3 perfect days in New Orleans

New Orleans has its own cuisine (Creole), its own music (Dixieland jazz), its own traditions (second line parades), and definitely its own vibe. And while three days here isn’t enough time to see everything, it’s plenty of time to give you a taste of all of the above.

The key is to tackle the city strategically. This itinerary covers the highlights—Bourbon Street, the Garden District, beignets and Sazeracs—while also carving out time to see less-visited areas (like riverfront neighborhood Algiers) and out-of-the-way gems (a Christmas-themed dive bar, for one). It also uses real Tripadvisor reviews and ratings, so it’s like getting a list of recs from a friend—a really well-traveled friend.

Ask a local where to get the best beignet, and you'll probably get a bunch of different answers. But the iconic Cafe Du Monde gets our vote, particularly the original location in the French Market, which sits along historic Jackson Square. It’s been there for over 160 years and still serves just one food: beignets.

The 24-hour stand can get pretty crowded, but it’s perhaps the only spot you can have a piping-hot beignet and café au lait while watching portrait artists, tarot card readers, and acrobatic tumblers.

Once caffeinated and sugared up, wind through the streets of the French Quarter (Vieux Carré to locals), checking out its Creole townhouses, wrought-iron balconies, and hanging gardens. Be sure to venture off the main drags, but don’t miss Royal and Chartres Streets, known for their art galleries and antique shops. This is also a good time to check out Bourbon Street if you want to see it minus the crowds.

Hungry? Head north into Tremé, the oldest African-American neighborhood in the U.S. Walk past the candy-colored cottages and shotgun houses to Creole-soul institution Dooky Chase. Late owner Leah Chase, the queen of Creole cuisine, passed away several years ago, but her family keeps her memory—and her sought-after recipes for gumbo and fried chicken—alive.

If you’re lucky, you might catch a second line as you’re leaving lunch. The brass band-led parades pop up often in Tremé (usually for weddings and funerals, but other times just because). You can’t miss ‘em: The brightly dressed participants all sing, dance, and wave handkerchiefs as they march through the streets. Feel free to join in—that’s part of the fun.

Next up, The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, which is just a short streetcar ride away. Situated in lush, sprawling City Park, this garden is free (even the audio guide) and can be a nice break from the congestion of the Quarter. Pro tip: There’s a second Cafe Du Monde location just around the corner if you haven’t had your beignet fix yet—or you need another dose of powdered sugar.

For happy hour, hitch a ride to the Bywater, a colorful (both literally and figuratively) neighborhood along the Mississippi River. Get dropped off at Bacchanal, a wine shop with small plates, make-your-own cheese boards, and live music in the twinkly backyard. If you’re there in time for sunset, order your chèvre and rosé to go and have a picnic in Crescent Park.

Need something more substantial? Stop off at Bacchanal’s buzzy sister bar, The Elysian, in the Marigny. (If you have the time, consider coming back in the daylight to see the large-scale murals that blanket the artsy neighborhood.)

Your last stop is lively Frenchmen Street, where divey jazz clubs host both legendary and up-and-coming musicians. Pop in and out of Snug Harbor, d.b.a., and The Spotted Cat—or do as the locals do and hang in the street. Frenchmen is a party in itself, filled with street poets, craft markets, and spontaneous concerts.

Climb aboard the vintage St. Charles Streetcar for a ride through the Garden District’s palatial mansions and live oak-lined streets. There’s a lot to see, so consider buying a one-day Jazzy Pass, which will allow you to hop on and off for a single price.

Highlights include Buckner Mansion, which starred as a boarding school for witches in American Horror Story; the Carroll-Crawford House, where Mark Twain often partied; and the Brevard-Clapp-Rice House, the former home of Gothic novelist Anne Rice.

If you have extra time, take the full trip out to Audubon Park. Behind the zoo, you’ll find a green space known as The Fly, where you can rest your feet while watching the boats on the Mississippi River.

