New Orleans.

Where I sleep

1. Day 1 · Sat 6 Feb

   A market and a music street

   An easy first day: the French Market beside the river, then an evening on Frenchmen Street, where live music comes out of the doorways.

   • French Market1.5 h

     A market district on the edge of the French Quarter, beside the Mississippi, with farmers market stalls, craft stands and a flea market. It dates back to 1791.

     What to see

     • The farmers market stalls
     • The flea market
     • The riverfront promenade next to it

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     The market is open every day, including holidays, so it works as a fallback on parade days when the rest of the Quarter is crowded. Check frenchmarket.org for the current hours.

     To eat

     Beignets, the square fried doughnuts covered in powdered sugar, and a chicory coffee.

     Photos
   • Frenchmen StreetEvening

     A short street in the Faubourg Marigny known for its small music clubs, with live music most nights of the week.

     What to see

     • Live jazz and brass-band sounds from the doorways
     • The musicians playing on the pavement

     Time

     An evening, at your own pace.

     Tip

     The street is only a few blocks long. Walk its full length first and listen from the doorways, then choose where to go in.

     To eat

     Red beans and rice, jambalaya or gumbo, which are the local staples.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Sun 7 Feb

   History and gardens

   The National WWII Museum in the morning, then a ride up St. Charles Avenue to look at the houses of the Garden District.

   • The National WWII Museum3 h

     A large museum on the American experience of the Second World War, in the Warehouse District, with several pavilions and a film.

     What to see

     • The pavilions on the war in Europe and the Pacific
     • The film Beyond All Boundaries
     • The landing craft built in New Orleans

     Time

     Three hours, or more.

     Tip

     The museum is open every day except Mardi Gras Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Today is a Sunday, so it works, but it will be closed on Tuesday.

     To eat

     A po’boy, the local sandwich on soft French bread.

     Photos
   • Garden District2 h

     A neighbourhood of nineteenth-century mansions with deep galleries and gardens, a short ride up St. Charles Avenue from the Warehouse District.

     What to see

     • The mansions and their galleries
     • The live oaks along the streets
     • The gates of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

     Time

     Two hours on foot.

     Tip

     Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 reopened on 1 October 2026 after seven years closed, and it is now visited on small guided tours that you book through prcno.org. The houses are private, so look from the pavement.

     To eat

     A slice of king cake, which is sold in Carnival season only.

     Photos
3. Day 3 · Mon 8 Feb

   Lundi Gras

   The day before Mardi Gras. In the morning, the float workshop at Mardi Gras World, and in the evening a place on St. Charles Avenue for the Orpheus parade.

   • Mardi Gras World2 h

     A float-building workshop beside the Mississippi where parade floats and giant figures are made, open to visitors on guided tours.

     What to see

     • The workshops where the floats are built
     • The giant figures in progress

     Time

     Two hours with the tour.

     Tip

     It is open seven days a week and closes only on a few holidays, including Mardi Gras Day. In the week before Fat Tuesday, many finished floats are already out on parade routes, so expect to see more workshops than floats. Book at mardigrasworld.com.

     To eat

     A muffuletta, the olive-salad sandwich that New Orleans claims as its own.

   • Orpheus on St. Charles AvenueEvening

     Orpheus is one of the big super-krewe parades, and it rolls on Lundi Gras, the Monday before Mardi Gras, along St. Charles Avenue.

     What to see

     • The floats lit up at night
     • The marching bands
     • The flambeaux, the torch carriers

     Time

     Plan for the whole evening.

     Tip

     Parades are free to watch. The city confirms the exact times in early January, so check the 2027 schedule on neworleans.com. Roads close when parades roll, so choose a spot early and plan your way home on foot.

     To eat

     Eat before you go, and bring a snack. The queues for food are long on parade nights.

4. Day 4 · Tue 9 Feb

   Mardi Gras Day

   Early start for the Zulu and Rex parades, then the French Quarter for costumes and music. The museums are closed today, and Carnival ends at midnight.

   • Zulu and Rex on St. Charles AvenueMorning

     On Mardi Gras Day the Zulu parade rolls first, at 8 a.m. according to the city’s guide. The Rex parade, led by the symbolic King of Carnival, follows.

     What to see

     • Zulu’s hand-decorated coconuts, the most prized throw
     • The King of Carnival’s float in the Rex parade
     • The costumes among the crowd

     Time

     The morning, until the parades pass.

     Tip

     The main parade route runs along St. Charles Avenue and ends on Canal Street. Arrive early for a good spot and check the 2027 schedule on neworleans.com.

     To eat

     King cake and coffee at dawn, eaten standing at the kerb.

   • French Quarter on Mardi Gras Day3 h

     After the morning parades, the old Quarter fills with costumes and music, and the Bourbon Street Awards costume contest takes place every Mardi Gras Day.

     What to see

     • Costumes of every kind in the street
     • The Bourbon Street Awards
     • Brass bands in the side streets

     Time

     An afternoon.

     Tip

     The Quarter is very crowded today. Set a meeting point in case your phone fails, and keep valuables in zipped pockets. Carnival ends at midnight.

     To eat

     Jambalaya or a po’boy, if you find a kitchen open and patience for the queue.

5. Day 5 · Wed 10 Feb

   Ash Wednesday

   A quiet morning in City Park: the art museum and the sculpture garden beside it, before the flight home.

   • New Orleans Museum of Art2 h

     The city’s main art museum, in City Park, with collections of European, American and Louisiana art.

     What to see

     • The European and American galleries
     • Works by Louisiana artists
     • The park outside the windows

     Time

     About two hours.

     Tip

     The museum is closed on Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras Day, so Ash Wednesday is the first day back. Confirm the hours on noma.org before you go.

     To eat

     Pecan pralines and a chicory coffee, the local way to recover.

     Photos
   • Besthoff Sculpture Garden1 h

     A free sculpture garden beside the art museum in City Park, set among lagoons and old live oaks.

     What to see

     • The sculptures among the live oaks
     • The lagoons
     • The paths through the garden

     Time

     An hour, at a slow pace.

     Tip

     The garden is free and open seven days a week. Winter hours are shorter than summer ones, so go before the afternoon.

     To eat

     A picnic on the grass, with what is left of the king cake.

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.