New Orleans
6 hostels · dorms from $19
The birthplace of jazz and one of the great food cities.
Points of interest
- French Quarter
- Frenchmen Street
- Garden District
- National WWII Museum
- St Charles streetcar
State guide
Things to do in Louisiana
New Orleans's jazz, Creole food and Mardi Gras, Cajun country's zydeco and crawfish, swamp tours through the bayous, and a culture unlike anywhere else in the USA.
6
Hostels across its 2 main cities
8.7
Average, from 20,933 reviews
1718
New Orleans founded
Jazz, bayous and Creole kitchens
Louisiana is the most culturally distinct state in the USA. French, Spanish, African, Caribbean and Native American influences mix here in the food, the music, the architecture and even the law. It is the birthplace of jazz, and music spills out of bars and onto the streets every night.
New Orleans is the reason most people come. The French Quarter's wrought-iron balconies, the live music clubs of Frenchmen Street, the mansions of the Garden District and the historic St Charles streetcar make it one of the most atmospheric cities in North America. Its food, from gumbo and po'boys to beignets, is famous, and its festivals, led by Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest, are some of the biggest parties in the country.
West of the city, Cajun country around Lafayette has its own French-speaking heritage, zydeco dance halls and crawfish boils. Swamp tours glide through cypress bayous full of alligators. Give New Orleans four days, and add two or three for Cajun country. Spring and autumn are the best times; summers are very hot and humid.
Where to base yourself
New Orleans for most of the trip, and Lafayette for Cajun country.
Lafayette
The heart of Cajun country.
Points of interest
- Zydeco dance halls
- Boudin
- Atchafalaya Basin
- Breaux Bridge
Regions of Louisiana
New Orleans in the south-east, the capital on the Mississippi, Cajun country in the south-west, and bayous and swamps across the south.
New Orleans
Jazz, food, festivalsThe French Quarter, Marigny and Garden District.
River Road
Plantations, historyHistoric plantations along the Mississippi.
Baton Rouge
Capital, riverThe capital on the Mississippi.
Cajun country
Zydeco, crawfish, swampsLafayette, Breaux Bridge and the Atchafalaya Basin.
Things to do
Things to do in Louisiana
In New Orleans, wander the French Quarter, from Jackson Square and St Louis Cathedral to the balconies of Royal Street. Eat beignets at Café du Monde, then spend the evening listening to live jazz on Frenchmen Street or at Preservation Hall. Ride the St Charles streetcar through the Garden District, visit Lafayette Cemetery and its above-ground tombs, and see the National WWII Museum, one of the best museums in the USA.
Take a swamp tour in the bayous outside the city to see alligators, herons and cypress trees. Visit the Whitney Plantation, which tells the history of slavery from the point of view of the enslaved.
In Cajun country, dance to zydeco and Cajun music in Lafayette and Breaux Bridge, eat boudin and crawfish, and explore the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in the USA.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
In New Orleans, walking the French Quarter, Jackson Square's street performers and the brass bands on Frenchmen Street cost nothing. Many bars have live music with no cover charge. City Park and its sculpture garden are free.
Mardi Gras parades are free to watch, and so are many second line parades on Sundays.
In Lafayette, free outdoor concerts run in spring and autumn.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Louisiana has some of the best food in the USA. In New Orleans, try gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, po'boy sandwiches, muffulettas and beignets dusted with sugar. Creole cooking mixes French, Spanish and African traditions, and the city's grand old restaurants are an experience in themselves.
In Cajun country, eat boudin sausage, étouffée and, from around January to June, boiled crawfish by the pound.
New Orleans invented the Sazerac cocktail. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants.
Nightlife
Going out
New Orleans is one of the great nightlife cities in the world. Frenchmen Street has jazz, blues and brass bands every night. Bourbon Street is loud and touristy, but worth seeing once.
There is no set closing time in New Orleans, and you can carry drinks in the street in plastic go-cups.
In Lafayette, Cajun and zydeco dance halls are the place to go.
Getting around
Getting around
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is the main gateway, with an airport express bus to downtown. In the city, the historic streetcars and buses cover most areas, and the French Quarter is best on foot.
