48 hours in New Orleans: two perfect days in the Big Easy

From irresistible music and food scenes to incomparable history and culture, New Orleans casts an intoxicating spell. It’s difficult to decide where to start: there are beignets to eat, jazz to listen to, museums to explore and the Mississippi River to admire. Here’s how to make the most of 48 hours in New Orleans.

Morning

One of the best introductions to New Orleans is a taste of its food. The lines are worth the wait at Café du Monde, an open-air coffee shop open 24 hours a day. Their beignets – squares of deep-fried dough engulfed in powdered sugar – have become legendary. Pair yours with a café au lait and watch as people walk by.

From here, you can kick off your exploration of the French Quarter. Also known as the Vieux Carré, New Orleans’ oldest district is steeped in local history and culture. Every street here seems to have its own scene. Bourbon Street is famous for its bars and buzzing tourist crowds, reaching peak capacity during the annual Mardi Gras parade. Royal Street offers galleries and shops, while Chartres Street boasts eye-catching French and Creole architecture. Jackson Square is another gathering place, home to street performances, tarot card readers and St Louis Cathedral. Stop by the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, where you can get a close-up look at apothecary bottles, potions and medical instruments from the 19th century.

Afternoon

After working up an appetite, grab a seat for lunch at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant or Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe. Both local institutions are known for their gumbo and fried chicken and are located in Tréme, a historic hub of African American and Creole culture. At the nearby Backstreet Cultural Museum, you can see artefacts influenced by African and Native American heritage, from elaborate Mardi Gras costumes to jazz funeral memorabilia.

If the weather is nice, you can even hop aboard a classic steamboat for a cruise down the Mississippi River. Narration by a historian adds context to the sights you see. You can also head 30 minutes outside the city to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and join an airboat swamp tour. This experience is offered year-round and allows you to spot alligators, turtles and other local wildlife as you float through the bayou.

Evening

Reservations are essential for dinner at Brennan’s Restaurant, which has served elevated Creole cuisine in the French Quarter since 1946. The best seat in the house is in the main dining area, which features a decorative trellis and windows facing a courtyard. Book a table to enjoy eggs Hussarde (a spin on eggs Benedict) and bananas Foster – a flaming New Orleans dessert invented here.

For something more current and casual, try Pêche. This Warehouse District stunner earned a James Beard Award for its contemporary seafood dishes, served from a raw bar and wood-burning oven. Think catfish with crispy greens, fried oysters with pickled papaya and kimchi and a hearty seafood gumbo.

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz and both Brennan’s and Pêche are just a few blocks from the historic Preservation Hall, one of the city’s most venerable music venues. Visitors of all ages are welcome to listen as resident bands and seasoned musicians play traditional New Orleans classics, marching tunes and more. Alternatively, head to the Spotted Cat Music Club in the Faubourg Marigny District. This intimate bar on Frenchman Street hosts live performances for an often standing-room-only crowd.

Before heading to bed, stop by Bar Métier for a nightcap. Stocked bookshelves still line this former library. Now, there is tiger print carpet and a sleek bar where mixologists pour cocktails featuring spirits like dry vermouth and amaro. Afterwards, exit through the hidden bookcase directly into Maison Métier, a design-forward hotel that’s all about the details. There’s a Beaux-Arts staircase in the entryway, silk-tasseled key fobs for all 67 guest rooms, cobra-shaped lamps in the hallways and rooms decorated with finds curated by Studio Shamshiri.

Morning

Begin your day with a Southern-style breakfast at Willa Jean, a retro-chic café in the Central Business District. The menu features sections titled ‘The Biscuit Situation’ and ‘Sweet Stuff’. Standout dishes include monkey bread, fried chicken drizzled with Tabasco honey, Gulf shrimp with cheesy grits and etouffee gravy. If you have any room left, you can finish off with chocolate chip cookies with vanilla milk.

Walk off your full stomach at Freda, a Marfa-based boutique that stocks stylish souvenirs. You can find everything from jewellery and velvet Mary Jane flats to face oils and knitted beanie hats.

You could also hop aboard a classic streetcar for a relaxing spin around the city. Four separate lines, each highlighting different attractions, are available. The St Charles Streetcar line passes antebellum mansions, Audubon Park and The National WWII Museum, while the Canal Streetcar line can take you to historic cemeteries.

Afternoon

Those in the know have lunch at Parkway Bakery & Tavern, a neighbourhood staple dating back to 1911. Order a classic po’ boy – meat or seafood sandwiched between two slices of New Orleans-style French bread. Fried Gulf shrimp is a classic option, as is the house-made roast beef with gravy, their signature dish. 

Head up to New Orleans’ Lakeview District for an afternoon of relaxation at City Park. This 1,300-acre public park lures millions of visitors annually with its storied oak trees and opportunities for outdoor fun. You can take pictures of perennials inside the Botanical Garden, row on Big Lake, ride an antique carousel, watch a play in a sculpture garden and browse the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Evening

Toups’ Meatery, in Mid-City, is a Cajun-inspired restaurant headed by chef-owner Isaac Toups, whose menu draws from 300 years of family traditions. Arrive hungry so you have room to sample hearty dishes, including double-cut pork chop, smoked duck, confit chicken thighs and crispy pork cracklins.

New Orleans is one of the most haunted cities in the US due to its history of Voodoo, above-ground cemeteries and dark past. No trip would be complete without joining a ghost tour, one of the top things to do in New Orleans. Along the way, a guide will provide entertaining commentary as you visit spooky locations. Many famous figures have stayed at the Pontchartrain Hotel, but Tennessee Williams, who lived here while writing A Streetcar Named Desire, put this property on the map. A revamp has returned the New Orleans icon to its 1940s glory days – think Deep South antiques, banana leaf carpeting and a hot new hangout dubbed Hot Tin. Late-night crowds hit this penthouse bar for next-level cocktails and views of Crescent City. Its interior’s kitschy compendium of knickknacks – vintage peacock chairs at the bar, for example – also make for great conversation starters. If it’s a clear night, take your drinks onto the terrace overlooking Saint Charles Avenue for one last look at the Big Easy.