So, you’ve made it to New Orleans… You’ve wandered through the French Quarter, listened to some jazz, soaked up the atmosphere—now what?
Whether you’re here for a weekend, three days, or a full week, here’s a list of ideas for where to go and what to see, both inside the French Quarter and far beyond it. Trust me, New Orleans is so much more than one historic neighbourhood, and you absolutely should explore it. I’ve already written about other areas—some grand, some charming and doll-like—right here. Don’t miss the chance to experience the Mystical New Orleans!

And if you’re craving even more—keep reading.

New Orleans city park

New Orleans City Park isn’t just a park—it’s an entire cultural universe filled with nature, music, art, and architecture. For starters, you’ll find the iconic Café Du Monde here (yes, with those famous beignets), and just a short walk away sits a full-fledged art museum where you can stumble upon a Monet (or was it Manet—my apologies), along with many other artists, including incredible African art.

Next to the museum is a sculpture garden packed with contemporary pieces—if your eyesight isn’t great, maybe don’t look too closely at the giant metal spiders…

By the colonnade near the lake, you can catch spontaneous jam sessions by local musicians, enjoy live performances, stroll along mossy ponds, and cross some of the most photogenic stone bridges in the entire city. A perfect Instagrammable place!

 

And, if you’re really lucky, you might even meet the neighbourhood alligator peacefully floating in the pond—locals feed him bread like he’s a duck.

Watch my review here.

Swamp Tour (to see the alligators!)

If you’ve watched Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, you already know that New Orleans is surrounded by swamps filled with alligators. And yes—that part is absolutely true. If you didn’t happen to spot the friendly gator in City Park (see above), here’s your second chance to meet them safely, in their natural habitat, and even feed them marshmallows. Just book a swamp tour to the nearest bayou.

There are two options: a fast airboat (which will scare away every single gator within a kilometre), or a slow-moving riverboat. Strangely enough, the riverboat tour is cheaper—but it’s actually the better option. It lets you glide calmly right up to the gators, feed them, and listen to the guides’ stories. Listening, however, is a challenge in itself—the Cajun accent of the alligator wranglers is something else. Also… some of these guides are surprisingly handsome.

Even Lana Del Rey married one of them!

Watch my review here.

Step Inside the City’s Grandest Homes

Hermann-Grima House & The Gallier Houses

The Hermann-Grima and Gallier Houses belong to the same museum and sit just a short walk from each other. Built in the 1830s and located (of course) in the French Quarter, they were considered the height of modern luxury in their day—Gallier House even had indoor plumbing and hot water. For the 19th century, that was basically space-age technology.

Unfortunately, slavery was also part of that “modernity,” and wealthier homes like these included separate slave quarters in the back—those are part of the tour as well. The kitchens were also built behind the house so that if a fire broke out (which happened a lot), the main living quarters wouldn’t go up in flames. Fires were so common that eventually people realised… maybe, just maybe, we should start building houses out of brick, not wood.

Your tour begins with a surprisingly detailed description of funerals of that era (yes, really), because death—especially from yellow fever—was an everyday part of life. Inside, you’ll find stunning furniture, wallpapers, carpets, and, most importantly, the fanciest toilet I have ever seen in my life.

 

Tours must be booked in advance. The cost is around $10–15 per house and includes a guide just for your group.

Watch my review of the Hermann-Grima House. 

 

BK Historic House and Gardens

This house has an absolutely wild history. And yet, its garden is one of the most popular event spaces in the entire city. Honestly—not surprising.

Back in the 1820s, the house was purchased by a wealthy businessman and slave owner who had fled the Haitian Revolution and settled in New Orleans. Later, enslaved New Orleanians who were planning an uprising were caught in the backyard of this very house… and executed there.

After that, the house belonged to the (apparently very famous, according to Americans) Confederate general P.G.T. Beauregard—who, after losing his army, simply came back home and moved into the house again… but this time as a tenant, not the owner. I mean—was that allowed?

Another family that lived here later became the target of the Italian mafia, who tried to take over their family business. You can actually read the newspaper clippings from that era and learn how the family fought back.

Finally, the house was bought by the writer Frances Parkinson Keyes, who knew practically everyone in high society at the time. You can visit her library and see some of her letters. She was probably the only peaceful resident this house ever had—she’s also the one who turned it into a museum. And the gardens really are beautiful.

Tours must be booked in advance. Tickets are around $10–15 and include a guide for your group.

Watch my review.

Pharmacy Museum

Despite its rather boring name, the Pharmacy Museum is anything but dull. In fact, it’s wonderfully weird—and easily one of the most fascinating places in New Orleans. This is the city’s very first pharmacy, and possibly one of the earliest in the entire United States. And if you’ve ever thought modern medicine is flawed, trust me: after walking out of this museum, you’ll want to hug your 21st-century doctor.

Inside, you’ll find an entire collection of 19th-century pharmaceutical curiosities and medical oddities: giant syringes and other monster-like medical instruments, powders made of gold and silver (people believed they had disinfecting and healing properties), cheerful adverts for cocaine (back when it wasn’t considered a drug), photographs of syphilis surgeries, and plenty of other horrors that made me genuinely grateful to be born in modern times.

 

And of course, 19th-century pharmacists didn’t shy away from love potions, lucky elixirs, and all sorts of magical concoctions—you’ll see shelves full of them here.

Even if the history of medicine isn’t your thing, come for the gothic atmosphere and the beautiful courtyard, which, by the way, sometimes hosts weddings.

Naturally, the building is said to be haunted by its first owner, who was accused of witchcraft and experimenting on his patients.

Well… it’s New Orleans, after all.

