Things To Do in NOLA Besides Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street is known as one of the most iconic bar scenes in America, maybe even the world. Block after block of non-stop partying and drinking where people take to the streets to celebrate. Celebrate what? Most of the time, I don’t even know. But they SURE are happy about it.

If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans, I recommend stopping on Bourbon at least ONCE, just to say that you did. Think of it as a bucket list item: Had a Drink on Bourbon Street, check! If that’s not your vibe, don’t stress as there is SO much more to this beautiful and historic city. Even if Bourbon Street IS your vibe, I challenge you to take a step away and explore all that New Orleans has to offer.

Sunset Cruise on the Riverboat Natchez

This is a MUST do in my book. Cruise down the Mississippi listening to live jazz music. There is an option for the dinner buffet, or you can simply grab a cocktail and sit up top. If you book the evening cruise, it is the perfect amount of time to watch the sunset. Imagine this scene: cocktail in hand, sun setting, jazz music surrounding the air. Pure BLISS.

Ghost Tour of the French Quarter

When it comes to haunted cities in the U.S., New Orleans is one of the most notorious. From witches to vampires and VooDoo Queens, there is a scary story lurking around every corner of the French Quarter. There are many options to choose from when it comes to booking a ghost tour, but I highly suggest the Bad Bitches Ghost Tour. This tour specifically focuses on Badass Women and the locations they haunt. A tour lasts about two hours, and drinks are highly encouraged!

Visit the Vampire Café & Speakeasy

Remember when I said there were Vampires in New Orleans? Some of them haven’t left. Instead, they opened a café! This spot located at 📍801 Royal Street is every Twilight fanatic’s fantasy come to life. With blood-themed cocktails and spooky menu items, you are in for a treat at this joint. Showcase some of your Vampire knowledge, and maybe you’ll be invited to the Vampire-only speakeasy, located on Bourbon Street. But shh, you didn’t hear about it from me. 🤫

Mardi Gras Museum

It’s Mardi Gras year-round at the Mardi Gras Museum! No matter what time of the year you visit, you can still celebrate this iconic event that New Orleans is known for. Snag a piece of king cake as you tour past and FUTURE floats for the Mardi Gras Parade! Construction is on-going at this warehouse, so you can catch a glimpse of some of the most iconic floats, and catch a sneak peak at next years. See crew members making pieces and painting, truly a behind-the-scenes look at all things Mardi Gras!

Tour the Garden District and Visit the Coven House

Just a couple trolley stops away from the French Quarter lies the Garden District, iconically known for their beautiful architectural style of rich columns and gothic balconies. Stroll through these multi-million dollar historic homes and ~imagine~ what your life could be like if you just happened to live in one. During your stroll, you might come across 📍Buckner Mansion at 1410 Jackson Ave. Does it give you any particular vibes? Any sense of familiarity? Maybe if you look close enough, you’ll see some witches in the windows as this house was featured on American Horror Story: Coven.

Grab Brunch at BearCat

Seriously, you HAVE to try this spot. Every local we asked recommended BearCat to us, and it did not disappoint! There are a couple of locations throughout the city and are open for brunch and dinner. Dinner required a reservation when we went, but brunch accepted walk-ins, so we strutted.

The food here was amazing. I got the Breakfast Potatoes to start, which was vegan friendly. I also got the salmon egg in a hole, which was PHENOMINAL. This spot is at the top of my list of places to return to when I go back to New Orleans… which is BOUND to happen.

Beignet Tasting Tour

We’ve all heard of the legendary Café Du Monde and their INCREDIBLE beignets, yes? Well, surprise, that’s not the ONLY place you can get some mouth-watering fried treats in NOLA! In fact, there are a couple of other spots across town to try, so why not take yourself on a beignet tasting?

We started at Café Beignet and ended at Café Du Monde. We put the two beignets head-to-head in the ultimate foodie competition to see which one was better. The winner? Surprisingly, Café Beignet came out on top. Their beignets were made fresh and were still streaming when they were delivered to our table. Over at Café Du Monde, we did not receive the same experience. Try them both out and let me know which one was your favorite!

Stroll Through Audubon Park and Zoo

This park is a hidden gem right outside of the city near the Garden District. Stroll through the beautiful troves of trees along the water. When you make your way to the south end of the park down toward the Mississippi, you’ll approach the Audubon Zoo! The park and the zoo make for a great midday activity in New Orleans to get some fresh air and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you’re ready for a wild time, head over to the zoo! Explore the animals on the continents of Africa, Asia, and even in our own United States! I was so lucky to be able to meet up with one of my friends who works at the zoo, and he gave us an all-exclusive backstage tour where I finally got to meet all of his furry animal friends that he’s been talking about!

Get the Best Soul Food at Mother’s

Being from Alabama, my standards for soul-food are set pretty high. However, Mother’s has been placed near the very top of my list for some of the BEST soul-food I have ever had. I’m talking biscuits, grits, and oh my GOSH their bread pudding !!!

Mother’s does not take reservations, you have to walk up and put your name down. Now, this place is very popular so be prepared to wait. We ended up waiting an hour for a table for two, and I would do it again in a HEARTBEAT. My pro-tip here is to utilize the open-container laws that New Orleans does NOT have. Once you put your name on the list and secure your spot in line, send someone in your party to grab a Mimosa to-go. These drinks come in stadium-sized cups, the perfect addition to help make that wait time go back fast. Down one of those, get to chit-chatting with the people around you, and the time FLIES by! Who knows, maybe by the end of the wait you’ll become besties with the people behind you in line and they send you a free bread pudding to your table. 🤷‍♀️

Yes, Bourbon Street is great and insanely iconic for ANY New Orleans trip; however, there is SO much more to do and explore in the city. I know I did not cover it all, let me know of spots you want to see added to this list! 👇