Greater New Orleans, Louisiana travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Greater New Orleans is a region centered on New Orleans, Louisiana's biggest city and top visitor attraction, and encompassing the south east part of the state, including the lower Mississippi River, smaller cities and towns, bayous, wetlands, and nature preserves.

Hard hit by Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the levee system in 2005, recovery has been taking place over many years. Still, a wealth of attractions are available for travellers.

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Oct–Apr. Summer highs reach about 94°F; winter lows dip to about 46°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby New Orleans)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
MSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, New Orleans — 20 mi away (major hub). Directions
BTR Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Baton Rouge — 73 mi away. Directions

The major International Airport is in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 3-day trip

Day 1: New Orleans — Steamboat Natchez Riverboat Harbor Jazz Sightseeing Cruise, St. Louis Cathedral, Alombrados Encampment.
Day 2: Plaquemines Parish — Plaquemines Orange Festival, Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival.
Day 3: Jefferson Parish — explore the town.

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.

Food for you

New Orleans, and wider Louisiana, has the best food in the US, with more selections than you can count.

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Places in Greater New Orleans

New Orleans

City / town · 33 listings

Plaquemines Parish

Rural area · 2 listings

Jefferson Parish

Region

Saint Bernard Parish

Region

Understand

The city of New Orleans and the surrounding region is the main center of Creole culture in Louisiana. The Louisiana Creole people are from a mix of different ethnic origins, with their culture being largely a fusion of African, Native American, French and Spanish influences.

Roman Catholicism is the largest religion in Greater New Orleans, which makes it stand out together with neighboring Acadiana in contrast to the rest of the largely Evangelical Protestant South.

Regions

Jefferson Parish

Orleans Parish

Synonymous with New Orleans

Plaquemines Parish

Saint Bernard Parish

Cities

New Orleans
Avondale
Chalmette
Grand Isle
Jefferson
Kenner
Metairie
Jean Lafitte

Get in

The major International Airport is in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans.

Interstate 10 is the main highway in and out from east to west; Interstates 55 and 12 have their southern ends here.

A number of cruise ships dock in New Orleans.

Get around

A private automobile is the best way to get around the region. While the city of New Orleans can be enjoyably experienced without a car, outside of the city transport options for those without a vehicle range from inconvenient to non-existent.

See

New Orleans has a wealth of attractions, detailed in that city's articles.
Jefferson Parish to the west of New Orleans, is where you can find Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY), in Kenner, and also Metairie, home to antebellum houses, golf courses, and Lakeside Mall. Further away are bayou towns and the Gulf coast island of Grand Isle.
Saint Bernard Parish has the city of Chalmette, site of the historic "Battle of New Orleans" in 1815, and is home of Louisiana's distinctive Isleño culture.
Plaquemines Parish offers historic plantations and forts, tasty citrus fruit, and fishing at the end of the Mississippi River.
Old plantations line the old River Roads on either side of the Mississippi River north of New Orleans towards Baton Rouge

Do

Visit the historic French Quarter complete with St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, Café du Monde, and of course, Bourbon Street.

The Central Business District (Downtown) is home to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (home of the Saints), Smoothie King Center (home of the Pelicans), the National World War II Museum, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Insectarium, and several casinos near the Mississippi River.

Uptown is known for the charming and historic architecture of its homes as well as its stately live oaks. New Orleans' famous streetcars traverse through Uptown on St. Charles Avenue, and Carrollton Avenue. The famous Audubon Zoo is also located here. If you happen to visit during February or March, Mardi Gras parades should be placed high on your bucket list.

Eat

New Orleans, and wider Louisiana, has the best food in the US, with more selections than you can count.

Stay safe

New Orleans may seem very enjoyable and fun, but there are many parts you don't want to go to. New Orleans has one of the country's highest murder rates. It is also best to be out of the French Quarter by 9:30 PM or so; locals say that nothing good happens in the Quarter after midnight.