New Orleans: Where Jazz Spilled Into the Streets and Never Left
New Orleans doesn't feel like the rest of the country — it feels like the Caribbean, France and the American South collided and decided to keep the best of each. Brass bands rehearse on street corners, funerals turn into parades, and dinner is treated as a civic duty. This is a city built on a river bend, sinking slowly, and utterly unbothered by that fact.
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✈ Plan Your Trip →Sights
French Quarter
The historic core of the city, with wrought-iron balconies, Jackson Square and the constant hum of music drifting out of open doorways.
St. Louis Cathedral
The oldest continuously active cathedral in the US, anchoring Jackson Square with its distinctive triple spires.
Frenchmen Street
A few blocks in Faubourg Marigny packed with live music clubs where locals actually go, away from the Bourbon Street crowds.
Garden District
Oak-lined streets of antebellum mansions, best explored on foot or via the St. Charles streetcar line.
National WWII Museum
A vast, genuinely world-class museum covering the American role in the war, with immersive exhibits and a real submarine and aircraft.
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Above-ground tombs stacked in rows, a stark reminder of the city's relationship with water and death, right in the Garden District.
City Park
Larger than Central Park, home to ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss and the New Orleans Museum of Art.
A Sample Day
What to Eat
Creole and Cajun traditions overlap here, and the city treats a good roux with more reverence than most treat scripture.
February to May brings Mardi Gras, mild temperatures and Jazz Fest without the brutal summer humidity; October and November are a quieter, equally pleasant alternative.
The French Quarter, Marigny and Garden District are best explored on foot, while the St. Charles Avenue streetcar (the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world) connects Downtown to Uptown cheaply and scenically.
Skip Bourbon Street after dark and head to Frenchmen Street instead — the music is better, the drinks are cheaper, and it's where working musicians actually play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Orleans safe for tourists?+
The French Quarter, Garden District and Frenchmen Street are generally safe with normal precautions, but it's best to avoid wandering into unfamiliar residential areas alone at night and to take a cab or rideshare after dark outside busy tourist zones.
How many days do you need in New Orleans?+
Three to four days is enough to cover the French Quarter, Garden District, a swamp or plantation day trip, and a couple of nights of live music without rushing.
Is Mardi Gras worth visiting for, or is it too crowded?+
It's worth it if you enjoy dense crowds and parade culture, but hotel prices spike heavily and rooms sell out months ahead; if you prefer a calmer trip, Jazz Fest in late April or a quiet visit in November are better options.
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