New Orleans Attractions

If you're looking for inspiration for your next city trip in the United States, a 4-day trip to New Orleans should be at the top of your list.

New Orleans is one of the most exciting and interesting cities in the United States, alongside Chicago and New York. The vibrant culture, unique architecture, and incredible cuisine of Creole and Cajun food make this city an unforgettable destination. There are so many things to do in New Orleans - from the exciting nightlife on Bourbon Street to live jazz music and a stroll through the beautiful French Quarter. Not to mention the many festivals that take place throughout the year, alongside Mardi Gras (the most famous).

With its colorful history, diverse cultures, stunning landscapes, and delicious cuisine, New Orleans leaves a lasting impression on visitors - just like it did on us - that you won't forget anytime soon. New Orleans has something for everyone, making it one of the best travel destinations in America!

If you have 4 days in New Orleans, we've put together the perfect travel guide for you. Check out our recommendations for accommodations, restaurants, and all the sights you shouldn't miss during your city trip. We finished our 4-week road trip from Chicago to New Orleans and were thoroughly impressed by the city and surroundings.

We hope you enjoy your stay in this exciting city as much as we did. Let us know if you have any questions and leave a comment at the end of the article.

These are the top attractions in New Orleans

Best time to visit: Spring and Fall (July to September is very hot with high humidity). Our tip: Fall (October-November) or during Mardi Gras in February. Travel guide: MARCO POLO Travel Guide USA South, New Orleans. How to get there: Find flights. Book accommodations: booking.com. Our hotel: Virgin Hotels New Orleans. Reserve activities & tickets in advance: New Orleans Pass, Get Your Guide

Before your city trip, you should consider how many days you want to spend in New Orleans. Next, think about whether you want to spend all your time in the city or take a day trip as well. Option 3 is that, like us, you are already on a road trip in the USA.

How you decide depends on you. Each of these options is valid. There is so much to see, especially in New Orleans, and we recommend getting up early in the morning to make the most of your stay. We tend to fill our days because we are curious and want to see as many attractions as possible.

Our personal recommendation is to plan at least 4 days in New Orleans for your first visit. This is the minimum to discover the main highlights and experience a bit of culture (and the nightlife).

Do you also want to visit plantations or go on swamp tours and are not on a road trip like we are? Then you should plan for at least a week for New Orleans and day trips.

If you have 2-3 days in New Orleans, you can experience the city's main attractions, attend concerts in the evenings, and book tours. However, we couldn't see everything on our trip. Make a list of places you definitely want to visit, but time will be quite tight.

Getting to New Orleans is easy, as the city has a large international airport. Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) offers direct connections to many US cities and some international destinations, but unfortunately no direct flights from Germany.

We drove there because we took a road trip from Chicago to New Orleans (see travel report). However, we flew back from Louis Armstrong International Airport via Washington to Frankfurt.

The Louis Armstrong International Airport opened shortly before the pandemic and has short distances; however, there's a significant drawback: if you need to pick up or drop off a rental car, you should plan for at least 30 more minutes. The shuttle bus ride from the rental car drop-off to the terminal takes about 20 minutes.

The airport is only 25 minutes from downtown. Since we were traveling with our rental car, I have no information on shuttle buses from the city center to the airport (or vice versa).

In New Orleans, you can explore everything on foot, except for the Garden District, which lies just outside the tourist center. But there, you can take the vintage streetcar 'Streetcar', which is a ride you should definitely experience. The green cars cruise comfortably through the city. Get a Jazzy Pass day ticket for $3 or pay $1.25 per ride to the conductor.

Of course, there are also Uber and Lyft if you need to cover longer distances. Here, you should always compare prices in both apps. Depending on the time, one or the other app might be cheaper. The streets in the French Quarter are busy at all times. Only use a ride when you are in a district away from your hotel. We took a Lyft once after 30,000 steps on a full day of sightseeing, just to go back to the hotel from JamNOLA.

Alternatively, you can rent bicycles to explore the city. We opted out of that and preferred walking.

The ideal months to visit New Orleans are spring or fall, specifically from April to June and October to November. The weather is often pleasant, and the humidity is generally not as high as in summer. We had temperatures ranging from 20 to 28 degrees, except for one day in November when the humidity was quite high.

Do you want to visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras? Then you need to arrange accommodations very early. Hotels become more expensive, and the alcohol levels (especially the smells that come with them) rise.

