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New Orleans, or NOLA to locals, is famed for its stunning architecture, vibrant Creole culture, and some of the finest jazz music venues in the world. A trip to the Big Easy will likely include visits to the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and St Louis Cathedral. But for those who prefer to venture off the beaten path, there is a fantastic array of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
If you want to explore New Orleans through places you won’t find in the guidebooks, check out this list of 14 of the best hidden gems to include in your itinerary.
1. New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
- Address: 514 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA
- Website: pharmacymuseum.org
- Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm/Fridays, 10 am – 11 am is reserved for guided tours only.
Situated in an old two-floor building within the French Quarter, The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is one of the most unusual attractions in New Orleans. Expect to find wacky exhibits here featuring old leather physician’s bags, optical prosthetic devices, and voodoo potions.
2. Honey Island Swamp
- Address: 41490 Crawford Landing Rd, Slidell, LA
- Website: honeyislandswamp.com
- Opening Hours: 7.45 am – 4 pm (seasonal)
The otherworldly ambiance of Honey Island Swamp is an experience not to be missed. This pristine wilderness is Nature Conservancy’s first Louisiana Nature Preserve and is huge. There are around 250 square miles of land, with 70,000 acres being a permanently-protected wildlife area.
Wildlife spotters can hop aboard a small-boat swamp tour to see snakes, alligators, bald eagles, waterfowl, herons, and plenty of native trees. And keep your eyes peeled for the mythical Honey Island Swamp Monster that supposedly haunts this bayou area.
3. Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop
- Address: 941 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA
- Website: lafittesblacksmithshop.com
You may be surprised to discover that Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop is not actually a blacksmith shop at all! In fact, this place claims to be the oldest bar in the country, having been built in the 1770s. Named after Jean Lafitte, a known pirate and privateer, it’s well worth visiting to see what is one of the last surviving examples of a Creole cottage in the French Quarter.
The building is supposedly haunted by previous residents who died in fires in 1788 and 1794, so grab a stiff drink from the bar and settle in to soak up the spooky atmosphere. A word of warning — this place gets super busy in the evenings, so head here earlier in the day for a less crowded experience.
4. The Revolving Carousel Bar
- Address: 214 Royal St, New Orleans, LA
- Website: hotelmonteleone.com/entertainment/carousel-bar/
Hotel Monteleone’s Revolving Carousel Bar is exactly what it sounds like! This merry-go-round, carousel-themed bar rotates while you drink and is the only revolving bar in New Orleans.
The Carousel Bar has often been ranked among the best bars in the world and has attracted plenty of A-list celebrities over the years. There are only 25 seats available, so head here early or during the week to be guaranteed a spot. Be sure to try one of the signature cocktails for an authentic Carousel experience.
5. Marie Laveau’s Tomb
- Address: 501 Basin St, New Orleans, LA
- Website: cemeterytourneworleans.com
- Opening Hours: 9 am – 3:45 pm
The Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the oldest cemetery still standing in New Orleans and is the final resting place for many of the city’s most famous historical figures. Marie Laveau was a famous and powerful voodoo 19th priestess who is said to be buried here in the tomb of her husband’s family.
Amateur occultists and French Quarter tourists flock here to pay homage and draw Xs on the whitewashed mausoleum, hoping that Laveau will grant their wishes.
The cemetery is only open to visitors on guided tours, with guides who escort small groups along the meandering paths and share the colorful stories of its residents. Tours depart every fifteen minutes and cost $25 at the time of publication.
6. Historic Voodoo Museum
- Address: voodoomuseum.com
- Website: 724 Dumaine Street, New Orleans, LA
- Opening Hours: 10 am – 6 pm
The historic New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum focuses on the amalgamation of African and European influences that have blended together to form what is commonly known as New Orleans Voodoo. The museum explains the beliefs of Louisiana Voodoo in enchanting detail and is filled with interesting objects and artifacts, including antique voodoo dolls, taxidermy, and talismans.
7. Music Box Village
- Address: 4557 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA
- Website: musicboxvillage.com
- Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 am – 4 pm
The stunning Music Box Village in Bywater, near the Mississippi River, is a haven for music lovers. It has a whimsical bohemian sculpture garden that contains interactive treehouses and Creole cottage-inspired structures, which are actually musical instruments. This is one of the most picturesque places to spend time in New Orleans.
The Music Box Village also hosts a series of public art workshops, including Tai Chi, costume sewing, and welding. There is a full onsite bar, and local vendors host tasty pop-ups serving local and international street food.
8. Only in NOLA Cooking Classes
Cooking schools in New Orleans will teach you to make authentic Cajun and Creole dishes and shouldn’t be missed by visitors wanting to take the flavor of NOLA home with them. There are several to choose from, but these two are highly recommended.
