Where should I go and what should I do in New Orleans?
Compère Lapin in the Warehouse District, chef Nina Compton’s Caribbean-Creole cooking worth planning a trip around.
The Roosevelt on University Place downtown, a beaux-arts lobby and the Sazerac Bar under one roof.
The Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA in City Park, a hundred works of art among live oaks, usually empty.
Preservation Hall in the French Quarter, a jazz set with no drink menu and no amplifiers.
Jewel of the South in the French Quarter, a restored Creole cottage courtyard built for one very good cocktail.
When should I go to New Orleans?
March through May — mild weather, Jazz Fest in late April, before the summer humidity sets in.
Late October through November — cooler air, fall light, and the city thins out after Halloween.
Avoid August through October if possible, the peak of hurricane season and the most humid stretch of the year.
What do I need to know for a trip to New Orleans?
Streets flood quickly in a heavy downpour; pack for sudden rain even when the forecast looks dry.
Humidity runs high most of the year; lightweight fabrics hold up better than a suitcase of layers.
Restaurants book up fast during Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras; reserve well ahead if visiting during either.
Tipping runs 18 to 20 percent at restaurants, in line with the rest of the US.
Streetcars and rideshares cover the city well; a rental car mostly adds parking headaches downtown.
Several historic hotels and restaurants sit outside the main walkable core; check the distance to the French Quarter and Warehouse District before booking.
Located on world-famous Bourbon Street, Royal Sonesta New Orleans effortlessly combines timeless elegance and southern refinement, setting itself apart from other French Quarter hotels. 483 guest rooms and suites, authentic hospitality, a Food is Art philosophy, wrought-iron balconies, and a lush courtyard create an experience unlike any other.
The Eliza Jane, Autograph Collection blends New Orleans history and contemporary boutique luxury within beautifully restored 19th-century warehouses near the French Quarter.
NOPSI New Orleans is located in the city’s vibrant Central Business District on the corner of Baronne and Union Streets, the nine-story brick building originally opened in 1927.
Welcome to The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, where world-renowned Southern hospitality and historic charm meets contemporary comforts and modern luxury. Located at the end of the legendary Canal Street...
Escape to a lesser-known and enigmatic side of the city while remaining right at its heart from our luxury hotel in New Orleans. Hotel de la Poste - French Quarter is the newest edition to the Renaissance brand.
At The Windsor Court, indulge the New Orleans seduction of food, music, history and architecture - all within short walking distance of the dynamic French Quarter.
Start your New Orleans journey at Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans, our upscale hotel in the heart of the action in the vibrant French Quarter.
History and heritage flourish at Hotel Monteleone, a landmark of New Orleans's venerable French Quarter, and a testament to the destination's colorful character and allure...
Unlocking the authentic New Orleans, Four Seasons invites you to our landmark tower – a heritage icon with a central downtown location on the banks of the Mississippi River.
New Orleans keeps its best nights quiet ones, on purpose.
At Compère Lapin in the Warehouse District, chef Nina Compton pulls Caribbean and Creole into the same dish without asking permission from either — curried goat, foie gras, and a bar program that treats rum like it deserves the same respect as scotch. Reservations two weeks out are not paranoia. They are planning.
Sleep at The Roosevelt, a beaux-arts hotel that has held down a full city block since 1893, its lobby a stretch of marble and gold leaf too long to cross without stopping. The Sazerac Bar inside has been pouring the city’s official cocktail since Prohibition ended, mostly without a pause since.
Some ideas for an afternoon: the Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA, a hundred pieces of art scattered through live oaks and lagoons, free and mostly empty on weekday mornings. A walk through the Garden District, past Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, where the above-ground tombs are older than most American cities. A cocktail at Jewel of the South, a restored Creole cottage with a courtyard built for exactly this kind of evening.
At Preservation Hall, there is no drink menu and no stage lighting, just a small room, folding chairs, and musicians who have been doing this since before jazz needed an explanation. Arrive early. The room holds maybe seventy people and everyone already knows that.
Come for dinner reservations. Stay for a jazz hall with no bar. Leave planning the next one before you have finished unpacking this one.