Happy Friday, everyone! hope you enjoyed my last post featuring my favourite things to do in NOLA’s oldest neighbourhood – and tourist hotspot – the French Quarter. While the French Quarter is an absolute must on any New Orleans trip, and it’s easy to want to spend all your time there, a common mistake first-time NOLA visitors make is never venturing outside the Quarter. And trust me: that’s a mistake you don’t want to make, because New Orleans has so much more to offer! From historic estates and Mardi Gras museums to swamp tours, distilleries and sculpture gardens, there’s plenty to do outside the FQ – and today, I’m excited to share a few of my favourites. Without further ado, here are my top recommendations for things to see and do in New Orleans… beyond the French Quarter!
Get a taste of Carnival Season at Mardi Gras World. Everyone says you need to visit New Orleans at least twice: once when it’s Mardi Gras, and once when it’s not. Because Mardi Gras is such a massive production and literally consumes the entire city for two weeks, locals say that to truly experience all NOLA has to offer, it’s best to visit outside of Carnival Season. And then of course, you have to visit again during Mardi Gras… because hello, it’s Mardi Gras! Experiencing this iconic festival is high on my bucket list, but regardless of when you visit NOLA, there’s a way to get a little taste of its magic: just take a trip to Mardi Gras World. This immersive museum is designed to give visitors the full Mardi Gras experience (or as close to it as possible) all year round. Tours start with a slice of king cake from Gambino’s Bakery and a video on the festival’s history. Then it’s into the 300,000-square-foot warehouse: home to Blaine Kern Studios, which has been creating majestic Mardi Gras floats since 1947! We were blown away by the sheer size of the floats – it’s something you can’t really capture in photographs or words. We even saw some float artists in action!
Bury yourself in local history. When planning a travel itinerary, “cemetery tour” may not be the first thing that comes to mind… but in New Orleans, it’s one of the top tourist experiences in town! NOLA is famous for its above-ground cemeteries, which date back to the 1700s-1800s and are the final resting places of many famous historical figures. There are 31 historic cemeteries in the city, but if you visit only one, make it St. Louis Cemetery No. 1: it’s the oldest (est. 1789), architecturally stunning, and famously, the resting place of Voodoo Priestess – and New Orleans icon – Marie Laveau. It used to be free and open to the public, but it became a victim of frequent vandalism, so now you can only access it via its official tour company. While the vandalism behind the decision is saddening (and maddening!) I’m actually so glad we did the official tour – our guide was wonderful, and we learned so much more than we ever could have on a self-guided tour.
Boost your spirits at Sazerac House. NOLA is the birthplace of many iconic cocktails: the Hurricane, the Grasshopper, and perhaps most famous of all, the Sazerac. Pharmacist Antoine Peychaud (of Peychaud’s Bitters fame) invented the drink in 1838 at his Creole apothecary. Nearly 200 years later, it’s still one of the most popular drinks in New Orleans – not to mention the city’s official cocktail! Located on Canal Street, Sazerac House is a three-story museum dedicated to telling the story of Sazerac rye whiskey via interactive displays and exhibits. They offer complimentary tours and tastings every day from 11-6 (the last tour begins at 4:15.) The 46-foot-tall bottle wall is a true showstopper!
Spend a fun-filled day at City Park. With a 55-acre lake, 30-acre forest, 10-acre botanical garden and tons of recreational activities, City Park is NOLA’s version of NYC’s Central Park. Or should I say the latter is New York’s version of the former? Because City Park is 50% larger and 4 years older! This sprawling park is the 87th largest and 20th most visited urban public park in the United States, and there’s tons to do here – so give yourself lots of time to explore! A full day is ideal, but at the very least, you need an afternoon. In addition to the aforementioned lake, forest and botanical garden, there’s an amusement park, a children’s museum, a mini golf course, a greenhouse, and a fairy-tale-inspired “storyland”. You can hike, bike, boat, golf, fish, bird-watch, play tennis, and when you’ve worked up an appetite, grab a beignet and café au lait at the park’s Café Du Monde outpost. City Park has one of the largest collections of mature live oaks in the entire world – some are up to 900 years old! Marvel at the famous McDonogh Oak – the park’s largest and oldest tree – or have a seat under the musical Singing Oak and let its windchimes serenade you.
