New Orleans
New Orleans is walkable and compact — 3 days covers the French Quarter's architecture and Bourbon Street once, a proper night of live jazz on Frenchmen Street (most venues have no cover charge, just a one-drink minimum), and beignets at Cafe du Monde. Hotel prices swing hard around events: budget $150-300/night normally, but expect double or triple that during Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest. June-November is hurricane season, the same caveat as Miami.
New Orleans doesn't feel like anywhere else in the country — it's more Caribbean and French than American in its bones, and it's one of the very few US cities where the nightlife (specifically, live jazz drifting out of open doorways) is genuinely the main event, not an afterthought.
How many days do you actually need?
Three days is enough for a satisfying trip: one for the French Quarter's architecture and history, one for a proper night out on Frenchmen Street (the locals' jazz strip, a few blocks from touristy Bourbon Street), and a spare day for a cemetery tour, the Garden District, or a swamp tour.
Bourbon Street vs. Frenchmen Street
| Street | What it's actually like |
|---|---|
| Bourbon Street | Loud, touristy, open-container drinking — worth one night, manage expectations |
| Frenchmen Street | Where locals and musicians actually go for jazz; several venues have no cover, just a one-drink minimum around $10 |
| Royal Street | Antique shops and art galleries by day, quieter and prettier than Bourbon at any hour |
What's actually worth your time
- Beignets at Cafe du Monde — powdered-sugar fried dough and chicory coffee, open 24 hours, genuinely worth the fast-moving queue; a plate of three runs about $4.
- A night of live jazz on Frenchmen Street — venues like Snug Harbor charge a ticket for name performers ($15-25), while several others have no cover at all, just a drink minimum.
- A cemetery tour — New Orleans' historic above-ground cemeteries (a necessity given the city's water table) are genuinely striking; go with a licensed guide rather than wandering alone.
- The Garden District — a quieter, leafy contrast to the French Quarter, full of 19th-century mansions best seen on a walking tour.
- A swamp or plantation tour — both run as half-day trips from the city, roughly $50-90 depending on the operator.
When to go — and the price-spike calendar
New Orleans hotel prices follow the event calendar more than the season. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest (typically late April into early May) can double or triple normal room rates, with availability tightening months ahead — book far in advance if you specifically want to be there for either, or deliberately avoid those exact dates if you don't. Like Miami, June through November is Atlantic hurricane season; the same travel-insurance caveat applies.
What it costs
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel, per night (normal dates) | $150-300 |
| Beignets at Cafe du Monde | $4 |
| Jazz club ticket (Frenchmen St venue) | $15-25 |
| Po'boy sandwich | $12-18 |
| Swamp or plantation half-day tour | $50-90 |
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Spending the whole trip on Bourbon Street — it's worth one night, but Frenchmen Street a few blocks away is where the genuinely good, less touristy live jazz actually happens.
- Booking a summer trip without checking the hurricane forecast and travel insurance, exactly as with a Miami trip.
- Trying to visit during Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest without booking months ahead — both events can double or triple hotel rates and sell out the city.
Where to stay in New Orleans — hotels
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