8 Fun Things to Do in New Orleans

Heading to New Orleans? Here's 8 fun things to add to your list. #visitneworleans

When my daughter and I arrived in New Orleans for a 4 day mother-daughter adventure, I wasn’t really sure that we would have enough activities to fill our time. Neither of us had ever been to New Orleans, and we weren’t really sure what to expect beyond the craziness of Bourbon Street. We had a few things on our list (mostly food related), but since we had family that lived locally, we were relying on them to show us around. Seeing the city through the eyes of a local helped us explore New Orleans beyond the boundaries of the French Quarter, discovering delicious food, history and many fun activities along the way. Here’s our list of 8 fun things to do in New Orleans that will take you beyond Bourbon Street.
*This post was updated August 2024.

1. Take a Tour at Mardi Gras World. Prior to my visit to Mardi Gras World, my assumptions about this yearly event pretty much centered around one parade and lots of revelers in the streets. Little did I know there was so much history and as many as 50+ parades filling the streets all around New Orleans during Mardi Gras season. And how do all those colorful floats come together? Take a tour at the expansive Mardi Gras World to find out.

Walking through this working facility, you will come face to face with all sorts of larger than life creations, from jesters to King Kong, along with artists hard at work. Don’t forget to get your piece of King Cake after the tour is over.

If you have never been to New Orleans, you should definitely visit Mardis Gras World. #visitneworleans

2. Wander the Garden District. Staying at the Hotel Indigo during our first visit to New Orleans was a definite plus for me. The cooler mornings were perfect for exploring the mansions of the Garden District, and there was a streetcar stop directly in front of the hotel. If you get a chance, ride the Streetcar to the end of the St. Charles line. Purchase a day pass and take advantage of the many photo opportunities throughout the Garden District and Uptown. It’s the perfect thing to do in the early morning, especially as the day grows warmer.

3. Go Inside St. Louis Cathedral. Considered to be one of the most famous landmarks in the city of New Orleans, you might recognize the outside of this iconic building, as everyone loves to take a picture with the magnificent cathedral as a backdrop. But be sure to save some time to step inside St. Louis Cathedral. It’s the oldest continuous operating Catholic Church in the country, and visitors are able to respectfully go in and walk around. Take a few minutes to enjoy the quietness while viewing the stunning painted ceilings and the stained glass windows that fill the building.

The inside of the iconic St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans is worth a peek!

4. Visit the New Orleans Glassworks and Printmaking Studio. Looking for something different to do? Head over to Magazine Street in the Arts District to the New Orleans Glassworks and Printmaking Studio. Take a 2 hour course in glassblowing, where you can design and create your own glass objects. Or just browse in the gallery and enjoy free hands-on demonstrations. We had friends who really enjoyed learning the basics of glassblowing during the class!

Read 6 Interesting Things to Do in New Orleans

5. Tour a Cemetery. You can’t visit New Orleans without walking through at least one of the many cemeteries. From our hotel, we were able to walk to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, located in the historic Garden District. While we opted not to take one of the many guided tours that were available, we did use the self-guided tour from Free Tours by Foot as we wandered through the cemetery grounds. If you recognize the pictures, it might be because Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is considered the most filmed cemetery in the city. The New Orleans visitors bureau has lots of information about all the cemeteries found throughout the city.

Be sure to take a walk through one of the historic cemeteries when you visit New Orleans.

6. Take A Swamp Tour. If you don’t live in the southeast part of the country, then the thought of seeing alligators in their natural surroundings is probably appealing to you. We chose Jean Lafitte Swamp and Airboat Tours, located about 25 minutes from downtown New Orleans. Visitors can choose from the traditional swamp boat, which travels slowly through the Barataria Preserve at Jean Lafitte National Park, or the fast moving airboat. We choose the latter, and saw several alligators along with lots of birds in their natural habitats. Just make sure you bring sunscreen, as the airboats are not covered!

7. Search for Street Art. There is nothing quite like driving or walking down the street and coming face to face with a giant mural on the side of a building. New Orleans is no exception, and as the city celebrates its tricentennial, several murals will be commissioned as part of the “One Time, in New Orleans” campaign. The first, recently completed by artist Brandan Odums, is this tribute to historic jazz figure Buddy Bolden. I was excited to see this new mural up close, on the side of the Little Gem Saloon. There’s plenty more street art with a story to be found all over New Orleans.

Just one of many cool pieces of New Orleans street art! #visitneworleans #streetart

8. Visit a Market. Take a stroll through the popular French Market. Whether you are looking for a bite to eat, or just want to browse the numerous vendors, take some time to visit the historic French Market. You can’t go wrong with any pralines from Loretta’s Pralines, including original, chocolate, and coconut!

During our 4 day exploration of New Orleans, we tried many local food favorites, including Muffuletta’s from Central Grocery (currently closed due to damage from Hurricane Ida) and beignets from both Cafe Du Monde and Cafe Beignet. Read more about our 4 day eating adventure in New Orleans.

It was impossible to see everything during our visit, so I’ve already started preparing my list for next time! To start, visiting during Mardi Gras, seeing a show at the historic Saenger Theater, exploring the World War II Museum, taking a holiday house tour of the Garden District during the month of December, and continuing to eat our way through the city. What else should we add to the list?