Tour an 11-acre art gallery, no admission required! As if City Park didn’t have enough to do already, did I mention it’s also home to the New Orleans Museum of Art? The museum was closed the day we visited, but it just so happens to have an outdoor sculpture garden that’s open seven days a week – and admission is totally free! I’ve visited a few sculpture gardens over the years, but none of them come close to the sheer size, scale and beauty of the Sydney & Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. It has over 90 sculptures, including works by artists as famous as Henry Moore, Robert Indiana, Auguste Rodin and Frank Gehry. My favourite works include the stairway-to-heaven-esque Window With Ladder by Leandro Erlich, the 23-foot tall Karma by Do Ho Suh, the bold and brilliant Sun by Ugo Rondinone, the otherworldly Ptolemaïs by Anselm Kiefer, and the delightfully New Orleanian bead tree – L’Arbre aux Colliers – by Jean-Michel Othoniel.
Ride the streetcar through the Garden District. With its grand historic homes, moss-laden oaks, chic boutiques, and yes – its beautiful gardens – the Garden District is one of the prettiest neighbourhoods in New Orleans. One of the best ways to see the Garden District is via streetcar. The St. Charles Streetcar will take you from the French Quarter to the Garden District for just $1.25 (make sure you have exact change.) Plus, riding the streetcar is an experience in itself! The St. Charles is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world, and the vintage cars are so fun to ride. It’s a great way to see the sights of the gorgeous Garden District without getting blisters – and for a fraction of the cost of a bus tour! Of course, you’ll want to hop off and do some exploring on foot, too. The Garden District is known for its opulent Classic Revival mansions, which date back to the mid-1800s to early 1900s. American Horror Story: Coven fans will recognize the Buckner Mansion (1410 Jackson Avenue) as the site of Miss Robichaux’s Academy. Another spooky house to visit – if you happen to be in NOLA during October – is the Skeleton House at 6000 St Charles Avenue. Every Halloween, the owner goes all out with giant skeleton decorations – last year, the theme was Eras (“ScEras”) Tour-inspired! Other Garden District musts include shopping your way across the fabulous Magazine Street, and indulging in a three-martini lunch at the iconic Commander’s Palace restaurant.
Go to church. St. Louis Cathedral (see my last post) may get all the hype, but it’s just one of countless exquisitely beautiful churches in New Orleans. While you’re touring the Garden District, pay a visit to St. Mary’s Assumption Church: built in 1860, it’s a designated National Historic Landmark and a stunning example of German Baroque Revival architecture. Also in the Garden District: Trinity Episcopal Church (c. 1854) is known for its Gothic Revival architecture and pretty-in-pink facade. Downtown in the Central Business District, the Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church is another must-visit. Built in the Neo-Venetian Gothic Revival style and completed in 1930, its most notable features include gorgeous stained glass windows, a 24-karat gold altar that was handmade in France, and a solid marble statue of the Virgin Mary.
Shop ’til you drop on Magazine Street. This six-mile thoroughfare is NOLA’s ultimate shopper’s paradise. An eclectic mix of trendy boutiques, vintage shops, art galleries, antique stores, and hipster cafés, you’ll find everything from luxury labels to thrifted treasures. Some of my top retail-therapy recs include Century Girl for gorgeous vintage gowns, Shake Your Bon Bon for boho-inspired looks with country girl flair, Stoney Clover Lane for adorable custom accessories, Trashy Diva for vintage-inspired garb (and actual vintage garb at their Vintage Market just down the street), Fleurty Girl for an elevated take on souvenir tees, and Bettie’s Bombshells for retro designs to suit any modern pinup girl. Looking to outfit your home instead? I highly recommend Aux Belles Choses for charming French country decor, Dunn & Sonnier for exquisite European antiques, Derby Pottery for those iconic NOLA street tiles, Leontine Linens for classic monogrammed bedding, and Casey Langteau Gallery for stunning local artwork. Other stores of note include Miette for quirky and eclectic gifts, and The Good Shop, which sells ethically made, sustainable products from local makers. Since opening in 2019, they’ve donated $78,000 to social and environmental causes and non-profits.
Have a postcard-perfect moment. While exploring Magazine Street, you can’t miss this Insta-famous mural at the corner of Magazine and Josephine Street. Part of the Greetings Tour, the vintage postcard-inspired mural is the picture-perfect backdrop for your vacation photos. (This marks the second Greetings Tour mural I’ve seen – the first was in Knoxville, Tennessee. It’s my goal to see them all!)
