Things to Do in New Orleans: A Guide to the Big Easy

New Orleans doesn't do anything halfway. The food is richer, the music is louder, the history is stranger, and the nightlife simply does not stop. It's one of the most distinctive cities in the country and one of the easiest places to have a genuinely great time, whether you're here for 48 hours or a full week.

This guide covers the best things to do in New Orleans: where to go at night, what to actually do during the day, where to eat, where to be photographed, and how to make the most of a city that rewards people who show up prepared.

New Orleans Nightlife: Where to Go After Dark

The city's nightlife isn't just one strip. It's an entire ecosystem. Knowing which neighborhood fits your vibe saves you from spending the whole night in the wrong one.

The French Quarter and Bourbon Street

The French Quarter is the historic heart of New Orleans, and Bourbon Street runs straight through the middle of it. Neon signs, balconies hung with beads, open-container bars with no walls, music coming from every direction. It's exactly what you've seen in photos and it holds up in person. Start here on your first night. Pat O'Brien's is worth a stop for the dueling pianos and a Hurricane. The Cat's Meow does karaoke until late.

Frenchmen Street and the Marigny

Faubourg Marigny or just the Marigny, is about a 15-minute walk from the Quarter and runs on a completely different frequency. Smaller bars, live jazz spilling onto the sidewalk, a younger local crowd, and none of the tourist chaos. Frenchmen Street is the main drag. Walk it, pick a sound you like, and stay as long as it holds. This is where New Orleans actually lives after dark.

The Central Business District

The CBD is where you go for rooftop bars, upscale cocktail spots, and the city's fancier restaurants. Good for a higher-end dinner night or if you want to mix something polished into the weekend.

Things to Do in New Orleans During the Day

The temptation is to sleep through the daytime hours. Resist it. Some of the best New Orleans experiences happen before sundown.

Bourbon Street and the French Quarter

The Quarter is worth walking in daylight too. The architecture, the street performers at Jackson Square, the shops running from voodoo supplies to vintage masks. It reads completely differently without the crowds and the neon. Go in the morning, grab a coffee, and walk slowly.

Riverboat Cruise on the Mississippi

A classic for good reason. The Steamboat Natchez does a jazz cruise that covers the history of the river alongside live music. The sunset timing is particularly good. Worth booking in advance.

New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours

This sounds like an odd choice and turns out to be a highlight of most trips. Paddling through cypress swamps outside the city, surrounded by Spanish moss and actual alligators, is genuinely unlike anything else on the list. Groups consistently call it out as a favorite.

NOLA Pedal Barge

A floating party bike on the bayou. You pedal, you drink, a guide navigates. It's exactly as fun as it sounds and works well as a mid-afternoon activity before dinner.

Mardi Gras World

Even if you're not visiting during Mardi Gras season, Mardi Gras World is worth an hour. It's a working float warehouse where you can walk through the parade floats being built, which turns out to be genuinely impressive at scale.

The Haunted Pub Crawl

Gets the group moving between bars with a guide who actually knows the city's darker history. New Orleans has more ghost stories per block than anywhere else in the country, and the context makes the bars better.

Best Instagram Spots in New Orleans

The whole city photographs well, but these spots are worth making actual stops for:

• Bourbon Street — Best captured at night when the neon is running and the balconies are full

• Jackson Square — St. Louis Cathedral behind you, the Mississippi ahead of you, street artists everywhere in between

• Be NOLA Kind Mural — Corner of Dauphine and Iberville; colorful, clean, great for group shots

• "With Love from NOLA" neon sign — Shows up on every NOLA trip Instagram for a reason

• "Greetings from NOLA" mural — 2104 Magazine St. in the Lower Garden District; the painted-postcard format always lands

• Garden District mansions on Esplanade Ave — The antebellum architecture looks like a film set at golden hour

Artwork by @bybrunapetalla and @kyleighdoodles

What to Eat and Drink in New Orleans

This city takes food seriously. Skipping this section would be a mistake.

Where to Eat

Cafe Du Monde — Beignets covered in powdered sugar, open 24 hours, cash only. Non-negotiable first stop.

Commander's Palace — If you're doing one proper sit-down meal, this is the one. The jazz brunch is a legitimate institution.

Dooky Chase's — For gumbo and the history lesson that comes with it. One of the most important restaurants in the city.

Acme Oyster House — Raw bar, charbroiled oysters, no fuss. Lines move fast.

What to Drink

The Sazerac — The official cocktail of New Orleans, done properly at the Sazerac Bar inside the Roosevelt Hotel.

The Hurricane — Pat O'Brien's, Bourbon Street. Strong, sweet, and practically a rite of passage.

The Absinthe Frappé — The Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street has been serving it since 1807. The ritual is part of the experience.

How Girl About Town Plans New Orleans Trips

Knowing what to do in New Orleans is one thing. Actually executing a full weekend, locking down an Airbnb in the Quarter, booking activities before they sell out, stocking the fridge before your group lands, coordinating dinner reservations for 10, is where most trips fall apart.

Girl About Town's New Orleans team handles the full concierge side: itinerary planning, accommodations, activities, decorations, grocery stocking, and everything in between. You show up and the weekend is already built.

We also plan events in Scottsdale if you're weighing destinations. Same full-service approach, different city.

Get in touch here to start planning your New Orleans trip.