The new and modern Virgin Hotel by Richard Branson, located just south of the noisy Bourbon Street (and close to the Caesars Superdome), offers modern interiors, a great rooftop terrace with a pool, and a wonderful hotel restaurant.

However, non-American tourists should bring earplugs: The air conditioning cannot be completely turned off here - as is unfortunately the case in many other hotels in the USA - so the ventilation noises are quite audible. If that doesn't bother you, great! Others might want to bring something for their ears...

Here you can check availability or book directly

LOOKING FOR A HOTEL? For finding a good hotel, we recommend the platform Booking.com. We always book our accommodations through this platform or directly with American Express, as we receive additional discounts with the American Express Platinum Card (check here for details; this is only worth it for frequent travelers).

If you have read several of our travel reports, you'll notice that we like to fill our days with sightseeing and activities from morning to night. This was also the case in New Orleans. We recorded our 4 days 1:1. Enjoy retracing our steps!

Tip: With the New Orleans Pass, you save money if you want to visit the included attractions. Since we made stops outside the city during our long road trip from Chicago to New Orleans, it wasn't worthwhile for us. However, if you go on swamp tours as a day trip from New Orleans, it's definitely worth it (these are exactly the swamp tours we did that are included).

Here follows our suggestion for a 4-day trip to New Orleans:

A gigantic, 40-kilometer-long bridge spans over the second-largest saltwater lake in the United States, connecting the 'Northshore' region north of the lake with New Orleans.

It really takes 40 minutes to cross it! A bizarre experience, as there is mostly no land in sight; one feels like they are out at sea. Impressive.

After a quick check-in at the Virgin Hotel New Orleans and handing over the car keys for valet parking (which is unfortunately expensive, but options for securely parking a car during Halloween are limited), we start our exploration of this exciting city.

It makes sense to view large cities from above first - this way, you can roughly orient yourself and get a feel for the surroundings.

Recently, Vue Orleans opened, a 360-degree observation deck with both indoor and outdoor seating. You can explore the skyline interactively and learn about the history, culture, and influences of the city in a very modern, interactive museum on the ground floor.

Just going up and down the elevator is fun: large films that occupy the whole elevator space are shown, perfectly setting the mood for our time in New Orleans. A visit is worthwhile, and you should reserve your tickets early as time slots are limited.

Unfortunately, we had a very gloomy start to our stay, so the visibility wasn't very clear, but the view of the Mississippi and the city was still a highlight.

New Orleans is known for its small streets and beautiful houses - it makes sense to learn more about the history of these. Andrea from 'NOLA Historic Tours' led us through the streets of the French Quarter. We visited Jackson Square, the French Market (the oldest open-air market in the country), saw the Ursuline Convent (the oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley), the St. Louis Cathedral, Cabildo, and the Presbytere (both Spanish colonial buildings flanking the Cathedral); the Pontalba Buildings (the oldest apartments in the USA) and the statue of Andrew Jackson. We also passed LaLaurie Mansion, where Delphine LaLaurie was once known for the torture and killing of dozens of slaves in her house on Royal Street 1140. This place is also rumored to be haunted.

Here are some interesting facts about the area - and just a fraction of what you will learn on the tour:

It's worth reading the guides' biographies, as they are quite impressive. Since we took two tours with this provider, we can say: definitely book here, as both guides were very cool and filled with knowledge along with providing a few insider tips.

The 'Muffuletta' is a specialty from New Orleans and derives its name from the Sicilian word for 'soft and airy bread.'

It's a heavily loaded grilled sandwich with Italian salami, coppa, mortadella, provolone, and a marinated olive salad (containing olives, celery, carrots, and various spices).

You can find this carb wonder almost everywhere, but the absolute best ones we devoured on our trip were at 'Napoleon House.' The name bears history: The building's first resident, Nicholas Girod, was the mayor of New Orleans from 1812 to 1815. He offered Napoleon his residence in 1821 as a refuge during his exile - the eccentric Frenchman, however, never made it to 'Nola' and died that same year.

What remains is this restaurant where time seems to stand still: old, painted walls full of past photographs, cozy, dark interiors surround an extensive, spacious bar.

To go with the delicious sandwich, one should definitely try one or more Pimm's Cups: a mix of liqueur and lemonade on British gin, along with a splash of lemon soda and cucumber. Refreshing!