New Orleans School of Cooking
- Address: 524 St. Louis Street, New Orleans, LA
- Website: neworleansschoolofcooking.com/about
Located in the heart of the French Quarter, the New Orleans School of Cooking has taught Louisiana cooking basics since 1980. Classes take place at their 19th-century renovated molasses warehouse on St. Louis Street. Expect a fun experience led by talented chefs who will teach you how to cook authentic dishes like a New Orleans local.
Mardi Gras School of Cooking
- Address: 519 Wilkinson, STE 101, New Orleans, LA
- Website: themardigrasschoolofcooking.com
Hands-on experiences at the Mardi Gras School of Cooking teach knife skills, the importance of seasoning, and what the Holy Trinity means to Louisiana cooking. They use classic recipes with Cajun and Creole meats to make delicious jambalaya and barbecue shrimp. Also located in the French Quarter, this is a great place to learn about traditional Louisiana food while cooking yourself a feast to remember.
9. Musical Legends Park
- Address: 313 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA
- Website: neworleansmusicallegends.com
- Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 8 am – 10 pm / Friday and Saturday, 8 am to midnight
This small park on Bourbon Street features life-size bronze statues of New Orleans jazz musicians, including Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino, and Ronnie Cole. There is live music played throughout the day, starting from 10 am, and plenty of tables, chairs, and sunshades for visitors to sit back and soak up the ambiance.
Cafe Beignet can be found at the park’s far side and serves hot and cold drinks, snacks, and expertly-made beignets. For good luck, drop a couple of coins in Pete’s Wishing Well Fountain in the middle of the park. All proceeds go to the McDonogh Elementary School to provide band equipment.
10. Royal Street
Royal Street runs parallel to Bourbon Street, stretching from the Bywater/Marigny area all the way to Canal Street. This is one of the oldest streets in New Orleans and is lined with antique shops, art galleries, and boutique hotels.
Royal Street is less well known than the neighboring Bourbon Street but is brimming with French Quarter flair and is a shopaholic’s paradise. Visitors can spend hours exploring unique stores and browsing produce by local artisans. Expect to find crystal chandeliers, 19th-century absinthe glasses, and plenty of owner-operated gift shops.
If all that shopping makes you hungry, look out for the hidden courtyards where you can try some authentic Louisianan food. Grab some coffee and po boys from Cafe Beignet or crawfish and beer at Bywater BrewPub.
11. Street Name Tiles of New Orleans
The distinctive Crescent City tradition of using ceramic tiles to spell street names started in the mid-1880s. The iconic blue-and-white tiles can be found in older parts of the city, including the French Quarter, Tremé, Faubourg Marigny, the Garden District, and Bywater.
Finding the street tiles is a great activity you can enjoy without paying. Create your own walking tour and see how many you can find. Or splash out a few dollars on a streetcar ticket to cover even more ground.
12. Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
- Address: 1 Collins Diboll Cir, New Orleans, LA
- Website: noma.org/besthoff-sculpture-garden
- Opening Hours: Open seven days a week, 10 am – 6 pm
This modern sculpture garden is located in New Orleans City Park, on the New Orleans Museum of Art grounds. More than 90 sculptures are on display, many by local artists, and all set among stunning gardens with oaks, magnolias, pines, and colorful flowers.
13. The Presbytère
- Address: 751 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA
- Website: louisianastatemuseum.org/museum/presbytere
- Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm. Tickets are on sale until 3.30 pm.
The Presbytère in Jackson Square dates back to 1791 and was originally used as a home for the Capuchin monks who served at the Cabildo just next door. The jaw-droppingly beautiful architecture on display attracts visitors from around the world. While you are here, check out the Hurricane Katrina and Mardi Gras exhibits in the Louisiana State Museum, which is inside the Presbytère.
14. New Orleans Dive Bars
If you are looking to rub shoulders with some of New Orleans’ many unique characters, there is no better place to find them than the many dive bars dotted around the city. These off-the-beaten-path establishments attract people from all walks of life, and everyone has a story to tell. These are some of our favorites.
Brothers III Lounge
This friendly watering hole has a bright yellow exterior, so it really stands out from its trendy neighbors on Magazine Street. Head here for an evening of shooting pool and selecting vintage tunes playing on the jukebox.
The John
This dark and cavernous spot is conveniently located near Frenchman Street and is a great place to cool down in the summer. Check out The John if you enjoy playing games, as there’s a ping-pong table and old-school video games to entertain the patrons. Be sure to take a trip to the bathroom to check out the strange gold toilet seats!
Mayfair Lounge
Mayfair Lounge, filled with colorful decor and Mardi Gras beads, has to be one of the best Uptown dive bars. Ring the buzzer for entry, then get stuck into one of their strong drinks. There are a couple of tables outside if the chaos inside becomes too much.
Add New Orleans Hidden Gems to Your Vacation Itinerary
It would be easy to visit New Orleans and just go to the usual tourist haunts. But for a truly memorable vacation, and to mix with NOLA locals, seek out some of these fascinating hidden gems.
