24 Hours in New Orleans
Covers 14 cities from New York, Washington and Chicago to New Orleans, Las Vegas, Montreal and Vancouver, with airport trains, day passes and Friday hotel prices.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
New Orleans is a city where the night outranks the day, which suits a one-night trip. The day is short and easy: Jackson Square, a muffuletta, one serious museum and a streetcar ride. The evening is Preservation Hall, dinner on Decatur Street and the music clubs on Frenchmen Street. Breakfast is beignets.
Getting in is cheap if you time it. The RTA's Airport Express bus, route 202, leaves from the baggage claim level and its fall 2026 timetable has it at the Canal Street ferry terminal, on the edge of the French Quarter, about 34 minutes later for $1.25 (£0.90). It runs only from about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. After that, the airport's flat taxi fare to the Quarter is $36 (£27) for two.
At a glance
- Best for
- Eating and live music, with one big museum and a streetcar ride in between
- Skip it if
- You want a quiet night, or you are flying in after 8 p.m. and will not take a taxi
- Airport to center
- RTA Airport Express (202), about 34 minutes to the Canal Street ferry terminal, $1.25 (£0.90); flat taxi $36 (£27) for two
- One night, mid-January
- $192 (£144) for a 4-star double in the French Quarter; $155 (£116) in the CBD in June
- Arrive by
- 9 a.m. at the airport, to be in Jackson Square by 10 a.m.
In this guide
The 24-hour plan
- 10:00 a.m.
Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral
Start in the square in front of the cathedral, with the Cabildo and the Presbytere on either side. Free.
- 11:15 a.m.
A muffuletta at Central Grocery
Walk down Decatur Street to number 923, the self-styled home of the original muffuletta. A half is enough for one; the store is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
- 12:30 p.m.
The National WWII Museum
Walk or take the streetcar to the Warehouse District. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; give it three hours, and add the 48-minute Beyond All Boundaries film if you have time.
- 3:45 p.m.
St. Charles streetcar to the Garden District
Walk a few blocks to St. Charles Avenue and ride the streetcar up St. Charles Avenue under the oaks, get off at Washington Avenue and walk the Garden District's mansion streets, then ride back.
- 6:15 p.m.
Preservation Hall
Traditional New Orleans jazz at 726 St. Peter Street, with shows at 5, 6:15, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. most nights. Book online in advance: all reservations are made online and there is no cash at the door.
- 7:45 p.m.
Dinner at Coop's Place, Decatur Street
A Decatur Street bar and kitchen since 1983, open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Order the Creole and Cajun plates the city is known for.
- 9:30 p.m.
Live music on Frenchmen Street
Follow Decatur Street past the French Market into the Marigny, walk the strip of music clubs and pick the room you can hear from the sidewalk.
- 8:00 a.m.
Beignets at Café du Monde (Saturday)
Saturday morning, beignets and café au lait at 800 Decatur Street, open from 7:15 a.m. The Airport Express leaves from the Ferry Terminal a short walk away.
The route is 6.3 miles (10.2 km) from stop to stop in a straight line; the real walk is longer.
Coop's Place closed Wednesdays; National WWII Museum closed Mardi Gras Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; Central Grocery closes at 5 p.m.; the Airport Express bus runs about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. only
How the 24 hours work
Start at Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, then walk down Decatur Street to Central Grocery for an early lunch. Go upriver to the Warehouse District for the National WWII Museum, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, at $37 (£28) for an adult. From there it is a few blocks to St. Charles Avenue for the streetcar to the Garden District and back. The evening is all in the Quarter and the Marigny next door.
Book one thing: Preservation Hall. Its calendar shows sets at 5, 6:15, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. on most nights, all sales are online, there is no cash at the door and tickets are non-refundable. The hall did not publish a ticket price on its own pages when we checked, so we do not quote one. Everything else in the plan is walk-in; Coop's Place and Napoleon House take no reservations.
The closures to check are small. Coop's Place is closed on Wednesdays, and Central Grocery closes at 5 p.m. The WWII Museum closes on Mardi Gras Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In heavy rain, give the museum the whole afternoon and skip the streetcar.
Where to stay for one night
We searched Kayak for two adults on a Friday, total price with all taxes and fees, 3 stars or better and a guest rating of 8 or more, in the French Quarter and the Central Business District:
- French Quarter: the Wyndham New Orleans - French Quarter on Royal Street was the cheapest qualifying room on January 15, 2027, at $192 (£144). Hotel Mazarin was $272 (£204). In June, The Saint Hotel was $160 (£120).
- Central Business District: in June, the DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans on Canal Street and The Pelham were both $155 (£116) on June 11, 2027, the cheapest qualifying rooms in our area. In January, the cheapest CBD room was the California Building at $263 (£197).
