New Orleans: A Perfect 3 Days in the Big Easy
New Orleans, Louisiana—where history, culture, and vibrant energy collide to create a city like no other.
Whether you’re intrigued by the soulful sounds of jazz wafting through the French Quarter, the tantalizing flavors of Creole cuisine, or the unique history, the Big Easy offers a feast for the senses.
Just the name is probably stirring daydreams of Mardi Gras, beignets, and Bourbon Street.
In this post, I’ll guide you through a perfect three-day itinerary packed with all the local highlights, mouthwatering eats, and tours that capture the spirit of New Orleans for an unforgettable trip.
DAY 1
Welcome to New Orleans!
When I first arrive in a place, I prefer to check it out on foot before diving into any tours or paid excursions. This is just a personal preference so feel free to mix and match the suggestions to suit your idea of the perfect trip.
WALK THE FRENCH QUARTER
This is likely the most famous area within New Orleans (shown below within the red dotted lines).
In addition to viewing the iconic architecture, this area includes places like Jackson Square, the French Market, and views of the Mississippi River.
This is also where you can try the best beignets!
Walk through the streets of the French Quarter and observe the buildings and old bars/restaurants that make New Orleans New Orleans.
You’ll probably be able to witness a live band made up of random people and instruments harmonizing together. It’s a really cool thing to see!
*fun fact* The architecture in these streets is actually Spanish, not French, like the name would suggest it to be. The French ruled New Orleans first, then the Spanish, and then the French again briefly before the United States bought it during the Louisiana Purchase but the Spanish architecture is what remains.
Jackson Square includes the beautiful old Catholic church, St. Louis Cathedral. It’s the oldest operating church in the country. You can visit it any day of the week from 9:00am to 4:00pm, with the last entry at 3:45pm.
Check out the French Market – an open-air style market with multiple vendors selling souvenirs of all types.
After the French Market, get yourself some beignets (pronounced “ben-yays”).
If you’ve never had them before, this is the perfect place to try them! Originally a French dessert, they are a staple here in New Orleans thanks to its French history.
Jonlee and I actually tried two of the most popular places for beignets – Café Du Monde and Café Beignet – and compared them.
We filmed a two-part New Orleans video series on our YouTube channel and did a review of the two cafes, if you’re interested! You can check that out here.
*fun fact* Beignets are the official state doughnut of Louisiana.
Marvel at the Mississippi River just in front of Jackson Square.
There’s cement, bleacher-like seating right along the river where you can take in the view while eating your beignets!
We came here and watched the sunset one evening and it was lovely.
WALK CANAL STREET
After you’ve explored the French Quarter and filled your belly with delicious treats, head out of the French Quarter toward Canal Street.
Canal Street is the widest street in the country. It offers shops, restuarants, and an opportunity to see the historic trolleys cruising up and down the street.
This area will feel more like any other urban city, as opposed to the quaint, European feel in the French Quarter.
Did you know? There are only 3 remaining buildings left from the French rule in New Orleans: The Old Ursuline Convent, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, and Madame John’s Legacy. The rest were burned during fires in the 17th century.
WALK THROUGH CITY PARK
If time allows, take a walk through City Park. This area of New Orleans definitely feels like an oasis just outside of the busy downtown.
With 1,300 acres of land for all kinds of recreation such as golf, gardens, playgrounds, architecture, and just relaxing in nature, this is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle.
We came here as a stop on our city tour (more on this later) and it was absolutely beautiful. My only regret is that we didn’t go back and spend more time there.
So don’t be like us – take some time to really look around this beautiful retreat in the heart of New Orleans and appreciate the beauty it beholds.
After exploring the French Quarter by day, it’s time to experience it’s unique charm at night.
But first, dinner!
FIND A SAVORY LOCAL SPOT FOR DINNER
I recommend scoping out an old-school Cajun or Creole restaurant during your day walk through the French Quarter/downtown area.
By now, you’ve surely worked up an appetite from all that walking and can’t stop thinking about spicy jambalaya, the famous po’boys, or a seafood gumbo. As a foodie, this is my favorite part of any trip!
Jonlee and I got a recommendation for a place called Mother’s and it was amazing.
