Agree with all PPs. It’s sad that New Orleans has become so well known for drunken excess. We went on a swamp tour early in the day and there were a significant number of obnoxious drunks, mostly there with a bachelorette party that apparently started drinking very early (my guess is a bottomless brunch) and then brought canned hard seltzers on the tour.
I’d also recommend the NPS Jean lafitte site in the French quarter—it’s small but the ranger programs are fabulous. We did an African drum and dance lesson there that was totally free and really well done. They also do walking tours.

Anonymous wrote:OP, we're just back from several days there. Let me just note that the WW2 museum is easily a full day. It is fascinating.

+1. I do drink and enjoy doing the typical drinking-centric activities in NOLA but this is my favorite activity there. It’s spectacular. I’ve been twice and spent a full day there each time.

My kids loved the aquarium. We were there in august so it was a fabulous break from the heat.

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy the music, shop, eat, architecture. Swamp boat tour.

+1 and I’d add the museums and Audobon society. And for shopping, I’d emphasize the record stores— so much amazing music that you don’t see elsewhere (if you have a record player).

Beignets and coffee in the park before going to the art museum is a must for us.

The streetcar is especially fun for little kids and a great way to get around to see architecture in different parts of the city.

OP, we're just back from several days there. Let me just note that the WW2 museum is easily a full day. It is fascinating.

Barataria Preserve
Kayak through the Botanical Garden

All of the above plus:

Frenchmen Street Market
Studio Be Art Gallery
Cooking demo class at New Orleans School of Cooking
Ghost Tour
Shopping on Magazine Street

You can bike. The city is very flat, so it’s pretty easy and I found drivers willing to share the road. But there aren’t bike paths, so if you’ve got smaller children, it might not be great for that.

A few years back we got a kick out of the museum/warehouse where they house and repurpose the Mardi Gras floats in the off season

Plenty of jazz clubs don't require alcoholic drink minimums and aren't rowdy w drunks

Coffee and beignets of course

There are nice free apps w audio walking tours of the garden district and adjoining historical cemetery

The other, above suggestions are spot on. You could spend nearly a full day at the spectacular WWII museum

In short, would not even give second thought to the drinking scene.

I’m from Nola. I agree with all of the above. Would also add maybe take a ghost tour or ride the streetcar and go to Audubon Park and the zoo. You can spend all day wandering around the Quarter shopping, eating, sightseeing.

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy the music, shop, eat, architecture. Swamp boat tour.

This was pretty much what I did! Research the music and hopped from place to place each night. Also did some tours of historic houses. Loved those.

Enjoy the music, shop, eat, architecture. Swamp boat tour.

Eat lol

I'm headed there with my kids for spring break. Yes, there is a lot to do

WW2 museum
take a bayou/plantation tour
kayak the swamps
walk around the Garden District and look at the beautiful houses
take a cajun/creole cooking class
Fulton Alley


It is really all about walking around a people watching.

I like nice restaurants, but am used to a vacation that consists of some fun outdoor activities and maybe some shows or museums. What do most people who vacation in NO actually do with those vacation days? Are there any good recreational bike paths, etc.?