• Stroll historic neighborhoods look at the architecture and businesses, and people watch in the French Quarter, Uptown, Carrollton
 • Streetcar rides St. Charles Avenue (green cars) is the oldest continuously operating streetcar in the U.S.; the Canal Street route (red cars) was restored to service in 2004
 • Riverboat cruise - short or long cruises, some of which have quite good jazz bands on board.
 • River ferry - the budget alternative to riverboats, take the free pedestrian ferry from the foot of Canal Street across the Mississippi to Algiers Point and back for a great view of the river, downtown, and the Quarter
 • Walking tours including voodoo, jazz history, French Quarter, or Garden District ones
 • Casino gambling at Harrah's next to the Quarter in the Central Business District
 • Antique shopping up & down Royal St in the Quarter or Magazine Street Uptown
 • Cooking Classes - learn how to cook meals like a local when you return home

Day trips outside of town

 • Swamp tours - those with a car can make an easy day trip to the Jean Lafitte Nature Preserve, a free park, with as good a view of local swamp flora and fauna as various pay tours
 • Plantation tours - the Great River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge has several fine plantations, "Laura" and "Magnolia Mound" ( Creole Plantations) and "San Francisco" are of special interest.
 • Battle of New Orleans Site - Battlefield history fans will want to visit the site famous battle where Andrew Jackson defeated the British at the end of the War of 1812. It didn't actually happen in New Orleans, but in the nearby community of Chalmette, Louisiana. Drive there or take a riverboat.

Festivals

In addition to year-round attractions, a series of celebrations and festivals provide additional interest:

 • New Orleans Mardi Gras
 • New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
 • French Quarter Festival
 • Essence Festival
 • Southern Decadence