Part of New Orleans’ immediate appeal is just sauntering around its neighborhoods and letting the historic aesthetics of the French Quarter or Garden District wash over you. When you’ve taken in the ambiance, though, it’s time to scratch beneath the surface of its decorative wrought iron balconies and ebullient, streetside brass bands. World class museums await in the form of the National World War II Museum and New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as more indigenous insights at Mardi Gras World or the Backstreet Cultural Museum. Must-see music venues—with a heavy skew to traditional jazz—abound, with food and drink, the other life bloods of The Crescent City, also well represented. Green spaces—both human made and more wild just outside the city limits—invite you to sit or explore in some welcome shade. You’ll find here an accessible city, with many venues within walking distance of one another. Grab a cold drink for the stroll (it’s encouraged), and open yourself up to sights and experiences that you really can’t find anywhere else.
Read our complete New Orleans travel guide here, which includes:
How we choose the best things to do in New Orleans
Every review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that activity. When choosing things to do, our editors consider landmarks and experiences that offer an insider’s view of a destination, keeping authenticity, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.