Photo by Joe Lavigne on Unsplash
The 6-day plan, rearranged for 5 days: the best-ranked places stay, and each day keeps to one part of town.
Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Dates change every year, so check ahead for the one you are going.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
One of the biggest urban parks in the country, with old live oaks, lagoons and paths, and an art museum nearby. A calm start to a busy weekend.
Go when Morning, when it is quiet.
Local tip Walk under the oldest oaks first. The park is big, so choose one corner instead of trying to see it all.
A neighborhood of colorful cottages and small cafes downriver from the Quarter, with the live music street at its edge. On parade days costumed marchers sometimes pass through it, so check ahead.
Go when Midday, with a coffee.
Local tip Walk the pastel cottages on side streets and keep your voice low, since people live there. Costumed marchers may pass, so ask before taking photos.
The Monday dish of the city: red beans simmered for hours with ham or sausage, served over rice. Traditionally cooked on wash day, when the pot could sit on the stove.
Local tip Ask whether the beans are cooked with pork. A vegetarian version may be offered.
One of the oldest Black neighborhoods in the country, rich in music and tradition. The Mardi Gras Indians, who sew huge feathered suits all year, usually walk their own streets on Fat Tuesday, and there is no printed schedule. Be quiet, ask before a photo and never chase them.
Go when Afternoon, if you want to see the neighborhood.
Local tip There is no printed schedule for the Mardi Gras Indians. Do not chase them, ask before taking a photo and let them pass. Visit the neighborhood in a way that helps it.
A short street of small music clubs and bars at the edge of the Marigny, where local bands play most nights. It is a locals' alternative to the louder streets of the Quarter, and busier on parade weekends.
Go when Evening, from early on, when the first bands start.
Local tip Walk the street once and pick a club by the sound. Carry little, keep your phone close and plan the way home.
A thick Louisiana stew built on a dark roux, with sausage, chicken or seafood and served over rice. Every cook has a way, and the pot is the heart of a Creole table.
Local tip Ask what is in the bowl, since many versions use seafood or sausage. Tell the staff about any shellfish allergy.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A park beside the Quarter that holds Congo Square, where enslaved and free people once gathered on Sundays to sing, drum and dance, an early root of the city's music. Walk the lagoon path and read the signs.
Go when Morning, while it is calm.
Local tip Find Congo Square and read the signs about the gatherings that took place there. Be quiet and respectful, since it is a place of memory.
A long row of stalls beside the river, with food, crafts and music, one of the oldest public markets in the country. Easy to wander for an hour.
Go when Late morning, when the stalls are busy.
Local tip Walk the whole length and buy small things. The market is a good place to find a king cake, but ask which kind you are getting.
A round Italian loaf stuffed with layers of cured meat, cheese and a chopped olive salad. A heavy sandwich that is easy to share, from grocers and cafes in the Quarter.
Local tip One sandwich often feeds two. Tell the staff about any pork or allergy before you order.
A museum on Jackson Square that has long told the story of Carnival, with costumes, floats and the history of the clubs. A cool indoor stop, and one of the best places to learn what the weeks of parades mean. Check ahead on its exhibits.
Go when Afternoon, as a cool indoor stop.
Local tip It is the best place to understand what the clubs and the costumes mean. Check ahead on its current exhibits.
The famous street of bars, balconies and loud crowds in the French Quarter. It is an adult street party, not a parade route, and it is crowded and rowdy at night. For families, watch parades uptown instead. Keep to the busy, lit part and pace yourself.
Go when Early evening, before the crowd peaks.
Local tip It is crowded and rowdy at night, and not a place for young children. Keep to the busy, lit part, watch your bag and pace yourself.
Crawfish tails smothered in a thick, buttery sauce with peppers, onion and celery and served over rice. A Cajun and Creole classic.
Local tip Crawfish are seasonal, and the dish can be made with shrimp too. Tell the staff about any shellfish allergy.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The tree-shaded park in the heart of the French Quarter, ringed by iron balconies, painters and street performers, with the cathedral at its head. A good place to find your bearings.
Go when Morning, before the crowds and the heat.
Local tip Walk the full circle of the iron fence and look up at the balconies on both sides. Ask before you take a photo of a street performer or artist.
The white church with three spires that looks over the square, one of the oldest cathedrals in the country still in use. Step in for a quiet minute, and keep your voice low when a service is on.
Go when Morning, after the square.
Local tip Cover your shoulders and keep your voice low when a service is on. It is a working church, not a stage.
Gumbo z'herbes, a gumbo of many kinds of greens, traditionally eaten in the Lenten season. Some cooks add smoked meat and others leave it out.
Local tip Ask whether it is meat-free or cooked with sausage, and tell the staff about any allergy.
The old Spanish government house on Jackson Square, now a museum of Louisiana history. The building is where Louisiana changed hands from France to the United States. A calm, cool stop.
