As the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world running for 165 years, hop on the St. Charles Streetcar one block from Canal Street on Common Street and take it all the way down to Audubon Park to get a scenic view of the Garden Districts and Uptown neighborhoods. Other routes include the Canal Street line which takes you up to City Park and the Riverfront line. Standard one-way fare is only $1.25 and be sure to have exact change!
We love going for a walk or run on the 1.8 mile path around this beautiful park sandwiched between St Charles and Magazine Streets in historical Uptown New Orleans. It is a natural oasis filled with ancient live oaks. Just across the street is the Audubon Zoo and nearby Magazine Street for leisurely shopping.
Rent a paddle boat or bike, explore Storyland and ride the train (beloved by kids!), play putt-putt golf at City Putt, explore the New Orleans Botanical Garden, visit New Orleans Museum of Art and its amazing Sculpture Garden, and enjoy beignets & café au lait at the "Cafe Du Monde" behind The Sculpture Garden!
Explore this vast museum which offers comprehensive narratives of both the European and Pacific theaters and richly synthesizes fact with poignant personal details of experiences during the war. Spend an hour or seven absorbed in the history of this era on this museum “campus.” Be sure to purchase tickets ahead of time to reserve a spot!
Located in the Warehouse Arts District, this museum holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of southern art, exploring the development of visual art alongside southern traditions of music, literature, and culinary heritage.
From the 300 – 700 blocks of Julia Street, gallery hop through over a dozen renowned art galleries in the New Orleans Arts District. Click “View” to see the comprehensive list of galleries in this district.
Wander down one of the oldest streets in the city dating to the French colonial era and shop around in some of the best antique stores. Some of the most touted spots include Antiques de Provence, Empire Antiques, Harris Antiques, Moss Antiques, M.S. Rau Antiques, and Royal Antiques. Be sure to pop into some of the art galleries also sprinkled along Royal, including Windsor Fine Art and Sutton Galleries, or explore The New Orleans Historic Collection.
Weaving for 6 miles through the the Garden District and Uptown, Magazine Street is the perfect street to leisurely walk down and do some shopping. Décor, Home Items & Gifts: Sotre, Hazelnut, Perch., Home Malone, Aux Belles Choses, Leontine Linens Ltd., Scriptura, Garden District Marketplace Women’s Shopping: Peony, Sosusu, Joseph, Lucy Rose, Hemline, Krewe Men’s Shopping: Perlis, Billy Reid
To learn more about the classic New Orleans Sazerac cocktail and its origin back to the 1850s, book a complimentary tour and rye sampling at The Sazerac House. In a 90 minute self-guided tour with samples, you will learn about the cultural origins of the drink, the distilling methods of Sazerac Rye, and the handcrafting process of the world famous Peychaud’s Bitters. Book in advance because the tours are limited to 15 people at a time!
To enjoy local musical talent and experience New Orleans passion for music, stop in one of the Frenchman Street live music venues for a listen. Some of the best include Snug Harbor, d.b.a., La Maison, The Spotted Cat, and Blue Nile.
Located in the Old No. 77 hotel, this is one of our favorite restaurants in New Orleans. Chef Nina Compton who is a James Beard Award Winner and Top Chef Runner-up, blends roots from her Caribbean up-bringing in St. Lucia with French, Italian and Louisiana Creole flavors to bring you an incredible meal.
The flagship restaurant of James Beard Award Winner Chef Donald Link, Herbsaint is one of our favorite restaurants that offers contemporary, seasonal French-Southern cuisine with elements of rustic Italian cooking. High on our list to order includes the corneal fried oysters and house made spaghetti.
At this hip new brasserie in the French Quarter, savor traditional French fare helmed by James Beard award winning Chef, Justin Devillier. While the dining rooms and back patio exude an ambiance of sophistication and fun, the front café side of the restaurant opens to the Chartres Street sidewalk, emulating a quintessential Parisian-street dining experience.
James Beard Award Chef Ryan Prewitt serves up simply prepared, contemporary seafood dishes, rustic creations cooked on an open hearth, as well as fresh oysters and Gulf fish.
N7 is an off-the-beaten path French courtyard bistro nestled in the Bywater neighborhood. It exudes a speak-easy vibe, complete with a concealed wooden door without a sign identifying the entrance to the restaurant. Additionally there is no number to call! Chef Yuki Yamaguchi specializes in French cuisine, often infused with a Japanese touch. The perfect spot if you are feeling adventurous, just be sure to look up a photo of the outside prior to going, so you can be on the look-out for the obscure wooden door!
