New Orleans by GoNOLA: What to do While You’re Here

All about New Orleans

From its food and music to its abundant festivals and penchant for a good time, there is absolutely nothing bland or mundane about New Orleans. Step out into the streets of the Big Easy and you’ll find cuisine that will tantalize your taste buds, music that will sooth your soul, and a laissez-faire attitude that will put a smile on your face every single day of your visit.

History always at hand

It’s hard to go anywhere in New Orleans without having a sense of history. Many of the homes and buildings are over 200 years old, the street cars are more than 150 years old and some of the city’s restaurants were around before your great-grandfather was even born.

History and modern life mesh well together in New Orleans, and visitors can always find traces of the city’s past. Take a history and heritage tour or go out on your own and discover historic places like Jackson Square, the Cabildo, the Pontalba Buildings, and the 1850 House.

You don’t have to be a history buff or have your nose in a book to appreciate it. Have a drink at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, the oldest continuously occupied bar in the country, or eat at Antoine’s which was founded in 1840 and even hosted General Patton.

Legendary nightlife

When the sun sets, the party never ends and everything you’ve heard about the city is likely true.

Don’t be afraid to venture off of Bourbon Street. Stroll over to Frenchmen Street in the Faubourg Marigny where you’ll find a dozen clubs with authentic New Orleans jazz and blues almost every night of the week. Here, musical legends such as Charmaine Neville, Irvin Mayfield and Walter “Wolfman” Washington play every week at clubs like Snug Harbor, d.b.a., and Blue Nile.

Then there’s the Warehouse District, more commonly known as the Arts District, where art galleries, clubs and fine restaurants coexist on the same block. Catch a show at the Howlin’ Wolf and Republic New Orleans or a play at Le Chat Noir.

Finally, there’s plenty of nightlife scattered throughout Uptown, in the Garden District, and the Riverbend area. Check out a jam band at Tipitina’s, a brass band at Le Bon Temps Roule, or a funky act at the Maple Leaf.

Lots of cuisine to crave

New Orleans’ unique cuisine is a direct result of its history. French, Spanish, African, German and Italian influences have all come together over the years to create a one-of-a-kind mix of cooking, ingredients, and dishes you’ll only find in New Orleans. Whether you’re looking for a fine dining experience at Commander’s Palace or Emeril’s, or just want a quick bite to eat at Central Grocery or Parkway Bakery and Tavern, the restaurant selections here are endless.

Hungry yet? We’ll you’ve got a lot of dishes to try. Things like Chicken Sausage Gumbo, Jambalaya, Red Beans and Rice, Crawfish Etouffee, Shrimp Creole, Beignets, Crab Bisque, Pralines, Andouille Soup, Oysters Rockerfeller, and Bananas Foster.

Then there are po-boys. Po-boys with just about everything on them. Oyster po-boys, catfish po-boys, roast beef po-boys, shrimp po-boys, sausage po-boys, and even alligator po-boys.

Don’t even think about leaving town without having early morning coffee and chicory with an order of beignets at Café du Monde.

Gettin’ around

There’s no better way to explore New Orleans than by street car. Starting service in 1835, the St. Charles Avenue street car line is the oldest continuously operating street car line in the world. You can ride it from Canal Street all the way to the Riverbend area near Carrollton Avenue. Along the way you can hop off and explore 200-year-old mansions, fine restaurants, art galleries, and more.

The Canal Street line runs from Canal Boulevard all the way to the river. Hop cars and lines and you can visit the Museum of Art, City Park, the Aquarium of the Americas, the Audubon Insectarium, French Market, and the French Quarter just steps from the tracks. With street car fare currently set at $1.25, it’s also one of the most economical ways to tour New Orleans.

When you make it down to the river, jump aboard the Canal Street ferry (free for pedestrians) and take a quick trip to Algiers Point, a quaint, historic neighborhood with restaurants, bars, and great views of downtown New Orleans.

Festivals abound

Just when you think things couldn’t get more fun, you find out that New Orleans has just as many festivals as it does potholes. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to town every spring for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

It’s the biggest and features seven days of performances by hundreds of local and national acts. In October, the Voodoo Music Experience brings some of the biggest names in rock to City Park. There’s also French Quarter Fest in April. It is free and features more than a hundred performances at over a dozen stages in the French Quarter.

And it doesn’t end there. You can also two-step to Zydeco at Swamp Fest, ride across the Mississippi River to Gretna Fest, stuff yourself till you can’t walk at the Po-Boy Fest, get your read on at the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, go Greek at the Greek Fest, and chill on the levee at Old Algiers Riverfest. There’s even a fest just for the Creole tomato!

Mardi Gras

Then there’s the mother of all festivals, an event so legendary that we shouldn’t even have to say it—Mardi Gras! Usually held in February or March, it features two weeks of parades, parties and some of the best festivities you’ll ever witness.

If you want wild and crazy, you’ll find it on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. It’s everything you’ve heard about and more.

But that image of Bourbon Street shouldn’t let you think Mardi Gras is all about beer and debauchery. Most of Mardi Gras, believe it or not, is largely a family affair. From Canal Street down St. Charles to Napoleon Avenue, you’ll find mostly families enjoying parades and marching bands.