A city built on music, food, and the conviction that Tuesday is a perfectly good night to go out. The French Quarter is architecturally Spanish — rebuilt after fires in 1788 and 1794. Frenchmen Street is where locals hear music. Three cocktails were invented here. You should try all of them.
The French Quarter is architecturally Spanish — rebuilt after fires in 1788 and 1794
Three cocktails were invented here. The Sazerac is a ritual, not a relic.
Frenchmen Street, not Bourbon. Locals hear music east of Esplanade.
A church nave became the Elysian Bar. The schoolhouse rooms are monastic and calm.
MarignyThe porch, the rocking chairs, the passing streetcar. Since 1883.
UptownAn 1861 orphanage on Magazine St. Bar Marilou justifies the prices.
Lower Garden District1927 classic. Hot Tin rooftop bar. Streetcar at the door.
Garden DistrictThe roast beef po'boy, dressed. By the bayou. The definitive version.
Mid-CityLeah Chase's legacy. Civil rights history served as Creole cuisine.
TremeCajun whole-hog cooking. Rabbit and dumplings. Boucherie traditions.
Warehouse DistrictTurtle soup au sherry. 25-cent lunch martinis. Jacket required at dinner.
Garden DistrictRye, absinthe, Peychaud's bitters. At the Sazerac Bar, Hotel Roosevelt — where it belongs.
CBDAn arm workout and a promise. At the Carousel Bar — it actually rotates.
French QuarterCognac, champagne, lemon. At Arnaud's — a bar that stopped time.
French QuarterWhere NOLA cocktail culture is going, not where it's been. Apothecary elegance.
UptownOne of America's best museums. Higgins boats, immersive 4D cinema. Plan 3-4 hours.
CBD / WarehouseOak alleys, antebellum architecture. Take the St. Charles streetcar.
Garden DistrictFree sculpture garden in City Park. Art among live oaks. Perfect half-day.
Mid-CityKayak the bayou in daylight. Urban, quiet, and beautiful in any season.
Uptown / Mid-CityWalk Frenchmen Street from Chartres to Dauphine. Most clubs have no cover — just tip the band. Roll between bars. Don't plan the whole night. Stay until midnight at least. Cash for tips.
Brass, funk, roots on Frenchmen. Strong drink programme behind the music.
MarignyTuesday Rebirth Brass Band nights are civic religion. Oak Street, not Frenchmen.
UptownA Bywater courtyard where a live band plays every night among fairy lights and wine crates. Bring cheese; the music is free.
Bywater- Buy a Jazzy Pass for unlimited streetcar and bus rides. The St. Charles streetcar is from 1923.
- Dress code at fine dining — Commander's Palace requires a jacket at dinner. No exceptions.
- Tip the musicians. Always cash. They are not playing for the venue; they are playing for you.
- Frenchmen Street for music, not Bourbon Street. Bourbon is spectacle; Frenchmen is the city playing for itself.
- The "French" Quarter is architecturally Spanish — rebuilt in brick and stucco after two fires under Spanish colonial rule.
- December and January are quieter, cooler, and cheaper. Reserve at the grand restaurants regardless of season.
Where Things Are
Four neighborhoods to orient your first visit
French Quarter
Historic heart of the city. Bourbon St = nightlife, Royal St = art & antiques, Decatur St = Jackson Square & cafes.
Marigny
Bohemian neighborhood with Frenchmen St - the best live music in the city.
Garden District
Oak-lined streets, historic mansions. Take the St. Charles streetcar.
Mid-City
City Park, NOMA museum, Bayou St. John for kayaking.