New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico. Nicknamed the “Big Easy,” it’s known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene, and spicy, singular cuisine, reflecting its history as a melting pot of French, African, and American cultures. Two days in New Orleans will let you see some of the best the city has to offer.
New Orleans is such a unique city with tons of charm. It reminds me of Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA, in many ways! I absolutely loved spending two days in New Orleans, and you’ll be surprised by how many unique things to do there are.
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Trip Costs
When I found out my friend was headed to New Orleans for a weekend (and that flights were $130), I knew I had to join! New Orleans is a city I’ve been wanting to visit for a while, and two days in New Orleans (especially in winter) is perfect. The weather is great, it isn’t too crowded, and there are a ton of budget-friendly things to do.
$130 flight
$100 for AirBnB (per person)
$150 tours, food, and activities
Total: $380
Find more on trip costs for New Orleans.
Where to Stay in New Orleans
1500 Canal by Sonder
I was lucky enough to find this awesome apartment close to everything. It made getting everywhere we wanted really easy. The apartment had a lot of charm, and I loved the large old windows. The downside was that you definitely don’t want to sleep on the couch in the living room without earplugs! The street car was very loud at night, but not a problem from the bedroom.
Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans
This downtown property aims to be all things to all people, and for a corporate chain, it comes impressively close thanks to its great location replete with nice amenities. You’ll be comfortable and in a great location by staying here.
The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
This historic hotel offers exceptional service and spacious rooms, and is just one block from the French Quarter. If you’re looking for a luxury stay, this is the perfect option. Make sure to check out their Sazerac Bar (the Sazerac is the first US cocktail and was invented in New Orleans).
Getting Around
Public Transit
The streetcar was close by, and we could take a bus to and from the airport for just $2 each way. Public transit in New Orleans is safe, easy, and cheap! You can buy a day pass for the bus and train system using the RTA App or right on their website.
By Car
You don’t need a car when visiting New Orleans due to public transit and the ease of grabbing an Uber or Lyft around town. If you’re driving in, I’d highly recommend checking if your hotel has parking because parking in downtown New Orleans can be challenging and traffic can be tricky.
That said, if you are driving in, I-90 and I-10 are both major highways that connect to New Orleans making it easily accessible by car.
Best Time to Visit New Orleans
New Orleans is almost a year round destination. Choosing when to visit depends on what you want to do. Here’s a little about which season to choose based on your interests!
- Best for Festivals and Mild Weather: February to May
- Best for Budget Travelers: June to August
- Best for a Quiet Visit: December to January
Friday Night
Arrive and explore Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is one spot in New Orleans you’ve got to see to believe. I honestly was shocked walking down the street at how much was going on and how drunk people actually were. The flashing lights, open drinking (you can walk around and drink in the streets in the city), and live music made it such a unique experience.
This is not a spot I suggest going at night alone to if you can avoid it but I loved seeing all the different types of people enjoying their night. We stopped for a few drinks at different spots – check out Mohogany Jazz Hall for some absinthe and great live music while out.
Saturday
Coffee and Jackson Square $5
Wake up early enough to get a good start to the day and grab some delicious breakfast downtown and get ready for a cemetery tour! Stop for a coffee at SpitFire Coffee and walk along Royal Street to see this iconic building walk through the famous Jackson Square where you can see the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral, listen to live music that happens all throughout the day, see local artists at work, and visit the famous Faulkner House Books (which was his house).
Cemetery and Voodoo Tour
One of the most unique things to do in New Orleans is a cemetery and voodoo tour. We went on a tour that included cemeteries and voodoo history, a spooky tour for sure! The tour was just $14 a person and included lots of interesting facts as well as a visit to the famous Madame Louvauix tomb (the famous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans). There are huge advantages to taking a tour instead of going yourself.
You can certainly do two separate tours on these topics as there are plenty of stories and tales for both, but I’d recommend a combination tour to hear some about both!
You’ll get to explore the history and mystique of voodoo in New Orleans. You’ll learn about the religion’s roots and its cultural significance in the city. Voodoo was brought by followers fleeing Haiti after the 1791 slave revolt moved to New Orleans and grew as many free people of color made its practice an important part of their culture. Voodoo queens and kings were spiritual and political figures of power in 1800s New Orleans.
Graves are not marked and there is little explanation to the interesting tombs without a tour. Plus, some cemeteries can only be visited with a guide/group. It’s necessary to take a tour in my opinion to get a full experience.
Tour Options:
Louis Armstrong Park
After the tour ended in Louis Armstrong Park (home to some important NOLA history), we walked down a street and found these wonderful and colorful buildings.
This public park honors the famous jazz musician Louis Armstrong. Its iconic entrance leads into Congo Square, a historic meeting place that enslaved and free people of color used in the 1800s. They gathered for meetings, open markets, dances, and musical performances.
Today, you’ll also find sculptures, duck ponds and lots of open spaces for relaxing, commemorating this important gathering space.
In Louis Armstrong Park, you’ll also find the Mahalia Jackson Theater. This theater is the self-sustaining home of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Orleans Ballet Association, and the New Orleans Opera Association. You can attend a performance in this beautiful theater!
