MapVivid
City Park and around
A day in New Orleans · 9:30–12:45 · 3 stops
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mapvivid.com/new-orleans/itineraries/city-park-and-aroundA walking day around City Park and NOMA Sculpture Garden, with a lunch break nearby and New Orleans Museum of Art to end the day.
Every stop on Google Maps: open the list
Morning
9:301City Park ↗1 h
Huge park with ancient live oaks and gardens.
- Take the streetcar from downtown
- Visit the Botanical Garden
↓ 12 min walk
10:452NOMA Sculpture Garden ↗30 min
Free garden of contemporary sculpture among oaks.
- Free admission
- Open daily
↓ 5 min walk
11:153New Orleans Museum of Art ↗1 h 30 minClosed Mondays
Fine arts museum in City Park.
- Free Wednesdays for Louisiana residents
- Visit the Sculpture Garden
Lunch
12:45Lunch break nearby · Find restaurants nearby on Google Maps ↗
Good to know. Times are a guide for an unhurried pace. Check opening days before you go.
New Orleans tips
Transportation
- Ride the streetcars: The St Charles line through the Garden District is historic and scenic; buy a Jazzy Pass for unlimited rides with the Le Pass app.
- Explore the Quarter on foot: The French Quarter, Marigny and Frenchmen Street are compact and walkable, and parking there is scarce and expensive.
- Use rideshare after dark: Uber and Lyft are easy ways to get back to your hotel late at night instead of walking empty streets outside the Quarter.
Local Hacks
- Get beignets early: Visit Cafe du Monde at opening time or use the takeaway window to avoid long queues, and try the cafe au lait with chicory.
- Take the Algiers ferry: The ferry from Canal Street crosses the Mississippi to Algiers Point, with great skyline views and a quiet historic area.
- Book Preservation Hall: Reserve ahead for the short acoustic jazz sets at Preservation Hall in the French Quarter, a classic New Orleans experience.
Saving
- Hear free music on Frenchmen: Bars on Frenchmen Street often have live jazz and brass bands with no cover; just buy a drink and tip the band.
- Eat po boys and red beans: Neighbourhood shops sell filling po boys, and many places serve red beans and rice on Mondays, a cheap local tradition.
- Enjoy free parks and rangers: City Park, Audubon Park and Crescent Park are free, and New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park offers free ranger programs.
Security
- Stick to busy streets at night: Stay on well-lit, busy blocks after dark and avoid quiet side streets beyond the French Quarter and Marigny.
- Walk away from the shoe bet: A stranger betting he knows where you got your shoes is a famous New Orleans scam; smile, say no and keep walking.
- Guard your belongings: Pickpockets work the crowds on Bourbon Street and at Mardi Gras parades, so keep phones and wallets in front pockets.
Cultural
- Taste Creole and Cajun food: Try gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish in spring and king cake in Carnival season, the weeks between Twelfth Night and Mardi Gras.
- Join a second line respectfully: Sunday second line parades are community traditions; follow the band, stay out of the way of club members and enjoy.
- Learn Mardi Gras etiquette: Parades run for weeks before Fat Tuesday; arrive early, do not cross parade lines and say thanks when you catch throws.
Weather/Clothing
- Prepare for hot summers: Summers are hot and very humid with afternoon thunderstorms; wear breathable clothing and carry a small umbrella.
- Watch hurricane season: Hurricane season runs from June to November; check forecasts before your trip and follow local advice if a storm approaches.
- Pack a jacket for winter: Winters are mild but damp, and cold fronts can bring chilly days, so bring a light jacket for parades and evening walks.
Planned with MapVivid. Opening hours change, so check each place before you go. This day, with the map: mapvivid.com/new-orleans/itineraries/city-park-and-around
Day 2 of 39:30–12:453 stops
City Park and around
A walking day around City Park and NOMA Sculpture Garden, with a lunch break nearby and New Orleans Museum of Art to end the day.
Opens Google Maps with every stop of the day, ready to save to your own list.
Morning
109:30 · 1 hHuge park with ancient live oaks and gardens.
3 tips
- Take the streetcar from downtown
- Visit the Botanical Garden
- Combine with NOMA
📷 Photos
12 min walk
210:45 · 30 minFree garden of contemporary sculpture among oaks.
3 tips
- Free admission
- Open daily
- Bring a camera
📷 Photos
5 min walk
311:15 · 1 h 30 minFine arts museum in City Park.
- Must know: Closed Mondays
2 tips
- Free Wednesdays for Louisiana residents
- Visit the Sculpture Garden
📷 Photos
Lunch
Lunch break nearby · 12:45
Find restaurants nearby on Google Maps
Take this day with you
Add the stops to your calendar
Times are local time in New Orleans. Apple Calendar adds every stop at once (Outlook too). Google Calendar adds one event per link.
Times are a guide for an unhurried pace. Check opening days before you go.
More days in New Orleans
Day 1 of 3
Jackson Square and around
🕘 9:30–17:00📍 6 stops
- 1Jackson Square
- 2Preservation Hall
- 3Bourbon Street
- 4St. Louis Cathedral
- 5Cafe du Monde
- and 1 more
Day 3 of 3
Mardi Gras World and around
🕘 9:30–16:30📍 3 stops
- 1Mardi Gras World
- 2The National WWII Museum
- 3Ogden Museum of Southern Art