Glimpse gators on a bayou tour. If you do one daytrip outside the city, make it this one! Louisiana is famous for their wetlands, and after experiencing them for myself, I can confirm that a swamp or bayou tour is an absolute must on any Louisiana itinerary. I’ve done a gator tour in the Everglades and it was tons of fun, but nothing compared to this! Louisiana bayous are so beautiful, peaceful and serene; filled with lush greenery, moss-draped oaks and plenty of wildlife – it felt like an escape to a dream world! We booked with Cajun Encounters, the top-rated tour company in the area. The tours depart from Slidell, about a 40-minute drive from New Orleans. Sandra’s friend Kaylee – a NOLA local – joined us for the tour and was kind enough to give us a ride! (Cajun Encounters also offers round-trip transportation from the city for an additional fee.) The two-hour boat tour took us through the beautiful Honey Island Swamp, where we saw plenty of gators and other local wildlife, from herons to turtles to wild pigs. Although us Torontonians had to laugh when everyone else started going nuts over the raccoons! Captain Jacob was a wonderful tour guide and we learned so much.
Admire the “vues” from Longue Vue House. Built in 1921, the historic Longue Vue estate is one of New Orleans’ most cherished landmarks. The 22,000-square-foot Classical Revival mansion is surrounded by eight acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with fountains, sculptures and some of the most incredible trees I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately by the time we arrived, we had just missed the last house tour of the day, but we had so much fun wandering around the gardens! There are 15 different ones to explore, each with their own unique style and theme.
Listen to live jazz on Frenchmen Street. If you read my travel guide to the French Quarter, you already know that New Orleans is the official birthplace of jazz, and is world-renowned for its jazz clubs. If you’re looking for the best live jazz in NOLA, head over to Frenchmen Street! Once a hidden gem among locals, the (spotted) cat’s out of the bag, and the three-block stretch of Frenchmen between Esplanade Avenue and Royal Street is now a musical hotspot for locals and tourists alike. The most popular jazz clubs on Frenchmen include The Spotted Cat, Snug Harbor, d.b.a., Blue Nile, and Café Negril – and/or simply walk down the street, because there’s usually some sort of free street concert happening! We got hot dogs from Dat Dog (I tried the alligator one, which made me feel just a little guilty on that gator tour the next day!) and ate on their balcony, where we were treated to a free jazz show below.
Explore the vibrant Bywater neighbourhood. Located about 2 miles east of the French Quarter, the Bywater is a hipster, up-and-coming neighbourhood known for its colourful “shotgun homes” (a distinct New Orleans style of architecture) and its trendy cafés, vintage shops and restaurants. We stayed in this neighbourhood – more on that here – so we spent a fair bit of time strolling around, admiring its architecture, poking around its antique stores, and fueling up at its restaurants and cafés (I highly recommend The Country Club and Lowpoint Coffee!)
Be nice or leave. While you’re in the Bywater neighbourhood, be sure to stop by Dr. Bob Folk Art. Dr. Bob is a New Orleans icon, known for his quirky and eclectic folk art. “Be Nice Or Leave” is his motto, and it features heavily in many of his works. And really… wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all followed that rule? I’m also a fan of his “Shut Up And Eat” signs – an essential kitchen item, if you ask me. Dr. Bob’s indoor-outdoor gallery is open to the public every day from 10-3. We missed the Doctor himself, but we did get to meet his very cute cat!
Lobby for a peek at NOLA’s fanciest hotels. There’s nothing I love more than a fancy hotel – and even though I can’t afford to stay in one, that doesn’t mean I (and you) can’t have our very own Eloise moment! One of the prettiest hotels in New Orleans is the Hotel Monteleone: known as “the grand dame of Royal Street”, it was built in 1886 and is a member of the Historic Hotels Of America. It’s also home to the famous spinning Carousel Bar! While popping in for a drink (and a carousel ride) be sure to check out the gorgeous lobby – worth a visit for the ceiling alone – and the gift shop, which sells the prettiest postcards. Another stunning hotel worth popping into is The Roosevelt, located just a block from the French Quarter. Dating back to 1893, its grand gilded lobby is famous for its annual Christmas decorations (I’ll have to book a trip back just to see those!) Just like the Monteleone, the Roosevelt is home to another iconic NOLA watering hole: the legendary Sazerac Bar.
As you can see, New Orleans has so much to offer – both inside and outside the French Quarter! If you’re planning your own NOLA trip, I hope these recommendations were helpful. If you have questions about any of the places I mentioned, you can always ask in the comments or send me an email – I always love hearing from you.
Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend!
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