Things to Do in New Orleans: Make the most of your trip to the Big Easy

New Orleans draws millions of visitors yearly, many of which come to experience the revelry and extravagance of Mardi Gras.

Explore the French Quarter

When most people think of New Orleans, they think of the French Quarter and the terraced homes that line it’s streets versus the colorful shotgun homes outside of the quarter. While the area is called the French Quarter, most of the homes actually employ Spanish architecture with lace-like balconies and galleries that adorn the buildings.

Some would argue that the French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans and one of the most popular sections to explore. The French Quarter is home to the major stretch of Bourbon Street, the quiet antique offerings of Royal Street, and many of the city’s most popular historic destinations (including Madame LaLaurie’s home).

There are many ways to explore the French Quarter, but I would suggest heading to the French Quarter via the Carondelet stop on the Canal Street trolley, which stops just mere blocks from both Bourbon and Royal Streets. While most would suggest getting off at Camp Street or walking down Bourbon (because of its famous reputation), the walk down Royal street is much quieter and less busy than Bourbon.

Listen to Live Jazz (and a bit of rock) on Frenchman Street

When in NOLA, do as the locals do. One of the most popular things to do in New Orleans is to visit Bourbon Street. While Bourbon Street has enough booze to tempt even the most devout baptist, Frenchman street’s unique location (about a mile off of the main strip of New Orleans) makes it a prime location for locals to escape from tourists… and let loose. On any given Saturday night, you’ll find hundreds of people flocking to experience the late-night Jazz offerings of Frenchman Street.

While we were there, Frenchman not only offered every sort of live jazz but also two lively late-night outdoor markets. Here you’ll find everything from impressionist paintings to pop culture to your next vintage jacket. Both markets are bursting at the seams with talent, so all you need is a discerning eye… and a bit of time to get your money’s worth.

Learn about Which Spirits Never Left ($29.99 USD)

One highlight of our trip was our Ghosts, Voodoo, and Vampires tour. We elected to take the 8 PM tour for the adults-only version of the tour (It costs $3 more for this option). Our tour guide, Mistress G, was funny and engaging with stories that kept you at the edge of the curb. Her spooky rendition of popular folklore, history, voodoo queens, and macabre deaths had some of us checking over our shoulders for ghosts along the way (especially once you find out about Addie Hall’s messages from beyond).

The tour requires a lot of walking. During your winding walk through the French Quarter, you’ll walk around 1.5 miles. There are plenty of walking breaks and expect to stand the whole time. The pacing included a bathroom break at a busy bar along the way for a few light refreshments. Guides suggest popular locations if you want more vampire and voodoo experiences after the tour.

Note: The adults’ only version is aptly named because of the gruesome (and naughty) content with more adult themes versus the earlier tours.

Take a Walk Through the Garden District

Arguably home to the oldest mansions in the city, the Garden district exemplifies how “old money” and the south intersect. One of the best parts about this walk is that it allows you to appreciate the architecture of New Orleans easily.

While we didn’t take a tour from any group, we followed the path of a self-guided tour that stopped in the major sites of the Garden District.

Note: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is closed until further notice because of vandalism. You can still see most of the tombs through the gates on every side of the block. Xplorit has a virtual tour in place of the traditional tour.

Stop by the French Market

The French Market is an outdoor market district in the French Quarter. Here you’ll find local souvenirs and mysterious goods sold by dozens of local vendors. The market boasts not only brick and mortar stores but also vendors who set up shop for the day. We spent about an hour here just exploring the options! There were quite a few vendors that were intriguing, including those that sold talismans and trinkets for voodoo practitioners.

The French Market is open from 10am to 5pm daily, even on holidays like Easter.

Rent a Car and Visit the Most Haunted Plantation in the South

The Myrtles Plantation is in a small town named St. Francisville. We visited for a break from the hustle and bustle of downtown New Orleans to get a feeling of the history of the darkest moments of the South. The Myrtles is a converted plantation that operates not only as a bed-and-breakfast but also has a restaurant, general store, tours, and gardens. We ate at the restaurant and it was DELICIOUS. However, the highlight of our visit was the mystery ghost tour they host nightly. The tour was a good mix of mystery, humor, and intrigue and kept everyone on their feet. The tours are SUPER affordable; it was $30 for two people taking the 1-hour tour.

