Top Ten Things To Do In New Orleans
back in the days of the old New Orleans e-mail list, I did a bunch of "top ten" lists, starting with this one. It's long since time for an update.
Top Ten Things To Do In New Orleans
1. Take a Walking Tour of the French Quarter
The French Quarter is the original city, and the cradle of our history and culture. You can't even begin to understand New orleans until you understand the Quarter. The New Orleans CVB has a brochure for a walking tour that you can download (PDF). The National Park Service also has put together several "Jazz Walking Tours," and two of those cover stuff in Da Quarters. Additionally, the Friends of the Cabildo do walking tours (for a fee) that are excellent.
Keep in mind that it's awfully hot and humid here in the summertime, so get an early start on any walking tours you do.
2. Ride the St. Charles Streetcar to the end of the line and back.
The St. Charles streetcar line is the oldest continuously-operating line in the country. It's a great way to get to other Uptown destinations (Garden District, Riverbend, Carrollton), but the ride is a to-do item in and of itself. Board the streetcar at St. Charles and Common, one block up from Canal St. As of this writing (12-Jun), the line is still only running to St. Charles and Carrollton, but it will return to its full 5.5-mile run from Canal St. to S. Claiborne Ave. on 22-Jun.
Once you've seen the Quarter up close, the streetcar is the best way to appreciate the "American" neighborhoods of Faubourg St. Marie (the CBD/Warehouse District), Lower Garden District, Garden District, Faubourg Bouligny, University District, Riverbend, and Carrollton. Check the schedule here.
3. Take a riverboat cruise.
New Orleans wouldn't exist were it not for the Mississippi River. It's important to see the city from the perspective of the generations of people who arrived here by water. The Steamboat Natchez is an authentic paddlewheeler that does both lunch and dinner cruises.
4. Explore the Cemeteries
The best way to explore our cemeteries is to ride the Canal streetcar line from downtown to the end of the line at City Park Avenue, known as the "Cemeteries Terminal." Walk through Cypress Grove, Greenwood, then walk under the I-10 overpass to Metairie Cemetery. See Cities of the Dead (dot net) for more information and details.
5. Spend an afternoon at the Aquarium of the Americas.
This is a great thing to do one afternoon when we're caught in one of our typical summer thunderstorms, or when it's just too hot to be outside. The Aquarium of the Americas is one of the best in the country.
6. Eat a classic lunch or dinner at an "old line" New Orleans Creole restaurant.
Galatoire's, Antoine's, Commander's Palace, or Arnaud's are good choices for this. Even if you're on a budget, go to one of these for lunch and don't drink alcohol, and your wallet won't be damaged severely. You need to understand that we "live to eat" in New Orleans where all too many others "eat to live."
7. Visit the New Orleans Museum of Art
NOMA has a great permanent collection, and the various special exhibits that come in and out are often stimulating and challenging. Ride the Canal Streetcar's "Carrollton Spur" to Beauregard Circle at City Park to enhance the experience with a streetcar ride.
8. Sample some Live Music
Check Offbeat Magazine's club listings for who's playing when you're in town. Pick a club that's hosting music to your liking and go!
9. Bourbon Street at night
Even if you aren't into strip clubs and jazz music, you've got to walk the blocks of Bourbon from Canal St. to St. Ann to understand why they call New Orleans "the city that care forgot."
10. Ride the ferry across the river to Mardi Gras World.
If you've never experienced Carnival, Fat Tuesday, and parades, Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World is the best way to understand a small fraction of why Mardi Gras is the biggest event in New Orleans.
That's my ten. Feel free to chime in with your picks in comments.
Top Ten Things To Do In New Orleans
1. Take a Walking Tour of the French Quarter
The French Quarter is the original city, and the cradle of our history and culture. You can't even begin to understand New orleans until you understand the Quarter. The New Orleans CVB has a brochure for a walking tour that you can download (PDF). The National Park Service also has put together several "Jazz Walking Tours," and two of those cover stuff in Da Quarters. Additionally, the Friends of the Cabildo do walking tours (for a fee) that are excellent.
Keep in mind that it's awfully hot and humid here in the summertime, so get an early start on any walking tours you do.
2. Ride the St. Charles Streetcar to the end of the line and back.
The St. Charles streetcar line is the oldest continuously-operating line in the country. It's a great way to get to other Uptown destinations (Garden District, Riverbend, Carrollton), but the ride is a to-do item in and of itself. Board the streetcar at St. Charles and Common, one block up from Canal St. As of this writing (12-Jun), the line is still only running to St. Charles and Carrollton, but it will return to its full 5.5-mile run from Canal St. to S. Claiborne Ave. on 22-Jun.
Once you've seen the Quarter up close, the streetcar is the best way to appreciate the "American" neighborhoods of Faubourg St. Marie (the CBD/Warehouse District), Lower Garden District, Garden District, Faubourg Bouligny, University District, Riverbend, and Carrollton. Check the schedule here.
3. Take a riverboat cruise.
New Orleans wouldn't exist were it not for the Mississippi River. It's important to see the city from the perspective of the generations of people who arrived here by water. The Steamboat Natchez is an authentic paddlewheeler that does both lunch and dinner cruises.
4. Explore the Cemeteries
The best way to explore our cemeteries is to ride the Canal streetcar line from downtown to the end of the line at City Park Avenue, known as the "Cemeteries Terminal." Walk through Cypress Grove, Greenwood, then walk under the I-10 overpass to Metairie Cemetery. See Cities of the Dead (dot net) for more information and details.
5. Spend an afternoon at the Aquarium of the Americas.
This is a great thing to do one afternoon when we're caught in one of our typical summer thunderstorms, or when it's just too hot to be outside. The Aquarium of the Americas is one of the best in the country.
6. Eat a classic lunch or dinner at an "old line" New Orleans Creole restaurant.
Galatoire's, Antoine's, Commander's Palace, or Arnaud's are good choices for this. Even if you're on a budget, go to one of these for lunch and don't drink alcohol, and your wallet won't be damaged severely. You need to understand that we "live to eat" in New Orleans where all too many others "eat to live."
7. Visit the New Orleans Museum of Art
NOMA has a great permanent collection, and the various special exhibits that come in and out are often stimulating and challenging. Ride the Canal Streetcar's "Carrollton Spur" to Beauregard Circle at City Park to enhance the experience with a streetcar ride.
8. Sample some Live Music
Check Offbeat Magazine's club listings for who's playing when you're in town. Pick a club that's hosting music to your liking and go!
9. Bourbon Street at night
Even if you aren't into strip clubs and jazz music, you've got to walk the blocks of Bourbon from Canal St. to St. Ann to understand why they call New Orleans "the city that care forgot."
10. Ride the ferry across the river to Mardi Gras World.
If you've never experienced Carnival, Fat Tuesday, and parades, Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World is the best way to understand a small fraction of why Mardi Gras is the biggest event in New Orleans.
That's my ten. Feel free to chime in with your picks in comments.
Stumble It!
Great list and most can be done with kids!
Thanks so much for the post! We did some of these things when in New Orleans in 2004, but there's so much more to do and see - I can't wait to check out more restaurants and the riverboats this time around :-)
What about Dooky Chase's? Camellia Grill? Or even the museums?
the antoine's link don't work. change the semi colon to a colon
So hard to limit yourself to ten, isn't it?
If one visits in the fall or winter, the Audubon Zoo is not to be missed. And do they still have that shuttle boat that takes you to the Aquarium? Not as historical as the paddelwheeler, but cheaper.
You forgot Broussard's.