The following activities are a sampling of the many tours, museums, and other attractions that New Orleans has to offer to visitors. Please note that Phoenix Rising is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, any of the listed attractions. You should verify hours of operation, prices, and whether or not the attraction has reopened before you visit.
French Quarter | Greater New Orleans Area | Outlying Areas
Aquarium of the Americas
Address: One Canal Street (at the river)
Telephone: (800) 774-7394 or (504) 581-4629
Hours: Sunday — Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Friday — Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Admission: $18 adults, $15 senior citizens, $11 children 2-12, 2 and under free
Parking: The Hilton Riverside hotel allows aquarium guests three hours free parking in their lot with an aquarium ticket stub.
Wheelchair accessible: yes
One of the top ten aquariums in the United States, the aquarium features exhibits designed to make you feel like you're walking under water or that replicate a tropical rain forest. Other popular areas include penguin and shark exhibits and hands-on exhibits for children. Allow at least 1.5-2 hours to explore the aquarium.Bourbon Street
Party central in New Orleans, this pedestrian-only street features restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. Relatively quiet by day, Bourbon Street has a carnival-like atmosphere at night, with street-performers and buggy rides. Most bars stay open until the wee hours of the morning.Cabildo
Address: 701 Chartres Street (at St. Ann Street on Jackson Square, 2 blocks from Bourbon Street)
Telephone: (800) 568-6968 or (504) 568-6968
Hours: Tuesday — Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p. m.
Admission: $5 adults, $4 students and seniors, children under 12 free
Wheelchair accessible: yes, but the elevator is rather small
Built in 1795 as the Spanish seat of government, this is where the French government handed over the Louisiana Purchase to the United States in 1803. Exhibits cover all aspects of early life in Louisiana including music, mourning and burial customs, and the changing roles of women in the South. Allow at least an hour for your visit.French Market
Address: Along Decatur and N. Peters Streets from St. Ann to Barracks
Hours: Most shops are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The Farmer's Market and Café du Monde are open 24 hours.
Admission: free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
A fixture since the early 1700s, the French Market shops, flea market, and farmer's market are still fascinating places to shop for souvenirs, gifts, jewelry, arts and crafts, and fresh produce. This is also the home of Café du Monde, with its legendary beignets and café au lait. Allow at least an hour to explore the market.Jackson Square
Address: fronts the 700 block of Decatur Street; bordered by Chartres, St. Ann, and St. Peter streets
Hours: seasonal, but usually from dawn to dusk
Admission: free
Historically, Jackson Square has served as town square, military parade ground, and even as a place of execution. Today, its beautiful landscaping, trees, benches and fountain make the square one of the most popular public places in the city. Artists set up shop on the sidewalks just outside the fence, carriages wait on the street to take tourists for a trip around the French Quarter, and street performers entertain onlookers. Allow at least 30 to 60 minutes to look around.New Orleans Culinary History Tours
Telephone: (504) 427-9595
Hours: Monday — Saturday 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; departs from 711 St. Louis
This walking tour of the French Quarter's fascinating and unique cuisine winds past historic landmarks and renowned restaurants while explaining the origin of New Orleans' famous regional specialties. Allow two and a half hours.Old U.S. Mint
Address: 400 Esplanade Avenue (French Quarter)
Telephone: (800) 568-6968 or (504) 568-6968
Hours: Tuesday — Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $5 adults, $4 senior citizens and students, children under 12 free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
This large Greek Revival building was built in 1835 and used to mint money for both the United States and the Confederacy. It now belongs to the Louisiana State Museum and features a large exhibit showcasing New Orleans jazz, including comprehensive collections of pictures, musical instruments — including Louis Armstrong's first trumpet — and other artifacts tracing the development of jazz. Joint tours of the mint and two or more of the other Louisiana State Museum properties, such as the Cabildo or the Presbytere, are available.Presbytere
Address: 751 Chartres Street (at Jackson Square)
Telephone: (800) 568-6968 or (504) 568-6968
Hours: Tuesday — Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $5 adults, $4 senior citizens and students, children under 12 free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Originally intended to be a home for the Spanish clergy, the Presbytere took too long to build and ended up serving as a courthouse instead. Today it houses an exhibit on the colorful costumes and pageantry of Mardi Gras and features interactive exhibits on the festival's history. Allow about an hour for your visit.St. Louis Cathedral
Address: 615 Pere Antoine Alley (at Jackson Square)
Telephone: (504) 525-9583
Hours: tours given Monday — Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 2 to 5 p. m.