We got all the classic dishes like a roast beef po’boy, gumbo, and award-winning jambalaya all in one place. It was perfect!
The price felt a little steep considering we shared all three of the items and got the smaller portion of each – it totaled about $45.
That being said, we couldn’t find cheaper elsewhere. I suppose that’s kind of expected in a famous city like this, but just a heads up if you’re more of a budget traveler like us.
There are also lots of seafood and French restaurants offering a range of dining experiences from takeout to fine dining.
Whatever you’re craving, New Orleans will not disappoint – this is home to some of the best food in the world and I highly recommend trying as much of it as you can!
INDULGE IN THE NIGHTLIFE
Ok, it’s finally time for Bourbon Street!
You’ve likely heard of this famous street before. Known for its upbeat atmosphere and amazing live music, this is the heartbeat of New Orleans.
While during the day you can experience live jazz music, at night it just feels more…festive.
The streets were packed when Jonlee and I went in November. Like literally shoulder to shoulder. It’s a unique atmosphere that almost reminds us of Nashville, but smaller.
Most places don’t charge a cover, but some do, so keep that in mind. There are countless cool old pirate bars to hangout at and enjoy a drink.
If drinking isn’t your thing, dance the night away at any place on Bourbon, really – inside or outside! Just about every bar has a live band in it so you can’t go wrong no matter where you end up.
Or just stroll the streets and people watch – there’s plenty to see!
DAY 2
Now that you’ve gotten the lay of the land, it’s a great time to learn more about the history and cultural significance of New Orleans more in depth. We found that taking a city tour was the perfect way to do this.
TAKE A CITY TOUR
A city tour will give you in-depth information about every aspect of New Orleans, including the stuff you just checked out yesterday.
From the art, food, music, history, Mardi Gras, and beyond, this tour will blow your mind with facts.
It really helped to bring everything we were seeing into perspective thanks to the excellent tour guide we had.
You will find tourism shops all throughout New Orleans offering different excursions but I recommend booking your tour through GetYourGuide, as they often have cheaper prices per person and a wider variety of tours offered.
At the time, GetYourGuide was offering a discount for the city tour so we got it quite a bit cheaper than if we booked at a tourism stand. I’ve linked the one we took here.
You can take this tour during different times of the day but I recommend doing it in the morning so you have time for other things later on.
If you’re interested in a quick background of the city tour, check out this video for some more insight.
TRY ANOTHER LOCAL CUISINE
After your tour, spend time strolling Decatur Street and grabbing a bite to eat at a different local favorite.
I apologize for my lack of suggestions here as far restaurants.
It’s just we have learned there are SO many places to eat and with all the different kinds of tastes and styles, I trust you will find the restaurants that interest you most.
This is also a great time to do some shopping or go back to places you missed previously on your walk.
If you didn’t get the chance yet, check out the sunset over the Mississippi River!
TAKE A GHOST TOUR
Now that you’ve walked the streets of New Orleans personally and took the city tour to gain more information, you likely heard about the dark side of this famous city.
So in the spirit of dark curiosity, take a ghost or voodoo tour. I can say from experience, it was the most unique and fascinating tour we’ve done!
We had another great guide for this tour and he shared tons of stories, not just about ghosts and hauntings, but about ancient voodoo and even some alleged conspiracy theories.
The info was very intriguing and I highly recommend booking some sort of spooky tour while you’re here.
Every tour will be a bit different but that’s the fun part. Either way, I’m confident you’ll learn something crazy that will stick with you.
So if you love a good mystery, this tour is definitely for you. I’ve linked it here for you to check out.
These tours typically start around 8 or 8:30pm and go until about 10:30pm. Some even start around 10:30pm and go ‘til after midnight. Choose whichever works best for you.
EXPLORE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF NIGHTLIFE
After your ghost tour you might be running on adrenaline and want to explore some nightlife again.
There’s actually a second, lesser-known street in New Orleans that also has live music in the streets. It’s called Frenchman Street.
This side of town is a little quieter than Bourbon Street but with all the authenticity and spirit of a classic New Orleans night out. In fact, I’d argue it’s even more so.
