New Orleans — 3-Day Guide

New Orleans invented jazz, wrote the recipe for American Creole cuisine and rebuilt itself more vibrantly after Katrina — the French Quarter, Frenchmen Street's live music and the swamp alligators are all within 30 miles.

Also explore New Orleans for:

📋 General guide ⭐ Highlights

French Quarter, Beignets at Café Du Monde & Jazz on Frenchmen

Garden District Mansions, Po'Boy Lunch & Swamp Alligators

National WWII Museum, Steamboat Natchez & Commander's Palace

📋 General 3-day guide ⭐ Highlights

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Language	English; Louisiana Creole French spoken by some older residents; Spanish in immigrant communities
Currency	US Dollar (USD); cards universal; cash useful for music venues cover charges and jazz tips
Transport	St Charles Avenue Streetcar (oldest in America, $1.25) through Garden District; Canal Street Streetcar; Uber/Lyft reliable; walking in French Quarter and Marigny; bike rentals for Magazine Street
Best time	Oct–May best (mild 18–25°C); Feb–Mar for Mardi Gras (spectacular but crowded and expensive); Apr–Jun French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest; Jun–Sep hurricane season (hot and humid)
Getting in	Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) — 25 min by taxi ($35) or RTA Bus Line E2; direct flights from most US cities and some European cities (New York, Paris)
Tipping	18–20% at restaurants; $1–2 per drink at bars; $5–10 tip for street musicians if you watch and enjoy; Café Du Monde jar tip appreciated
Safety	French Quarter and Garden District safe for tourists; avoid Central City and parts of the 7th/9th Wards late at night; do not walk with phones visible on Bourbon Street; post-Katrina rebuilding has transformed safety in many areas
Budget tips	Frenchmen Street music free; St Charles streetcar $1.25; Café Du Monde beignets $5; Lafayette and St Louis Cemetery No. 1 tours $20; gumbo at local spots $10–15; WWII Museum is worth the $29