Gathering the gems worth your time…
Destination guide
New Orleans
United States
Way down yonder in New Orleans (French: La Nouvelle-Orléans), you'll find the roots of jazz and a blossoming culture that is unlike anything else on Earth. Here, the laid-back atmosphere of the riverfront South has mixed with French sophistication, Spanish style, and African-American energy to create something greater…
Introduction quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Sources gathered & checked 2 days ago
At a glance
- Best time to go
- October–April
- Getting around
- With a car · Without a car · Knowing which way is up
- Vetted picks
- 30 places — 1 backed by 3+ independent sources
- Real coverage
- 14 vetted creator sources
AI insights
Computed from the Wikivoyage listings, transport section and YouTube view counts on this page
City Park is named by 2 of the travel videos we checked — the clearest signal we have that they are worth your time.
The most-viewed guide here is "How to Experience New Orleans Like a Local | Internet vs Expert | Condé Nast Traveler" by Condé Nast Traveler (138K views) — a solid first watch.
Condé Nast Traveler is a creator from here, not a visiting channel — worth watching for what the guidebooks skip.
Getting around: with a car, without a car, knowing which way is up — the section below has the details straight from Wikivoyage.
10 of the places below list a real price from their own source — worth a scan before you budget the trip.
How these 30 picks are sourced
7 of 30 are named by a second, independent source — James Beard Foundation, Lonely Planet and Eat See TV, and 3 others — and each card names its own. The remaining 23 rest on the reference article alone: we list them because Wikivoyage or Wikipedia documents them, not because anyone else vouched for them. We also watched 14 creator videos, 1 of them from local channels rather than visiting ones. 23 of the 30 descriptions are quoted word for word from Wikivoyage under CC BY-SA rather than written by us, as is the introduction above — each of those cards says so. What we add is the checking, the corroboration above, and the choice of which places are worth your time at all.What we can't promise is that it's still true. Venues close, hours and prices change, and we don't re-check them — a place here closed for good and sat on this page for a year before anyone noticed. The insights are AI-written from these sources and can be wrong too. Confirm anything you'd be sorry to be wrong about before you set out. Terms.
Watch first
Ranked by views and how well each landed with the people who watched it, judged against the other coverage of this place — plus a local creator where we found one.
How to Experience New Orleans Like a Local | Internet vs Expert | Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler · 138K viewsLocal
New Orleans - HUGE FOOD TOUR!! Green Oysters, Mufuletta, Jambalaya, + Po’boys!!
Mark Wiens · 3.3M viewsFood
36 Giant Oysters - INSANE FIRE BUTTER BATH!! 🔥🦪 Best Food in New Orleans!!
Mark Wiens · 2.6M viewsFood
5 Mega SANDWICHES in One Day!! 🥖🦐 Best NEW ORLEANS PO'BOYS You Have To Try!!
Mark Wiens · 2.3M viewsFood
The History of Gumbo in New Orleans
Tasting History with Max Miller · 1.1M viewsFood
TOP 10 Things to do in NEW ORLEANS | NOLA Travel Guide 4K
Hungry Passport · 1.3M views
How New Orleans’ Best Gumbo is Made | Made to Order | Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit · 680K viewsFood
Finding The Best Po'Boys In New Orleans | Food Tours | Insider Food
Insider Food · 739K viewsFood
3 Days in New Orleans—Best Things To Do, Eat, + See (Travel Guide)
Eat See TV · 356K views
BEST Things to do in New Orleans | Nola Travel Guide
Travel OOO · 93K views
Top 10 BEST Things To Do In New Orleans | NOLA Travel Guide
Sammy and Tommy · 64K views
NEW ORLEANS Vlog + Travel Guide (Best of NOLA!)
The Evergreens · 40K views
12 AMAZING Things to do in New Orleans // New Orleans Travel Guide
Stuart Brazell · 45K views
15 Things to do in New Orleans, Louisiana! | Where to Stay & What to do in New Orleans Travel Guide
Ashley and Christian · 16K views
Best time to go
Best window: October–April
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
IdealGoodOkayOff-season
Rated from ten years of daily temperature and rainfall recorded at this destination, via Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis. Hover a month for its real numbers.
Getting around
With a car
Be alert that the streets of much of the city were laid out before the automobile, especially in the older parts of town of most interest to visitors. There are many one way streets.
Without a car
Those staying in or near the French Quarter can easily get around by foot, with optional occasional trips by streetcar, bus, or cab if they wish to visit other parts of town.
Knowing which way is up
The older neighborhoods of the city, (which comprise nearly 45% of the city), were laid out along the banks of the Mississippi River.
Transport notes from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to see
Places are listed from Wikivoyage and our own sourced research. Worth it means a second, independent source names the place too; “3 sources agree” means three or more do — and each card names them, so you can check. Single source means the opposite, said plainly: the reference article lists it and nothing else we checked does.
French Quarter
4 sources agreeAlso recommended by Lonely Planet and 3 others
Stopped here on camera: Hungry Passport
The historic core's Spanish and French colonial architecture and wrought-iron balconies.
