New Orleans is an amazing getaway destination. It has delicious foods, an upbeat vibe, tons of music and culture, and attractions for all ages. Whether it’s your first time to New Orleans or you’re a seasoned visitor, the city’s spirt is sure to inspire you to enjoy the NOLA vibe. With so many things to do and see, narrowing the options can be a challenge so we’ve created a New Orleans bucket list for you to enjoy the best of New Orleans with as little effort as possible.
New Orleans Bucket List
Marriott Warehouse Arts District
You have to begin your trip to New Orleans with a great place to stay. We added a few different locations to our New Orleans bucket list so you can decide which area best fits your needs.
New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District offers a brand new redesign, sophisticated comfort amid the unbridled energy and unique charm of The Big Easy. New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District blends historic elegance with modern convenience.
Enjoy a coveted location adjacent to the Warehouse Arts District, the Central Business District, the Garden District, and the French Quarter. At this location, you can park your car and explore most of the city on foot. Almost everything is within walking distance.
Treat yourself to valet parking and forget about your car as you explore New Orleans.
Embrace effortless relaxation in intuitively-designed hotel accommodations with deluxe bedding, signature amenities, and inspiring views of the Mississippi River or city. Regardless if your traveling with family, friends, co-workers, or on your own, the amenities at New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District are sure to please.
Delight your palate with contemporary Creole cuisine and creative cocktails at their distinctive restaurant, bar, and brand new M Club.
You’re going to love all the stylish, comfortable spaces around the hotel! We were rarely in our suite. We had drinks in the lobby while watching tv. We enjoyed time at the pool (although it’s small, it’s warm and offers a great view). We had breakfast in another cozy area on the first floor while Max played on the soft, clean rug. AND I loved the bartender at the bar. He was friendly and very accommodating with unique drink choices.
Our stay at New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District felt above the already high standards of the Marriott brand.
Swamp & Bayou Tour
Experience the timeless beauty of South Louisiana in a custom built swamp boat on the Gray Line Swamp & Bayou Tour.
Native guides will reveal the mysteries of the swamps and bayous and the Cajun “joie de vivre.”
Discover how the seafood from our bountiful waters provides a wide assortment of delectable local dishes!
Observe the nesting grounds of alligators, egrets, raccoons, nutria, and many species of snakes.
Learn why New Orleans wetlands are disappearing due to coastal erosion and man’s efforts to correct the damage it has done and restore this vital habitat.
Bring your camera to capture the “bon temps” (good times) on the bayou!
Get ready to see an alligator jump out of the water and eat a marshmallow!
Cavan Restaurant
A truly Coastal American restaurant, Cavan’s menu is an exploration of the cuisine of the regions along the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico. Their dishes are crafted from incredibly fresh ingredients and served in a casual and welcoming atmosphere.
Cavan is located in an honestly salvaged mansion that was built in 1883. While the building is elegant and striking, their atmosphere is upbeat, warm, engaging, and fun for all.
Louisiana Children’s Museum
After more than 30 years on Julia Street in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana Children’s Museum is now in City Park. Their new home was meticulously designed to be a social, cultural, and learning resource for children and families.
Indoors and out, there are tons of hands-on ways to learn literacy, health, and wellness, arts and culture, environmental education, and STEM.
Acorn Restaurant
Located in the Louisiana Children Museum, Acorn is a family-friendly café from Dickie Brennan & Co. serving fresh cuisine, utilizing local ingredients.
Entry to the café is free daily!
They offer beautiful outdoor seating on Little Lagoon, indoor seating, or you can take it to eat in the park.
Sheraton New Orleans
Brimming with style and grounded in our community, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel is the perfect base to gather for your downtown escape.
Located on Canal Street, the hotel is steps from the buzz of the French Quarter, and also offers seamless access to notable NOLA points of interest including the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and Smoothie King Center.
Relax in their refined guest rooms and suites, which boast plush bedding, spacious work areas, modern technology, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the French Quarter and the Mississippi River.
Kick start your stay at Starbucks in their atrium lobby or wind down with refreshing cocktails and local cuisine at Pelican Bar.
Red Fish Grill
Red Fish Grill is an award-winning casual New Orleans seafood restaurant located at the gateway to the French Quarter at 115 Bourbon Street, just one block off of Canal Street.
Menu favorites include: hickory grilled redfish, bbq oysters, alligator sausage and seafood gumbo, double chocolate bread pudding.
Audubon Zoo
Located in historic Uptown New Orleans, Audubon Zoo cares for animals from around the globe, engaging educational programs, and hands-on animal encounters.
Unique natural habitats such as the award-winning Louisiana Swamp and Jaguar Jungle showcase the relationship between people and nature.
Don’t miss the daily animal presentations, chats and feeds; their highly endangered whooping cranes, Amur leopards, and orangutans; their tiger; and their mysterious white alligators.
Audubon Zoo is consistently one of the country’s top-ranked zoos, voted as one of the top ten zoos in the country in the USA Today “10Best” reader poll and ranked as one of the top things to do in New Orleans.
Picnic Provisions & Whiskey
Picnic Provisions & Whiskey offers casual dining at its finest, and it’s super family-friendly.
This might have been our all-time favorite restaurant on our New Orleans bucket list.
They are big on fried chicken items, but that’s not all they offer. We had creative desserts like the s’mores option above and pina colada shots that rivaled any Caribbean resort drink. Obviously, they have great whiskey options as well.
The server talked to Cord for over an hour about local beers and gave us a bunch of suggestions (all of which Cord loved). We easily could have stayed at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey for the entire day. It was more like an event than lunch.
Copper Vine
Copper Vine merges a legendary space with a sustainable new era in wine drinking, offering 30 aromatic and flavorful wines on tap for guests to taste and discover at the swift pull of a handle.
Their eclectic eats and sumptuous offerings make Copper Vine the perfect getaway for a mid-day meal or an evening out.
Check Out Blogger at Large for other delicious, unique places to eat in New Orleans as well as a totally awesome guide to New Orleans.
JAMNOLA
New Orleans’ first experiential pop-up takes audiences of all ages on a topsy-turvy stroll through the cultural gems that make the Crescent City so special.
JAMNOLA’s immersive 12-room exhibit is pure NOLA joy, celebrating the iconic art, music, food and theatrics of the city, through the eyes of over 20 local artists.
Troubadour Hotel
The Troubadour Hotel, nestled in New Orleans’ Central Business District, is a mod-inspired boutique hotel just blocks from the theater district and the charming French Quarter. It’s the ideal locale to take it all in as you get away from it all.
It’s a 10-minute walk from the historic French Quarter and sporting events at Smoothie King Center and Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Enjoy the 360-degree view from their rooftop bar and take in the sounds of the city.
Steamboat Natchez Dinner Jazz Cruise
Your two-hour cruise from the heart of the French Quarter shows you why the city was founded on the beautiful crescent of the lower Mississippi River.
Enjoy New Orleans, one of the world’s most active ports, as it can best be seen from the river aboard New Orleans’ only authentic Steamboat…The Steamboat NATCHEZ.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Located on the Mississippi River adjacent to the French Quarter, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is consistently top ranked, voted as one of the top five in the country in the USA Today “10Best” reader poll and ranked as one of the top things to do in New Orleans.
The Aquarium transports visitors to an underwater world from the Caribbean, to the Amazon Rainforest, to the waters that give New Orleans its lifeblood: the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.
With more than 3,600 animals from more than 250 species, including endangered species, such as African penguins, and rare animals, such as white alligators, the Aquarium offers you an experience you’ll never forget.