The Top Things to Do in New Orleans 2020

Came to New Orleans to get a taste of antiquity? Then look no further than the Old Ursuline Convent—the oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley. But that’s not all – built in 1752, the convent is also a treasure trove of religious antiquity which features, among other religious treasures, the famous Archdiocese archives. Not just a documentary museum, this ancient antebellum mansion located in New Orleans Garden District also houses some of the best examples of opulent southern décor. Enter via the Chartres Street entrance and be met with the most beautiful manicured garden in New Orleans, while within the mansion, the first thing you’ll notice is a handcrafted cypress staircase followed by some of the most fascinating oil paintings featuring religious motifs. Other rooms tell the various histories of the Old Ursuline Convent—the building was once an orphanage, a makeshift hospital, and even a temporary residence for traveling bishops.

This iconic street in the heart of New Orleans is home to some of the Big Easy’s best shopping, eating and drinking establishments, making it a top spot for tourists and locals any time of day. Street-side cafes with open-air tables offer some of the best people watching on an afternoon about the town, while nightfall sees the street's restaurants and nightclubs brimming with visitors eager to taste traditional Creole fare and boogie into the early hours. Travelers who want to make the most of their time in New Orleans will find plenty of tour options for exploring this dynamic street as well as other parts of the city. Whether it’s a hop-on hop-off bus ride, a Segway, food or walking tour of the French Quarter, or a bike ride along the Big Easy’s most famous thoroughfare, Magazine Street offers visitors endless ways to join in on the Nola spirit.

Little is more iconic to a native New Orleanian than the towering Superdome. The Superdome has served as a cultural symbol for New Orleans since it was first built in 1967, and has since played host to a number of big New Orleans events including numerous Super Bowls, Sugar Bowls, and even as home to the many displaced during Hurricane Katrina. This marvel of engineering spans 13 massive acres and when the crowd cheers for a sporting event, gives the home team a statistically significant home-field advantage. This is the largest fixed-dome structure in the world, and proud home to the New Orleans Saints.

While Bourbon Street may take the spotlight, the real party is down on Frenchmen. This little corner on the cusp of the French Quarter is home to numerous live music venues and dance halls that, throughout the years, have put New Orleans’ 7th Ward on the map. It’s here that you’ll find the best of New Orleans live music, and many a long festival night will lend way to Frenchmen’s small three block section of New Orleans. There are numerous nightclubs here, but arguably the most famous are: D.B.A., the Spotted Cat, and Snug Harbor – each of these has its own flavor and charm, but the best of an evening out will consist of getting your beer “to-go” and popping in-between the venues like the rest of the crowd. Looking for an authentic New Orleans experience? Come to this little slice of live-music heaven and see how New Orleans earns its reputation as a music capital.

Renowned as one of the wildest and most unspoiled swamplands in the United States, the murky, algae-coated waters of the Honey Island Swamp are a prime habitat for native wildlife, including alligators, but if you believe the legends, the lake is home to an even more menacing resident. The notorious Honey Island Swamp monster has long been a figure of local legend, although the alleged sightings of the mysterious Big Foot like creature are yet to be proven. Stretching for 18 miles (30 km) and surrounded by dense forest and overhanging cypress trees, the wetlands are best explored by boat, where you’ll paddle through the shallow backwaters and have the chance to spot wild boar, raccoon, mink, otters and turtles, along with a huge variety of birdlife.

In New Orleans’ French Quarter lies the Napoleon House, a monument to the city’s illustrious heritage and culinary tradition. Built in 1814 by former Mayor Nicholas Girod, the property is most famous for supposedly being offered by the mayor to Napoleon Bonaparte as a refuge after the Frenchman’s exile in 1821. Napoleon never made it to the house, but the name stuck and the building became one of the most famous bars and cafes in the city. For the past 200 years, Napoleon House has been a frequent stop for numerous artists and writers, and today the National Historic Landmark is open for visitors to enjoy a signature muffaletta and Pimms Cup while absorbing both the architecture and atmosphere.

Ask any tourist about the Faubourg Marigny and you’ll likely be met with blank stares. Ask any local about the Faubourg Marigny, and you’ll hear about one of New Orleans’s most interesting and musically active neighborhoods. A triangular area between Esplanade and Elysian Fields Avenue, this historic New Orleans neighborhood spans only a third of a square mile but has a wildly disproportionate concentration of musical talent. Long a local secret, national attention landed upon Faubourg Marigny when, after Hurricane Katrina, a new wave of interest in New Orleans began, and with the economic resurgence that filled the land the Marigny neighborhood entered the spotlight as a local place to be and be seen. Historically, the Faubourg Marigny was developed as New Orleans’ second suburb in 1806, and was the first recording neighborhood outside of the famous French Quarter.