Vetted sources
City Park
Worth itAlso recommended by Hungry Passport and 1 other
Stopped here on camera: Eat See TV, Hungry Passport
The large park has winding lanes through old trees for walking or driving through, and includes such attractions as an outdoor sculpture garden, a botanical garden.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Saint Augustine Church
Single sourceat corner of Henriette Delille Street, formerly St. Claude Street
This famous church founded at the start of the nineteenth century by "free people of color" is famous in local African-American history.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
House of Dance and Feathers
Single source1317 Tupelo St
1317 Tupelo Street. Small museum dedicated to local Mardi Gras Indians and Second Line culture. Curator Ronald W. Lewis has interesting stories. Open by appointment only; contact in advance.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
William Frantz Elementary School Building
Single sourceBetween Pauline and Alvar Streets
One of the iconic images of the American Civil Rights Movement era is of the brave little Black girl Ruby Bridges walking into school while crowds of furious White segregationists yelled bile, some of…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Metairie Cemetery
Single sourceon Metairie Road up from City Park
This cemetery is just outside of Mid-City by most definitions, but is only a short drive from this neighborhood or a 5 minute walk from the end of the "Cemeteries" branch of the Canal…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
St Roch Cemeteries
Single source1725 St Roch Ave
Perhaps the most famous historic site in the area, although comparatively little known to visitors.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
What to do
Frenchmen Street
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet and 1 other
A concentration of live jazz clubs favored by locals over the touristier Bourbon Street.
Vetted sources
New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Single sourceAlso known as Jazz Fest. Held the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May every year at the New Orleans Fairgrounds, F-Su 11AM-7PM. It is second only to Mardi Gras for…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Palm Court Jazz Cafe
Single source1204 Decatur St
Those who prefer their old style New Orleans jazz in a somewhat more upscale atmosphere where dinner and drinks are served should be sure to visit this place in the lower Quarter.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Street entertainers
Single sourcePerforming for tips from tourists, varying greatly in talent.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Carriage rides
Single sourceMule-drawn carriages have driven tourists around the Quarter since the gasoline rationing of the 1940s.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Vaughan's Lounge
Single sourceCorner of Lessesps, a block up from Poland Avenue
Bywater's most famous music venue. Thursday nights when righteous-trumpter/bandleader Kermit Ruffins is in town, he and his BBQ swingers play here; Thursday with Kermit as Vaughan's is a New Orleans favorite.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Walking tours
Single sourcePlentiful but often pricey. Most per person, but there are a couple of good, free walking tours. Or you can simply walk and see all of the landmarks since most are labeled and you can go in and read about it yourself.
Vetted sources
What to eat
Commander's Palace
Worth itAlso recommended by James Beard Foundation and 1 other
Haute Creole cooking in a Garden District mansion, the training ground for chefs Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme.
Vetted sources
Cochon
Worth itAlso recommended by James Beard Foundation and 1 other
Cajun charcuterie and wood-fired boudin from chef Donald Link.
Vetted sources
Cafe du Monde
Worth itAlso recommended by Lonely Planet and 1 other
Beignets and chicory coffee served 24 hours at the French Market since 1862.
Vetted sources
Galatoire's
Worth itAlso recommended by James Beard Foundation
Turtle soup and fried oysters served in a French Quarter dining room open since 1905.
Vetted sources
Willie Mae's
Single source2401 Saint Ann St· Moderate
The sign above the front door says "Willie Mae's Restaurant", but everyone calls it "Willie Mae's Scotch House" — no, not Scotch food; the name is from when the place started out as a…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Antoine's
Single sourcebetween Bourbon and Royal Sts
Antoine's lays claim to being the oldest same family owned restaurant in the country.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Bar Redux
Single sourcePoland Ave at Dauphine St
Bar Redux is an off the beaten track hidden at the end of the world in the Bywater area of New Orleans.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Dooky Chase
Single source2301 Orleans Ave· Moderate
Dooky Chase is right up there with Willy Mae's below, vying for the status of most famous soul food restaurant in the city.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Napoleon House
Single sourceat St Louis St
The place to go if you like the thought of good drinks in a more than 200-year-old building whose owners are proud that the interior hasn't been repainted since World War I, with classical…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Wing Shack
Single source759 N Claiborne Ave· Cheap
The name sums it up well, although its misspelled all over the place as "Wing Snack"--the sign, the menu--the owner hasn't bothered to change it back, and it's not like that's a bad name…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Where to stay
Degas House
Single source2306 Esplanade Ave· Expensive
This is Edgar Degas' house. Yes, you can stay in his house (or visit on a tour by appointment), and it's a lovely place to stay. Each room has a copy of Degas in…
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Empress Hotel
Single source1317 Ursulines Ave· Pricey
If you want a dirt cheap option within blocks of the French Quarter, well, this is that.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Suite Jazz
Single source526 Frenchmen St
Circa 1861, the building has typical high ceilings, chandeliers, hardwood floors, Cable TV, WIFI Internet Access, Central Air, a fully stocked kitchen and more!
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Rathbone Inn
Single source1227 and 1244 Esplanade Ave· Expensive
Consisting of two next door mansions dating back to the 1840s, this is the Esplanade option closest to the Quarter and Marigny.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Auberge NOLA
Single sourceat Euterpe St· Pricey
Hostel offers mixed dorms, female-only dorms, and one private apartment with its own bathroom and kitchen.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
River House New Orleans
Single sourcenear Washington Square park· Expensive
Three-story antebellum guest house with separate apartments on each floor.
Description quoted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA
Vetted sources
Build your day
Pick the places you want in New Orleans, United States and we will put them on a map in an order that does not cross the city twice.
Where to next
More of United States we’ve vetted — nothing else is close by.
- New YorkThe country's densest concentration of world-class restaurants, museums, and Broadway theater.
- Grand CanyonA mile-deep gorge carved by the Colorado River, among the most dramatic landscapes on Earth.
- San FranciscoSteep hills, the Golden Gate Bridge, and a food scene anchored by Chinatown and the Ferry Building Marketplace.
- Los AngelesHollywood, beach towns from Venice to Malibu, and one of the country's most diverse food scenes.
- Las VegasCasino resorts, celebrity-chef restaurants, and nonstop entertainment on the Strip.
- YellowstoneThe world's first national park, with Old Faithful's geysers and free-roaming bison herds.
Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.