French Quarter: New Orleans' Oldest Neighborhood

The French Quarter is New Orleans' oldest neighborhood, known for iron-lace balconies, Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, live jazz, and storied Creole restaurants like Antoine's and Galatoire's. It is also home to Bourbon Street and Royal Street, two of the city's most famous streets.

Start at Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral (both free to visit), then walk to the Cabildo and the Presbytère (Louisiana State Museum sites, admission around $9). The Historic New Orleans Collection on Royal Street offers free permanent exhibits. Don't miss the 1745 Ursuline Convent, the oldest surviving French Colonial structure in the Mississippi Valley, or the Pharmacy Museum for a glimpse into early medical history and practices in New Orleans.

Watch street musicians, painters, and tarot readers on Jackson Square itself (free, but always tip!). Walk through the open-air French Market (free entry) and browse the flea market stalls. Stroll Royal Street, especially on weekend afternoons when it closes to traffic and fills with live performers. Step inside St. Louis Cathedral and take in the riverfront views from the Moonwalk promenade and Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park along the Mississippi.

Vieux Carré (pronounced "voo kah-RAY") is French for "Old Square," the original name of the city French colonists laid out in the early 1700s. Locals still use it, and the Vieux Carré Commission oversees the French Quarter's historic preservation.

Sylvain on Chartres Street serves inventive Southern dishes in a converted carriage house just a block from the Cathedral. Cane & Table on Decatur Street offers Caribbean-influenced cocktails and small plates in a rustic, candlelit space. For a quick, affordable bite, Verti Marte on Royal Street is a beloved locals' deli known for its overstuffed po'boys and the "All That Jazz" sandwich, open late into the night.

Café du Monde serves beignets and café au lait for just a few dollars. Inside the French Market, several food stalls offer gumbo, jambalaya, and po'boys at reasonable prices. Nearby on Decatur Street, Coop's Place is a no-frills local favorite for Cajun dishes like rabbit and sausage jambalaya, typically under $15.

The French Quarter stretches about 13 blocks along the Mississippi River from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue and extends inland to North Rampart Street. It is best explored on foot, and you can cross it in about 20 minutes.

Choose the lower Quarter near Esplanade Avenue for quieter nights and historic guesthouses, or stay near Bourbon Street for nightlife outside your door. Hotels closer to Canal Street put you steps from the streetcar.

Spring and fall bring the most comfortable weather and signature events like French Quarter Festival in April. Summer is hot and humid but brings lower hotel rates, Tales of the Cocktail, and Satchmo SummerFest. For a quieter Jackson Square, go early on a weekday morning.

Yes. New Orleans allows alcoholic drinks on public streets in plastic or paper cups, often called go cups, but glass containers are not permitted outdoors.

Very much so. Families can ride the Steamboat Natchez, visit the Audubon Aquarium at the foot of Canal Street, take a carriage ride, and share beignets at Café du Monde. There are plenty of museums that are great for kids, and legendary spots like Preservation Hall are all-ages and a great place to allow children to experienece traditional jazz in New Orleans.