Audubon Aquarium

The Audubon Aquarium is an absolutely magical place—home to dolphins, sharks, colourful fish, lush waterfalls, jungle paths, and some of the most beautifully designed tanks you’ll ever see.

 

There’s even a butterfly garden with hundreds of shimmering butterflies fluttering around you. It genuinely feels like stepping into a fairytale.

If you’re feeling adventurous, the snack bar even offers delicacies made from dried insects. A treat for the brave!

Another bonus: the aquarium is just a short walk from Canal Street, right next to the ferry stop to Algiers Point.

Watch my aquarium review here.

Audubon Zoo

This zoo turned out to be our unexpected discovery. It’s located not far from City Park, and you can get there by streetcar, riding almost the entire length of the Garden District — combining the useful with the delightful, so to speak.

To our surprise, we ended up spending almost the whole day there. The zoo is styled as South American jungles with Maya-inspired sculptures — sometimes it feels like you’re not in a zoo at all, but somewhere deep in the Amazon. Flamingos, giraffes, monkeys (countless of them!), pavilions with crocodiles, reptiles, and even birds of paradise… Truly a magical place.

And by the way, in summer they host boozy evening parties right among the artificial waterfalls and streams — you can float gently along, sipping a cocktail. A dream.

Lake Pontchartrain

Lake Pontchartrain is so huge, it feels more like a sea.

Even bigger than Issyk-Kul

(с) me

It’s the second-largest brackish lake in the U.S., and the bridge crossing it is the longest over water in the world. No wonder so many people dream of driving across it at sunrise or sunset. The one-way trip takes about half an hour! Sunsets over the lake are truly stunning.

Along the New Orleans shore, you’ll find plenty of seafood restaurants and promenades, and you can even rent a yacht or a sailboat. Back in the day, the city’s wealthy built villas and summer homes along the lake.

Swimming here isn’t safe, though — the currents are tricky.

Check out my full Lake Pontchartrain review.

Mardi Gras World

Mardi Gras, New Orleans’ famous carnival, lasts a whole month and is only rivalled by the Brazilian carnival. But what if you’re visiting New Orleans outside of festival season?

Head to the pavilions where the Mardi Gras floats are made to get a sense of the scale and grandeur of the celebration. At Mardi Gras World, you’ll see floats that have already participated in the parade or are about to, find a huge selection of souvenirs, and meet a guide who’ll tell you all about the history of the festival.

As you can see from the photos, it’s a surreal experience. All these sculptures transform into moving floats during the parades, tossing beads, candy, and souvenirs into the crowd. And yes — there are way more risqué floats than “decent” ones. 🙂

Let’s finish with bars

As a lover of bar culture, I have to say — New Orleans is an amazing place for a bar crawl steeped in luxury, old-school America, and a “Great Gatsby” vibe. Back in the early 20th century, New Orleans was considered the epicentre of vice. There was a whole district, Storyville, filled with cabarets, bars, and brothels — the public fought for decades, largely in vain, to shut it down.

You can still catch traces of that old-world glamour today, and trust me, you won’t find such variety packed into such a small area anywhere else.

Let’s skip the “mystical” drinking spots I’ve written about here and move straight to the iconic ones.

 

The Carousel Bar & Lounge

Probably one of the most unusual places I’ve ever been is The Carousel Bar. Somehow, they managed to fit a REAL carousel into the hotel lobby — and it’s not just for show. It’s a bar you can actually sit at… and it SPINS. The game? Try to finish your cocktail before the carousel completes a full rotation.

Heads up — it’s always crowded, so come early.

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The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret

I didn’t tell you about Storyville for nothing! You can catch that worn-out glamour and cabaret vibe at The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret. Keep an eye on their website — they list showtimes and ticket prices.

Adults only!

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Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar

Laffite’s Blacksmith Shop (yes, that famous pirate) is considered the very first bar in America — depending on the source, it opened as far back as the 17th century. It looks pretty unassuming, but it stays true to its vibe: only candlelight, live music playing, and cocktails that are seriously potent. Seems like they don’t take cash either — old-school pirate style.

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Algiers Old Point Bar

I’ve already written about my favourite little neighbourhood, Algiers Point, on the other side of the Mississippi. This is the place to go for bars with that so-called “Old America” vibe. I recommend Crown & Anchor English Pub and Dry Dock Café, which somehow feel like they were lifted straight out of The Sims, with the atmosphere of a sailor-and-landlubber hangout(!). Both are right by the ferry station that takes you across the river.

 

But the ultimate American vibe? You’ll find it at Old Point Bar. They shoot movies here, live music is always playing — sometimes even country — and the interior… well, it’s exactly like those classic dive bars in some backwoods Hollywood film. This is one of my absolute favourite spots in the city. Try to catch at least one live performance here, preferably country!

 

If you’re after something luxurious

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If you’re after something luxurious, I recommend Restaurant and Bar at The Chloe — a two-story mansion-turned-restaurant in the wealthy Garden District. The interiors are simply incredible, both inside and out. An Instagrammer’s dream. Nearby, you’ll also find the Columns Hotel and Bar, another beautiful historic mansion. Don’t miss it.

In the more modest Bywater district, there’s a spot that’s just as luxurious, with its own twist. The Country Club has a pool, a bar, and a fully LGBTQ+ friendly vibe. They often host shows and drag queen quizzes.

 

Terraces

And if you’re in the mood to watch a crimson sunset from above — preferably with a pool involved — head to the Virgin Hotel. Their rooftop terrace overlooks the city’s skyline and comes with a pool, making it an absolutely stunning spot to unwind.

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