A Weekend In New Orleans Alongside Kids
Since our travel guides to Charleston with kids and Palm Springs with kids have elicited requests for more travel ideas with kids, we are back with an overdue recap of our 3-night trip to New Orleans. We’d never been to The Big Straightforward before and were impressed by how family-friendly the city is. It is not all booze, beads, and Bourbon Street! So here is a look at where we stayed, what we did, and what we are excited to do next time we go back – because we will certainly go back!
The four of us (well, five if you count our chihuahua!) went to NOLA for 3 nights in November of 2022. At the time, our kids were 8 and 12 years old. So unfortunately we cannot vouch for our suggestions being a good fit for toddlers or younger children. Although I am sure ours would’ve enjoyed the Louisiana Children’s Museum and Storyland playground back in the day!
Why Vacation In New Orleans With Kids?
New Orleans is a one-of-a-kind city in the United States because of its diverse cultural influences, including French, Spanish, and African heritages. It is known for its music, food, festivals, art, and even for ghost tours & the history of voodoo. It offers a wide variety of sights and activities for all ages, and its unique architecture and flavors sometimes make it feel like you’ve traveled to a whole new country!
We chose it for many of the reasons above, and now that we live in the Florida Panhandle, it is only a short drive away. We heard so many good things about it from friends and neighbors that we swiftly brought in it to our “must visit” list after moving here.
When To Visit New Orleans
Unsurprisingly, the most popular time to visit New Orleans is around their world-famous Mardi Gras celebration (typically in February or March), but since we were going with our kids and aiming for a more laid back experience, we chose a less busy time for our inaugural visit (November). Coming in the late fall is a strong way to avoid the hot, muggy summer months. Plus we got to see some holiday decorations start to pop up around New Orleans! Plenty of striking wreaths were hung on the historic old homes too.
The only downside to visiting in November was that it was a bit cold and rainy one day (which is why you will see heavy coats on in some of these pics). Luckily, by the end of our visit, we were wearing shorts again. Good thing we are used to fickle weather here on the Gulf Coast! But next time we might time our visit for September or October when we are more likely to get warmer weather.
Where We Stayed In New Orleans
Our family loves finding walkable cities to vacation in (that is another reason we enjoyed Charleston so much). So we chose to stay in this artsy Airbnb in Uptown New Orleans near the Garden District. It is located right on Magazine Street, one of the main shopping districts in New Orleans. That meant we could access tons of restaurants, stores, and parks without getting in our car. Plus, it only a short drive or steetcar ride to the French Quarter. It was an excellent location!
The Airbnb itself was lively and colorful, with plenty of cool murals and bold wallpaper. Our kids enjoyed drawing on the big whiteboard in the hallway and we appreciated that it was also dog-friendly. We recommend bringing a sound machine because the front bedrooms face Magazine St and there is some street noise, but nothing crazy. The Airbnb is located on the second floor (the first floor is a shoe store) but we heard in short nothing from below.
Our go-to part of the Airbnb was certainly its location. Not only did we have straightforward access to Magazine Street, we also could easily peruse striking areas like the Garden District, St. Charles Avenue, and Audubon Park. The architecture in the Crescent City is simply so unique, we could’ve spent all day simply walking around looking at houses!
When we come back, we will stay in a similar area for sure – likely somewhere between St. Charles Ave and Magazine Street. The only reason we will likely pick a distinct Airbnb is because we consistently enjoy trying new houses!
What We Did In New Orleans With Kids
We tend to be more go-with-the-flow travelers, rather than cram-in-all-the-sights tourists. A lot of our 3-day trip to New Orleans was spent winding our way to various meals & destinations, simply taking in the sights along the way. But do not worry, we hit up some must-see spots too. Here is a swift overview of our go-to kid-friendly activities.
Walk & Window Shop On Magazine Street
Magazine Street is a six-mile walkable stretch of restaurants and shops, both local and chain. We spent one evening and the following morning leisurely exploring about half of it. From our Airbnb near Napolean Ave, we mostly walked East toward downtown. One of our kids’ go-to shops was Lionheart Prints, thanks largely to this mesmerizing wall of colorful pens and markers.
We also all had a strong time exploring H. Rault Locksmiths. Sounds strange, I know, but this is a nearly 200-year-old locksmith that has fascinating collections of old locks and other architectural salvage.
Our kids especially enjoyed this bin of compact novelty keys.
Some other go-to stops were Peaches Records & Tapes and our daughter truly enjoyed checking out Buffalo Exchange. It had a particularly good range of secondhand clothing when we ducked inside, and it ignited her enjoy of thrift store shopping, which is still going strong two years later.