Admission: free, but donations requested
Wheelchair accessible: yes
The oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States, the St. Louis Cathedral dates from 1794, though it was largely rebuilt in the 1850s. It has quite an interesting history — this is the third building to stand on the spot. The first cathedral was destroyed by a hurricane in 1722, and the second by the great fire of 1788. On that occasion, the cathedral's bells were supposedly kept quiet for religious reasons — it was Good Friday—and so they didn't ring out to warn residents of the fire, which went on to destroy more than 800 buildings.Musee Conti Wax Museum
Address: 917 Conti Street, near the corner of Burgundy
Telephone: (800) 233-5405 or (504) 581-1993
Hours: Monday — Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Admission: $6.75 adults, $6.25 seniors over 62, $5.75 children 4-17, free for children under 4
Parking: on-street and hourly lots within one block
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Features a large section devoted to Louisiana legends such as Andrew Jackson, Marie Laveau, Napoleon Bonaparte, Huey Long, Pete Fountain, Louis Armstrong, and even a Mardi Gras Indian, as well as a Haunted Dungeon with monsters and scenes from well-known horror tales.Historic New Orleans Collection
Address: 533 Royal Street (one block from Bourbon Street)
Telephone: (504) 523-4662
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; guided tours given at 10, 11, 2, and 3 p.m.
Admission: free; guided tours are $4
Wheelchair accessible: yes
This complex of buildings, one dating from 1792, houses a collection of art, maps, and original documents from Louisiana's past and traces the evolution of the city of New Orleans. It also features a comprehensive research center housed in a beautifully restored courthouse and police station at 410 Charles Street. Allow 30 minutes to 1 hour for your visit.Historic New Orleans Walking Tours
Telephone: (504) 947-2120
Visitors have raved about these tours, which include a variety of itineraries featuring the French Quarter, local history, and the cemeteries.Cradle of Jazz Tour
Telephone: (504) 282-3583
Admission: $25; advance reservations required
John McCusker, photographer for the Times-Picayune and a well-known local jazz historian, leads this two-and-a-half hour van tour every Saturday morning. He points out the spots where jazz was born, matured, and where performers such as Louis Armstrong were born or played their music.Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruises and Riverboat John James Audubon
Address: riverside in the French Quarter, across from Jax Brewery
Telephone: (800) 233-2628
Hours: vary; cruises generally 11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Admission: varies with time of day and meal options
Wheelchair accessible: yes
These cruises on the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez include live jazz music, optional lunch and dinner, and the trill of a steam calliope upon returning to the dock. Combination packages for the aquarium and walking and bus tours are available. The Riverboat John James Audubon will ferry you to the Audubon Zoo.
French Quarter | Greater New Orleans Area | Outlying Areas
Audubon Zoo
Address: 6500 Magazine Street (accessible from the St. Charles streetcar line or the Magazine Street bus line)
Telephone: (800) 771-7394 or (504) 581-4629
Hours: Daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., open until 6 p.m. on summer weekends. Last ticket sold one hour before closing.
Admission: $11 adults, $7 senior citizens 65 or older, $6 children 2-12
Parking: free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Situated within Audubon Park on the banks of the Mississippi, the zoo has more than 1,800 animals, including some rare and endangered species. Exhibits include a replica of a Louisiana swamp and the Dragon's Lair exhibit featuring 6- to-9-foot-long Komodo dragons from Indonesia. The zoo also boasts a white alligator, two white Bengal tigers, and many other exotic animals. The Jaguar Jungle exhibit is a 1.5 acre recreation of an ancient Mayan city filled with macaws, iguanas, spider monkeys, and other animals, with low-lying fog to add mystery. Allow at least 2 to 4 hours to thoroughly explore the zoo.Louisiana Children's Museum
Address: 420 Julia Street (4 blocks from the convention center in the Warehouse district)
Telephone: (504) 523-1357
Hours: Tuesday — Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday noon to 4:30 p.m.
