New Orleans travel guide
USA
Jazz and Creole
New Orleans balances 120-year-old institutions like Galatoire's, largely unchanged since 1905, with a steady wave of chef-driven reinvention, from Emeril Lagasse's return to the city's dining scene at Meril to the Sazerac Bar's enduring pour at The Roosevelt. The French Quarter carries the city's soul, while Frenchmen Street in Marigny and Bywater holds its best live music.
Why New Orleans
New Orleans balances 120-year-old institutions like Galatoire's, largely unchanged since 1905, with a steady wave of chef-driven reinvention, from Emeril Lagasse's return to the city's dining scene at Meril to the Sazerac Bar's enduring pour at The Roosevelt. The French Quarter carries the city's soul, while Frenchmen Street in Marigny and Bywater holds its best live music.
- Best time to visit: February to May brings comfortable weather and coincides with Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, though both draw heavy crowds and higher prices.
- Getting around: The French Quarter and CBD are walkable; the historic streetcar lines connect to Mid-City and the Garden District.
- Language: English. French and Cajun heritage remain.
- Currency: US Dollar (USD)
- Timezone: CST (UTC-6, UTC-5 in summer)
Neighbourhoods in New Orleans
- French Quarter Historic balconies
- Garden District Stunning antebellum mansions, ancient oaks, and Magazine Street shopping.
- Marigny & Bywater Centred on Frenchmen Street, home to the area's best live music venues, bars, restaurants, record shops, and art galleries.
- Mid-City A thriving, arty, local neighbourhood with easy streetcar access to downtown.
Things to do in New Orleans
- Frenchmen Jazz Live jazz nightly
- Garden District Walking Tour Explore stunning antebellum mansions and oak-lined streets.
- Live Jazz on Frenchmen Street The real music scene—locals prefer Frenchmen to touristy Bourbon Street.
- Frenchmen Street live music The city's best concentration of live music venues, a locals-favoured alternative to Bourbon Street.
- Backstreet Cultural Museum Showcases African American cultural traditions of New Orleans, home to the city's largest collection of Mardi Gras Indian suits.
- Congo Square A foundational site for New Orleans Black history, historically a gathering place where music and dance traditions that shaped jazz took form.
- Frenchmen Street record shops A cluster of cool record shops among the live music venues and art galleries.
Where to eat in New Orleans
- Dooky Chase Legendary Creole
- Commander's Palace Legendary Garden District restaurant serving refined Creole cuisine since 1893.
- Dooky Chase's Historic restaurant serving legendary Creole soul food—a civil rights landmark.
- Galatoire's Open since 1905 and largely unchanged, the purest expression of a New Orleans dining institution, with a legendary Friday lunch service.
- Meril Chef Emeril Lagasse's return to New Orleans dining after nearly 20 years, serving creative small plates in an industrial-chic space.
- Domenica Wood-fired pizzas and handmade pastas inside the Roosevelt Hotel, known for its daily half-price happy hour.
- Lyons Corner A coffee shop, restaurant, and cocktail bar combined in a historic building, featuring creative takes on New Orleans dishes.
Where to drink in New Orleans
- The Carousel Bar Rotating carousel bar at Hotel Monteleone—a French Quarter institution.
- Preservation Hall The iconic venue for traditional New Orleans jazz since 1961.
- Sazerac Bar A New Orleans institution serving the city's namesake cocktail in a storied setting.
- Bar Marilou One of the city's best bars, tucked in the basement of a boutique hotel in the Central Business District.
Hidden gems in New Orleans
- St Roch Market A stylish food hall in a renovated 1875 market building, with local vendors serving everything from cochon de lait to oysters. The real New Orleans, without tourist markup.
- Bacchanal Wine A wine bar and music venue in a crumbling Bywater backyard, with excellent cheese, live jazz most nights, and an atmosphere that captures the city's magic.
- Mid-City streetcar route A thriving, arty local neighbourhood reached easily by streetcar, with a more residential, less touristy feel than the Quarter.
Local tips for New Orleans
- Second Line Follow Sunday parades
- Skip Bourbon Skip Bourbon Street—the real New Orleans is on Frenchmen and in the neighborhoods.
- Summer Heat Summer is brutally hot and humid—spring or fall are ideal visit times.
- Beyond Bourbon Frenchmen Street is where locals go for live music. Bourbon Street is for the spectacle, not the sound.
- Streetcar Fares The St Charles and Canal lines take exact change or a Jazzy Pass. A day pass pays for itself in three rides.
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