New Orleans, Louisiana is the perfect destination for a long weekend trip with friends or family of all ages. This was my second time visiting the Crescent City and I got to revisit some of my favorite restaurants and visit some new to me sites as well. I was traveling with my mom and sister (under 21) so while we definitely went to the French Quarter a few times, a majority of our activities were outside of that wild and energetic neighborhood. Keep reading this post to find the best things to do in New Orleans outside of the French Quarter!
Take a Food Tour
Let’s start with the most important activity when visiting New Orleans: eating all the delicious food! Now you don’t necessarily have to go on a food tour to do this, but we really enjoyed our small group tour and local guide.
We walked around the Garden District and learned about some local history before heading to Magazine Street for our first stop at Joey K’s. There we enjoyed red beans and rice and eggplant Napoleon in a crawfish cream sauce with fried shrimp.
Our next stop was at Parasol’s, just a block off Magazine Street. We had local beer, frozen Irish coffee, pot roast po’ boys and muffuletta. Parasol’s is a divey bar with a lot of outdoor seating and a casual menu of sandwiches and fried seafood. I’d never had a pot roast po boy before, but it’s a local favorite and it was seriously amazing! I wish I’d gotten to eat a full sandwich instead of just a half.
After our sandwich stop we headed back to Magazine Street for chicory coffee and beignets at The Vintage. The Vintage is a cute cafe serving coffe, pastries, small bites and a full bar menu. Their beignets are special because they have fun seasonal flavors in addition to the traditional plain with powdered sugar. I had a strawberry cheesecake beignet and it was *chef’s kiss*.
Go on a Swamp Tour
We did our swamp/bayou tour through Louisiana Tour Company which brought us to the Barataria Preserve. We had a combo swamp and plantation tour that took all day, but you can opt to just do one or the other.
There are a few styles of boat you can take out in the swamps, but I recommend a small airboat like the one we rode. The airboat ride lasted for an hour and we saw so many alligators! Our driver was very knowledgeable of all the ins and outs of the bayous and swamp terrain and shared many alligator facts with us as well. This tour was so memorable and really is fun for all ages.
Catch a Jazz Show
Now if you’ve been to New Orleans you probably know the photo below is from Preservation Hall which is in the French Quarter. We came here to listen to jazz because my sister isn’t 21 so I didn’t know what bars and venues she could get into. Frenchman Street in the Marigny neighborhood has a few bars with great live jazz, and there are many other venues throughout the city. We’re not huge jazz people so I didn’t spend too much time researching here, but we were glad to attend one show!
Ride the Streetcar
There are a few historic streetcar lines still in operation in New Orleans. We rode the St. Charles line home from our food tour in the Garden District. Fares are $1.25 and you can pay with cash (exact change only) or download the “GoMobile” app and scan with your phone. Also, the streetcars do not run in bad weather which we discovered on our trip!
Walk Around the Garden District
The houses here are so beautiful, photos hardly do them justice. Take a guided tour of the neighborhood, or just wander the streets on your own to view these unique historic houses. The photo below on the right is Sandra Bullock’s house.
In addition to the incredible architecture, there are many cute shops and restaurants in the Garden District, with many of them located on or near Magazine Street. There are vintage shops, artisan store, boutiques, and more.
If you happen to be exploring in the morning, you must stop by Molly’s Rise and Shine for breakfast or lunch. The food there is truly amazing and is one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had.
Visit the Cemeteries
I have not done a cemetery tour on either of my visits to NOLA, but it is at the top of my list for my next visit. On our food tour, our guide talked about this cemetery, and cemeteries in New Orleans in general. She gave us a brief history and overview for about 10 minutes and it really piqued my interest. The Lafayette Cemetery in the Garden District is no longer open to tourists, but there are other famous ones throughout the city that are.
Explore The National World War II Museum
This museum in downtown NOLA is designated as the official WWII museum of the United States. The mission of the museum is to “tell the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world – why is was fought, how it was won, and what it means today – so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn.”
The museum is open daily from 9-5 and adult admission cost $29.50, with reduced prices for students, seniors and military.
Visit a Plantation
The area around New Orleans is home to a number of plantation houses that offer tours of the historic grounds and home interiors. We visited Oak Alley Plantation on a joint tour with our swamp airboat tour. Some other plantation options are Laura Plantation and Whitney Plantation. They’re all located near each other about 90 minutes west of New Orleans on the bank of the Mississippi River.
There is a lot to see and explore at Oak Alley, including replica slave quarters with information on the enslaved people that lived here, pictured above. You can take a guided tour of the interior of the home, but no pictures are allowed inside. You can wander the gardens and have a snack or drink at the cafe. We tried their Mint Julep trio and it was delicious and refreshing!
Browse Mardi Gras World
I have not been to Mardi Gras World, but I hope I can visit next time I’m in the Crescent City! It’s a large warehouse museum where hundreds of Mardi Gras floats are stored. Tickets cost $22 and include a shuttle ride with pick up on Canal Street. I think this would be so a fun way to see all the floats without the huge crowds of the actual Mardi Gras parades.
Where to Stay
We stayed in the business district and it was perfect for us. It’s very short walking distance to the French Quarter yet so much quieter. You can easily access the Garden District by riding the street car or taking a longer walk. If you don’t care about being near the French Quarter, staying in the Garden District would be lovely as well, but there are fewer hotel choices than in the business district.
Pin this post to save it for later & let me know what else I should explore on my next visit to New Orleans!
5 Comments
The swamp tour looks like it was a wonderful experience – all those ‘gators though!
I’m not going to lie, you had me at the food tour! There is so much of that food that I have never tasted – it all looks so comforting and gooood! Sprinkle in some Jazz and that makes a perfect day!
The swamp tour sounds like a blast too for seeing those alligators.
The last few times we’ve been to NOLA we spent all of our time in the French Quarter and I really want to go back for a longer trip to have a chance to explore beyond it! The swamp tour looks really cool, and it seems like it’s really worth it to go beyond the most touristy restaurants to try some other local dishes. We did get to go to Mardi Gras world in 2014 though and it was really cool. You should definitely go next time you’re there!
I agree that New Orleans is so much more than the French Quarter. I actually try to stay very far away from Bourbon Street. New Orleans is one of my favorite US cities. The Ghost Tours are good too!
There are many great things to enjoy in the French Quarter in New Orleans. But great to remind people to head out and explore the rest of this lovely city. We have always wanted to book a swamp tour. But I must admit the alligators always make me think twice. And a plantation tour would surely take me back to the past. Some great suggestions!