Admission: $7 adults and children, children under 1 free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
This interactive museum lets children explore the worlds of science, nature, and role-playing. Children can be chefs, tugboat captains, or even TV anchors. Activities include a child-sized grocery store, a ‘challenges' exhibit, and a math and physics lab.New Orleans Museum of Art
Address: 1 Collins Diboll Circle, Mid-City area
Telephone: (504) 488-2631
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday — Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults, $7 senior citizens, $4 children 3-17 free to Louisiana residents Thursdays after 5 p.m. The sculpture garden is free and open the same hours as the museum.
Parking: free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
New Orleans' premiere fine arts museum, NOMA features a magnificent 40,000-piece permanent collection of African American, Asian, European, and pre-Columbian art including paintings, sculpture, and a decorative glass collection, in addition to ever-changing exhibits of art from around the world and a spectacular sculpture garden. Allow 2 to 3 hours for your visit.St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
Address: 400 block of Basin Street (four blocks from Bourbon St.)
Telephone: (504) 482-5065; for organized tours, call Save our Cemeteries at (504)525-3377
Hours: Monday — Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to noon.
Admission: free, unless you're on an organized tour offered by Save our Cemeteries
Wheelchair accessible: mostly, but some areas might be difficult
Founded in the late 1700s, this is the oldest extant cemetery in the city and features large tombs and monuments. People still leave gifts at the tomb of Marie Laveau, the legendary voodoo queen, and Louis, from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, has an empty tomb here. It is recommended to visit the cemetery in a large group or as part of an organized tour, and during daylight hours only.The National D-Day Museum
Address: 945 Magazine Street
Telephone: (504) 527-6012
Hours: daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except some holidays
Admission: $14 adults, $8 senior citizens, $6 children 5 to 12 years old, 5 and under free
Wheelchair accessible: yes; some wheelchairs available on site
The National D-Day Museum chronicles WWII from 1939 on, from a time when the United States had only the 18th largest army in the world. The museum has exhibits on Normandy, the events of June 6, 1944, and the Pacific battles.Longue Vue House and Gardens
Address: 7 Bamboo Road
Telephone: (504) 488-5488
Hours: Monday — Saturday 10 a. m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday 91 to 5 p.m.
Admission: $10 adults, $15 senior citizens, children $5
Billed as "A Historic City Estate," this 8-acre house and gardens houses a modern art gallery and museum store. Guided hourly tours are available in six languages until 4 p.m.City Park
Address: all the way up Esplanade Avenue out of the French Quarter; take the Esplanade bus or the Canal Streetcar to the park
Telephone: (504) 482-4888
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Admission: Free, but admission to Storyland or the Carousel Gardens is $2, and carousel rides cost either $1 for a single ride or $10 for unlimited rides. Admission to the Botanical Gardens is $5 for adults, $2 for children 5-12, and free for children 4 and under with a parent.