Amtrak connects New Orleans with Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
A car is needed for Cajun country, swamps and plantations, though many tours include transport.
Costs
What Louisiana costs
New Orleans is moderately priced, but accommodation is expensive during Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and big events, when prices can triple.
State sales tax is 5 per cent, and local taxes bring the total to around 10 per cent in New Orleans. Hotel taxes are higher. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants, and tip musicians too.
Free street music keeps costs down.
Safety
Safety and scams
New Orleans has a high crime rate. The French Quarter, Marigny and Garden District are busy and generally fine, but stay in lit, busy areas at night, avoid walking alone late, and use taxis or rideshares after dark.
Watch out for street hustlers, such as the famous "I bet I know where you got your shoes" scam.
Hurricane season runs from June to November. Summers are very hot and humid. In an emergency, call 911.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and festivals all year.
Staff pick
24 October
Krewe of BOO!
New Orleans
Krewe of BOO! is New Orleans’ official Halloween parade, bringing the city’s love of spectacle and pageantry to the spookiest night of the year.…
Staff pick
12–15 November
LUNA Fête
New Orleans
Explore light-based artwork to celebrate the power that art has on the community during LUNA Fête. The event features a nightly art market, illuminated…
Staff pick
28 November
Bayou Classic
New Orleans
The Bayou Classic in New Orleans is a legendary celebration of HBCU culture, highlighted by the fierce football rivalry between Southern University and Grambling…
Staff pick
9–24 October
Oktoberfest NOLA
New Orleans
Oktoberfest NOLA brings a lively celebration of German culture to New Orleans with traditional food, beer, and music. Guests can enjoy brats, Bavarian pretzels,…
Staff pick
9–24 October
Deutsches Haus Oktoberfest
New Orleans
Deutsches Haus throws a proper Bavarian celebration with over 20 German beers, schnapps, and wines to wash down brats, sauerkraut, and giant pretzels. Beyond…
Staff pick
16–18 October
New Orleans Tattoo Arts Festival
New Orleans
The New Orleans Tattoo Arts Festival at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is a dynamic gathering that celebrates tattoo culture in the heart…
Staff pick
16–18 October
Boo at the Zoo
New Orleans
Boo at the Zoo is a family-friendly Halloween event held at Audubon Zoo featuring trick-or-treating, festive activities, and a spooky haunted house. The event…
Staff pick
7 November
Beignet Fest
New Orleans
A fall tradition that draws crowds to City Park, this festival puts a creative spin on the classic beignet with inventive takes from local…
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in New Orleans, straight from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
Auberge NOLA Travelers Hostel
New Orleans
Dorms from $19 a night
See dates and book
HI New Orleans
New Orleans
Dorms from $31 a night
See dates and book
Madame Isabelle's House in New Orleans
New Orleans
Dorms from $26 a night
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India House Backpackers Hostel
New Orleans
Dorms from $26 a night
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The Quisby
New Orleans
Rooms from $15 a night
See dates and book
When to go
February to May is the best time, with Mardi Gras, crawfish season and the big spring festivals. October and November are pleasant too. Summer is very hot and humid, with the risk of hurricanes.
Jan
Crawfish season begins
Feb
Mardi Gras
Mar
Spring festivals
Apr
French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest
May
Jazz Fest, warm
Jun
Hot, hurricane season
Jul
Essence Fest, very hot
Aug
Very hot
Sep
Hurricane risk
Oct
Pleasant
Nov
Pleasant
Dec
Festive lights
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs for New Orleans, rounded.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on New Orleans prices.
Treat these as a guide. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest cost much more.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Louisiana questions
The ones we get asked most.
When is Mardi Gras?
On Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, in February or early March. Parades run for about two weeks before.
How many days do you need in New Orleans?
Four days, plus two or three for Cajun country.
Is New Orleans safe?
The main areas visitors go to are busy and generally fine. Stay alert and use rideshares at night.
Can you drink on the street in New Orleans?
Yes, from plastic go-cups. Glass is not allowed.
When is the best time to visit Louisiana?
February to May, or October and November.
Do I need a car in New Orleans?
No. The streetcars and walking are enough. For Cajun country, yes.
When is crawfish season?
Around January to June, peaking in spring.
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