Three days in New Orleans, from the French Quarter to the Garden District

Three days in New Orleans gives you time to eat beignets at sunrise, hear jazz until late, ride the oldest streetcar line in the country and walk under the oaks of the Garden District. This plan keeps each day in one part of town so you can slow down and enjoy it.

Before you go

Best time to visit

October through May is the most comfortable stretch, with mild days and a full festival calendar. Mardi Gras falls in February or early March, and Jazz Fest spans late April and early May. Both are unforgettable and both fill hotels fast. Summer is hot and humid, and hurricane season runs June through November, so watch the forecast.

Getting around

You will walk most of the time. The French Quarter, Marigny and Warehouse District are close together. The St. Charles streetcar runs from the edge of the Quarter through the Garden District to Uptown. The Canal Street line goes toward City Park. Rideshare fills in late at night.

Where to stay

• French Quarter: historic, central and lively day and night.
• Marigny: next to the Quarter, near the music on Frenchmen Street.
• Warehouse District and CBD: modern hotels, museums and restaurants, a short walk to the Quarter.
• Garden District: quiet streets, grand homes and the streetcar at your door.

Day 1: The French Quarter

Morning

Start with beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde on Decatur Street, open since the 1860s. Walk across to Jackson Square, where artists set up along the iron fence, and visit St. Louis Cathedral, one of the oldest cathedrals in the United States. The Cabildo and Presbytère beside it are Louisiana State Museum buildings with exhibits on the city's history and Mardi Gras.

Afternoon

Walk the Moonwalk along the Mississippi River, then explore the French Market. Spend the rest of the afternoon on Royal Street, lined with antique shops, galleries and street musicians. Look up at the cast iron balconies; the architecture is mostly Spanish colonial despite the name of the Quarter.

Evening

Have dinner at one of the old Creole dining rooms. Antoine's, founded in 1840, is credited with inventing oysters Rockefeller, and Galatoire's and Arnaud's are institutions too. Then catch a set at Preservation Hall, a small room dedicated to traditional New Orleans jazz. Book ahead. Walk Bourbon Street afterward just to see it.

Day 2: The Garden District and Uptown

Morning

Ride the St. Charles streetcar from Canal Street into the Garden District. Get off around Washington Avenue and wander the streets of grand nineteenth century homes, with columns, wide porches and gardens shaded by live oaks. Look for Commander's Palace, the turquoise landmark that has been serving Creole cuisine since 1893.

Afternoon

Walk over to Magazine Street, a long strip of boutiques, antique stores and cafes. Then hop back on the streetcar to Audubon Park and its oak lined paths, across from Tulane and Loyola universities. If you have time, walk through the park to the Mississippi at the Fly, a riverfront lawn popular with locals.

Evening

Ride back toward the Quarter and walk to Frenchmen Street in the Marigny. This is where the music lives. Clubs like The Spotted Cat Music Club and d.b.a. feature jazz, brass bands and blues. Wander from door to door, then browse the Frenchmen Art Market for local crafts.

Day 3: Museums, parks and the river

Morning

Spend your morning at The National WWII Museum in the Warehouse District. It is one of the most highly regarded museums in the country and needs several hours. Nearby, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art is smaller and focused on art from the American South.

Afternoon

Take the Canal streetcar toward City Park, one of the largest urban parks in the country. Visit the New Orleans Museum of Art and walk the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden beside it. Stop at Café du Monde in the park for one more round of beignets, then admire the massive oaks draped in Spanish moss.

Evening

For your final night, take a riverboat cruise on the Steamboat Natchez with live jazz, or explore the Tremé, one of the oldest African American neighborhoods in the country, and its music history. Finish with a nightcap at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone, where the bar slowly rotates.

What to eat in New Orleans

Food is a big reason to come, and the classics are everywhere. Try a po' boy, a sandwich on crisp French bread filled with fried shrimp, oysters or roast beef with gravy. Order a bowl of gumbo, a plate of jambalaya and, on a Monday, red beans and rice, the traditional washday meal. Look for bananas Foster, created at Brennan's, and chargrilled oysters. In spring, crawfish boils are a local ritual.

To drink, the Sazerac is widely considered the official cocktail of the city, and the Hurricane is the famous fruity drink from Pat O'Brien's. Snowballs, shaved ice with flavored syrup, are a summer treat. Above all, try something new at every meal; three days is barely enough.

With an extra day, book a swamp tour to see alligators, herons and cypress trees in the bayous outside the city, or visit one of the historic plantations along the River Road, where tours increasingly focus on the lives of the enslaved people who worked there.

Tips for three great days

• Book Preservation Hall and dinner reservations ahead, especially on weekends.
• Bring cash for streetcars, tips for musicians and small venues.
• Hydrate, wear sunscreen and plan breaks in the afternoon heat.
• Stick to well lit, busy streets late at night, as in any big city.

Planning it in Wander Off

Create a New Orleans adventure and add each stop to the Plan tab by day, from Café du Monde on Day 1 to the Steamboat Natchez on Day 3. Invite your travel crew so everyone can vote on restaurants and clubs. Book flights and your hotel in the Tickets tab, and ask the AI Travel Concierge for things to do near your hotel. Your photos and videos land on the right day and place automatically, and you can rate each spot in the Log tab, which our travel journal app guide explains. Make it public when you get home so friends can copy your trip, and if you love Southern charm, try our Savannah weekend itinerary.