Parking: free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
At 1,500 acres, City Park is the fifth largest urban park in the United States. The Carousel Gardens within the park house one of the country's few intact carved wooden carousels, a small Ferris wheel, and a wading pool. The Botanical Gardens offers more than 12 acres of gardens, ponds, fountains, sculptures, and a horticultural library and gift shop. For children, Storyland offers 26 storybook-themed play areas.Louisiana Nature Center and Planetarium
Address: Nature Center Drive, in the Joe Brown Memorial Park
Telephone: (800) 774-7394 or (504) 246-5672
Hours: Tuesday — Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
Admission: $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children 2-12
Parking: free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Located within an 85-acre stretch of Louisiana forest, the nature center offers guided walks every day except Monday, plus special weekend activities such as bird-watching, canoeing, and arts-and-crafts workshops. Exhibits include the Turtle Pond, which is home to several native Louisiana reptiles including baby alligators and Southern painted turtles. Three miles of trails and a wheelchair accessible wooden walkway are available for public use. The planetarium offers shows on Saturdays and Sundays.Six Flags New Orleans
Address: 12301 Lake Forest Boulevard, at the intersection of I-10 and I-510, 12 miles from the Central Business District
Telephone: (504) 253-8100
Hours: weekends only in spring and fall, daily from Memorial Day to mid-August
Admission: $35.99 adults and children over 4 feet tall, $25.99 children under 4 feet tall, children 2 and under are free
Parking: $7
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Jazz and Louisiana themes are dominant at this theme park, which offers rides and attractions such as Lafitte's Pirate Ship, Voodoo Volcano, the Big Easy (a 90-foot Ferris wheel), and the Mardi Gras Menagerie carousel. Roller coaster fans will enjoy four choices at the park, including the Zydeco Scream, a boomerang coaster that drops into reverse at the end, and the park's signature ride, the Mega Zeph, which is 4,000 feet long.Mardi Gras World
Address: 223 Newton Street, Algiers Point. Take the Canal Street ferry, which is free for pedestrians, and a van will meet you, take you to the site, and bring you back.
Telephone: (800) 362-8213 or (504) 361-7821
Hours: daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Admission: $13.50 adults, $10 seniors over 62, $6.50 children 3-12, 2 and under free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Visitors here can watch people building and/or decorating Mardi Gras floats — most of the floats in the city are built here. There is also a film about Mardi Gras, and you can have your picture taken in a Mardi Gras costume. Guests are also offered free king cake and coffee. Allow about two hours including travel time.Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Address: Orpheum Theater, 129 University Place, in the Central Business District
Telephone: (504) 523-6530
Admission: tickets range from $13 to $62, or higher for special events
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Popular programs include Beethoven and Blue Jeans, which relaxes the usual formal dress code in an attempt to attract a wider audience. The season runs from September to May.
French Quarter | Greater New Orleans Area | Outlying Areas
Destrehan Manor
Address: 13034 River Road, Destrehan, Louisiana 70047
Telephone: (985) 764-9315
Hours: daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: $10 adults, $5 teenagers, $3 children 6-12, 5 and under free
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Built in 1787 by a free person of color and restored using some of the earliest methods of construction, Destrehan Manor is the oldest plantation open to the public in the Lower Mississippi Valley. One room has been deliberately left unrenovated, to show visitors the deterioration caused by age. This plantation also appeared in the film Interview with the Vampire. Guided tours start every 20 minutes.
Directions: Take Interstate 10 West to Exit 220 (I-310 South), stay on I-310 for about 6 miles. Exit onto River Road, and turn left at the light. Destrehan Manor is approximately 25 miles from New Orleans.Houmas House Plantation and Gardens
Address: 40136 Highway 942, Burnside, Louisiana 70725
Telephone: (888) 323-8314 or (225) 473-7841
Hours: daily February — October 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., November — January 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: $10 adults, $6 children 13-17, $3 children 6-12, 5 and under free
Wheelchair accessible: no
Houmas House is actually two houses. The original was built in 1790, and in 1840 a larger Greek Revival-style house was built next to it. Sometime in later years, the houses were joined. The contrast between the two parts adds interest, and the formal gardens, live oaks, and magnolias are beautiful.
Directions: Take Interstate 10 West from New Orleans. Exit onto Highway 44 toward Burnside, and turn right onto Highway 942. Houmas House is approximately 58 miles from New Orleans.Laura: A Creole Plantation
Address: 2247 Highway 18, Vacherie, Louisiana 70090
Telephone: (888) 799-7690 or (225) 265-7690
Hours: daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $10 adults, $5 students and children 6-17, 5 and under free
Wheelchair accessible: no
Here you can learn what daily life was like for both masters and slaves on a sugar plantation in the 18th and 19th centuries. Historical details are provided, in part, by the diary of a former occupant, Laura Locoul. The house has more than 375 original artifacts covering a 200-year period in the lives of one family. Basic guided tours last about an hour, but you can make advance reservations for more in-depth tours on topics ranging from "Women on the Creole Plantation" to "Plantation Slaves, Artisans, and Folklore."
