Courtney & Alex
Things To Do
Bourbon Street
We'd be remiss if we didn't include good ole Bourbon Street on this list. While this strip is the drunken equivalent of NYC's Time Square (touristy!), there are a number of very cool, classic bars & Jazz clubs on Bourbon St. which are definitely worth a visit. Our favorites include The Old Absinthe House (frequented by the likes of FDR, Mark Twain, Liza Minnelli and more), Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop (the oldest bar in the USA!), and Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse (features free local music every night).
Turkey and the Wolf
NOLA is a foodie paradise, which makes this review all the more compelling: "Even if you only have one day in New Orleans, Turkey and the Wolf is where you should go for lunch." (The Infatuation) Rated the #1 Best New Restaurant in the Country in 2017 by Bon Appetit, Turkey and the Wolf is a laid back sandwich shop serving new age classics like a fried bologna sandwich topped with potato chips and Skittles-infused cocktails (yep!). Perfect place to kick that wedding weekend hangover...
Preservation Hall
The Preservation Hall is a music venue in the French Quarter founded in 1961 to protect, preserve, and perpetuate traditional New Orleans Jazz. The hall is also home to the world-famous Preservation Hall Band! Make a reservation to see one of their nightly shows on their website (all ages welcome!).
Palace Market Frenchmen
Located on historic Frenchmen Street just steps from the French Quarter, Palace Market is a destination for handmade New Orleans art. The open-air night market hosts a rotating collection of over 80 local illustrators, painters, jewelers, sculptors, and so much more. Open seven nights a week starting at 7pm (and Saturdays at 3pm).
Café Du Monde
If you've never been (and even if you have), don't skimp on a visit to Café du Monde - the open-air cafe in the heart of the French Quarter, which looks out onto Jackson Square. Once you're settled at a tiny rod-iron table, be sure to order a plate of beignets (hot & delicious fried dough covered with a hefty coating of powdered sugar) and a cafe au lait. Perhaps you'll even snag an orange tin of chickory coffee to bring home with you...
Hot Tin
This hip & funky cocktail spot is a shoo-in for those staying at The Pontchartrain Hotel... as it's the hotel's rooftop bar! In addition to its incredible cocktails and tasty snacks, Hot Tin is the premiere place to soak up Instagram-worthy views of the New Orleans skyline. Worth the visit no matter what time of day!
The National WWII Museum
Amazingly rated the #1 tourist destination in New Orleans and #2 in the U.S., the National WWII Museum is an unforgettable way to experience this historic war. A compelling blend of sweeping narrative and poignant personal detail, the Museum features immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, an expansive collection of artifacts, first-person oral histories, as well as unique access to experiential history - including the opportunity to tour and ride on an authentically restored PT-boat.
Doctor Jumbo Food & Cocktail Tours
A Jones-family endorsed food-meets-walking tour of the French Quarter. A wonderful introduction to the world-famous cuisine of New Orleans, you’ll follow your expert guide to eight different locations throughout the city that include Creole restaurants, cocktail lounges, sandwich shops and pre-Civil War bars. This tour includes samples of up to ten different dishes, plus four full-sized drinks that showcase the best of Louisiana's culinary and cocktail heritage. This is the perfect tour for foodies and allows travelers to sample the best in a single afternoon!
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
Housed in the first 'official' pharmacy in the USA, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum presents and preserves the rich history of pharmacy and healthcare in Louisiana; past and present. A very cool - and slightly macabre! - spot to pop into (or spend an afternoon in) while you walk around the French Quarter.
The Spotted Cat Music Club
The Spotted Cat Music Club is the quintessential Jazz Club of New Orleans. Located just steps from the French Quarter, in the Faubourg Marigny District on Frenchmen St. "The Cat" has been a local favorite for live New Orleans music from Jazz, Blues, Funk, R&B and Klezmer. Internationally acclaimed as a TOP 150 Jazz Club and featured in numerous films, "The Cat" features local musicians bringing the best the city has to offer, seven days a week.
St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Step inside the walls of the oldest and most legendary burial ground in New Orleans. The storied graveyard—which can only be visited with a guide—is the final resting place of many illustrious Louisiana families and has been featured in Hollywood films like ‘Easy Rider.’ Learn about the city's curious above-ground burial practices as you walk among elaborate vaults and see the mysterious tomb of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. If you'd prefer to not pay $20 for the tour ticket, check out the nearby (and equally enchanting) Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 instead.
Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
Soak up New Orleans' temperate weather with a visit to Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, located right next to the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) in City Park. The garden is free, but if you have the time, tacking on a visit to the art museum (only $15) makes for a lovely afternoon! The garden features a wide array of artists from different periods and genres (expect to see classical work by Rodin next to the most contemporary sculptures). A great visit, particularly if you're looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter.
New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum
There's just enough voodoo lore in this small 2-room museum to introduce you to the history and culture of this spiritual practice - and to tempt you to bring home a love potion or voodoo doll as a souvenir. A perfect pitstop as you stroll through the French Quarter! The museum also offers guided swamp, plantation and cemetery tours, should you be hungry for more.
Commander's Palace
Commander's Palace is a New Orleans institution - famous for its teal exterior, award-winning food, and $0.25 weekday martini lunches (you heard that right!). For those flying in mid-week, swing by this Garden District staple for some inventive creole cuisine and a few cheap drinks - or enjoy the famous jazz brunch over the weekend! Just note they do have a dress code (no shorts).