3-Day New Orleans Itinerary

Arrive and check in near the French Quarter

Fly into MSY (about 25-40 minutes by car to the Quarter) and drop your bags at a hotel in the French Quarter, Marigny or Warehouse District.

Beignets at Café Du Monde and a Jackson Square stroll

Order beignets and cafe au lait at the original Café Du Monde (lines move fast; take-out is quicker), then step into St. Louis Cathedral.

Royal Street galleries and a history walking tour

Browse antiques and galleries on Royal Street, peek into courtyards, and join a guided walk to learn how Creole, French and Spanish history shaped the Quarter.

Live jazz on Frenchmen Street

Have a casual dinner in the Marigny, then club-hop for brass bands and jazz. Sets start around 6-7 PM; bring cash for covers and the band's tip bucket.

St. Charles streetcar to the Garden District

Board on Canal Street around 9 AM, sit on the right for mansion views, and ride about 25 minutes to Washington Avenue.

Garden District mansions walk

Join a guided walk or self-guide past Greek Revival and Italianate homes on Prytania Street and First Street, staying on the sidewalk since homes are private.

Po'boy lunch and Magazine Street shopping

Grab a roast beef or fried shrimp po'boy at a neighborhood sandwich shop, then browse boutiques and vintage stores along Magazine Street.

Classic Creole dinner

Reserve a table at an old-line Creole dining room or a modern Cajun kitchen for gumbo, turtle soup, crawfish etouffee or bread pudding. Book a few days ahead on weekends.

French Market and the Mississippi riverfront

Arrive early to beat the heat, browse produce, pralines and crafts at the French Market, then walk the riverfront Moonwalk to watch the ships.

Creole cooking class with lunch

Join a hands-on or demonstration class to learn gumbo, jambalaya and pralines, then eat what you cook. Book a day or two ahead.

Treme, Congo Square and Louis Armstrong Park

Walk to Congo Square, where enslaved and free people of color gathered for music and dance, and learn about Treme, one of America's oldest Black neighborhoods.

Preservation Hall jazz set

Book an early-evening set at Preservation Hall (tickets sell out; approx. USD 25-50), then end with a nightcap back on Frenchmen Street.