New Orleans…what can I say, the city is amazing. What’s not to love? The food is unique and incredible – you won’t find anything like it anywhere else in the world.
The people are extremely friendly. And the architecture is amazing. And best of all, the Big Easy is a huge party city!
This summer I was lucky enough to visit New Orleans on its 300th birthday! You only turn 300 once, so it was a wonderful once in a lifetime experience 🙂
Here are the must do things in New Orleans for first timers:
1. Take a stroll in the French Quarter
There’s something unique about the French Quarter in New Orleans (also known as Vieux Carre). It’s definitely the highlight of any trip to New Orleans.
It could be the pretty lights. It could be the hustle and bustle of the crowd. Or it could be the large amount of alcohol you will undoubtedly consume!
But one of my favorite things to do in NOLA is to grab a beer and people watch in the French Quarter. This is one of the most famous spots in the city.
This historic site in NOLA should be on your bucket list! The French Quarter is the site of the original New Orleans colony established by the French in 1718.
And true to its heritage, all of the street names are still listed in French (as shown below!)
There are literally hundreds of bars and restaurants packed into this little neighborhood. During the night, the place turns alive. It doesn’t matter if its 9 PM or 2 AM, the place is crawling with people wanting to party and have fun.
And don’t worry, the French Quarter is safe. There are police at pretty much every intersection, so if anything happens they’ll be on it pretty quick.
2. Visit Jackson Square at sunset
Jackson Square is one of the coolest places to visit in New Orleans. I went there on my first night and was blown away by how beautiful it is.
The square was originally known as “Place d’Armes”, but was later changed to honor Andrew Jackson, hero in the Battle of New Orleans.
In fact, you will see his statue (riding a horse) in the middle of the park.
To the south of Jackson Square lies the famous Mississippi River. And to its north, the square is flanked by several historic buildings, including the St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo, and the Pontalba Apartments.
Jackson Square is a favorite site for local artists and fortune tellers. So if you’re in the mood to learn about your future or support the local art scene, this is the place to visit!
3. Get coffee at the famous Cafe du Monde
Cafe du Monde is hands down the most famous cafe in the city. If you’re in NOLA, you owe it to yourself to get down here and grab a plate of beignets and some coffee.
No doubt this is one of the top attractions in New Orleans! Be warned, during the day, the line can become VERY long!
You have two options…eat/drink at the cafe or take out. The takeout line is shorter, but I would opt to eat there.
To eat there you have to line up and wait for one of the servers to seat you. The menu is placed on the napkin box at every table.
The beignet are amazing. I’ve never had anything like it before. But be careful as they give you a lot of powdered sugar on your pastries! If you’re not careful, you could get all that white powder over your clothes 🙂
Remember to bring cash as they don’t accept credit cards! Also, the cafe is open 24 hours, so the best time to go is late at night or early in the morning to cure that nasty hangover.
4. Visit Chalmette Battlefield
The Chalmette Battlefield is the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. It’s a quick 6 mile drive from the city along the beautiful Mississippi River.
Fun fact: this battle was never supposed to have taken place as the War of 1812 ended two weeks earlier, but word had not yet reached congress or the troops on the battle.
Anyways, led by Andrew Jackson, the U.S. troops were able to defeat the British army led by Major General Sir Edward Pakenham.
The battle had kept the British troops from capturing the city of New Orleans. If that had happened, it would have given the British greater leverage in negotiating the terms of the Treaty of Ghent.
Today, at the center of the park stands a 100 foot obelisk that honors the troops of the battle.
5. Grab a beer at the banks of the Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is beautiful. I went over Memorial Day Weekend and was able to experience fire works over the river.
It’s incredibly beautiful and peaceful at night. Go ahead and grab a beer and sit back and just enjoy the scenery. The views are incredible and after you’ve had enough of it, the French Quarter is not too far away 🙂
6. Visit St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral is one of New Orlean’s most recognizable landmarks. And for whatever reason, it kind of reminds me of Disney Land.
This is the oldest cathedral in North America and was originally build in the early 1700s. But the actual building you see today was the third cathedral build in the location as the first two were destroyed.
Religious services are still held here. The cathedral is free and open to the public every day.
The cathedral is near the French Quarter so it’s worth a quick stop if you want to see this amazing building!