Important note: Reservations are not possible; depending on the time of day, queues can rightly form, especially on weekends. It's best to bring a bit of time.

After the tour, we visit the Jazz Museum, which is also located in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans. It houses a large collection of instruments, recordings, and artifacts that document the history of jazz music in New Orleans and around the world.

Visitors can learn about the roots of jazz through films, photos, sound recordings, and much more. It's a shame we didn't recognize many musicians (aside from Louis Armstrong), and even though Chris was actively involved in a jazz band for many years. There are likely better-structured museums. In short: We were disappointed and didn't quite understand the structure.

It would be pointless to elaborate on the nuances of the similarities and differences between Creole and 'Cajun' cuisine, but fundamentally, it can be said that they are quite similar and both are immensely popular, although Cajun dishes are generally more rustic and 'simpler'.

At 'Tableau', located near Jackson Square, the cuisine is a bit more refined, hence 'Creole', and overall French-inspired.

Here you can find seafood in a rich, slightly sour creamy velouté, lightly dressed salads, and homemade pasta. This adds a bit of variety to the otherwise 'rich' American diet.

Right at bustling Jackson Square, Café Pontalba serves irresistibly good Bloody Marys for $7. Also here, in New Orleans, you're allowed to drink on the go from plastic cups in the street, leading us to this tomato-juice paradise multiple times.

For snacks, they serve excellent pickles on top; especially the spicy sour beans have won us over!

Since 1961, renowned artists have played traditional New Orleans Jazz in this small venue. It's quite surprising that this genre is not that easy to find in a city renowned for it.

As a result, over 350 evenings a year feature New Orleans Jazz concerts with ensembles from a current collective of over 50 local musicians spanning at least four generations. It's an engaging experience - the show lasts no longer than 40 minutes - and absolutely entertaining!

USA and sports go together like peanut butter and jelly. Everyone here roots for at least one favorite team, and it's no wonder that in every American bar there are countless TVs showing different sports programs.

Therefore, it's not surprising that Americans really get excited during a genuine game (well, excited might be an overstatement - only if they are encouraged). We get to witness the New Orleans Saints live at home against the Las Vegas Raiders.

When completed in 2001, Caesars Superdome was the largest enclosed arena in the world in the heart of New Orleans with a dome. It can accommodate an incredible 73,000 people for American football - and we were right in the middle of it.

However, before the dome, there is a state of emergency: Among thousands of people, marching bands, food trucks, and beer stands, we work our way from Champions Square to the entrance. And even on the grounds: a relaxed party atmosphere, colorful people painted in gold and white, a massive stage with live music. This is where the action is!

What always strikes us as strange: There are no real fan chants, and despite a clear lead of 24-0, the players celebrate each other rather than the audience. Fans even leave the stadium 15 minutes before the game ends, meaning there are barely any people left at the final whistle. For us, that is perplexing.

Things are significantly more composed and anonymous here. I have experienced this twice in the homeland of hockey in Edmonton (NHL, Edmonton Oilers) and twice at NBA games - once in Los Angeles at the Lakers and once during the derby between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Oh, and let's not forget a baseball game with the Toronto Blue Jays against - I don't remember anymore. Baseball was incredibly dull and the epitome of excitement during game interruptions through raffles.

But at football, the atmosphere here is most electric. It would surely be topped by a college game where the fans really get into it. But I desperately wanted to attend an NFL game.

Be sure to catch a game and buy tickets early. Prices for all US sports are high and seldom below $100 per ticket. No matter where you sit. If you're into basketball, there's also an NBA team, the New Orleans Pelicans, that plays their home games right next to the Superdome.

After the game is before the oysters. Since they are said to be the best ones next to Bourbon House (where we will eat in the coming days), we join the line, as after football, we're not the only ones who are hungry.

In a dimly lit garage ambiance, we finally get our oysters - raw, just how we love them.

The hotel restaurant in our Virgin Hotel on the ground floor offers modern Southern cuisine along with a decent wine and cocktail list.

We are especially impressed by the Wagyu Smash Cheeseburger; it may seem unassuming, but it is simply the best burger of the entire trip!

So few ingredients but so many challenges: juicy sweet bread meets an intensely flavored cheddar, along with two mouth-watering slices of boldly seasoned Japanese beef... so simple, so wow! Crunchy fried okra and, of course, homemade fries go well with this.