Directions: Take Interstate 10 West to Exit 194 (Gramercy). Cross the bridge and turn left onto Highway 18 (River Road); travel about 4 more miles. Approximately 60 miles from New Orleans.Madewood
Address: 4250 Highway 308, Napoleonville, Louisiana 70390
Telephone: (985) 369-7151
Hours: daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults, $4 children and students; overnight stays from $225
Wheelchair accessible: no
This imposing mansion was commissioned by its original owner solely for the purpose of outdoing his own brother, who had a grand home of his own. Construction took eight years, half of which were devoted to cutting lumber and making bricks. Unfortunately, the owner died just before the house was completed. The current owner's parents bought and restored the house in 1964. Owner Keith Marshall and his wife, Millie Ball (travel editor for the Times-Picayune) are gracious hosts and wonderful storytellers. Visitors can arrange to stay overnight, either in the main house or in a secluded raised cottage.
Directions: Take Interstate 10 West to Exit 182 (Donaldsonville). Cross the Sunshine Bridge onto Highway 70, follow it to Spur 70. Follow signs that say "Bayou Plantations", turn left onto Highway 308, and then travel south about 6 miles. Madewood is approximately 72 miles from New Orleans.Barataria Preserve
Address: 6488 Barataria Boulevard, Marrero, Louisiana
Telephone: (504) 589-2330
Hours: The Visitors' Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; trails are open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during Daylight Saving Time, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during Standard Time.
Admission: free, though donations are welcome
Wheelchair accessible: The visitors' center and several of the trails are accessible.
A branch of the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve, which encompasses several locations around the state, Barataria Preserve sprawls over 20,000 acres of forest, swampland, and freshwater marshlands, with 8 miles of hiking trails (including 2.5 miles of boardwalk) and waterways. You can choose to take a 'natural history walk' and strike out on your own, or if you prefer to explore by water you can rent a canoe and enjoy 9 miles of canoe trails, which are closed to all other types of watercraft. Picnic areas are available throughout the preserve, and recreational fishing and hunting camps are located in the marshland areas; licenses can be purchased at a nearby marina.
Directions: Take Interstate 10 East heading toward the Mississippi River and the West Bank. Cross the Crescent City Connection bridge; after you've crossed it the road becomes known as the West Bank Expressway. Exit at 4B, Barataria Boulevard, and turn left at the second stoplight onto Barataria Boulevard. Drive about 9 miles to Barataria Preserve.Cajun Encounters Honey Island Swamp Tour
Address: on Highway 90
Telephone: (866) 92TOURS
Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission: begins at $23 adult/$15 child for a swamp tour without transportation to and from your hotel
Wheelchair accessible: call
Cajun Encounters specializes in swamp and marsh tours in small boats that allow passengers to go deep into Honey Island Swamp. The company also offers a variety plantation and New Orleans city tours and packages.Bayou Gauche Airboat Swamp Tours
Address: on Highway 306 in Paradis
Telephone: (504) 486-0111
Hours: tours daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: from $35 adults/$20 children
Wheelchair accessible: call
These 90-minute airboat tours of a private swamp include a stop at an alligator hunter's cabin, and might even include an alligator up close and personal.Global Wildlife Center
Address: 26389 Highway 40 in Folsom
Telephone: (985) 624-WILD
Hours: call
Admission: free to enter, but minimum required donation for tours is $14 adults, $11 seniors and $8 children ages 2 to 11; under 2 free
Wheelchair accessible: call
The Global Wildlife Center in Folsom is home to over thirty species of African wildlife from zebras to giraffes and beyond. Covered wagons, pulled by tractors, let you get close to the animals.