Explore The Garden District
I am likely using the term “Garden District” a bit generally, but the neighborhoods between our Airbnb and St. Charles Avenue (which is part of the Mardi Gras parade route) were lively to walk around. In addition to the charming homes, there were random bookstores, cafes, and restaurants that we’d pop into along the way.
St. Charles Avenue reminded us a lot of the downtown area of our former town, Richmond, Virginia. There are striking, large trees, stunning houses, and – oh yeah! – an iconic streetcar that goes down the middle of the road!
I in fact went for a run one more along the streetcar tracks and it was one of my all-time go-to runs. The tracks are not electrified and the street cars are relatively slow & infrequent, so plenty of people use the area (referred to as the “neutral ground”) for jogging or walking. Obviously, simply stay aware of your surroundings and step off to the side whenever a streetcar is approaching.
Oh, and for any of my fellow MTV generation kids out there, you may recognize that big house a couple of photos up as the one from Real World: New Orleans.
Visit Audubon Park
New Orleans’ City Park is its largest and most popular public park, but our Airbnb was closer to the smaller Audubon Park. It is still plenty big and is even home to the Audubon Zoo. We did not have time to visit the zoo, but there is still plenty else to enjoy in the park. They’ve got playgrounds, fountains, tennis courts, a golf course, and a strong paved walking & biking path. There are also picnic shelters and giant shady trees to grab lunch under.
The southern end of Audubon Park borders the Mississippi River so there are also views of the water with nearby playgrounds and sports fields.
Ride A Streetcar
The St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line is the oldest continuously operated streetcar line in the world… and it is simply a short walk from Magazine Street. A ride is only $1.25 for adults and $0.50 for children, so our whole family rode it to the French Quarter and back for only $7! You can pay in cash, or download the Le Pass app. There are plenty of clearly marked stops along St. Charles Ave and the ride to the turnaround point at Canal Street took about 30 minutes.
Riding the streetcar felt like a step back in time and a pleasant leisurely way to see more of the city. But it is still an active public transit system so be mindful of the locals using it to get to work.
Experience The French Quarter
NOLA’s French Quarter is likely its best-known and most popular tourist destination. You could write a whole post simply about things to do, see, and eat in the French Quarter. We spent an afternoon there after checking out of our Airbnb, and it was truly like visiting another country. Wish we could have spent more time there. We certainly will be back.
Even in the daytime, there is an exciting energy with artists, performers, and musicians on nearly every corner. We parked in one of the paid public plenty and spent a lively couple of hours popping into shops, exploring distinct streets, and listening to some strong live music along the way. We stayed between the river and Royal Street (pictured here) because we heard Bourbon Street (one block further up) is not consistently as kid-friendly.
The historic centerpiece of the French Quarter is Jackson Square. The fenced square is not dog-friendly (we had our pup with us since we had already checked out of our Airbnb) but we still got to enjoy the open-air artist market around the perimeter. Across the street is the iconic coffee and beignet shop called Cafe du Monde and the artisan booths of the French Market.
We were in the French Quarter the morning before Thanksgiving, so it was fairly busy with holiday vacations. For those unaccustomed to busy cities, it might be a bit overwhelming. So you might want to plan for a less busy day if you want to avoid crowds.
Check Out The Audubon Aquarium
When rain washed out our plans one afternoon, we happily checked out the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas downtown for a lively indoor activity. This was in 2022 before its recent renovation brought in the Audubon Insectarium and butterfly garden as well. But even then it had tons of lively features like touch tanks, virtual reality experiences, and more.
As an adult, I also enjoyed visiting a local aquarium that taught me a bit more about the unique ecosystems of Louisiana and the Mississippi River. If you plan to visit the zoo and aquarium, be sure to buy your tickets at the same time – you will receive a discount!
Where We Ate In New Orleans
New Orleans has a famous culinary scene, and the food was strong! We easily found some strong restaurants that we all enjoyed. This is certainly not a fancy-foodie list of the hottest “must-eat” restaurants in New Orleans – but if you are traveling with young diners, these were some of our go-to places to grab a bite.
French Truck Coffee
We walked to breakfast at French Truck Coffee one morning (the location on Dryades St) and had the yummiest breakfast on their patio. The kids had waffles and my only regret is that Sherry and I hadn’t began drinking coffee yet because it smelled delicious in there! We will be back.
Dat Dog
Another place I am excited to go back to is Dat Dog, which is a funky hot dog spot with truly cool outdoor dining. It was fairly low-key on the chilly November night we went, but we can imagine it being especially lively and lively in better weather. I got their special Thanskgiving-themed hot dog and it DID NOT disappoint!
There are multiple locations in New Orleans, but we went to the Freret Street location. Their pictures online give you a good idea of its vibe.