Located in a renovated molasses warehouse dating back to the 1800’s, the New Orleans School of Cooking is the place to go to learn the basics of Louisiana-style cooking. Cajun / Creole teachers instruct participants on how to make some of New Orleans’ signature dishes like Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Pralines. The New Orleans School of Cooking has been in operation since 1980 and offers several different courses – both for individuals and large groups. The most popular is the open demonstration class where you sit back and learn how the signature dishes are made, the history of Louisiana’s culinary influences, and how these dishes came to be so representative of the state. The best part of your demonstration? You’ll get to taste everything made in the session and take the recipes home with you.

Located downtown in the French Quarter on the northern side of Jackson Square lies the unassuming yet stately Cabildo Museum. A powerhouse of historical relevance, many argue that the Cabildo Museum is one of the most historically significant buildings in America. Built between 1795 and 1799 to replace a building that burned in the great 1974 fire, the Cabildo served as the seat of New Orleans government during the Spanish Colonial period. It was here that the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803, almost doubling the size of the United States, and it was also here that the seat of the New Orleans City Council made residence, as well as the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1868-1910. Also here, in this very building, several landmark cases were tried, including the “separate but equal” Plessy v. Ferguson in 1986. Today, the Cabildo Museum is one of the finest living examples of New Orleans’ rich history.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is home to more than 60 sculptures created by artists from all over the world. Located adjacent to the museum in City Park, sculptures are spread throughout approximately five acres of park space, tucked in a landscape that includes mature pines, magnolias and live oaks. NOMA offers a free audio tour. Ask at the entrance to the Sculpture Garden for information on accessing the tour from your cell phone.

The New Canal Lighthouse has, like many things in New Orleans, a long history behind it. Originally built when Congress issued a $5,000 grant towards the construction of lighted pathways along the “new” New Orleans canal, the New Canal Lighthouse was built to guide vessels navigating this once expansive waterway that stretched into the very heart of the city. Today, however, the canal has been filled in, as has the water that once ran under the lighthouse. Thanks to the Lake Pontchartrain basin reclamation efforts, the New Canal Lighthouse now stands on solid ground in the popular Lakefront Park. Unfortunately, in 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita proved damaging to the ancient structure, but thanks to New Orleans’ signature spirit and commitment to things they love, the New Canal Lighthouse has been restored to its original glory – built “new” again.

Not quite a plantation yet matching the stature and elegance of one, the Longu Vue House and Gardens is one of the best examples of a New Orleans city estate in the Classical Revival style. The house itself is impressive, built to full opulent splendor, but the gardens themselves were designed by the best landscape architects of the early 20th century and are truly a marvel to behold. Inspired by the Gardens of the Alhambra in Spain, the array of lyrical fountains launching long arches of water across a rectangular pool is perhaps one of the most photographed landscapes in all of New Orleans. Indoors, take a tour of the sumptuous lifestyles of the Country Era Place homes and see how the affluent lived in the Deep South with ancient American and English antiques throughout.

The only mint in existence to hold the designation of printing both U.S. and Confederate coinage, the Old U.S. Mint has a story all its own. Built in 1835 and a product of Andrew Jackson’s “Bank War,” the Mint was built in the Greek Revival style and houses the history of 1838 until 1909 when minting ceased. Visitors can walk the mint exhibits and then the much applauded New Orleans Mint Performing Arts Center where new Jazz is made and the history of the art form is preserved. Located at the brink of the French Quarter and bordering the now famous Treme district, the Old U.S. Mint is a welcome reprieve from sometimes long days on your feet exploring the nuances of the Quarter, and even houses some great Jazz shows itself.

New Orleans has been home to many famous artists and musicians over the years – none of them more famous than Edgar Degas. Master Impressionist, Degas’ influence on the art world can still be felt today in his sculpture, paintings, sketches, and drawings. His most famous images are, perhaps those he did of dancers – over half his work utilize these images, and they are what he is most often associated with. Degas successfully used old and new techniques that made his style his own, and for that, and his ability to render a certain sort of delicate beauty, he has become one of the most celebrated and remembered artists of all time. Built in the Esplanade ridge neighborhood just on the outer edge of the French Quarter, The Edgar Degas House dates from the 1850s. Visiting his New Orleans home is easy, accessible and right on the cusp of the French Quarter.

Even if you can’t visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras, you can still learn all about the famous New Orleans tradition at the Presbytere. Part of the Louisiana State Museum, the Presbytere boasts an interactive exhibition that includes an impressive collection of Mardi Gras artifacts and memorabilia. "Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana," documents the celebration’s extensive history, from its origins to present day traditions. Visitors also learn about Mardi Gras events in Louisiana’s rural areas. The Presbytere building has a unique history of its own. It gets its name from its location. It is built on the site of the residence, or presbytere, of the Capuchin monks. It was designed in 1791 to match the Cabildo on the other side of St. Louis Cathedral. The Presbytere was used as commercial space and even served as a courthouse from 1834 to 1911 before becoming part of the Louisiana State Museum.

