24 hours in the Big Easy doesn’t have to be hard when you have your good pals at Orbzii curating the best that the Crescent City has to offer. Obviously when you have more time to play about with it’s ‘Easy,’ but 24 hours in New Orleans is better than 0 hours as there are so many things to do in New Orleans.
From exploring the amazing foodie scene to checking out some of the best restaurants in New Orleans to the best nightlife. We have it covered. Whilst one day in the Big Easy doesn’t give you a super amount of time to play about with, there’s still plenty of amazing things to see and do that you can pack into your NOLA itinerary – here’s the best of them.
Feed your soul
Assuming you have just arrived in the city or had a refreshing night’s sleep after landing the evening before, it’s time for brunch! Luckily, there are some great places to enjoy brunch (or even breakfast) if you are more of an early bird.
Semantics (and timings) aside, this is an ideal time to immerse yourself into the foodie scene of New Orleans and try out some of the best-known and most-loved dishes like beignets, french toast, fried green tomatoes and grits.
We mentioned the fabulous range of Eggs Benedict served over at the Ruby Slipper’s Cafe but we also love the Slim Goodies Diner where you can enjoy sweet potato pancakes, Creole slammers and chicken and waffles amongst other awesome dishes. Don’t forget if you only have 24 hours in New Orleans, that this equates to just one breakfast, so choose wisely!
Explore the French Quarter
One of the must-visit attractions in New Orleans is the enchanting French Quarter. Chock-full of enticing attractions which includes bars, restaurants and shops amongst others.
Whether you want to admire the iconic vistas of the iconic St. Louis Cathedral, listen to the dulcet tones of one of the local musicians, have your palm read by or simply go shopping, the French Quarter won’t disappoint.
Despite having only 24 hours in New Orleans, even if you are a returning visitor to New Orleans, you can’t not visit the French Quarter whether this is to revisit old favourites or try new and exciting things to do.
From Bourbon Street which is party central to the culture mecca of Royal Street where you will find a plethora of galleries, the abundance of the French Quarter is at your fingertips.
Mosey on down to some of the city’s museums
Museums! We love them in New Orleans. You can obviously enjoy the museums focused on art and artefacts, but what about some of the more curious and quirky offerings to be had?
From the history of potions at the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum to a deep dive into mixology and craft cocktail culture at Sazerac House, if mixing things up at the museums of New Orleans is high on the agenda when spending 24 hours in New Orleans (or even more!), you won’t walk away disappointed.
Dine out NOLA style
You will have remembered from our guide to the best restaurants in New Orleans that you have a stellar selection of amazing restaurants to choose from when it comes to going for dinner in New Orleans.
From gumbo on the go-to leisurely dinners that last for hours, anything goes. New Orleans is much more than the French Quarter (although we wouldn’t recommend swerving it) if you follow the Mississippi either downriver or upriver, then there are some amazing districts in New Orleans where you can find some incredible restaurants. However, we know that you only have 24 hours in New Orleans, so time is of the essence!
Over in Uptown and the Garden District, head on over to restaurants like Commander’s Palace and the BOIL Seafoodhouse as well as some more unusual dining spots like Cafe Abyssinia which offers Ethiopian fare.
Brigtsen’s in Riverbend is also very much worthy of a visit and this age-old Victorian cottage tucked away in the Riverbend is home to some of the best modern Creole fare in the city.
Check out the jazz scene
24 hours in New Orleans is not enough to dip your toe in the abundant waters that make up the New Orleans nightlife, but it’s a start.
We’ve covered brunch and dinner, so we know you have fed your tummy, we can be sure that you have fed our soul by exploring what this fantastic city has to offer, now it’s time to take it one step further by checking out the local music scene which is the beating soul of the city.
Live music is special in every city, but when it comes to the live music in New Orleans, this is next level special.
From the bustling live music scene in the French Quarter to dancing the night away at some of the city’s nightclubs, you may not even make it to bed when you only have 24 hours in New Orleans, especially if you are celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
If jazz isn’t really your thing, there’s lots of things to do when navigating the nightlife in New Orleans, whether this is just dinner and drinks, stand up comedy, ghost tours or even just a good old-fashioned bar crawl at some of the best bars in New Orleans.
No amount of time is enough to enjoy the Big Easy, but if you only have 24 hours in New Orleans, then we can help. Whether this is a standalone trip on the fly or you are planning a USA road trip, then the next step is to book your trip to New Orleans via the Orbzii app which you can book in a matter of minutes.
