New Orleans Travel Guide: How to Spend 24 Hours in the French Quarter

Twenty-four hours in the French Quarter in New Orleans may not seem like a lot of time, but you can actually do and see plenty in a day by following this New Orleans travel guide!  It’s possible to hit up most of the good spots around the Quarter and get a feel for what the Big Easy is all about in just 24 hours.  I’ve put together this New Orleans travel guide of things to do, places to eat, and where to stay in the French Quarter so you can enjoy your time in NOLA, regardless if it’s long or short!

Early Morning:  There’s no other way to start your day in New Orleans than with a café au lait and fresh order of hot beignets from Cafe Du Monde!  Get there early and prepare for a wait, but it’s well worth it!
Late Morning:  After your beignet breakfast, head to the French Market, right next to Cafe Du Monde, for some shopping and eating.  Yes, you may have just eaten beignets, but this is New Orleans and if you’re not here to eat, then you’re here for all the wrong reasons, so be sure to bring your appetite!

From the French Market, you can make your way into Jackson Square to see the beautiful and iconic St. Louis Cathedral.  After you take a few pictures of one of the most gorgeous spots in the city of New Orleans, walk along Jackson Square to view and shop some unique local street art.
Just across from Jackson Square is access to the river front, so be sure to head down there and check out Woldenberg Park.  You may get lucky and see a riverboat pass by or catch a local festival going on! Spring is festival season in New Orleans and there’s always a reason to celebrate, so you never know what kind of celebration you may stumble upon!

Afternoon:  Before you embark on more food and drinks, you may want to get some shopping in! Canal Place and the Riverwalk both offer a wide variety of stores from high end designers to more affordable brands and outlets.  Both of these shopping centers are within close walking distance of Jackson Square and the river.  If you’re more into the art scene, be sure to check out all of the beautiful galleries along Royal Street, right near Bourbon! Lunch:  That’s right, it’s time to eat again! Some must try staple dishes include, but aren’t limited to: red beans and rice, jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, gumbo, muffulettas, boiled crawfish (if in season), and sautéed crab claws.  There are so many good restaurants to choose from, and you really can’t go wrong with any of them, but if you want the opinion of a local, I recommend choosing between Gumbo Shop, Oceana Grill, and Drago’s.

Late Afternoon: After lunch, if you haven’t already, it’s time to start happy hour!  There are countless bars to grab a drink inside or to-go from (yep, you can take your drink to go and walk around!), but you can’t visit New Orleans without making a stop along Bourbon Street (try a hand grenade from Tropical Isle), Pat O’s (order a hurricane in the piano bar), The Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt Hotel (order a sazerac), and the Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone.
Dinner:  Brennan’s, Muriel’s, or GW Fins are all choices you can’t go wrong with for dinner.  For a less pricey tab, you can also hit up one of my lunch spot recommendations you may not have gotten to try yet!

Late Evening: After dinner it’s time for dessert! Pralines, bread pudding, and bananas foster are NOLA staples.  The best pralines come from Magnolia Praline Co. in my opinion!
Night: Before the night is over, if you haven’t already, don’t forget to make your way down Bourbon Street!  It’s one of the best spots for people watching and partying! After you grab a drink on Bourbon, finish the night off with some live music down Frenchman Street, preferably at The Spotted Cat!

Sleep: After a long day of eating, shopping, drinking, and more eating, make sure you have a comfy and close place to crash for a good night’s rest.  When I stay in the Quarter, I personally like to shop around for the best deals since a touristy city like NOLA can get pricey at times.  Your best bet is to book through a hotel that offers special member rates.  If you travel often, or are planning an upcoming trip, I recommend you check out Club Carlson’s new program which allows you to save an additional 10% off the lowest rate of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group rooms.  In addition to special rates, you also get food and beverage discounts and 20 points per U.S. dollar spent on rooms, food and beverage purchases.

Free Hotel: If you’re looking for a free place to stay, you’re in luck because I’ve got you covered with a special giveaway!  You can get your free hotel stay by  joining Club Carlson to be entered to for a chance to win 30,000 free points!  In case you’re wondering what that equates to, free rooms start at just 9,000 points.  Sounds awesome, right!?  Enter via the giveaway form below for your chance to win!

If you enjoyed this New Orleans travel guide, be sure to check out these other New Orleans posts you might like!

How to Correctly Pronounce New Orleans like a Local
Everything You Need to Know About Mardi Gras in New Orleans
How to Survive Mardi Gras in New Orleans Like a Local

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