Once a great plantation and the largest undeveloped parcel of land in the area that is now Uptown New Orleans, Audubon Park is now one of the greatest expanses of open land in New Orleans. Home to sports fields, picnic and playground facilities, a golf course, a jogging and biking track, and lush lagoons that house native wildlife, Audubon Park is where locals and tourists head when they need a breath of fresh air, time to stretch their legs, or to simply marvel at the mighty Mississippi as it rolls by. Stretching from St. Charles Ave to the Mississippi River, also housed within the park is the famous Audubon Zoo and New Orleans most prominent rookery – Bird Island.

Located in the heart of New Orleans' famed French Quarter, Preservation Hall is home to the famous Preservation Hall Jazz Band and hosts a variety of the Big Easy's best jazz performers. Crowds pack this old time venue to relive the glory days of jazz and watch seasoned 70 and 80-year-old jazz veterans alongside upcoming musicians play some of that signature New Orleans sound. Despite the dust and sweaty audience packed into this legendary hall, Preservation Hall is still the premiere place in New Orleans for live music. While you'll be surprised by the multitude of talented musicians on the street, there's nothing like hearing the Preservation Hall Band perform a New Orleans anthem, "When the Saints Go Marching In" in an setting small enough to hear that pure jazz sound perfectly without any sound equipment.

Locals call this beautiful plantation the Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road, partly because of its rich history and partly because of its incredible old-world architecture. Established as a sugar farm around 1803, Houmas House was open to the public in 1963. The traditional southern plantation home has seen its share of generals, Union forces and colonels, too. The same gardens, mansion and peaceful grounds that drew men in search of respite in times of war, draw travelers today who are in search of a nearby escape from the energy and gluttony of the Big Easy. Daily tours treat visitors with true Southern hospitality and welcome them to the grounds not as tourists, but as guests. Expert guides lead travelers through the elaborate halls of the plantation’s mansion, through galleries of antiques and art, and across the well-kept grounds of the Houmas Gardens. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that’s available only south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Storyville was established in 1897 when the New Orleans City Council, under orders from councilman, Alderman Sidney Story, set out to regulate prostitution with the aim to restrict the red light district to a controlled area. The district was soon nicknamed Storyville after the councillor, and for the next 20 years the streets of North Basin, North Robertson, Iberville, and St. Louis on the edge of the French Quarter were filled with brothels, saloons, and other businesses. It is said that jazz and swing music originated within the saloons and dance halls of Storyville during this time, with musicians such as Tony Jackson and Jelly Roll Morton performing in the area.

If you’re at the Port of New Orleans, you’re most like beginning or ending your cruise, so get there a day early or stick around afterward for a chance to explore the Big Easy. The French Quarter is, of course, the main attraction, but if you’ve been there, done that, take a shore excursion into the countryside to see some of Louisiana’s grand plantation homes, or experience the swampy waterways on an airboat tour. You’ll dock downtown at either the Julia Street or Erato Street terminal. Both terminals are on the Riverfront Trolley Line, which will take you a mile up the Mississippi River to the French Quarter.

The designation of being the most opulent plantation house in North America doesn’t come cheaply. Nor will you find the San Francisco Plantation mansion in any disrepair. A galleried house of the Creole open-suite style, this fabulous southern home’s riches aren’t just found on its sprawling property or wrapped up in its gorgeous architecture – the San Francisco Plantation has one of the finest and most extensive antique collections in the country. Reminiscent of Versailles and steeped in a history of rich antebellum living, slavery holdings, and sordid stories of love, wealth, death and honor, the San Francisco Plantation is not just a visit to any ordinary plantation home – it’s a surreal pastiche down history lane.

How to unwrap the culture and history of Louisiana, the Gulf, and the Mississippi river delta flood-plane? This rich cultural system of Creoles, Cajuns, French Arcadians, Spanish, French, Haitian and Afro-Caribbeans make a rich stew of culture – a culture closely tied to its environment, and its preservation is vital to the enduring legacy of the region. Enter the Historic New Orleans Collection. It is the Historic New Orleans Collection’s job to maintain it all, to record and preserve for mankind the incredibly diverse traditions of New Orleans and the Gulf South region. Through a collection of historic French Quarter buildings, the Collection operates museum galleries and walkthroughs which showcase some 35,000 artifacts, manuscripts, photographs, and prints shedding light upon Louisiana’s multifaceted and extensive past.

The Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium is an entomology museum home to more than 50 live, interactive exhibits. Inhabiting a space of more than 23,000 square feet, it is the largest freestanding museum dedicated to insects in the United States. Walk through an oversized underground gallery full of giant animatronic insects to get a “bug’s-eye view” of the world; see termites eating through a wooden New Orleans skyline; learn about the stages of insect life in the Metamorphosis Gallery; or see some of the world’s largest, most fascinating insects preserved within the Hall of Fame. There is also area called “Bug Appetit,” in which guests can see and taste the creation of meals using insects. Don’t miss the Louisiana Swamp Gallery, complete with local, aquatic animal life, or the famous Butterfly Gallery, a garden home to hundreds of different colorful butterflies.