Explore the Charm of New Orleans through these Must-Visit Places for Your Trip

New Orleans is not a city that only welcomes you, it draws you in with its music, tastes and soul. Regularly referred to as The Big Easy, it is a destination whereby all the streets blend with music, each and every corner is fragrant with Creole spices and every sunset appears to be dancing with soul. It is a living history, culture and celebration storybook with its roots in Louisiana and the scent of gumbo and beignets in the air as the sounds of jazz mingle with them.

New Orleans is sensory overload, a place of irresistible energy and Southern comfort that one has never experienced before. The city is full of liberation, happiness and strength– a unification of the French, Spanish, African and Caribbean cultures which amalgamate so perfectly to be a wonderful creation of its own. Your stroll through the centuries old streets of the French Quarter, your ride on a streetcar along the oak-lined boulevards, or your swaying to the tones of a live brass band all seem like poetry in motion.

Here is a list of the places to visit in New Orleans that will have you taste the heart, its history and its magic –

1. French Quarter

Any visit to New Orleans does not leave without a visit to the French quarter which is the heartbeat of the city and its oldest region. Cobblestone streets, pastel-colored Creole townhouses and iron-balconied buildings all combine to capture the eternal charm of the city.

Stroll down Royal Street, full of antique shops and art shops or head to Jackson Square where street artists, fortune tellers, and painters perform an open-air concert. You must not overlook the grandeur of the St. Louis Cathedral that is one of the most photographed monuments in the U.S.

Live jazz, laughter, and the smell of freshly baked beignets of Cafe du Monde all buzz in this air. The French Quarter is not a place, it is an experience that opens your eyes and fills you with the romanticism of the place.

2. Bourbon Street

When the French quarter is the heart of New Orleans, Bourbon street is its beat alive, loud, and unashamedly entertaining. Stretching across the middle of the Quarter, Bourbon Street is characterized by its neon lamps, crowded bars, and 24-hour long partying that continues even after the sun goes down.

As you pass through the masses you will hear the wailing tones of jazz and blues blending with the shouts of the merry people. Swallow a Hurricane cocktail, watch the street performers or just dance down the block – because in New Orleans, it is never too late.

To experience a real local feel, go to Pat O Briens which is known to have invented the Hurricane or go to a real live brass band performance that will have your feet tapping at least till midnight. Bourbon Street is a great expression of the New Orleans spirit: wild, warm and wonderfully alive.

3. Garden District

The Garden District is the posh and more peaceful part of New Orleans, with dozens-old mansions covered with ivy on the oak-lined streets. The district is a historical stroll; it is full of antebellum homes with Southern flair.

Go on a self-tour around Magazine Street that has boutique shops of boutique, pretty cafes, and art galleries. You cannot pass the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 which is one of the most renowned above ground cemeteries in the city and very spooky with its beautiful haunting tombs.

The Garden District takes the slowness of a more contemplative pace of the city, ideal to those who prefer to enjoy the elegant sophistication of New Orleans without all the noise. Every street corner is a walk into one of the vintage Southern novels.

4. Frenchmen Street

The locals visit Frenchmen Street, which is the heart of the true New Orleans night life in search of live music. Frenchmen is a local feel with a creative side unlike Bourbon Street which is full of tourists.

You will find small jazz clubs here such as The Spotted Cat Music Club or Blue Nile whereby world-class musicians are performing each night. There is vitality in the street itself, with impromptu dancing and a procession of brass bands, and artists exhibiting their homemade arts by the string lights.

Take a drink, get into the rhythm and let the music of the city do its thing. In Frenchmen street, every night it is as though it is an impromptu festival, a festival of sound, art, and soul.

5. City Park

City Park covers an area of over 1,300 acres and it is a green oasis, where one can forget the noise of a city. It is one of the oldest U.S. parks and it is inhabited by majestic oak trees that have fallen Spanish moss, serene lagoons, and lush walking trails.

Explore the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) with its more than 40,000 pieces of art or make a relaxing visit to the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden where you can find art and nature in one.

So, you can rent a pedal boat, have a picnic under the oaks, or have a beignet at Morning Call Cafe within the park. And it is in City Park that New Orleans breathes, whether you are a family traveler, as a couple or a solo explorer.

6. French Market

Taste, feel and smell New Orleans in the French Market which is one of the oldest markets in America that dates back to the 18th century. In this case, stalls are full of fresh fruits and vegetables, Creole spices, local jewelry, and local art.

Cajun seasoning, fried shrimp, and sweet pralines are in the air. Visit one of the food booths and sample po’boys, gumbo, or crawfish etouffe and allow your taste buds to boogie to the flavor of Louisiana food.

French Market is not a simple shopping, it is a delightful opportunity to feel the pulse of the city with its tastes, laughs and tales of the people who have lived in it all their life and who came to be the selling men of the place.

7. Preservation Hall

To experience New Orleans the way it is, you should go to Preservation Hall, which is the most popular jazz hall in the city. This small venue in the French Quarter is home to the golden age of classic New Orleans jazz, which was founded in 1961.

No glowing lights or ornate pews are present, just a dim room, wooden benches and bare, raw music. When the band starts playing, the air is full of the soul of the city, mighty, emotional and eternal.

The notes are all stories of struggle, hope, and joy, and the spirit of the city. Not merely performance, but communication between musicians and audience, time almost stands still between them.

8. National WWII Museum

The National WWII Museum in downtown New Orleans is already ranked as one of the top museums in the world, and it is an emotionally charged experience. It narrates the human experience of World War II – the battlefields of Europe through immersive exhibits, interactive installations as well as rare artifacts.

The museum allows visitors to see the 4D film Beyond All Boundaries, hosted by Tom Hanks, and visit galleries that help them feel the sacrifice and heroism of the Greatest Generation.

Be it a history enthusiast or a sightseeing person; this museum is something to be remembered, a lesson on being a hero and human being in the midst of crisis.

Final Thoughts

New Orleans is not a place, it is an emotion, it is a beat that oozes into your soul. Each minute in this city is alive, ranging in the sultry echoes of the jazz in the Frenchmen Street area, to the bitters of the past in the Garden District.

It is a city of happiness and sadness, of custom and of development, and with open arms and a smile perpetually uplifted. You do not simply go to New Orleans you feel it, you savour it and you take the memories with you even after you are out.

You might be a first-time visitor or your fifth, The Big Easy will always show you the way home with a song, meal and a story.