- Gumbo (the dark-roux classic)
- Beignets (Cafe du Monde, powdered sugar everywhere)
- Po'boy (roast beef or fried shrimp, dressed)
- Jambalaya and red beans and rice (Monday's tradition)
New Orleans Guide
The French Quarter, New Orleans. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
New Orleans is the most distinctive city in America: French, Spanish, African and Caribbean currents in the food, the music and the streets. Jazz was born here; second lines still parade through the neighbourhoods; the food is a cuisine unto itself.
The French Quarter is the postcard, Frenchmen Street is the music, the Garden District is the mansions, and the Treme is the history. Mardi Gras is the season; Jazz Fest is the pilgrimage.
What to do in New Orleans
The city
- 1
French Quarter Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, the balconies. - 2
Frenchmen Street The music clubs, night after night. - 3
Garden District The St. Charles streetcar and the mansions. - 4
National WWII Museum Allow a full day. - 5
Cafe du Monde Beignets and chicory coffee, 24 hours.
Beyond
- 1
Treme Congo Square, the Backstreet Cultural Museum. - 2
Swamp tours Airboats into the bayous west of the city. - 3
Oak Alley The plantation's oak allée, an hour west.
New Orleans Hotel Guide
How to choose the best places to stay in New Orleans. Verified properties below; for the full list, search live availability on Booking.com.
Where to eat
Getting there and around
MSY is the gateway, 25 minutes from the Quarter. The streetcars cover the Quarter, Garden District and riverfront; the city is walkable at its core.