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3-Day New Orleans Itinerary
Jazz, Creole cooking, and French Quarter nights
New Orleans is like nowhere else in America: jazz spilling from doorways, Creole and Cajun feasts, and centuries of French, Spanish, and Caribbean soul.
BEST TIME
February–May (mild; Mardi Gras/Jazz Fest)
BALLPARK
$400–$750 per person
Your 3-day New Orleans itinerary
Day 1 · Arrive & settle in
Land, drop your bags, and ease into New Orleans with something low-key nearby. Frenchmen Street beats Bourbon for real live music.
Day 2 · French Quarter and Jackson Square
Spend the morning on the highlight, then in the afternoon or evening: live jazz on frenchmen street.
Day 3 · Last morning & departure
Squeeze in one more before you go — beignets at café du monde if you have time — then head to the airport.
Top things to do in New Orleans
- French Quarter and Jackson Square
- Live jazz on Frenchmen Street
- Beignets at Café du Monde
- Garden District and streetcar ride
- Swamp and bayou tour
- Creole-Cajun food crawl (gumbo, po’boys)
More detail: the best things to do in New Orleans →
LOCAL TIP
Frenchmen Street beats Bourbon for real live music.
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