A classy old school New Orleans spot with the corner on the market for best nouvelle creole cuisine Uptown. A favorite of local Uptown residents who have been dining here for years to establish a personal table and specific waiter when they dine.
A classic New Orleans restaurant located in the Garden District, Commanders Palace always delivers a special dining experience. Book a table here for 25 cent martini lunch on Friday or a lively Jazz Brunch on Sunday.
Enjoy lunch or dinner at this classic New Orleans spot in the heart of the French Quarter. Gentlemen wear your sport coats and all prepare for a drawn-out meal with some of the best professional waiters and waitresses serving you. Menu includes a long list of New Orleans seafood dishes that can be mixed and matched, anyway you like!
Israeli born chef Alon Shaya will inspire you to hop on the next plane to the Mediterranean Sea with his divine Israeli cuisine. The restaurants patio seating is great for a lunch spot outdoors soaking in New Orleans Uptown charm.
A revamp of the former old school Caribbean Room Restaurant in the Pontchartrain Hotel, this restaurant brings an eclectic and fun dining experience to the Garden District. With a Lil Wayne Portrait on the wall in the living room, it’s hard not to become absorbed in the décor of the restaurant’s several dramatically designed rooms. Have a pre-dinner drink or night cap at the Pontchartrain Hotel's rooftop bar, Hot Tin, which has incredible 360 views of the city.
A chic mid-century inspired bar on Magazine Street where you can enjoy specialty cocktails and small plates while the bartenders spin vinyls.
This small plates restaurant and bar is located in an old Catholic Church-turned boutique hotel. Located in the Marigny neighborhood on the far side of the French Quarter, come here to enjoy incredible food, drinks, and ambiance. They are currently offering socially distanced church and courtyard dining to maximize safety.
Come to this historical hotel for an afternoon cocktail and you'll be transported into a lush jungle paradise on the hotel's patio.
Old school vibes and classic New Orleans cocktails are served up here by professional bartenders sporting tuxes. Come here for a classic experience and great bartenders who will surprise you with a cocktail that suits your fancy.
A bohemian wine shop and courtyard featuring local jazz musicians daily. Grab a bottle of wine and make-your-own cheese board and spend Sunday afternoon in this eclectic spot in the Bywater.
Located inside the iconic Roosevelt Hotel, this bar pays homage to the original New Orleans cocktail, The Sazarac. Stop here for a drink enjoying the sophisticated lounge before or after dinner at Domenica, the Italian restaurant located adjacent within the Roosevelt Hotel.
This revolving carousel bar is a century old and a New Orleans institution. It's likely to have a crowd so go during off-peak hours to get a spin on the merry-go-round.
On the lower edge of the French Quarter, is this gem of a spot. With a tropical tiki feel, the restaurant serves great rum drinks to match. The courtyard is one of the finest places to enjoy an outdoor lunch in the French Quarter.
Rustic and elegant, folksy yet refined, Atchafalaya Restaurant is set in a little creole cottage in the Irish Channel, a mostly residential neighborhood of New Orleans. They are touted for their jazz brunch with a southern creole brunch menu and do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar.
A tribute to the Old-World butcher and charcuterie shops, the five full time butchers make all of the cured meats, sausages and fresh cuts served up as specialty sandwiches and small plates.
This small corner sandwich shop serves up innovative sandwiches to-go that capture flavors you didn’t know you needed. Try the Collard Green Melt, Smoked Ham on Baguette (reminiscent of Thanksgiving with cranberry sauce), Fried Bologna Sammie, or the Mama Tried Burger. This restaurant won Bon Appetit magazines “Best New Restaurant” of 2017.
This artisanal cheese shop is known for its cheese and charcuterie selections, as well as its gourmet sandwiches and salads. With two locations, one in the Warehouse Arts District and another Uptown, it’s a great option for a fresh but delicious lunch on the go.
A fluctuating 10-venue food market in the Warehouse Arts District, Auction House Market is a chic "food court" serving up everything from oysters to empanadas to sushi to sandwiches (& also coffee and cocktails!).
A favorite spot for both breakfast and lunch items, particularly if you are seeking something light, fresh, but equally tasty to kick-start the day. Serving to-go only right now, there are two locations, one Uptown and one in the Bywater neighborhood.
Our favorite craft coffee shop in New Orleans, with multiple locations across the city. Our go-to order is the unsweetened New Orleans Iced Coffee, which hits the spot on a summer morning. Follow the link to find a location closest to you!
A third generation grocery shop on the river side of the French Quarter, come here to order the classic New Orleans "Muffuletta" sandwich which is made with meats sliced in-house, locally baked homemade bread, and their family recipe of Italian olive salad. Be warned, a full sandwich can easily be split between two!