Unusually, January was the dearer date. January 15, 2027 is the Friday of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, which may explain it; check your own dates before assuming winter is cheap.
Getting in from the airport (and the station)
The Airport Express (202) stops at the airport, at Poydras Street at Freret in the CBD about 24 minutes later, and at the ferry terminal at the foot of Canal Street about 10 minutes after that. Departures are roughly every 50 minutes on the fall 2026 timetable. A single ride is $1.25 (£0.90), and the 1-Day Jazzy Pass at $3 (£2.20) covers RTA buses, streetcars and ferries, so buy the pass in the Le Pass app and use it for the streetcar too.
Taxis load at Door 7 on the arrivals curb. The airport sets a flat fare of $36 (£27) to the CBD or the French Quarter west of Elysian Fields for up to two passengers, and $15 (£11.20) each for three or more. Taxis must accept cards. For a late arrival, that flat fare is the easy answer.
What to eat in 24 hours
- A muffuletta at Central Grocery, 923 Decatur Street: $15.95 (£12) for a half, $30 (£22) for a whole. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
- Beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde, 800 Decatur Street in the French Market, open from 7:15 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
- The Ferdi Special po-boy at Mother's, on Poydras Street since 1938: baked ham and roast beef, $13.50 (£10.10) for a regular. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
- The Napoleon House muffuletta at 500 Chartres Street, if you want to compare. Open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, walk-ins only.
- Dinner at Coop's Place, 1109 Decatur Street, open to 11 p.m. on Fridays.
This is one of the strongest food days in the guide; see the best food cities for 24 hours for how it ranks.
If you only have 12 hours
Drop the museum and the streetcar. Keep Jackson Square, a muffuletta, a Preservation Hall set and beignets at Café du Monde, all within a few blocks. The airport is about 11 miles (18 km) from the center in a straight line, and the last Airport Express leaves the ferry terminal in the evening, so for a late flight use the flat-fare taxi.
What 24 hours costs
| Item | January | June |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel, one night (whole room) | $192 (£144) | $155 (£116) |
| 1-Day Jazzy Pass (airport bus in, streetcar) | $3 (£2.20) | $3 (£2.20) |
| Airport Express back on Saturday | $1.25 (£0.90) | $1.25 (£0.90) |
| National WWII Museum | $37 (£28) | $37 (£28) |
| Total | $233 (£175) | $196 (£147) |
Add your Preservation Hall ticket and food. Two people sharing a taxi both ways instead of the bus adds $72 (£54).
Getting there from the US and the UK
Every US hub on our list has a nonstop to New Orleans: JFK, Newark, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Washington Dulles, Atlanta, Miami and Dallas/Fort Worth. That makes it an easy pairing with Nashville for a music weekend, or a contrast with Miami. See the best 24-hour trips in the US for the full ranking.
From the UK, British Airways flies nonstop from Heathrow. British passport holders need an approved ESTA: CBP charges $10.62 (£8) to process it and $30 (£22) on approval, about $41 (£30) in all. Our entry rules guide covers the details.
When to go
Spring and fall are the comfortable seasons for walking the Quarter. Summer is hot and humid, but on our June date it was the cheaper night. Carnival season builds in the weeks before Mardi Gras Day, when the WWII Museum closes. For couples, this is one of the best evening cities on the site; see the best city breaks for couples.
New Orleans’s Snack Score
How well New Orleans works for 24 hours and one night: six factors, scored 0 to 10 the same way for all 45 cities. How we score
- Sights in a dayEditors · 30%7.0
- FoodEditors · 15%8.0
- After darkEditors · 10%9.0
- Compact routeData · 15%7.3
- Airport to centerData · 15%7.7
- One-night costData · 15%5.7
The numbers behind the score
- Airport to center
- 34 min from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport: RTA Airport Express bus (route 202) from Level 1 Baggage Claim to the Ferry Terminal at the foot of Canal Street, via Poydras at Freret in the CBD; runs about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., $1.25 (£0.90)
- One night, Friday
- $192 (£144) on January 15, 2027 · $155 (£116) on June 11, 2027 (French Quarter (January: Wyndham New Orleans - French Quarter, 4-star, 8.0) and the Central Business District (June: DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans, 4-star, 8.3))
- Day ticket
- RTA 1-Day Jazzy Pass (buses, streetcars and ferries, including the Airport Express): $3 (£2.20)
- 24 hours, per person
- $92 (£69): half the average room, the airport ride both ways and a day ticket (entries extra)
- Nonstop from the US
- All 10 of our 10 US hub airports
- Nonstop from the UK
- LHR
Hotel prices: Cheapest 3-star-or-better double, 1 night (Friday), 2 adults, stay total including all taxes and fees, guest rating 8+, Kayak area searches for the French Quarter and the Central Business District, each result's neighborhood checked. Kayak, checked 2026-10-21.