Have your Palm or Destiny Read ($45 for a 15-minute reading)

You might not believe in voodoo and hoodoo, but many people flock to New Orleans to experience the mystics for themselves. New Orleans is a city of intersectionality. You’ll find devout Catholics, mystical spiritualists, and tantalizing vampires all around the city.

Due to it’s reputation as a mystical city, dozens of small shops have opened to invite visitors and locals to get a taste of the future and present or maybe contact someone from beyond the grave. The city has psychics, mediums, tarot readers, destiny guides, and even apothecaries.

One of the more popular shops, Hands of Fate NOLA was recommended by our tour guide for the Vampires and Voodoo tour. They have several readers available, including mediums, palmists, witches, alchemists, and tarot readers. My friend got a reading done and felt it applied to her life well, including the crossroads she was currently at with her life partner.

Another options is to get a destiny reading! We had one done through an AirBnb Experience with Mika. Mika uses playing cards in order to read your destiny. Each card is tied to your birth date (including year!) and the stage of life you’re currently in. These are not private readings, but by the end you’ll get a real feel for the other people in the group. We had a ton of fun and the added benefit of bubbly (and good company) was well worth the affordable price!

Go Antique Window Shopping on Royal Street

Royal Street runs parallel to Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. If you’re into art or antiques, this is the best place to visit in the city, with dozens of offerings for any afficionado. Here you’ll find anything from antique mourning jewelry to fantastical statues.

It’s so fun to go window shopping here because not only do they put their best pieces on display but also their unique. We saw gaudy diamond rings and macabre skeleton curios, next to exquisite peacocks made of gems.

Also on Royal Street, you’ll find dealers of the more gruesome variety of stores selling swords and guns from wars past.

Discover the History of New Orleans’s Oldest Cemetery ($25)

When you think of New Orleans, you probably think of the above ground crypts that dot the landscape. St. Louis No. 1 Cemetery on Basin Street is one of the most popular (and infamous) cemeteries in the city. You can currently only visit while on a tour with Cemetery Tours New Orleans.

Visitors may not roam the cemetery alone because of an increase in vandalism and the degrading condition of some crypts. This is a consistent problem throughout New Orleans, and many cemeteries are still closed to the public.

One of the unique parts of this cemetery is that it not only supposedly contains the body of the Voodoo Queen herself, Madam Laveau, but also the future resting place of Nicolas Cage. Not only that, but the mausoleums are beautiful despite their condition. You can’t free roam through the cemetery, but that won’t stop anyone from taking stunning photos of the colorful tombs and ultimate resting places.

Tours run every 15 minutes and last 45 minutes. The only thing that was really surprising was the cost, at $25 per person for a 45 minute tour it was the most expensive tour we had per minute.

Have a Beignet… or three

Which beignet reigns supreme in New Orleans? Depending on who you ask, expect different answers. The longstanding rivalry in New Orleans between Cafe Beignet, established in 1990, and Cafe du Monde, established in 1862. Add in the various beignet iterations throughout the city from other restaurants and you have options to sate every craving.

While I didn’t get the chance to have beignets at Cafe Beignet, the lines there are intense, partially because they also serve full breakfast and lunch services. At any of their four locations, you’ll find the same menu.

In our time there, Cafe du Monde was our choice in beignets. While we originally went to the one in the French Quarter opposite St. Louis Cathedral, the one in City Park was a more open, clean, and delightful location.

Take a Walk through City Park

We stumbled upon City Park when we did a destiny reading next to the Cafe du Monde. The park itself is a wonderful spot to step back from the busy streets of the French Quarter and enjoy the luscious gardens on a quiet walk. The park itself boats a botanical garden among other attractions but is incredibly beautiful.

One of my favorite things here was that there were so many gorgeous places to sit and enjoy nature while being in the big city.

Visit this post for some of the best restaurants in New Orleans and the surrounding area.

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