Only have three days in New Orleans? I love New Orleans for its rich blend of cultures including Cajun, Caribbean, French, and African American influences that translate into unique things to do in the city, its vibrant jazz scene, and (of course) its incredible food! In this New Orleans itinerary 3 days, I include everything from the best things to do, where to eat, and other travel tips to make the most of your trip.
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Is 3 Days Enough in New Orleans?
Yes, 3 days is enough to do all the quintessential tourist activities while still having time to get off the beaten path. This New Orleans itinerary includes the famous French Quarter and Garden District while having time aside for day trips out of the city.
Is New Orleans Safe for Tourists?
A frequently asked question for anyone visiting the city for the first time—myself included—is if safety is a concern. Luckily, crime has declined in recent years, and most crimes involve parties who already know one other and do not target tourists. I felt safe overall when I visited. Still, I avoided walking alone at night, was vigilant of my surroundings (especially in high-traffic areas like Bourbon Street), and avoided leaving touristy areas.
Visit the New Orleans city website for more safety information.
General Tips for Your New Orleans Itinerary 3 Days
- Try to plan your trip around Mardis Gras, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or other large cultural events. Catching beads during Mardis Gras is a bucket list activity for many.
- Wear comfortable sneakers as you’ll be walking a lot!
- Take a guided food or walking tour to get a local’s perspective on the best bites and activities. Or, go on a Haunted House, Voodoo, and Vampire City Tour. New Orleans has some of the most haunted sites in America, so if there is a city to take one, this is it. Other highly rated walking tours include the French Quarter Food Tour and Storytelling Tour.
- Consider taking a Hop-On-Hop-Off City Bus Tour to get a lay of the city, learn more about New Orleans, and use it as a mode of transportation.
- Venture out of the French Quarter. Other areas worth checking out include the picturesque Garden District and Uptown.
How to Get Around New Orleans
My preferred way to get around New Orleans is on foot and public transportation. Neighborhoods like the French Quarter, for instance, are very walkable. Beyond that, you’ll need to take their public buses, the iconic streetcars (my preferred transportation), or a rideshare service. Renting a car is unnecessary for your New Orleans itinerary unless you plan to leave the touristy areas and inner city. Plus, parking in popular tourist spots is a big hassle.
Many first-timers to New Orleans do not realize this, but the Streetcars are very cheap! A day pass with unlimited rides is only $3 for adults and $1 for children. A one-way pass is already $1.25, so the day pass is the best option if you plan to ride the streetcar more than twice. While the streetcars are slow, they have an old-fashioned charm and you get to see the city as you ride. You can easily book tickets on the smartphone RTA Le Pass App.
Taxis and rideshare services are another way to get around the city. Like many U.S. cities, Orleans currently uses Uber and Lyft.
Where to Stay for Your New Orleans Itinerary
I recommend staying in the French Quarter. While it’s tempting to stay on iconic streets like Bourbon Street, things get very rowdy at night and VERY loud. I recommend staying on Canal Street to ensure you get some shut-eye during your trip while still being close to the action. Plus, there are plenty of police cars throughout the street for extra security. I stayed at the Marriott on Canal Street and cannot recommend it more!
Day 1 of New Orleans Itinerary 3 Days
The first day of this New Orleans itinerary is to get situated with the most touristy New Orleans neighborhoods! This includes enjoying a beignet at Cafe Du Monde, checking out a museum, and having fun in the city’s nightlife.
Explore the French Quarter
First on the New Orleans itinerary 3 days is to explore the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carre. The historic neighborhood was founded by the French in 1718 and is the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans. Colorful buildings with blended architecture of French, Spanish, and Creole influence line the streets that house boutiques, age-old restaurants and bars, and cathedrals. Besides being one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in New Orleans, it’s home to much of its action and its nightlife. Listed below are some must-do activities in the neighborhood.
Cafe Du Monde
You can’t go to New Orleans without having a beignet! Cafe Du Monde, established in 1862 is quite possibly the most legendary spot for beignets and coffee in the city. The French Market Coffee Stand is open 24/7 and is almost always busy. If you’ve never had a beignet, they are warm, pillowy donuts with heaps of powdered sugar on top. You can enjoy them with a coffee or milk, both served at Cafe Du Monde.
An alternative beignet spot that I may like even more is Cafe Beignet. There are multiple locations throughout the city, so I would space out trying Cafe Beignet on one of the other days of this New Orleans itinerary 3 days.
Jackson Square & the St. Louis Cathedral
Conveniently located right next to Cafe Du Monde is the National Landmark, Jackson Square. The green space was formerly known as Place d’Armes and has a bronze statue of Andrew Jackson on a horse in the center. The Square is of great historical importance in New Orleans and now serves as a hub with vendors, restaurants, and stores.