Today is Halloween, and the party city of New Orleans is full of revelers. However, it's Monday, so the line at Café du Monde is, as before, not present. So it's sweet treats for breakfast.

Definitely save some space for dessert at Café du Monde. Or do as we did: skip hotel breakfast and head straight to Café du Monde! We asked locals if it is really the best place for beignets or if it's just a tourist trap. Everyone we asked said that it is rightly the best. We tested it ourselves.

By the way, beignets are doughnuts covered in powdered sugar - and hugely popular in New Orleans. After days of being underwhelmed by the overly doughy beignets at Café Beignet, we can justifiably say: Café du Monde is the clear winner! Crispier, hotter, fluffier, and just a tad sweeter, this institution in the midst of the noisy French Quarter truly impresses us.

Our tip for visiting: Try to come as early as possible and not on weekends, then the queue is manageable. And a hot tip: The (often longer) line to the left of the restaurant is for seating, while the right line - often shorter and tucked behind the restaurant - is for takeout orders. So, you should order some pastries and a milk coffee to go and enjoy them in a quiet corner.

Treme, the legendary neighborhood of New Orleans and a huge source of Creole and African American culture, is where the tour begins. Spe leads us through the red-light district of Storyville to the internationally known above-ground cemeteries of the city.

Our guide is the lively David Higgins. A New Yorker and son of jazz legend drummer Billy Higgins, who recorded with legends like John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Herbie Hancock. David, a seasoned stand-up comedian, showcases his craft every second, making even tiny details he observes entertaining, while delivering the cornerstones of the city's history concerning curiosities and Voodoo in an incredibly engaging way.

We move through Congo Square and learn how closely the invention of jazz, the practice of Voodoo, and the emergence of a distinct culture for Black people during oppression are intertwined, before strolling through the beautifully maintained and expansive Louis Armstrong Park.

Between historical hard facts, quirky tales, and sworn myths, we spend two fabulous hours. For us, the tour is an absolute must, as we get to know additional neighborhoods. Did you know that Nicolas Cage has bought an extravagant pyramid-shaped tomb here in New Orleans?

Our guide drops us off in front of a true local gem: Li'l Dizzy's Cafe. Apparently, not many tourists come here. For the neighborhood, they cook simple Southern dishes and attractive daily specials featuring rice, beans, and meat.

Of course, we order gumbo, which is stuffed with seafood, bits of Andouille sausage, and even half a crab (!). The absolute gumbo king of our trip!

This colorful, extravagant museum spreads across 17 exhibition rooms and involves over 30 local artists. JamNOLA stands for Joy, Art & Music - New Orleans. Each exhibit has sometimes a direct, sometimes an abstract connection to the city and Louisiana in general. Plus, everything is extremely 'Instagrammable': whether it's a cute, diamond-encrusted alligator or a gigantic lobster wearing a chef's hat, in whose soup pot you can pose as a main ingredient if you'd like.

JamNOLA's self-defined mission is to counteract the 'negativity of the world' by investing in New Orleans' cultural community. Art and music as a means for more joy and prosperity - a noble and grand endeavor! If you have an hour or two to spare, it is definitely worth buying a ticket for this museum, which is somewhat off the tourist hotspot; tickets are time-limited, so you should be punctual.

Right at Jackson Square lies the somewhat upscale Muriel's: Pumpkin-Shrimp Risotto, roasted bone marrow, and a Ratatouille so good, it demotes the accompanying burrata to a mere supporting actor. We are beginning to understand why so many view New Orleans as a culinary mecca of America.

If you are a fan of true crime, you should book the Killers and Thrillers Tour.

Many famous crimes and criminals have plagued New Orleans. From morbid murders to thrilling hauntings, it seems there's a story worth telling at nearly every corner of this city.

Especially the guides put in a great effort, enticingly describing every detail of the story. The dark side of human nature, through the city's history - and some stories are truly not for the faint-hearted.

Warning: There are many providers offering these tours. We booked through Ghost City Tours.

We are lucky to be in this area during Halloween.

Every house and every porch is decorated with skeletons, monsters, ghosts, spiders, and all sorts of disembodied appendages. We need not mention that we are also surrounded by many people in remarkably original costumes: from Freddy Krueger, Fred Flintstone, people in house costumes (!) to an astonishing number of Jack Sparrows, the night amid Bourbon Street - where celebrations continue into the early morning hours - feels exceptionally surreal!

