Street parades during the day, live jazz music every night, streetcars, oysters, gumbo, jambalaya, and cocktails galore—New Orleans draws in every tourist to its vibrant culture.
For all the party atmosphere and culinary richness enveloping New Orleans, it’s no wonder that this famous Louisiana city of indulgence has become one of America’s top cities that literally have very little sleep.
NOLA is a great place to visit except from July to August when sticky, humid temperatures peak. Visitors usually spend three days to two weeks to take in all its sights and sounds. What can you pack in your schedule if you only have 24 hours to tour the city?
Photo by William Recinos on Unsplash
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Hit Frenchmen Street.
If you’re coming to New Orleans on a cruise ship, and you arrive at night, better sleep in and relax the day prior to embarkation to enjoy the nightlife of the Big Easy.
Dive into the city’s most storied music venues along Frenchmen Street. If you have a family in tow, head for the Maison, 30/90, or Three Muses. Otherwise, you can try Blue Nile, the “birthplace” of Frenchmen Street’s music culture, the Spotted Cat, and d.b.a.
There’s also much to see just by hanging out in the streets where you’ll find poets typing away on vintage typewriters, traveling brass bands, hula-hoop troops, and more.
Go bar-hopping in Bourbon Street.
Just a short distance away from Frenchmen Street is Bourbon Street, considered the heart of the French Quarter and known for hosting a Mardi Gras festival in early February or late March.
For folks ready to drink and party all night, there’s Pat O’Brien’s special rum mix dubbed as “The Hurricane,” or Tropical Isle’s strong and oversized drink called the hand grenade, and the Old Absinthe House, which opened in 1807 and serves its signature absinthe frappe.
Try the beignets from Cafe Du Monde.
If you arrive in the city in the morning, start your daytime with a cup of coffee and beignets, the popular deep-fried, doughnut-like rectangular pastry with thick powdered white sugar on top, at Cafe Du Monde, which has been around since the 1860s.
From the cafe, you can cross the street and stroll down Jackson Park (Square) and visit St. Louis Cathedral. You’ll also find horse-drawn carriages plying down the street.
Join a second line in the Treme neighborhood.
Go to the Backstreet Cultural Museum, the repository of everything Mardi Gras here in NOLA, and get ready for some dancing and marching. You can pick up a route sheet, or the flyer showing the time and route of the street parade, from the museum and become part of the “second line” or crowd that join the main line of brass parade members.
Take the tram.
A visit to New Orleans would not be complete without riding on their streetcars. Running for over 150 years now, the vintage streetcars pass underneath oak trees while passengers inside enjoy views of mansions and other architecture dating back to the 1820s.
If you’re budget-ready, take advantage of the good weather in October and November when the last of the scorching summer heat has gone in NOLA, travel rates are cheaper, and so are accommodation prices. So check your calendar, plan your trip, prepare your carry on, and get ready to party!