The St. Louis Cathedral of France is impossible to miss – it is right next to Jackson Square. It was built in 1727 and remains one of the oldest Roman Catholic Cathedrals in the United States with continuous service. You can go in for free and even get a walking tour by a docent.
Check out a Museum
Explore a museum to dive deeper into the history of New Orleans. The Pharmacy Museum is a dark yet fascinating museum showcasing the history of the first official licensed pharmacy in the United States. You can get an admission ticket to explore yourself or take a guided walking tour hosted by the museum. I recommend the guided tour to get the full experience!
Another museum is the Historic New Orleans Collection. The free museum and research center has works about the history of New Orleans and Gulf South. Both these museums are great additions to a New Orleans itinerary 3 days.
Note: While The Historic New Orleans Collection is free to enter, reservations are required.
Dinner at Mother’s Restaurant
Mother’s is a Southern restaurant that has been around for decades and serves comforting soul food right in the heart of New Orleans. You can expect everything from crispy fried chicken, gumbo bowls, and jambalaya, among other Southern classics. While touristy it’s affordable, the portions are huge, and most importantly, the food tastes great! I ended up eating multiple meals here on my New Orleans trip. My favorite dish was easily their red beans and rice.
Drink at the Sazerac House
Once you’ve filled up on food, next on the New Orleans itinerary 3 days is to head to the Sazarac House near Canal Street. The experience extends three stories with information on the New Orleans original cocktail, the Sazerac. You can take a complimentary self-guided tour of the establishment (with free samples throughout), see the interactive cocktail exhibits, and do tastings. It’s a fun, quick activity on your New Orleans trip.
Have a Night Out
End the first day of your New Orleans itinerary 3 days with a night out. Bourbon Street and Frenchman Street are streets with bars and venues to pop into. Nighttime is when New Orleans lights up and comes to life, with hundreds of people lining the streets. Bourbon Street is especially geared toward tourists with fun clubs and a rowdy vibe. On the other hand, Frenchman Street attracts the older crowd with live jazz bars and intimate experiences.
Day 2 of New Orleans Itinerary
The second day of your New Orleans itinerary 3 days has a few options. I suggest leaving the French Quarter and checking out the other tourist destinations in the city. This includes the picturesque Garden District, visiting museums, and (of course) eating more delicious Southern food.
Optional: Excursion Out of the City
If time permits, I recommend an excursion out of New Orleans on your New Orleans itinerary! Top tours out of the city include plantation tours and swamp tours to see some alligators up close. You can see both with the Oak Alley Plantation and Swamp Cruise tour that lasts the whole day. Other tours include:
- From New Orleans: Whitney Plantation Ticket and Transportation
- New Orleans: High Speed 16 Passenger Airboat Ride
- New Orleans: Manchac Bayou Swamp Cruise with Optional Pickup
Bearcat for Breakfast
My FAVORITE meal on my entire trip to New Orleans was the local breakfast spot Bearcat! Located just a 10-minute walk from the French Quarter in the Central Business District, Bearcat specializes in Southern-inspired breakfasts. You can’t go wrong with the biscuit sandwiches – the “Cat Daddy” with fried chicken, crawfish, and a sunny side egg is a popular choice for good reason. Their home fries are also perfectly seasoned and crispy, making it a must-get!
Travel Tip: Bearcat is a popular spot for breakfast, so go early or be prepared to wait in line! They also have a Uptown location.
Streetcar to Garden District
My favorite New Orleans neighborhood on this New Orleans itinerary 3 days is the Garden District. I love it for its beautiful greenery everywhere and extravagant mansions. During my visit, locals recommended we take a St. Charles Avenue Streetcar to the end of the line. It takes 40 minutes, and you see the mansions of the Garden District and Audubon Park along the way. I recommend getting the Le Pass for the Streetcar so you can hop on and off as you’d like.
New Orleans Museum or Gallery
While on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, hop off the line at the stop St. Charles and Julia to the Warehouse District. Galleries and museums in and around this area include the National World War II Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Mardis Gras World, and the Contemporary Arts Center.
Lunch in the Garden District
There are plenty of options for lunch in the Garden District. Listed are some of the top spots for any first-timer’s New Orleans itinerary 3 days:
- Commander’s Palace → Creole restaurant that’s been around since 1880! The iconic restaurant is known for its high-quality food and elegant interior.
- Turkey and The Wolf → Well-known casual sandwich spot. Top bites here include the collard green melt and the fried bologna sandwich.
- Molly’s Rise and Shine → Sister restaurant to the Turkey and The Wolf. It’s more of a breakfast spot but is open into the afternoon. I like the fried chicken biscuit!
- Joey K’s → Classic Southern joint serving fried chicken, catfish, and red beans with rice.