So that your loved ones back home can indulge in the culinary delights of Southern cuisine without having to fly thousands of miles, taking a cooking class is ideal. After all, we can find all the ingredients in Germany.

The Mardi Gras School of Cooking leads cooking enthusiasts of all levels through the process of making - in our case - shrimp bisque and tasty shrimp creole with rice. All of this occurs in a modern, excellently equipped kitchen.

Always included: The Holy Trinity of bell pepper, onion, and celery, which is used as a base in nearly every Southern cooking dish.

Our excellent cooking leader, David Christensen, also has some tricks and tips to share that can be applied to other areas of cooking. An absolute pro and skillful educator, who guides us through the preparation process for almost three hours during lunchtime.

If you've had enough of the bustling streets of the French Quarter, we recommend a trip to the Garden District.

You should take the typical streetcar ride (tram) for this. Day tickets for these little trolleys cost just $3.

The Garden District was developed between 1832 and 1900 and is considered one of the best-preserved collections of historic mansions in the southern United States.

This entire district was once a series of plantations, including the 'Livaudais' plantation. It was gradually sold to predominantly wealthy Americans who preferred not to live with Creoles in the French Quarter.

The charming houses are beautifully preserved and offer an immense historical and architectural value. You don't need to book a tour for this; there is a walking map available online that you can follow easily.

Similar to the nearby 'Acme Oyster House', the 'Bourbon House' is also known for its mainly grilled and cheese-baked oysters. Nevertheless, we ordered the raw varieties, and found it to be significantly better than the mentioned competitor establishment.

The modern interpretation of the juicy 'Muffuletta Flatbread', as well as the region's specialty, 'Shrimp and Grits', were also quite good.

'Grits' is a side dish made from semolina and/or corn, somewhat akin to our 'porridge'. While they sometimes taste terribly neutral and bland, in this case, they were well-spiced and loaded with cheese, and we encountered 'grits' throughout our journey in the southern states.

As mentioned earlier, it's not easy to find the 'real' New Orleans jazz in a loud and party-oriented district like the French Quarter.

It's easier further north on Frenchmen Street. While there are some bars and pubs along here, the atmosphere is decidedly more relaxed, more refined, and dignified. So, we spent our last evening and beer in New Orleans in the 'Spotted Cat Music Club'. Here, fairly young musicians indulge in a more traditional form of music and play classics from Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton. Fantastic!

On the way back, we check out one or two voodoo shops. Here, you can find all sorts of oddities as well as regular tarot cards or voodoo dolls for sale.

For New Orleans, you can buy the classic New Orleans all-inclusive Pass or a sightseeing pass. We quickly discovered that we didn't really need the former. Instead, book tours with the providers we've mentioned directly, as that will also give you the most flexibility, and you won't need to see everything in just 2 days.

If you plan to go on swamp tours from New Orleans, the New Orleans all-inclusive Pass is definitely worth it (the providers we booked along our road trip are included in the pass and even offer shuttles from New Orleans).

Before my trip to New Orleans, I bought the following travel guides: USA South with New Orleans (Marco Polo). This guide is compact and tells you the essential things you need to know for a visit of a few days. Not only does it provide valuable tips for the city with all the sights and highlights, but also interesting stories and tips for restaurants and other special places.

Another travel guide that I bought as an e-book is available only in English: DK Eyewitness New Orleans (Travel Guide). This guide is more detailed and just as current.

There are so many excellent restaurants and cafés where you can eat beautifully. Especially local highlights like gumbo, po'boys, muffulettas, and beignets should at least be tried once. We highly recommend the following:

When in New Orleans, you should explore the city on foot! Even if you stick to a specific area, you will probably walk thousands of steps before you know it. Sneakers are ideal.

New Orleans is not any less safe than other cities. In any case, we never felt unsafe. However, you should be especially cautious for pickpockets on Bourbon Street. We repeatedly observed groups of 2-3 people watching closely for smartphones from individuals filming or taking pictures, like I was doing. It's well known to be careful here.

In New Orleans, there are many options for guided tours on specific themes. If you have little time, we recommend the following:

That was our 4 days in New Orleans.

Leave us a comment if you have any questions! We are curious about your highlights in the metropolis by Lake Michigan and look forward to your feedback.

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