New Orleans is undoubtedly fun for adults. The nightlife, music, and culture are a playground for adults. We wanted to soak up all of that life, music, and culture but with our toddler. We created a list of five great things to do in New Orleans with a toddler, and they will keep the whole family entertained.
Five Great Things To Do In New Orleans With A Toddler
Audubon Zoo
When it comes to visiting New Orleans with a toddler, the Audubon Zoo and Aquarium are two of the best things to experience.
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.
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.
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.
Kids will love learning about the Mighty Mississippi through the river exhibit and exploring the great outdoors on the museum grounds.
You can also grab lunch at Acorn Cafe, the super kid-friendly restaurant located on site.
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.
Children will love this colorful attraction. Wind through a variety of colorful rooms as you make your way through the experience. Pose in a crawfish boil pot, next to a po-boy wall, or stop by any of the exhibits for the perfect photo opp.
Picnic Provisions & Whiskey
At the end of the day, nothing hits the spot quite like a delicious meal and a tasty treat.
Picnic Provisions & Whiskey offers casual dining at its finest, and it’s super family-friendly.
This might have been our all-time favorite restaurant in New Orleans.
They are big on fried chicken items, but that’s not all they offer. We had creative desserts like the s’mores option above that would make any child, or adult, happy.
We easily could have stayed at Picnic Provisions & Whiskey for the entire day. It was more like an event than a meal.
