Stand on the pedestrian ferry from the foot of Canal Street as it crosses the Mississippi, and the whole city rearranges itself behind you: the French Quarter skyline, the downtown towers, and the curve of the river that gave New Orleans one of its nicknames. That crossing costs a couple of dollars and takes minutes, and it is as good an introduction as any to a city built on water, music and food.
New Orleans suits travellers who plan around eating, listening and walking rather than ticking off monuments. The historic heart is compact, the streetcar lines reach the garden districts, and much of the best of the city is simply the architecture and the street life of its neighbourhoods.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, drawn from the neighbourhoods and listings below, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in New Orleans
1. Stroll the historic neighbourhoods
The French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny, Faubourg Tremé, Bywater, Esplanade Ridge, Uptown, Algiers Point and Carrollton each reward an unhurried walk, looking at the architecture and businesses and watching the people. The French Quarter holds ornate colonial French and Spanish Creole buildings, while Uptown is where you find Victorian mansions.
Pair a Quarter walk with the riverfront, and save Uptown for the same outing as the streetcar, which runs you through the historic architecture on the way.
2. Ride the streetcars
The St. Charles Avenue line, served by the green cars, is the oldest continuously operating streetcar in the United States, and the Canal Street route also makes a pleasant ride. For children from cities without trams, the ride itself is the attraction, while adults get the scenery and the architecture.
Use the St. Charles line to combine a ride with an Uptown stroll; the Canal Street route is the practical one if you are heading toward the cemeteries and Mid-City.
3. Take a riverboat or ferry on the Mississippi
Riverboat cruises range from short hops to longer trips, and some carry quite good jazz bands on board, letting you take in New Orleans food, music and the river in one go. The Steamboat Natchez runs a two-hour cruise on a steam-powered paddlewheel boat with live narration of the port's history, and the Creole Queen is a diesel-powered paddlewheel boat whose daytime run includes a shore excursion at the battlefield with a guided tour and talk by National Park Rangers.
If you want the view without the ticket price, take the pedestrian ferry from the foot of Canal Street across to Algiers Point and back. The 24-hour RTA Jazzy day pass is worth considering if you plan to make the round trip.
4. See the Cities of the Dead
The historic cemeteries are found in the Uptown, Tremé and Mid-City areas. In St. Louis Cemetery #1 in Tremé you can find the Tomb of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
Combine a cemetery visit with a walking tour, since Voodoo and jazz history tours are among the guided options in the city.
5. Visit the museums
The National World War II Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Aquarium of the Americas are all in the Central Business District. In Mid-City you have the New Orleans Museum of Art, and in the French Quarter the Cabildo and Presbytère history museums, the Old Mint and several house museums.
The Lower Ninth Ward Museum covers the history of a neighbourhood that suffered some of the worst damage from Hurricane Katrina. If you are visiting with children, the Louisiana Children's Museum in Mid-City is the family option.
6. Spend time in City Park and Mid-City
City Park is home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, and within the park you also find Storyland Amusement Park and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park. This makes Mid-City an easy half-day for families.
Pair the park with the Canal Street streetcar, which connects this area to the rest of the city.
7. Go to Mardi Gras World
Mardi Gras World, at the edge of the Central Business District, is where the Mardi Gras floats are made, and it holds thousands of sculptured props and giant figures. It is a way to get the Mardi Gras spirit at any time of year.
It sits close to the Central Business District museums, so it fits naturally into the same day.
8. See St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral holds regular celebrations of the Catholic Mass. It is one of the landmarks a mule-drawn carriage ride passes, along with Bourbon Street, Jackson Square and the Mississippi.
Time a visit around a Mass if you want to see the cathedral in use rather than simply from the square outside.
9. Take a guided walking or bicycle tour
Walking tours cover Voodoo, jazz history, the French Quarter and the Garden District, and bicycle tours cover history, architecture or hurricane damage. These are a straightforward way to cover ground you would otherwise walk past without context.
Choose a theme that matches the neighbourhood you are already spending the day in, so the tour does the work of orienting you.
10. Ride in a mule-drawn carriage
Carriage rides tour the French Quarter, with Garden District tours also available. The mule-drawn carriages pass many of the city's landmarks, including Bourbon Street, Jackson Square and the Mississippi.
This works well as an evening activity after a day of walking, when you want to sit down but keep seeing the city.
11. Shop for antiques on Royal Street or Magazine Street
Antique shopping runs up and down Royal Street in the Quarter and along Magazine Street Uptown. Both streets are worth walking even if you are not buying.
Royal Street fits into a French Quarter day; Magazine Street pairs with the Uptown architecture and the St. Charles streetcar.
12. Take a cooking class
Cooking classes demonstrate a four-course meal, taught by chefs who cover the secrets of Creole and Cajun cooking, so you can reproduce the food at home.
Book this early in your trip if you want the techniques to inform what you order for the rest of your stay.
13. See the Superdome and Smoothie King Center
Both are in the Central Business District, alongside the Aquarium and the museum cluster. Even without an event ticket, they are part of the downtown landscape.
Fold them into a Central Business District day that already includes the National World War II Museum and Mardi Gras World.
14. Visit the Audubon Zoo
The Audubon Zoo is in the Audubon and University District, and the Mississippi River views from the zoo's "Butterfly" park Uptown are among the best in the city. An Aquarium-Zoo Cruise riverboat package connects the Aquarium of the Americas with the zoo.
If you are travelling with children, the zoo and the Aquarium of the Americas make a natural pair.
15. Time your visit to Mardi Gras
The two weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday are usually a period of celebration in the city, with parades and parties throughout. If you are in New Orleans then, the celebration is the main event rather than a side trip.
If you are not, Mardi Gras World gives you the floats and figures without the crowds.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start with a stroll through the French Quarter, looking at the colonial French and Spanish Creole architecture, and stop at St. Louis Cathedral. Then walk to the foot of Canal Street and take the pedestrian ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers Point and back for the view of the river, downtown and the Quarter.
Afternoon: Cross into the Central Business District for the National World War II Museum and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, then continue to Mardi Gras World to see where the floats are made. If you would rather be on the water, take the Steamboat Natchez daytime cruise instead, which departs from the Toulouse Street Wharf behind Jax Brewery.
Evening: Return to the French Quarter for a mule-drawn carriage ride past Bourbon Street, Jackson Square and the Mississippi, or take the Creole Queen evening cruise with its jazz band. If you have energy left, the antique shops along Royal Street are worth a last walk.
Frequently asked questions
When is Mardi Gras in New Orleans?
The two weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday are usually a period of celebration in the city, with parades and parties throughout. If you visit outside that window, Mardi Gras World shows you the floats and figures year-round.
What is the cheapest way to get out on the Mississippi?
Take the pedestrian ferry from the foot of Canal Street across to Algiers Point and back. It gives you a view of the river, downtown and the Quarter, and the 24-hour RTA Jazzy day pass is worth considering if you plan to make the round trip.
Where can I see historic cemeteries?
The historic cemeteries are in the Uptown, Tremé and Mid-City areas. St. Louis Cemetery #1 in Tremé holds the Tomb of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
Which museums should I prioritise?
In the Central Business District you have the National World War II Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Aquarium of the Americas. Mid-City has the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the French Quarter has the Cabildo and Presbytère history museums, the Old Mint and several house museums. The Lower Ninth Ward Museum covers that neighbourhood's history.
Decide which neighbourhood you want to wake up in, check whether your dates fall near Mardi Gras, and start building your days around the streetcar lines and the river.