Cafe Beignet
You cannot come to New Orleans and not get beignets. Cafe du Monde is likely the most well-known spot to get these warm powdery pastries, but it had a truly long line so we ended up grabbing some from Cafe Beignet, which has a convenient location on Canal Street near the end of the streetcar line.
I am no beignet connoisseur but my review would be five stars, no complaints. And it was truly lively to ride a streetcar and hop off for some New Orleans beignets. Some other iconic New Orleans dishes include gumbo and red beans & rice, so we will have to get some when we return.
Sucré
To keep our kids’ energized on our day walking Magazine Street, we popped into a striking sweet shop called Sucré (there are other locations in the city too). We shared some gelato and macarons for a pleasant sugar boost, while soaking up its Art Deco decor.
La Boulangerie
Another stop on Magazine Street was a French bakery cafe called La Boulangerie that is known for its breads and pastries. It was fairly busy, but we were able to snag a table outside and treat ourselves to (more) yummy carbs.
Barracuda
My main regret from our trip was getting takeout from Barracuda Taco Stand (to eat at our Airbnb) instead of dining in person. The weather was a bit chilly so dragging everyone out to a “margarita garden” on a dark November night did not sound enticing. But when I went to pick up the food it looked like a lively place to hang out (and they had outdoor heaters!). The food was still delicious when we ate it at our Airbnb, but I wish we had gone to the restaurant. Next time!
Empanola
Empanola was a cute little empanada place on Magazine Street that offered us some swift fuel on our shopping day. There were a ton of flavors of empanadas to choose from, and they were warm and delicious.
Other Kid-Friendly Activities In New Orleans
We will certainly be going back to New Orleans! There is so much we did not get a chance to do yet (and plenty of stuff above that we want to do again!). So here are some of the things we might add to our itinerary next time:
Mardi Gras World
This self-guided tour grants you behind-the-scenes access to the artist studios where the extravagant Mardi Gras parade floats and decorations are made. It sounds like a strong way to experience Mardi Gras without coming during that wild week of actual Mardi Gras.
City Park
The largest green space in New Orleans is City Park, located north of Downtown. It is twice as large as New York’s Central Park and has everything from an Art Museum, Botanical Garden, and Sculpture Garden to attractions like mini golf and even a small amusement park.
National WWII Museum
The sprawling National World War II Museum may not seem like a place to take your kids, but the TripAdvisor reviews are stellar for people of all ages. Families say its lively, interactive, educational, and eye-opening. It sounds like another strong rainy-day alternative to the Aquarium!
Riverboat Cruise
Several companies, like Steamboat Natchez, offer daytime and evening cruises along the Mississippi River complete with live jazz music and a meal. This seems like a lively way to see the city on a charming old paddlewheel boat.
Swamp Tour
Slightly outside the city are boat and kayak tours of the swamp where you can spot wildlife, including alligators. Cajun Encounters seems to be a popular option because their flat-bottom boats are not as loud as airboats. They also offer transport from the French Quarter.
Ghost Tour
This ghost tour company offers a family-friendly tour that promises a lively glimpse into New Orleans’ haunted side without being too spooky. It feels like a cool way to learn some history while keeping the kids entertained.
Things To Do In New Orleans With Kids: A Summary
If you are someone who likes having a list of things to do, here is a swift bulleted summary of all of the sights, eats, and activities we discussed above.
- Window shop along Magazine Street
- Explore the Garden District
- Visit Audubon Park & Audubon Zoo
- Ride a Streetcar or Riverboat
- Experience the French Quarter & French Market
- Check out the Audubon Aquarium
- Treat yourself to a beignet
- Eat at French Truck Coffee, Dat Dog, Sucré, La Boulangerie, Barracuda Taco Stand, and Empanola
- Visit the National WWII Museum
- Explore City Park including the sculpture garden, art museum, & amusement park
- Take a swamp tour or ghost tour
- Go behind-the-scenes at Mardi Gras World
Other Kid-Friendly Trips We have Taken
If you are interested in our take on other destinations or are in search of family-friendly trips, you might also enjoy these posts:
- Palm Springs, California with Kids
- A Weekend in Charleston, South Carolina with Kids
- 2 Days In St. Petersburg, Florida with Kids
- Our Trip to Mexico with Kids… and a Dog!
- Unique Spring Break Destination Ideas
- Things to Do In Pigeon Forge, TN
- A Daddy-Daughter Trip to South Dakota
- Costa Rica with Kids
- Hawaii with a Toddler
- A Guide to Our (Former) Beach Town: Cape Charles, Virginia
- Our Go-to Activities, Shops, & Eats in Richmond, Virginia
- Celebrating 10 Years of Marriage in Puerto Rico
- Our Go-to Spring Break Trip Yet