Weather month by month
Best months for walking around by our weather score: March, October, November. Daytime highs and lows, rain days (1 mm or more) and sunshine hours are 2016–2025 averages for New Orleans (Open-Meteo historical weather archive).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62 | 68 | 72 | 77 | 83 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 80 | 71 | 65 |
| High °C | 16 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 21 | 18 |
| Low °F | 48 | 54 | 59 | 63 | 71 | 76 | 78 | 78 | 75 | 67 | 58 | 53 |
| Rain days | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 19 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
| Sun (hours) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Weather score | 8.3 | 8.5 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 8.2 |
Where New Orleans ranks
Tickets and tours you can book
New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter with Small-Group Option
Starts and ends at Roux Royale, corner of Royal and Toulouse; alcohol (21+) and the guide's tip (15-20% suggested) are extra. Reviews mention a 10:30 am start, which leaves the afternoon and the evening free.
Rating as shown on Viator
Adults-Only New Orleans Ghost, Crime, Voodoo, and Vampire Tour
Meets at the front gate of Armstrong Park, 801 N Rampart St, and ends at 623 Ursulines Ave; drinks and tips are extra and tours leave on the minute.
Rating as shown on Viator
New Orleans Jazz History and Live Music Walking Tour
21 and over only; starts at 5:00 pm under the archway at Louis Armstrong Park, 701 N Rampart St. One drink is included; more drinks and tips for the guide and the band are not.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from New Orleans airport to the French Quarter?
The cheapest way is the RTA Airport Express (202) bus, $1.25 (£0.90), about 34 minutes to the ferry terminal at the foot of Canal Street, between about 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. A taxi is a flat $36 (£27) for up to two people.
How much is a taxi from MSY to the French Quarter?
The airport sets a flat fare of $36 (£27) to the CBD or the French Quarter west of Elysian Fields for one or two passengers. For three or more it is $15 (£11.20) per person.
Do you need tickets for Preservation Hall?
Yes. All reservations are made online, the hall no longer accepts cash at the door, and tickets are non-refundable. Its calendar lists sets at 5, 6:15, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m. on most nights.
How much is the National WWII Museum?
Adult admission is $37 (£28). The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Mardi Gras Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Is one day enough in New Orleans?
For the French Quarter, one museum and a night of music, yes. A second night buys more music, a swamp tour or a jazz brunch.
Further reading
Official sources
- RTA: Airport Express (202) timetable, fall 2026 (official PDF) – Airport to Poydras at Freret about 24 minutes and to the ferry terminal about 34 minutes; daily hours 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; checked October 21, 2026
- RTA: Fares (official) – Single ride $1.25 (£0.90), 1-Day Jazzy Pass $3 (£2.20); checked October 21, 2026
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport: Taxis (official) – Flat $36 (£27) to CBD or French Quarter for up to two, $15 (£11.20) each for three or more, Door 7; checked October 21, 2026
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport: Public transportation (official) – Airport Express (202) stops downtown; checked October 21, 2026
- The National WWII Museum: Plan your visit (official) – Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closures, adult $37 (£28), Beyond All Boundaries 48 minutes; checked October 21, 2026
- Preservation Hall: FAQ and calendar (official) – 726 St. Peter Street, online reservations only, no cash, non-refundable; sets at 5, 6:15, 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; checked October 21, 2026
- Central Grocery (official) – 923 Decatur St, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; half muffuletta $15.95 (£12), whole $30 (£22); checked October 21, 2026
- Café du Monde: Locations (official) – French Market, 800 Decatur St, 7:15 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; checked October 21, 2026
- Mother's Restaurant (official) – Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, Ferdi Special $13.50 (£10.10), opened 1938 on Poydras Street; checked October 21, 2026
- Napoleon House (official) – 500 Chartres St, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., walk-ins only; checked October 21, 2026
- Coop's Place (official) – Decatur Street since 1983, closed Wednesday, Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; checked October 21, 2026
- Kayak hotel search, French Quarter and CBD – Stay totals with all taxes and fees for January 15 and June 11, 2027, 3-star+, rating 8+; checked October 21, 2026
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: ESTA FAQ (official) – $10.62 (£8) processing fee plus $30 (£22) on approval; checked October 21, 2026
- Wikipedia: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Airlines and destinations – Nonstop routes from US and UK hubs; checked October 21, 2026