Fewer bars makes for fewer crowds and there’s a cool night market that happens where artists and vendors are selling their own handmade creations. I actually bought a really cool New Orleans t-shirt from there!
DAY 3
It wouldn’t be a trip to New Orleans without exploring some aspect of Mardi Gras while you’re here.
VISIT A MARDI GRAS MUSEUM
There are two really cool places to check out in the spirit of the infamous festival season: Mardi Gras World and the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture.
Mardi Gras World is the actual warehouse where the floats are built for the parades. It showcases their revolutionary 3-D sculptor nicknamed “Pixie” that helps bring some of the artists’ ideas to life.
*fun fact* There are a total of 21 different types of Mardi Gras parades but only one of them is the scandalous kind that most people think of when they think of Mardi Gras. The parades are a different theme every year and each float has to represent that theme in one way or another to be admitted into the lineup.
You can take a guided tour through the warehouse where you can see the floats being actively worked on by the artists.
Learn how the floats are assembled and with what materials.
You’ll then be given free time to explore the warehouse on your own.
Admission is about $30 per person and it’s open every day of the week. We bought our tickets at the warehouse itself, instead of online, to avoid extra fees.
I was able to find a coupon here for a few bucks off each adult admission if you decide to add Mardi Gras World to your trip!
We learned a ton of fun and cool facts while we were here and enjoyed seeing the behind-the-scenes of how everything gets made for the big event.
We even got to eat “king cake” with our tour! This is the cake that’s eaten during Mardi Gras festivities and it is amazing.
If you haven’t had the sweet, cinnamon-tasting cake before, this is the perfect place to try it!
Another option is the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture. This is exactly what it sounds like – a museum featuring tons of costumes worn during Mardi Gras parades and events, as well as some background history on Mardi Gras itself.
The current price of admission is about $20 per person and it’s open Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays).
Jonlee and I ultimately decided to just choose one of these places (Mardi Gras World) due to the overall cost but if you’re able to do both, I’d say go for it – especially if you’re really interested in Mardi Gras or have been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras and want to get a better understanding of the whole thing altogether.
Going to New Orleans and learning about Mardi Gras feels like a must and these two places are definitely the places to go!
As I always recommend, check online and see if you can get discounted admission through a coupon or different website for the best price when it comes to excursions during your trips.
VISIT THE WWII MUSEUM
New Orleans is home to one of the best World War 2 museums in the country.
Featuring different exhibits and multiple films, this museum showcases the war from the American perspective and how the whole thing got started in the first place.
If you love history or just appreciate marveling at the heroes that shaped our nation, this museum is well worth a visit while you’re in town.
Admission is based on what you want to see in the museum – starting at $26 per person for general admission and going up to $59 per person for a guided tour through the exhibits.
There are also premium tickets available at additional cost. The museum is open 7 days a week.
VISIT THE JEAN LAFITTE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK AND PRESERVE
I also highly recommend making a trip out to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.
Similar to City Park, this preserve features a large outdoor area but where you can explore short hiking trails to view gators in their natural habitat. Jonlee and I saw a huge gator right off the boardwalk trail behind the visitor center!
It’s located about 30 minutes outside of the French Quarter/downtown area but well worth the trip if you’re able to get there.
Side note – we have the National Park Passport Book and we strive to hit as many national park sites as possible and that’s what initially took us out to the preserve.
It ended up being a magical, peaceful place away from the city and that’s why I’m recommending it as a hidden gem during your trip. Pack a lunch or snack and enjoy the beautiful scenery for the afternoon.
Well, there you have it – a perfect 3 days spent in New Orleans!
This is a short-and-sweet version for someone looking to spend a weekend in New Orleans or with limited days to explore the Big Easy.
Take a tour in the morning and then opt for a museum in the afternoon. Or spend a whole day doing just museums or just tours. It’s totally up to you.
All of the suggestions in this post can be switched around or extended into more days according to your personal needs. Tailor the trip to your liking – that’s what it’s all about!
My hope is that these suggestions and recommendations help with your planning and brought a new idea or fresh inspiration to your itinerary.
What are you most looking forward to in your trip to New Orleans and what drew you to it in the first place? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for reading! See you guys in the next one 😊
UP NEXT: Our First Month on the Road