New Orleans in 5 days

America's most soulful city, where jazz spills from French Quarter balconies and Creole cooking meets a one-of-a-kind cultural gumbo. Best time to visit: February-May (mild, festival season). Average daily budget: $130 to $240 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: French Quarter, The historic core: balconied Creole townhouses, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street and the cathedral.

Morning: French Quarter & Jackson Square. Wander the balconied streets, the cathedral and the riverfront; grab beignets at a classic cafe.

Afternoon: Explore French Quarter, The historic core: balconied Creole townhouses, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street and the cathedral.

Evening: Live music on Frenchmen Street. Skip Bourbon Street's chaos for Frenchmen's clustered clubs, where local brass and jazz bands play nightly.

Eat: Gumbo and jambalaya, the Creole-Cajun classics

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Faubourg Marigny, Just downriver: colourful Creole cottages and Frenchmen Street, the city's real live-music strip.

Morning: St Charles streetcar & Garden District. Ride the historic streetcar past mansions, then walk the Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery.

Afternoon: Explore Faubourg Marigny, Just downriver: colourful Creole cottages and Frenchmen Street, the city's real live-music strip.

Evening: Eat your way through Creole and Cajun. Gumbo, jambalaya, po'boys, crawfish and beignets, the dishes that define the city.

Eat: A fried shrimp po'boy dressed with everything

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Garden District, Grand antebellum mansions, oak-lined avenues and the famous above-ground cemeteries.

Morning: Beignets and the French Quarter. Eat powdery beignets at Café du Monde, then wander the French Quarter's wrought-iron balconies, courtyards and history, ideally on a walking or food tour.

Afternoon: Explore Garden District, Grand antebellum mansions, oak-lined avenues and the famous above-ground cemeteries.

Evening: The Backstreet Cultural Museum in Treme, documenting Mardi Gras Indian and brass-band traditions.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Beignets dusted in powdered sugar with chicory coffee

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Treme, One of America's oldest Black neighbourhoods and the cradle of brass-band and jazz culture.

Morning: A second-line parade on a Sunday, the city's rolling street party with a brass band.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Treme, One of America's oldest Black neighbourhoods and the cradle of brass-band and jazz culture.

Evening: The oak-shaded paths of City Park and the New Orleans Museum of Art.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Crawfish boil in season (spring)

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: French Quarter, The historic core: balconied Creole townhouses, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street and the cathedral.

Morning: Frozen daiquiris and live brass at a neighbourhood bar away from the Quarter.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore French Quarter, The historic core: balconied Creole townhouses, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street and the cathedral.

Evening: Dinner at Gumbo and jambalaya, the Creole-Cajun classics, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in French Quarter.

Eat: Gumbo and jambalaya, the Creole-Cajun classics

Hidden gems

The Backstreet Cultural Museum in Treme, documenting Mardi Gras Indian and brass-band traditions.
A second-line parade on a Sunday, the city's rolling street party with a brass band.
The oak-shaded paths of City Park and the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Frozen daiquiris and live brass at a neighbourhood bar away from the Quarter.

Getting around

The French Quarter and Marigny are best explored on foot. The historic streetcars (St Charles, Canal and Riverfront lines) are scenic and cheap, covered by a Jazzy Pass. Uber and Lyft are widely available and useful at night. The airport is about 30 to 40 minutes from downtown by rideshare or the E2 airport bus. Avoid renting a car, as parking in the Quarter is a headache.

Safety

Tourist areas are lively but require street smarts: stay aware on Bourbon Street at night, keep to well-lit, busy streets, and use a rideshare rather than walking alone late between neighbourhoods. Petty crime and the occasional more serious incident occur, so don't flash valuables. Summers are hot and very humid, with afternoon storms and hurricane season risk.

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