3 Days in the French Quarter

Tours

Steamboat Natchez Jazz Sunset Dinner Cruise: Savor the beauty and romance of the New Orleans skyline and enjoy a narration of its history along the Mississippi River aboard the Dinner Jazz Cruise. The Steamboat Natchez decks, engine room and bars are open for your enjoyment either before or after dinner depending upon your seating time. Included in the Dinner Jazz ticket price is the cruise, buffet dinner and entertainment by the Grammy-nominated Dukes of Dixieland Jazz trio.

Swamp Tour: Take a New Orleans swamp tour of the famous Honey Island Swamp. You’ll glide through gator territory on a small, flat-bottomed boat and hear all about the swamp and its natural inhabitants from our local, expert captains. They offer pickup services from many French Quarter hotels and visitor centers for your comfort and convenience. Led by experts in the field to give you an authentic tour of one of America’s most unique ecosystems. Many of their captains have lived on the water for most of their lives and have earned field degrees to give you the best experience possible.

Plantation Tour: Hear the fascinating stories behind these historic landmarks. During the scenic drive out to the plantations, the certified tour guide will provide commentary on major landmarks and the changing Louisiana landscape. From downtown New Orleans, to the swamps and waterways and through the vast crops and fields unique to this part of the country.

Museums

Sazarac House: Take a complimentary tour to discover the legacy and history of the city's favorite drink. Explore thoughtful exhibits in a beautiful setting and enjoy complimentary samples and experience something new about the spirit-making craft. This is a shorter activity that can be done in about two hours.

Jazz Museum: In the city where jazz was born, the New Orleans Jazz Museum celebrates the history of jazz through dynamic interactive exhibits, educational programs and engaging musical performances.

National WWII Museum: The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world — why it was fought, how it was won and what it means today — so that all generations can understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn. Through exhibits, multimedia experiences and thousands of personal accounts, the museum takes visitors on an immersive tour of World War II.

Streets to Explore

Bourbon Street — A non-stop party with dining, bars, frozen daiquiri stands and live music!

Royal Street — Parallel to Bourbon Street, this street is calmer but with the same French Quarter charm and architecture. Think art galleries, cafes and boutique shops.

French Market District: This area encompasses six blocks of sights and shopping along the river and has a covered, outdoor permanent farmers-market-style shopping area with food, drinks and unique crafts and souvenirs. A must for an afternoon visit!

Jackson Square: If you're staying closer to Bourbon Street, on your way to the French Market, be sure to stop in Jackson Square. Historic Jackson Square, in honor of the Battle of New Orleans hero Andrew Jackson, is a timeless attraction in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. The artists, restaurants, museums, merchants and the square itself make Jackson Square one of the French Quarter's most popular destinations

Fast/Casual:

NOLA Poboys — We stopped here for lunch and loved it. A super casual yet quirky spot that has a massive menu of NOLA favorites like gumbo and various cold and hot po'boys like gator and fried oyster & shrimp.

Willie's Chicken Shack — Late-night stop for hearty chicken, biscuits and all the fixin's. Stay or to-go.

Voodoo Chicken & Daiquiris - A quick stop for chicken and leave a daiquiri to continue your journey along Bourbon Street with!

Sit Down Dining:

Ruby Slipper Cafe (Breakfast/Brunch) - A casual cafe a few blocks from Bourbon Street (though there are multiple locations). Brunch cocktails or the vanilla iced coffee with the biscuits & gravy breakfast plate is a must!

Court of Two Sisters (Brunch) - Be sure to make a reservation through their website for this unlimited buffet brunch. The offerings were delicious with creole favorites, an eggs benedict station, roast beef carving station, salad bar and dessert bar! Be sure to request to sit outside in the courtyard. It's a beautiful tree-shaded setting.

Olde NOLA Cookery (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) - This was just up the block from our hotel (Hyatt Centric) on Bourbon Street. This was the first place we ate when we were looking for something straightforward after checking in for a late dinner. They had all the Creole and Cajun favorites. My husband ordered the fried catfish platter, and I ordered the red beans and rice with smoked sausage and fried chicken. We also got the city's favorite drink, a Sazarac, to welcome us into NOLA!

Antoine's (Lunch/Dinner) - The oldest restaurant in Louisiana! Antoine's has a rich history and an upscale date-night feel. The food is best described as elevated creole and Cajun selections crafted carefully by the chef. We started with gumbo and French onion soup, which I highly recommend! My husband ordered the Redfish, and I ordered the Chicken Rochambeau. Both were delicious! Be sure to get a NOLA favorite for dessert, the bread pudding with rum butter sauce. I won't spoil this because it's a real treat. Ask your server if you can get a tour of the other rooms that are not used for dining. My husband asked about a room he walked past, and he said he would happily take us on a tour after our meal. The family has such a rich history in New Orleans as well as during the prohibition era.

Steamboat Natchez (Dinner Cruise) - We enjoyed the first dinner sitting, which was a little early for us for dinner, but it ended up being a good choice since we were able to enjoy the sunset after. Dinner was buffet style with roast beef, seafood pasta, crawfish etouffee, fried chicken, corn maque choux (simple but a new favorite of mine during our visit) rice, Ceasar salad and bread. We then went to the upper deck to listen to the captain's narration of the historical sites we were passing by along the Mississippi River. We then enjoyed the Dixieland jazz band for the rest of the ride!

... and don't forget the beignets!

Cafe Du Monde — The original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. The Cafe is a traditional coffee shop. Its menu includes dark-roasted coffee and chicory and of course, beignets. Beignets are square French-style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar. A must-visit while in the French Market District! Be sure to bring cash and get some extra beignets to go.

Bars with Live Music:

If you walk down Bourbon Street or the locals' pro-tip, Frenchmen Street, you'll find dozens of bars with live music! Below are some highlights from my visit.

Razzoo is a fun casual dive that had a great live jazz band and DJ on Bourbon Street.

Carousel Bar & Lounge is a classy bar and lounge inside the Hotel Monteleone with a carousel bar top that slowly turns, so try and get a seat at the bar if you would like to experience the rotation. They also have great live jazz music — we stumbled upon Louis Prima's daughter and her band!

30/90 on Frenchmen Street had no cover charge and two levels where you can view the street action on the balcony. Upstairs had a DJ and downstairs had two bands we enjoyed.

Bourbon Pub & Parade — We came during the day and what attracted us was the nice-looking balcony seating for people watching on Bourbon Street. We came up to the upstairs bar to enjoy a drink on the balcony. The bartender was so fun and welcoming!