New Orleans
Around New Orleans
Photo: Infrogmation · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Louisiana · 966k people
New Orleans
“The Big Easy”, “Crescent City”, “NOLA”, “The City That Care Forgot”
New Orleans · Metairie
Where life moves to a jazz beat
Mardi Gras purpleMardi Gras greenMardi Gras gold
Welcome to New Orleans! Get ready for music around every corner, food that'll make you slow down, and a pace that's all about enjoying the moment. Whether you're here for a weekend or settling in, you'll find a city that loves to celebrate.
Clubs for New Orleans
No clubs for New Orleans yet.
The room
One room for everyone around New Orleans. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around New Orleans. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Jackson Square Historic public square in the French Quarter
- Bourbon Street Famous for nightlife and live music
- City Park Large urban park with oak trees, lagoons, and the New Orleans Museum of Art
- Audubon Park Uptown park with golf course and oak-lined paths
- Caesars Superdome Home of the New Orleans Saints
- Smoothie King Center Home of the New Orleans Pelicans
- Outdoors Paddle a kayak through Bayou St. John
- Outdoors Bike the Lafitte Greenway
- With kids Visit the Audubon Zoo
- With kids Ride the St. Charles streetcar
- Evenings Catch live jazz on Frenchmen Street
- Evenings Take a ghost tour in the French Quarter
- Locals love Neighborhood bars
- Locals love Po'boy shops
Through the year
- Mardi Gras February/March Parades and festivities in the weeks before Ash Wednesday
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival April/May Iconic music festival featuring local and international acts
- French Quarter Festival April Free music festival showcasing local musicians in the Quarter
- Satchmo SummerFest August Celebration of Louis Armstrong with jazz and brass bands
- Bayou Classic Thanksgiving weekend College football game between Grambling State and Southern University
Subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Best time to be out is spring and fall. Best: Spring (March-May) and fall (Oct-Nov) are ideal for being outside.
Talk like a local
- “Where y'at?”
- How are you? / What's up?
- “Lagniappe”
- A little extra, a bonus
- “Make groceries”
- To go grocery shopping
- “Neutral ground”
- The median strip of a street
Getaways
- Slidell Gateway to the Northshore with outdoor recreation
- Baton Rouge State capital with LSU campus and museums
- Gulfport Beaches and casinos on the Mississippi coast
- Houma Cajun culture and swamp tours in Terrebonne Parish
Local flavour
Teams
- New Orleans Saints NFL
- New Orleans Pelicans NBA
- Tulane Green Wave NCAA Division I
- New Orleans Privateers NCAA Division I
Also rooting for LSU Tigers (college football)
Eat and drink
- Gumbo Creole and Cajun stew, often with okra and filé
- Jambalaya Rice dish with meat, seafood, and vegetables
- Beignets Fried dough with powdered sugar, iconic at Café du Monde
- Po'boys Sandwich on French bread, often fried seafood or roast beef
- Crawfish étouffée Crawfish in a rich sauce, served over rice
- Red beans and rice Monday tradition, often with smoked sausage
- King cake Mardi Gras pastry with a hidden baby
- Muffuletta Italian sandwich with olive salad
- Hurricane (drink) Rum-based cocktail from Pat O'Brien's
- Sazerac (drink) Rye whiskey cocktail with absinthe
Where people go
- Jazz clubs Venues like Preservation Hall and the Spotted Cat
- Po'boy shops Neighborhood sandwich counters
- Beignet cafes Cafés serving beignets and café au lait
- Mardi Gras parade routes Streets like St. Charles Avenue and Bourbon Street
- Above-ground cemeteries Cities of the dead, like St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
- Bayous and swamps Wetlands with cypress trees and alligators
- Shotgun houses Narrow, one-story homes with a shotgun layout
- Creole cottages Historic homes with French and Spanish influences
Heritage and traditions
New Orleans is proud of its vibrant cultural gumbo—jazz, Mardi Gras, Creole cuisine, and resilient spirit—that makes it unlike any other city.
This time of year in New Orleans
- Hurricane season Summer-Fall June-November, with a watchful eye.
- Oyster season Fall-Winter Cooler months, perfect for raw bars.
- Voodoo Music + Arts Experience October Halloween weekend music festival.
Say it like a local: “Po'boy” — A local term for a sandwich on French bread.
Festivals
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Late April/early May Two weekends of local and international music.
- French Quarter Festival April Largest free music festival in the South.
- Satchmo SummerFest August Celebrates Louis Armstrong's legacy.
- St. Patrick's Day Parade March Irish heritage with a New Orleans twist.
- Greek Festival May Greek food, music, and dancing.
- Oyster Festival June Celebrates the local oyster harvest.
Landmarks with a story
- St. Louis Cathedral Iconic landmark in Jackson Square.
- Preservation Hall Venue for traditional New Orleans jazz.
- The Cabildo Former Spanish colonial building, now a museum.
- Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 Famous above-ground cemetery.
- Old Ursuline Convent One of the oldest buildings in the Mississippi Valley.
- The French Market Historic market with local goods.
Food traditions
- Red beans and rice on Mondays A Monday tradition, often with ham hock.
- King cake during Carnival A sweet pastry with a hidden baby.
- Crawfish boils in spring A social feast with corn and potatoes.
- Gumbo on special occasions A rich stew with okra, meat, or seafood.
- Po'boys for lunch Fried shrimp or oyster sandwiches on French bread.
Music and arts
- Jazz Birthplace of jazz, with legends like Louis Armstrong.
- Brass bands Second line parades and street performances.
- Zydeco Cajun and Creole music with accordion and washboard.
- Mardi Gras Indians Elaborate costumes and African-influenced chants.
A little history
- 1718 Founded by French colonists
- 1815 Battle of New Orleans
- 1803 Louisiana Purchase
- 2005 Hurricane Katrina
- Early 20th century Birthplace of jazz
Rivalries
- New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons NFC South rivalry with passionate fan bases
- LSU Tigers vs Alabama Crimson Tide College football heavyweight clash
- Tulane Green Wave vs LSU Tigers In-state college rivalry, though not played often
- Game day Saints game tailgating
- Game day Pelicans basketball
- Outdoors Swamp tour
- Outdoors Kayak Bayou St. John
- With kids Beignets at Café du Monde
- With kids Riding the St. Charles streetcar
New Orleans speech is a melodic blend of Southern drawl, Cajun French, and Yat dialect, with phrases like 'Awrite' and 'Where y'at?'
Only here
- Second line parades for any occasion.
- Above-ground cemeteries due to high water table.
- Mardi Gras Indians with hand-sewn suits.
- Drive-thru daiquiri shops.
New here? A few tips
- Learn to say 'Awrite' for hello.
- Try a po'boy dressed with everything.
- Don't call it 'Nawlins'—locals say 'New Or-leens'.
- Check the weather before outdoor events—humidity is real.
- Get a go-cup for drinks on the go.
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Part of New Orleans area
Nearby
Every areaNorthshoreLouisianaLake breezes, piney woods, and good food.HammondLouisianaSmall‑town charm, big strawberry flavor.Houma–ThibodauxLouisianaCajun soul on the bayouPicayuneMississippiWhere the pines meet the PearlBogalusaLouisianaWhere the piney woods whisper Louisiana stories.Gulfport–BiloxiMississippiWhere the water meets the welcomeMorgan CityLouisianaCajun culture, fresh off the boat.Baton RougeLouisianaWhere the Mississippi bends and the crawfish boil.
New Orleans-Metairie, LA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.