For lunch, get off at the Jackson Avenue stop and walk a few blocks southeast to Turkey and the Wolf. The fried bologna sandwich gives New Orleans’ other iconic sandwich—the po’boy—a run for its money. That said, everything on the menu (divided into “Sandwiches” and “Not Sandwiches”) is worth trying, especially the collard green melt and deviled eggs.

Afterward, stretch your legs on charming Magazine Street, stopping off at Sucre for king cake, Mignon Faget for jewelry, Home Malone for Southern-made gifts, and Octavia Books for indie titles. Or gallery-hop your way through the six-mile stretch. You’ll find everything from pop-culture portraits to abstract wildlife paintings.

Make your way north (you’ve earned a cab ride at this point) to Cure. Once an old firehouse, this exposed-brick bar was ground zero for New Orleans’ craft cocktail scene (which is saying a lot in a city overrun with famous cocktails). The menu changes often, but you’ll always find well-done riffs on the classics, like a rum twist on a French 75 or a minty old-fashioned.

Farther into Uptown (about a 10-minute cab ride), the Carrollton-Riverbend neighborhood is popping with restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and bars. Its most popular drag, Oak Street, is home to Jacques-Imo’s, a quirky, colorful spot with mismatched plastic tablecloths and swamp murals. The move here is ordering shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake, blackened redfish, and crawfish etouffee. Just be prepared to wait (it’s always busy). Wash it all down with an ice-cold Schlitz at dive-bar fave Snake and Jake’s Xmas Club Lounge.

Head to the Arts (or Warehouse) District. You’ll want to carve out a good chunk of your morning to see The National World War II Museum. This institution tells the story of the war through short films (including a 4D movie narrated by Tom Hanks), oral histories, immersive exhibits, and an incredible selection of artifacts (don’t miss the shark-faced fighter plane). You can get through most of it in about three or four hours, but history and museum buffs may want more time.

The museum restaurant is solid, but Cochon Butcher, just two blocks east, does two of New Orleans’ classic dishes really well. Start with boudin (Cajun rice sausage), then follow it up with a muffuletta. (Central Grocery may have invented this sandwich, but Cochon’s version is excellent.)

Walk off lunch by strolling 20 minutes northwest to the Canal Street Ferry Terminal, next to the Audubon Aquarium. Here you’ll pick up the Algiers Ferry, which leaves every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour. Take the short, $2 ride over the Mississippi River to New Orleans’ second-oldest neighborhood, Algiers.

Algiers is small-town living with big-city culture. Check out the skyline view and the Italianate-style courthouse, then stroll along the paved levee path for a stretch. Inland, be sure to wander down Olivier, Vallette, and Pelican Streets, where you’ll find everything from Creole cottages and Victorian houses to a Carpenter Gothic church and a 1930s gas station. If your feet need a rest, drop into local hangout Old Point Bar for a beer or a snack.

End your trip where you started: the French Quarter. Tucked inside Hotel Monteleone, the Carousel Bar is known for inventing the Vieux Carre cocktail—but it also makes a mean Sazerac (considered the official cocktail of New Orleans). Time it right, and you may be able to secure a seat at the bar’s other claim to fame: the revolving merry-go-round bar.

For a true New Orleans dining experience, make Arnaud’s your next stop. The legendary restaurant has been serving well-dressed locals for over 100 years. Between courses of souffle potatoes and shrimp Arnaud, pop your head into the award-winning French 75 bar or sneak upstairs to see the old Mardi Gras paraphernalia.

By this time, Bourbon Street should be in full swing. As you’d expect from America’s party street, Bourbon gets loud, crowded, and messy. It can also be a whole lot of fun. At night, the entire street is closed to traffic, so you can walk up and down with your go-cup—that’s New Orleans’ speak for a to-go cocktail—and see everything from drag queens to tap dancers. (Just watch your stuff; there are also pickpockets.)

If you need a breather, drop into the Old Absinthe House, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop (the purple voodoo daiquiri is delicious—and dangerous), or Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub. Or walk four blocks east to Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29 for a more civilized (but still really fun) option. Then try not to miss your flight home.