Independent travel guide to New Orleans, Louisiana. New guides, itineraries and field reports on the French Quarter, Frenchmen Street jazz clubs, the St Charles Avenue streetcar, the plantations along River Road, the swamps and bayous, and Cajun Country around Lafayette.https://www.neworleans-trip.com/en-ushttps://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/a-first-timers-mistakes-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/a-first-timers-mistakes-in-new-orleans/The mix-ups I made on my first trip to New Orleans, from Baton Rouge to Mardi Gras dates, so you can skip them.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTnew-orleanstravel-tipsfirst-time2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/are-cemetery-tours-still-allowed/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/are-cemetery-tours-still-allowed/St Louis No 1 is guide-only, Lafayette No 1 follows different rules. What I got wrong before checking, and how to book it properly.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTcemeteriesSt Louis Cemetery No 1New Orleanstravel tips2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/cafe-du-monde-is-it-worth-the-queue/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/cafe-du-monde-is-it-worth-the-queue/My honest verdict on the Cafe du Monde line: when the wait pays off, when it doesn't, and what I'd do differently.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansCafe du MondeFrench Quarterbeignetsfood2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/do-you-need-a-car-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/do-you-need-a-car-in-new-orleans/No for the city, yes for everywhere else. Here's how I actually split New Orleans between on-foot and behind-the-wheel days.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTnew-orleanscar-rentaltransport2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/drinking-in-the-street-is-legal-here/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/drinking-in-the-street-is-legal-here/Yes, New Orleans lets you drink on the street. Here is the exact rule: plastic cups only, French Quarter only, 21+ only.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTnew-orleanspractical-tipsopen-containerfrench-quarter2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/esta-and-entry-rules-for-european-visitors/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/esta-and-entry-rules-for-european-visitors/What I sorted out before flying from Europe to New Orleans: ESTA, the fee, the timing, and why I stopped trusting my own memory of the rules.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTESTAvisa waiverentry requirementsEuropean visitorsLouisiana2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/frenchmen-street-after-midnight/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/frenchmen-street-after-midnight/Why I send visitors to Frenchmen Street, not Bourbon Street, for live music after midnight in New Orleans.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansFrenchmen StreetFaubourg Marignynightlifelive music2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/getting-from-msy-to-the-french-quarter/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/getting-from-msy-to-the-french-quarter/No train runs from MSY to New Orleans. Here's how I compare taxi, rideshare, shuttle and the RTA 202 bus for the trip into town.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansMSY airportairport transferFrench Quarter2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/gumbo-jambalaya-and-etouffee-explained/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/gumbo-jambalaya-and-etouffee-explained/I kept mixing up gumbo, jambalaya and etouffee until a cook in New Orleans spelled out the technique behind each one.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansLouisianafoodgumbo2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/how-many-days-do-you-really-need-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/how-many-days-do-you-really-need-in-new-orleans/There's no single right number. Here's how long each part of the region actually takes, so you can build your own total.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleanstrip planningitineraryLouisiana2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/how-much-to-tip-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/how-much-to-tip-in-new-orleans/My working rule for tipping in New Orleans: restaurants, bars, guides, drivers, street musicians and meters, and when you actually need cash.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTtippingbudgetnew orleanspractical tips2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/is-bourbon-street-worth-it/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/is-bourbon-street-worth-it/I walked Bourbon Street more than once. Here's my honest, first-person answer on whether it's worth your time in New Orleans.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTbourbon streetfrench quarternightlifenew orleans2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/is-new-orleans-humid-in-august/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/is-new-orleans-humid-in-august/Yes, August in New Orleans is brutally humid. Here's what it actually feels like, and why I'd still go back, plus better months if you can choose.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansLouisianasummerhumidity2026travel planninghttps://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/is-the-streetcar-easy-for-visitors/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/is-the-streetcar-easy-for-visitors/Four RTA streetcar lines, a Jazzy Pass, and a tap-to-pay app: here's what I wish I'd known before my first ride in New Orleans.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTTransportStreetcarsNew Orleans2026Public Transithttps://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/lafayette-or-baton-rouge-for-a-day/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/lafayette-or-baton-rouge-for-a-day/One free day, one direction. I weigh Cajun Lafayette against capital Baton Rouge and tell you which one actually deserves it.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBaton RougeLafayetteday tripsLouisiana2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/listening-to-a-second-line/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/listening-to-a-second-line/A first-person guide to catching a real New Orleans second line — a neighbourhood parade, not a ticketed show — and how to walk along respectfully.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansSecond LineJazzTremeMusic2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/new-orleans-with-a-toddler/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/new-orleans-with-a-toddler/Is New Orleans workable with a toddler? An honest look at heat, mosquitoes, walking the Quarter, and what to skip after dark.