Go when Morning, as a calm stop.
Local tip Look at the building itself, where Louisiana changed hands from France to the United States. The rooms are cool and quiet.
The old center of the city, packed on Fat Tuesday with costumes, music and walking parades. The day traditionally ends at midnight, when police move people off the streets. Stay with your group, keep to lit streets and plan the way home.
Go when Evening, with a plan for midnight.
Local tip Stay with your group, keep to lit streets and watch your bag. The streets traditionally empty at midnight, so know your route home.
A one-pot dish of rice cooked with sausage, chicken and sometimes shrimp, peppers and onion. Close to Spanish paella and a favorite in family kitchens.
Local tip Ask what meat is in it, and tell the staff about any allergy.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The broad street that divides the French Quarter from downtown, where the big parades usually end their route. It is crowded, loud and packed with costumes. Watch the floats go by from the curb and stay clear of the wheels.
Go when Midday, as the parades pass.
Local tip Watch from the curb and stay clear of the wheels. Use a restroom before you settle in, since there are few along the street.
A big warehouse near the river where floats and giant figures are built and kept for the parades. Visits may show the artists at work. Check ahead on dates, since the building is busy in parade season.
Go when Midday, with a visit planned ahead.
Local tip It is busy in parade season, so check ahead on visits. See the artists at work and ask before you take photos of unfinished floats.
Louisiana oysters served raw on the half shell with lemon and hot sauce, or fried and tucked into a loaf. Oyster bars across the city serve them.
Local tip Raw shellfish carries a risk for some people, such as pregnant women. Ask for them cooked if in doubt.
A long street of small shops, galleries, cafes and old houses that runs along the river side of the Garden District. On parade days, crowds gather along parts of it, so check the schedule and route ahead.
Go when Afternoon, for a slow walk.
Local tip On parade days parts of the street fill with people, so check the schedule and the route. Keep your bag in front of you in a crowd.
A strip of green on the riverbank, with the river rolling past. On Lundi Gras, the kings of the biggest parades usually arrive here by boat or by road, with music and a crowd. Check ahead for the time and place.
Go when Afternoon, on Lundi Gras.
Local tip The arrival of the parade kings usually draws a crowd, and the time and place can change, so check ahead. Stay back from the water's edge.
A cornmeal-crusted fillet of catfish with collard greens and cornbread, a Southern plate found at neighborhood cafes. A simple supper before a long night.
Local tip Tell the staff about any fish allergy, since fried items share oil.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The wide tree-lined avenue where the biggest uptown parades usually roll, with the streetcar beside it. On Fat Tuesday morning a parade of the Zulu krewe, followed by the Rex krewe, usually passes, both old traditions, and then they head toward Canal Street. Families set out chairs and ladders early. Check the official schedule.
Go when Early morning on Fat Tuesday, to find a spot.
Local tip Families set up chairs and ladders along the curb, so ask before you step in front of someone. Stay back from the floats and never reach under one. Check the official schedule.
A neighborhood of large wooden mansions with deep porches, iron fences and gardens under old oaks, built by the Americans who came to the city after its purchase. Walk the quiet streets and look at the houses from the pavement.
Go when Morning, when the streets are quiet.
Local tip These are private homes, so look from the pavement, keep your voice low and do not step on the lawns.
A long crusty sandwich on local French bread, filled with fried shrimp, roast beef or oysters, dressed with lettuce, tomato and pickles. A New Orleans lunch since the days of the streetcar strike.
Local tip Ask for it dressed or plain. Tell the staff about any seafood allergy, since fried fillings share oil.
A historic cemetery with above-ground tombs, shaded by old trees, just beside the Garden District. Access may be limited, and visits are often with a guide, so check ahead. The paths are uneven.
Go when Morning, with a guide if one is offered.
Local tip Access may be limited, so check ahead. Stay on the paths, do not climb on the tombs, and treat it as a place where people are buried.
A broad park at the uptown end of the streetcar line, with lagoons, lawns and huge live oaks. A calm place to stretch out after a day among the crowds.
Go when Late afternoon, when the light is soft.
Local tip Walk the loop under the oaks and sit by the lagoon. The streetcar brings you back toward the Garden District.
Creamy stone-ground grits topped with shrimp in a spicy, buttery sauce. A Southern supper in the uptown neighborhoods.
Local tip Tell the staff about any shellfish or dairy allergy. The sauce can be spicy, so ask for it mild.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, February to April and October to December are the most comfortable months for walking around New Orleans. This plan is built for early February, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 5 days in New Orleans, planned for early February. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 0.2 to 5.6 miles between its stops, and 14.6 miles in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Another plan for this city: 3 days in New Orleans
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated October 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
4 days in AtlantaAbout 430 miles away
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