted to have at least one classic Louisiana specialty, so we headed to the Gumbo Shop for well, gumbo!

The line was well over an hour long wait, which tends to be true for most restaurants in the French Quarter on a busy weekend night. But it was totally worth it! We ordered a variety of side dishes so we could try them all, but the Gumbo was my favorite!

Experience Live Music

I was blown away by how many talented musicians there are in New Orleans. If I’m being honest, Jazz isn’t my favorite type of music but it’s impossible not to love it when you’re in the Big Easy.

On nearly every corner in the French Quarter you will find someone playing music for passers-by to enjoy, but one of my favorite things we did on our visit was to spend an evening on Frenchmen Street. There are dozens of Jazz clubs to choose from and you can easily bop around all night going from one to the next. Some of the clubs have covers, and some just require you purchase at least one drink.

If you want to experience live Jazz, but want to avoid late night shenanigans, there are tons of restaurants that offer a Jazz brunch! Most notably perhaps are The Court of Two Sisters and Commanders Palace but we had a fabulous time drinking wine and gouging ourselves on a build-your-own charcuterie board in the Jazz garden at Bacchanal Wine

Beignet All Day!

You can’t go to New Orleans without trying a beignet! Fluffy fried dough covered in powdered sugar served anytime day or night? Yes, I’ll take 3 please.

The most famous of New Orlean’s beignets are served at Cafe Du Monde near Jackson Square. This no-frills, cash only place has long lines at nearly all hours, but it does move quickly considering they only have beignets and coffee on the menu.

I also tried Cafe Beignet in the French Quarter just a stone’s throw from our hotel and I gotta say, I think I liked theirs better! If you want to try for yourself, just make sure you get there early as the line gets extremely long after about 9:30am.

NOLA Nightlife

There’s no question that New Orleans is a party town. The city comes even more alive at night with endless opportunities to listen and dance to live music, catch a burlesque show or go on a tour, you can really go all out!

If you’re looking for complete debauchery and have no plans to make it back to your room sober, Bourbon Street is the place for you. Popular for bachelor/bachelorette parties, spring breakers and people just generally wanting to get weird and let loose, the street is lined with bars, performers and late night food. It’s pretty much everything you’d expect it to be. Just be careful where you step.

If the ruckus of Bourbon Street isn’t your thing, you can check out the open air night market on Frenchman Street. There are dozens of vendors selling art, jewelry, clothing and even doing tarot readings. Learn more here!

And if you’ve had your fill of drinking and shopping, you can always catch a haunted tour! Learn about the troubled history of New Orleans as you walk through the streets and cemeteries at night. There are dozens of tour options available so you have a good chance of getting to experience one, even if you book it last minute.

Explore the Bayou

I have to admit, when I booked my trip to New Orleans, going on a swamp tour was pretty low on my list of things to do because we were short on time. But let me confirm, it was one of the coolest things we did and I am so happy that we went!

The tour we chose was about 4 hours total, which included transportation to and from the French Quarter. It actually only took abou a half hour to get out to the swamp, which was surprising to me because I figured it would be farther away from the city.

We took the classic airboat tour which was fun, fast and very loud. You are actually provided with hearing protection which was great. I think I would’ve been pretty uncomfortable without it.

You’re on the water for over an hour and half, and it was a great combination of zooming fast over the water as well as slow spots where we were able to get a great look at the gators.

Our tour guide stopped about half way through to tell us some history of the area, and so many amazing alligator facts that I would’ve never taken the time to learn about on my own. Like, did you know that alligators are color blind, and they can’t taste their food? Part of the reason the guides feed them marshmallows is because they are white, which the gators are attracted to and can easily see, and they are small enough for them to bite.

The swamp tours don’t guarantee that you will see alligators because they do hibernate in the colder months. But if you’re there in Spring - Summer, you are likely to see so many you won't know which direction to point the camera.

*Note, I recommend dressing in layers for your Swamp Tour, especially if you choose a fan boat tour. We were warm walking around the city, but going fast out on water we were all pretty chilly.

Need More Ideas?

You’d be surprised how much you can pack into one weekend in the Big Easy, so if you need even more ideas here are some things I wish I was able to do.

Explore the Garden District
Checking out the Garden District was on my to-do list for my first trip to New Orleans, but unfortunately I missed my flight and as such missed an entire day of my vacation to waiting around in airports.

The Garden district is a quieter neighborhood full of historic mansions, lavish gardens and fine dining restaurants. It’s easy to hop on the street car and get there from the French Quarter.

National WWII Museum
NOLA is home to the official WWII Museum in the United States. You could easily spend an entire day here looking at immersive exhibits and collections of artifacts. Learn more here

City Park
If you need a break from the non-stop party scene, take a stroll through City Park. It’s one of the oldest and largest parks in the Country, even bigger than Central Park in NYC. The park has many attractions including a botanical garden, a carousel & amusement park, and the Lousianna Children’s Museum.