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleansfamily traveltoddler2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/swamp-tour-in-a-day-is-it-enough/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/swamp-tour-in-a-day-is-it-enough/I break down whether a single swamp tour from New Orleans really delivers, and how the season you travel in changes the answer.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTswamp tourNew Orleansbayoualligatorsday trip2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/the-cities-of-the-dead-explained/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/the-cities-of-the-dead-explained/Why New Orleans buries its dead above ground, and why you can't just walk into St Louis No. 1 on your own.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTcemeteriesnew orleansst louis cemeteryvoodoo2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/the-french-quarter-before-breakfast/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/the-french-quarter-before-breakfast/Why the Vieux Carre feels like a different city before the crowds arrive, told through its quiet grid, balconies and Jackson Square at first light.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansFrench QuarterInspiration2026Jackson Squarehttps://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/what-closes-during-hurricane-season/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/what-closes-during-hurricane-season/I booked a September trip to New Orleans and worried about closures. Here is how I actually planned around hurricane season.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleanshurricane seasontravel planning2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/what-hurricane-katrina-left-behind/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/what-hurricane-katrina-left-behind/Katrina was a levee failure, not just a storm. What it means for the city you're visiting today, and why it isn't a sightseeing stop.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansHurricane Katrinahistory2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/what-jazz-fest-is-actually-like/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/what-jazz-fest-is-actually-like/What visiting New Orleans Jazz Fest really feels like: crowds, prices, music beyond jazz, and how it differs from French Quarter Fest.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTjazz festnew orleans musicfestivals2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/when-is-mardi-gras-and-can-you-still-visit/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/when-is-mardi-gras-and-can-you-still-visit/Mardi Gras has no fixed date. Here's how it's actually calculated, and what changes if you visit New Orleans during Carnival season.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTMardi GrasNew OrleansCarnivaltrip planning2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/where-locals-actually-eat-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/where-locals-actually-eat-in-new-orleans/How New Orleans residents really eat: Monday red beans, chicory coffee, crawfish boils as events, not a menu tour of Bourbon Street.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleansfoodlocal life2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/which-plantation-tour-should-you-take/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/which-plantation-tour-should-you-take/Oak Alley, Laura, Whitney or Destrehan: a personal comparison to help you pick the right River Road plantation for your time and interests.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTplantationsriver roadnew orleansday trips2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/whitney-plantation-is-not-a-day-out/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/whitney-plantation-is-not-a-day-out/Why Whitney Plantation asks for something different from visitors than the rest of the River Road, and why I never call it a nice afternoon.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTWhitney PlantationRiver RoadLouisianaslavery history2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/why-prices-are-higher-at-the-till-in-the-us/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/blog/why-prices-are-higher-at-the-till-in-the-us/In New Orleans, sales tax is added at checkout, never shown on the price tag or menu. Here's why the till always surprises first-time visitors.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleanssales taxbudgetpractical tips2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/accessible-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/accessible-new-orleans/A practical look at New Orleans' uneven sidewalks, parking, distances and heat for visitors planning around mobility or physical limitations.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleansaccessibilitytravel planning2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/african-american-heritage-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/african-american-heritage-in-new-orleans/Treme, Congo Square and the roots of jazz: a guide to New Orleans's living African American heritage, told through neighbourhood and music.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansTremeAfrican American heritagejazz history2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/alligators-and-wildlife-in-the-bayou/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/alligators-and-wildlife-in-the-bayou/What lives in the swamps near New Orleans, from alligators to egrets, and why winter sightings are far less reliable than summer ones.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTalligatorswildlifebayouswampLouisiana2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/atchafalaya-basin-guide/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/atchafalaya-basin-guide/A guide to the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest wetland and swamp in the United States, between Lafayette and Baton Rouge.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAtchafalaya BasinswampCajun Louisianawildlife2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/avery-island-and-tabasco-visit-guide/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/avery-island-and-tabasco-visit-guide/Tabasco factory and Jungle Gardens on Avery Island, near Lafayette: what the tour covers, realistic travel times, and how to pair it with New Iberia.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTAvery IslandTabascoCajun CountryAcadianaDay Trips2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/baton-rouge-day-trip-from-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/baton-rouge-day-trip-from-new-orleans/Why Louisiana's capital, not New Orleans, deserves a day trip: the Art Deco State Capitol, the USS Kidd, and how to get there.