7. Take a ride on Steamboat Natchez
Is there anything more southern than a lovely steamboat ride?
If you’re looking for something romantic to do in New Orleans with your partner, take a ride on Steamboat Natchez.
This is the only operating steamboat in New Orleans. The company that operates it gives rides several times a day. I would recommend going for a sunset ride.
They have musicians that play wonderful jazz music while you sail around the Mississippi.
8. Visit the Cabildo
Right next to the St. Louis Cathedral is the Cabildo. The Cabildo was originally constructed in 1799 when New Orleans was still under Spanish rue.
It was at one point, the seat of the Spanish Government.
And fun fact: the Louisiana Purchase took place in this building! That alone made this spot a point of interest during my time in New Orleans 🙂
Today, the Cabildo is a three floor museum, which includes exhibits like Native American objects, Colonial era paintings, and even Napoleon’s death mask.
You can even see the exact room where the Louisiana Purchase was finalized!
9. Visit the Old New Orleans Mint
If you’re wondering what to do in New Orleans, look no further than the Old New Orleans Mint!
This is the only mint in existence to hold the distinction of printing both U.S. and confederate currency. Today, visitors can see many pieces of equipment used to print coins back in the day.
And the upper levels have been converted to a Jazz music museum of all places. I actually wasn’t hat into the Jazz music part of the museum, but met a girl there that was really into it and she explained a lot of the exhibits to me.
10. Walk around the Garden District
If you’re looking for one of the most popular New Orleans attractions, look no further than the Garden District!
The garden district is located about 3 miles southwest of the French Quarter. It’s official boundaries are defined as:
- St. Charles Avenue to the north
- 1st street to the east
- Magazine Street to the south
- and Toledano street to the west
This historic NOLA neighborhood was originally developed between 1832 and 1900. And it’s considered one of the best preserved collections of mansions in U.S. South.
Here you’ll find many grand mansions. And when I say grand, I really do mean it.
If you’re a big fan of Greek Revival architecture like me, you’ll love this place. Every street is filled with beautiful homes.
I took a bunch of pictures and I’m sure I annoyed some of the people that lived there haha.
11. Take a day trip to Oak Alley Plantation
At first, I had no intention to visit any of the plantations around the New Orleans area, but I’m glad I changed my mind!
One day I decided to rent a car and drive out east to see Oak Alley Plantation. It’s about an hour away from NOLA.
The drive is incredibly peaceful and beautiful and definitely worth it. You’ll drive all the way into the quaint town of Vacherie.
The plantation is incredible…it’s just breathtaking. It was at one point one of the largest sugar cane plantations in the U.S. and yes, they did use slave labor.
Many of the exhibits at the plantation illustrate the living conditions of the slaves that worked on the property.
The name of the plantation comes from the double row of southern live oak trees planted along the house.
Many of the oak trees were planted in the early 18th century and are over 300 years old!
It’s just incredible to walk around the plantation. Everything is incredibly well maintained. And if you have the time, take the tour of the actual mansion itself.
The mansion at Oak Alley is HUGE.
12. Eat some good food!
New Orleans has the most unique food scene in the U.S.
You’ll find restaurants similar to stuff in San Francisco or New York in Paris, but you’ll never find something like New Orleans anywhere else.
Here’s a list of food/drinks you need to try in New Orleans:
Gumbo –Â I’m the biggest gumbo fan in the world. I could just eat this stuff all day. If you’re looking for the best chicken and sausage gumbo head down to the Gumbo Shop.
Po boy –Â You can’t leave New Orleans without a Po Boy! It’s traditionally made with fried shrimp, but you can pretty much get it with anything. Head over to Johnny’s Po-Boys (note they only accept cash).
The Hurricane –Â One of the most popular cocktails in NOLA. It’s made with rum, fruit juice, and syrup or grenadine. You can pick up a glass at any bar in the French Quarter!
Crawfish boil –Â Crawfish boil is a staple of any New Orleans diet. Head on over to Schaefer Seafood to get your crawfish fix.
Seafood –Â Arnaud’s New Orleans has a good seafood scene. I would head on over to , one of the oldest restaurants in the city to try their amazing seafood.
Alligator sausage – If you’ve never had alligator before, might as well try it once! It’s an interesting texture that’s kind of hard to describe, and I don’t want to use the typical “it takes like chicken” cliche 😛