FREE THINGS TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

  • 1. Wander along Woldenberg Riverfront Park – From Canal Street to the Moon Walk along the French Quarter, stroll down the riverfront and watch ships of all kinds ply the Mighty Mississippi. Also on the riverfront, Crescent Park offers stellar city views, accessed just past the French Market at Elysian Fields. You can go all the way to Bywater.
  • 2. Window shop – Wander down Royal and Chartres streets to admire art, antiques, and oddities. Wander Magazine Street, famous for its eclectic shops and cozy eateries.
  • 3. Visit the Lower 9th Ward Living Museum – Explore the history of New Orleans’ historic Lower 9th Ward pre, during, and post Hurricane Katrina. Admission is always free. 
  • 4. Catch street music, live – Take a stroll of the French Quarter and you’re bound to run into spontaneous live music on the street. The show is free, but tipping a few dollars is encouraged.
  • 5. Attend a Mardi Gras Parade – Catch beads and other throws during Carnival season at dozens of Mardi Gras parades all over town.
  • 6. Watch the sunrise from Algiers Point – Just across the Mississippi River from the French Quarter is historic Old Algiers. Wake up extra early to catch the sunrise from the levees of Algiers Point.
  • 7. Gallery hop in the Arts and Warehouse District – Check out Julia Street on the first Saturday evening of every month.
  • 8. Check out the Jazz Museum’s free courtyard concert series – The New Orleans Jazz Museum chronicles the history of jazz in the city and is located right on the edge of the French Quarter. Grab a blanket and head to the museum’s courtyard on Tuesday evenings for free live jazz.
  • 9. Take a bike ride down Lafitte Greenway – Enjoy a scenic bike ride on the greenway, which spans multiple neighborhoods and has several cafes, breweries, and hangout spots along the way.
  • 10. Browse the shops on Oak Street – Stop into the eclectic mix of shops on quiet Oak Street, including a comic book shop, a guitar repair shop and a used book store.
  • 11. Learn about the historic New Orleans cocktail: the Sazerac – Sazerac House opened in 2019 and is a state-of-the-art experience: for free! Learn about the history of cocktail culture in New Orleans and how the famous drink is made. The museum is all ages, but you must be 21+ to enjoy samples.
  • 12. Support Black-owned businesses at this market – The New Orleans African American Museum hosts a monthly pop-up market featuring Black vendors and artisans, plus music and more. Check their website for more details.
  • 13. Take a Free Tour by Foot – For tours of the French Quarter, including ghost and voodoo tours, check out Free Tours by Foot. Or check out our self-guided tours of The Garden District and other architecturally significant homes in New Orleans.
  • 14. Walk around the lake in City Park – The Big Lake at City Park is full of activity and walking paths. You just might sneak up on a dozing turtle or surprise a yellow-footed egret into flight.
  • 15. Familiarize yourself with New Orleans history – Read the historic plaques that are scattered on noteworthy buildings and public art all over the city.

BEST NON-FREE THINGS TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

  • 1. Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option – Journey through time on a paddle-wheel boat ride along the mighty Mississippi. Stroll the deck, cozy up with family and friends, and delight in the sparkle of the urban shoreline at dusk. This excursion includes a Creole‐inspired dinner (if option selected) and live jazz music. Choose from two dinner seatings to fit your schedule.
  • 2. New Orleans Airboat Ride – Experience New Orleans’ wild bayou country on an exciting, family‐friendly airboat ride. This boat tour winds through the mossy cypress swamp close to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, named for the 19th‐century pirate and smuggler. While onboard, enjoy lively commentary from a native guide as you admire lush, forested shoreline and spot local wildlife. Both self-drive and hotel pickup options are available, and hotel pickups begin 75 minutes prior to tour time. There are no rideshare or taxi services to this area. Gators are most commonly spotted in summer months.
  • 3. New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise – Journey back in time to when New Orleans was a budding port town that dazzled visitors with its colorful Creole culture. Board the historic riverboat for a morning or afternoon float down the mighty Mississippi. Stroll the deck, admire the iconic paddlewheel, enjoy live music, and snap picturesque shots of the beautiful urban shoreline. This family‐friendly excursion offers an optional buffet lunch (additional expense).
  • 4. Swamp Boat Ride and Oak Alley Plantation Tour from New Orleans – Experience the civilized and the wild on a plantation tour and educational swamp boat ride from New Orleans. On this full-day journey, visit Oak Alley Plantation or Destrehan Plantation (depending on time chosen) where you’ll learn about antebellum life. At Oak Alley, stroll down its iconic tree-lined esplanade. Destrehan is known for being a top sugar and indigo producer. Next, head into the marshy swampland for a boat ride and some wildlife spotting. Enjoy guided commentary as you snap photos of alligators, raccoons, snakes and native birds.
  • 5. New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Walking Tour – Exploring New Orleans in the evening can seem like an intimidating quest on your own, but this ghost, voodoo, and vampire walking tour takes you to the city’s most eerie sites at night in the safety of a group with a knowledgeable guide. Stop by top attractions such as the LaLaurie Mansion and New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, all while listening to your guide’s detailed stories of the paranormal and beyond.
  • 6. New Orleans Small-Group Haunted History Carriage Tour – Get a taste of 18th-century New Orleans while exploring its most notorious haunts aboard a mule-drawn carriage. Join a small group of no more than eight people for an intimate evening tour through the French Quarter, where rollicking nightlife conceals a past filled with dark deeds, natural disasters, and supernatural sightings. Hear the city’s most salacious history from a guide as you clip-clop your way past iron-laced balconies, darkened alleys, and southern mansions steeped in legend.
  • 7. New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter with Small-Group Option – Explore the rich culinary heritage of New Orleans’ French Quarter on this half-day food tour. Sample traditional NOLA dishes such as gumbo, po-boys, jambalaya, and pralines while learning about the area’s history. Your expert guide will lead you through local hotspots, offering cultural insights and tips on where to eat next. Upgrade to a small-group tour for a more intimate setting. Food offerings are subject to availability.
  • 8. Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Dinner Cruise in New Orleans – Go for a sunset cruise aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen on this boat trip. Listen to an on-board jazz band and choose to add on a Creole-style dinner buffet as the boat sails along the Mississippi River. Take in the views from the promenade deck and sip New Orleans-inspired cocktails.
  • 9. New Orleans Sightseeing City Tour – Maximize time in New Orleans with a sightseeing bus tour. Explore beyond the beauty of the French Quarter to see other neighborhoods including the Garden District, Treme, and the 9th Ward. Learn about city culture and history as you travel along Frenchmen Street, Esplanade Avenue, and more.
  • 10. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 Official Walking Tour – One of New Orleans’ most popular tourist attractions, St. Louis Cemetery No.1 is only able to be visited as part of a guided tour, with limited visitors allowed into the City of the Dead each day. This pre-bookable experience ensures you don’t miss out on the chance to visit the impressive cemetery—or the opportunity to learn more about the final resting place of some of the city’s best-known residents.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS NEAR THE CRUISE PORT

BARS NEAR THE CRUISE PORT