We kept walking and took the famous Charles Street Streetcar to the Garden District.
Walk the Garden District
We used a free self guided tour we found on Free Walking tours and honestly didn’t finish seeing all the houses because we got hungry! But we were able to find the most important places and honestly just walking around is enough. There are so many beautiful houses and you’ve got to stop and smell the roses (literally) as you walk this neighborhood.
Some highlights include Commander’s Palace (you can reserve a spot for brunch here, too!), Anne Rice’s house, and Lafayette Cemetery.
Consider taking a tour here to see some of the famous homes and learn the historic of the architecture in this beautiful neighborhood!
Here are a few tour options if you’re interested:
Shop on Magazine Street
Along the edge of the Garden District, you’ll find Magazine Street. This vibrant street has lots of street art, shops, cafes, art galleries, and restaurants. It’s a great area for exploring, especially after visiting the Garden District.
I ended up doing quite a bit of vintage shopping here, finding some really fun and eclectic pieces. It’s a great spot to grab a unique souvenir (that no one will realize is a souvenir, which is my favorite kind). There were flea markets, fancy art galleries, and cool vintage shops like the Funky Monkey, where we both ended up buying something!
Lunch at Dat Dog
The highlight of Magazine Street was eating at Dat Dog. Dat Dog has incredible hot dogs of all different kinds. I chose to get the alligator dog which was really delicious! They have tons of options and I highly recommend eating here. They have two other locations as well to try if you’re not around Magazine Street on Feret Street and Frenchman Street.
Dat Dog makes many unique hot dogs, such as crawfish, codfish, and alligator dogs, which you can order. They also have a food challenge they call the Datzilla challenge, which is a combo of five different hot dogs, fries, cheese, and more. I had an gator hot dog while here and it was pretty tasty!
Relax with a Beignet
There are two famous shops where people grab beignets – Cafe Du Monde and Cafe Beignet. Both have delicious beignets and are worth a visit! I personally like Cafe Beignet for winter since it was all inside and had live music, however, Cafe du Monde is also a famous spot and right near Jackson Square. Beignets are a great way to start and end the day.
Late Night Music on Frenchman Street
In my opinion, Frenchman Street is way more fun than Bourbon Street. Why? Because it attracts a totally different crowd and has some really awesome live music. The vibe was so different and people really seemed to be enjoying themselves beyond just being extremely drunk on alcohol (that’s not my scene).
There is a diverse crowd of all different ages that come out on Frenchman Street unlike Bourbon which is full of drunk tourists. Frenchman Street was way more fun and you can enjoy jazz, blues, and more in intimate venues.
There is a diverse crowd of all different ages that come out on Frenchman Street unlike Bourbon which is full of drunk tourists. Frenchman Street was way more fun.
Consider joining a tour to enjoy music and meet fellow travelers!
I’d recommend the Spotted Cat, which is famous for its live jazz. It has a cover, but it is worth it, I promise! Often next to the Spotted Cat there is an artist’s market open until midnight with tons of local jewelry, art, and products called the Palace Market.
You can then walked down the street, stopping in all the different spots to listen to music. Every spot had great music, and people were dancing and having a great time.
Sunday
We ate breakfast at our Airbnb and took it easy this morning after a long day on Saturday. Our Airbnb was a great spot to relax and make coffee in the morning. After getting ready, we headed out for day two exploring.
City Park
City Park is a huge park that is actually twice as large as Central Park and was surprisingly beautiful. The park has tons of the famous Oak trees and are covered in moss. There are multiple lakes to bike around as well.
The park has tons of the famous Oak trees, which are covered in moss. There are multiple lakes to bike around as well, but the most famous tree is the Singing Oak. This tree is 125 years old and just outside the New Orleans Museum of Art. The local artist Jim Hart hung windchimes from the tree making it the “Singing Oak.”
We rented a fun surrey and biked around for a few hours exploring different parts of the park.
New Orleans Museum of Art
Once we had biked around for a few hours, we went to the New Orleans Art Museum. The sculpture garden was my favorite part, and it was actually free to visit.
The art museum itself has some really great pieces worth seeing. We just ran out of time. The sculpture garden was great to walk around and see all the lovely pieces, even in winter.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River has been vital to the development of New Orleans (and really all of the United States) and has been a major piece of the city and its history. New Orleans is at the mouth of the Mississippi River to the ocean so it’s been a major port since the city was founded in the 18th century.
Here’s a few things to do along the Mississippi:
- Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise: A two-hour tour with a concert, historical narration, and an optional meal. The boat also has a gift shop and bar.
- The Riverfront Streetcar is great for sightseeing. It has six vintage red streetcars that can take you to various attractions along the river.
- New Orleans: Creole Queen History Cruise with Optional Lunch: Listen to an exciting narration depicting the last battle of 1812. Learn about New Orleans’s famous landmarks, river lore, and culture.
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Two days in New Orleans is just what you need if you want a city with a completely different feel, amazing food, and fun everywhere you go. You could definitely spend 3 days in New Orleans or more but it sure does make a great weekend trip! Can’t recommend this awesome city enough.
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