Have a Sno-Ball for Dessert
Something I never knew before visiting New Orleans is that they’re known for “sno-balls”! Not to be confused with snowcones, they’re fine, fluffy ice packed into a ball and then infused with flavored syrups. I love that they’re MUCH softer than snowcones, thus easier to eat. Hansen’s Snow-Bliz is an institution for this dessert. They’ve been around for 85 years and have plenty of syrup combinations. This is the perfect activity to beat the heat during your New Orleans itinerary.
Stroll Down Magazine Street
If galleries and museums are not your thing, stroll down Magazine Street. Magazine Street is a popular shopping area with plenty of boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and other local establishments to pop into. It’s also the ideal place for vintage shopping, drinks at a fun bar, or a break at a cafe. You can spend much of your day here – it’s 6 miles long!
Lafayette Cemetery
Another popular tourist attraction for your New Orleans itinerary in the Garden District is the Lafayette Cemetary. Lafayette Cemetary No. 1 is the most famous of the cemeteries and is the oldest. Unfortunately, it is currently under construction as of January 2025, but you can visit the other cemetery locations.
Travel Tip: You can’t enter the Lafayette Cemetary without a tour guide, so book a tour in advance.
Dinner at Acme Oyster House
Always with a line down the street, Acme Oyster House is one of the best restaurants in the French Quarter. The restaurant specializes in char-grilled oysters served sizzling in a herb butter sauce and topped with their unique cheese blend. Besides oysters, they have fried seafood dishes and other New Orleans specialties like jambalaya and gumbo.
Listen to Jazz at Preservation Hall
End night 2 of your New Orleans itinerary 3 days with live jazz! Preservation Hall is a well-known traditional Jazz venue that’s been around since 1961. They have ticket slots to shows throughout the late afternoon to evening. Reserve your tickets on their website.
Day 3 of New Orleans Itinerary 3 Days
Day 3 of your New Orleans itinerary 3 days is to either take a tour out of the city if you haven’t or check off your list of other big tourist attractions and souvenir shopping.
Breakfast in the French Quarter
For a quick bite in the morning, Cafe Beignet is a great local chain for beignets and coffee. There are locations throughout the French Corner, but I particularly enjoyed the location on Bourbon Street. It has a beautiful courtyard and live music throughout the day. I honestly enjoyed the beignets here more than Cafe Du Monde. They were served warm and were super fluffy.
A sit-down restaurant worth adding to your New Orleans itinerary 3 days is Brennan’s Restaurant. It’s where bananas fosters were invented and they still serve it tableside.
New Orleans Museum of Art and City Park
Before my first visit, I was recommended by a New Orleans local to check out the New Orleans City Park. The green space is at the end of the Streetcar line and spans 1300 acres. City Park has a botanical garden, amusement park, golf, and bike and boat rentals. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is free to enter with over 90 pieces to see.
Located just before the park entrance is the New Orleans Museum of Art. Their permanent collection spans over 3 floors of art from around the world. This is an optional museum to add to your New Orleans itinerary — I just visited the sculpture garden nearby.
Voodoo Stores
Voodoo is a long-time cultural belief that is synonymous with New Orleans. There’s an extensive and rich history centered around the religious practice and you’ll be able to find voodoo shops around the city.
Two famous voodoo shops to check out during your New Orleans itinerary are Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo and Voodoo Authentica Inc. Here, you can find handmade voodoo dolls, gris-gris bags, potions, candles, readings, and more. Many of the items in the store have explanations tied to them, so reading the history and meaning behind each was super interesting to me. It’s also the perfect souvenir to bring home!
Southern Food for Lunch
For New Orleans staples including gumbo and jambalaya, the Gumbo Shop is an award-winning restaurant serving it. Gumbo is a thick stew of roux, veggies, and meat or seafood over rice. Jambalaya originated in Louisiana and is a rice dish of meat, veggies, and plenty of spices. Both of these are must-orders while on your New Orleans itinerary!
Another Southern food option is grabbing a Po-boy at Killer Po-Boys or Johnny Po-Boys. Po-boys are sandwiches on long French bread with seafood or meat, tomatoes, lettuce, and mayo. The most popular ones are those with fried seafood like shrimp.
French Market
Located at the end of the Esplanade Avenue of the French Quarter, the French Market is an open-air flea market with daily vendors and a farmer’s market. From knick-knacks to fun Louisiana-themed souvenirs, it’s worth a walkthrough.
Take a Steamboat Jazz Cruise
Finish off the last day of your New Orleans itinerary 3 days by taking an evening jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez. The 2-hour-long Evening Cruise includes live jazz music, stunning city skyline views, and the captain’s narration. You can also choose to eat a Southern-style buffet while onboard.
You can book tickets for the Evening Jazz Cruise on Steamboat Natchez (3K+ Reviews) on GetYourGuide. There is also an option for the Steamboat Natchez Jazz Day Cruise with Lunch.
Wrapping Up: New Orleans Itinerary 3 Days
That concludes my New Orleans itinerary 3 days! After traveling through New Orleans for the weekend, check out my other United States city guides:
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