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10 Days in the Big Easy

Wilfred Jothan

2 Jan 2024

0

Join me on an unforgettable journey through the vibrant streets of New Orleans. From historic landmarks to captivating museums, this itinerary is packed with excitement and culture. Get ready to immerse yourself in the soulful rhythm of the Big Easy!

Trip to New Orleans

Tours & Activities

Viator Tours

Day 1Unveiling the Secrets of the French Quarter

+

$19

St. Louis Cathedral

Grand, spired circa-1700s church with stained glass, a painted ceiling & an active congregation.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

Free

3 - 4 min

~

Directions

Preservation Hall

Historic, all-ages place for jazz in a no-frills space with wooden floors & no air-conditioning.

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$19

3 - 4 min

~

Directions

The Historic New Orleans Collection

Museum made up of historic, restored buildings that offer exhibits & tours, plus a cafe.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

Free

Day 2Artistic Wonders and Natural Beauty

+

$29

New Orleans Museum of Art

More than 40,000 pieces by global artists of various historical periods in a grand marble building.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$19

9 - 14 min

~

Directions

New Orleans Botanical Garden

Long-established gardens with exotic species including orchids & cacti, plus seasonal plant sales.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

$10

Day 3Gardens, Sculptures, and Mysteries

+

$40

·

$ 4

Longue Vue House & Gardens

Opulent 1940s mansion with period decor & art, plus gardens, ponds & fountains on an 8-acre estate.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$15

11 - 14 min

~

Directions

Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Modern sculpture garden on 11 acres in New Orleans City Park with pedestrian paths & water features.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

Free

11 - 14 min

~

Directions

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

Burial site of voodoo queen Marie Laveau & other historical notables in 18th- & 19th-century vaults.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

•

$25

Day 4Embracing the Dark Side of New Orleans

+

$19

Museum of Death New Orleans

Macabre collection featuring mortuary equipment, crime scene pictures & displays on serial killers.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$19

10 - 15 min

~

Directions

Congo Square

Renowned former gathering place for slaves in Louis Armstrong Park now hosts concerts & events.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

•

Free

4 - 6 min

~

Directions

Louis Armstrong Park

31-acre park that's home to historic Congo Square & hosts concerts, films & other events.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

•

Free

Day 5Honoring History and Cruising the Mississippi

+

$80

·

$ 2

The National WWII Museum

Multi-building museum with interactive submarine exhibit, planes, 4-D theater & eatery downstairs.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$37

11 - 14 min

~

Directions

Steamboat NATCHEZ

Old-fashioned steamboat offering cruises with buffet dining, including brunch, plus jazz music.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

$43

Day 6Discovering History and Marine Life

+

$45

The Presbytère

State museum with Hurricane Katrina & Mardi Gras exhibits in a former courthouse built in 1813.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$8

11 - 16 min

~

Directions

Audubon Aquarium

Insect & marine life exhibits plus a 400,000-gallon tank with reefs, sharks & a walk-through tunnel.

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

•

$37

Day 7Jazz, Art, and Southern Heritage

+

$27

·

$ 2

New Orleans Jazz Museum

Historic circa-1835 mint turned museum with coin exhibits & an upper-level jazz venue.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$10

13 - 16 min

~

Directions

Ogden Museum of Southern Art

Compact shop at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art selling books, artworks, crafts, clothing & more.

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

$17

Day 8Legends, Voodoo, and Haunting Tales

+

$19

Jackson Square

Artists & performers ply their trades in a park built in 1721 & lined with historic buildings.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

Free

4 - 6 min

~

Directions

New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum

Two snug rooms packed with voodoo artifacts, plus a gift shop, both run by voodoo practitioners.

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$9

4 - 6 min

~

Directions

Lalaurie Mansion

Neoclassical 1800s building with an infamously gory past, a common stop on city ghost tours.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

•

Free

3 - 4 min

~

Directions

Old Ursuline Convent Museum

This convent-turned-museum is the city's oldest building & features French colonial architecture.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

•

$10

Day 9Exploring Museums and Indulging in Culinary Delights

+

$23

Confederate Memorial Hall Museum

Elaborate stone building housing the second-largest collection of Civil War artifacts in the world.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$10

12 - 17 min

~

Directions

Southern Food and Beverage Museum & Museum of the American Cocktail

Unique museum with exhibits spotlighting the food, drink & culture of the South, along with events.

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$13

Day 10Wildlife Encounters in the Heart of the City

+

$32

Audubon Zoo

Leafy home to Amur leopards, orangutans & white alligators, with presentations & feedings.

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$31

7 - 10 min

~

Directions

Audubon Park

Park with oak trees, jogging & bike paths, a lagoon, picnic shelters, tennis courts & playgrounds.

12:30 PM - 2:30 PM

•

Free

Budget breakdown: $337 In total

Activities & Food:$330

Transport:$7