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBaton RougeNew Orleansday tripsLouisianaRiver Road2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/baton-rouge-visitor-guide/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/baton-rouge-visitor-guide/Baton Rouge, not New Orleans, is Louisiana's capital. A guide to its art-deco State Capitol, the USS Kidd and the top of the River Road.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBaton RougeLouisianaRiver Roadday trips2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/beignets-po-boys-and-gumbo-where-to-eat/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/beignets-po-boys-and-gumbo-where-to-eat/A practical guide to New Orleans's signature dishes: beignets, po'boys, gumbo, muffulettas and where in the French Quarter to find them.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansfoodFrench Quarterbeignetsgumbo2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/best-time-to-visit-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/best-time-to-visit-new-orleans/New Orleans by season: humid summers, mild-to-cold winters, hurricane risk, and when Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest actually fall.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTnew-orleansbest-time-to-visitclimatehurricane-seasonmardi-gras2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/cajun-country-and-lafayette-guide/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/cajun-country-and-lafayette-guide/Lafayette and Acadiana, 2h15 west of New Orleans: Vermilionville, Breaux Bridge crawfish, Avery Island Tabasco, and real roux-based Cajun cooking.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCajun CountryLafayetteAcadianaLouisiana2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/carriage-and-bike-tours-compared/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/carriage-and-bike-tours-compared/Mule-drawn carriage or bike tour in New Orleans? Compare pace, heat tolerance and neighbourhoods covered to pick the right slow-travel option.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleansbike tourscarriage toursFrench Quarter2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/cemeteries-of-new-orleans-visitor-guide/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/cemeteries-of-new-orleans-visitor-guide/How to actually visit New Orleans' historic cemeteries: guided-only access at St Louis No. 1, self-guided Lafayette No. 1, hours, tours and rules.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleanscemeteriesSt Louis CemeteryGarden District2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/christmas-and-winter-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/christmas-and-winter-in-new-orleans/What December to February actually looks like in New Orleans: quieter streets, milder prices, and the occasional cold snap.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleanswinterChristmasoff-season2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/city-park-and-the-sculpture-garden/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/city-park-and-the-sculpture-garden/City Park and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Mid-City's green escape from the French Quarter: what it is, what to see, and who it suits.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansMid-CityCity Parksculpture garden2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/cocktails-of-new-orleans-sazerac-to-hurricane/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/cocktails-of-new-orleans-sazerac-to-hurricane/The cocktails New Orleans claims as its own, where they come from, and the two rules every visitor should know before drinking in the street.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleanscocktailsFrench QuarterSazeracfood and drink2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/creole-vs-cajun-food-explained/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/creole-vs-cajun-food-explained/Creole and Cajun are not the same food. Here's where each comes from, how the cooking differs, and why New Orleans is not a Cajun city.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansCreole foodCajun foodLouisianafood history2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/do-you-need-a-car-in-louisiana/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/do-you-need-a-car-in-louisiana/Walk the French Quarter, ride the streetcar in the city, then decide when a rental car or tour actually earns its keep in Louisiana.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew OrleansLouisianatransportcar rental2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/driving-and-parking-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/driving-and-parking-in-new-orleans/Should you drive in New Orleans? Parking rules, tow-away risk in the French Quarter, and when a rental car actually pays off.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTnew-orleansdrivingparkingcar-rentaltransport2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/food-tours-in-new-orleans-compared/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/food-tours-in-new-orleans-compared/A comparison of New Orleans food tour formats - walking, bike, cocktail-and-history - to help you pick the right one, not a list of dishes.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTfood toursfrench quarternew orleans2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/free-things-to-do-in-new-orleans/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/free-things-to-do-in-new-orleans/Free things to do in the French Quarter, Garden District, Treme and the riverfront, from street music to iron balconies and the levee.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTNew Orleansfree things to doFrench Quarterbudget travel2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/french-quarter-food-drink-tours/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/french-quarter-food-drink-tours/Beignets, gumbo, po'boys and the Quarter's own cocktails: what to eat and drink in the Vieux Carre, and where to find it.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTFrench Quarterfood and drinkNew OrleansCreole cuisine2026https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/french-quarter-ghost-vampire-tours/https://www.neworleans-trip.com/guides/french-quarter-ghost-vampire-tours/A guide to ghost, vampire and voodoo walking tours inside the French Quarter's own grid of lanes, courtyards and old facades.Wed, 23 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTFrench Quarterghost toursvampire toursVoodooNew Orleans2026