24 Hours in New Orleans: A Quick Travel Guide

New Orleans is the perfect USA city for a 24 hour trip. NOLA is a small city and honestly I wouldn't want to stay more than a day. While you will find gorgeous streets and amazing food, New Orleans is a bit of an assault on your senses. It is loud, smelly, and super humid - if you are not used to this it can be overwhelming. With that said, NOLA is a must visit city in the USA because of its rich culture and history. It is one of those cities that make you feel like you are no longer in the United States, it's kind of its own place. This is your guide to 24 hours in New Orleans, Louisiana!

This post is all about your guide to 24 hours in New Orleans, Louisiana.

24 Hours In New Orleans, Louisiana

Day One - Morning

Fly Into Louis Armstrong Airport

You can find really cheap flights to New Orleans. I flew from Orlando to New Orleans for $50 round trip. I flew on Breeze Airlines and had a great experience. Breeze is a boutique airline that offers cheap flights all around the USA. You can also find affordable flights on all of the other major US airlines to NOLA.

If you are coming to New Orleans from Central America, Canada, or Europe you can find a few nonstop flights from Mexico, Honduras, Toronto, and London to New Orleans.

From the airport it takes about 25 minutes to get to the downtown area. You can take a bus, but I opted for a taxi because NOLA is pretty cheap.

Check Into The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery is a boutique hotel located in the quieter side of New Orleans. What I loved most was the unique decor and location. You will find a gym, restaurant, a bar, 24 hour front desk service, a little coffee counter, cool art pieces from local artists, and more at this cute hotel.

Read Next - 25 Best Hotels In New Orleans For Every Budget

🛎️The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

Grab Coffee at Nova Espresso

Nova Espresso is a cute coffee shop located right next to The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery. You will find great espresso, cold brews, and more at Nova. You will also find plenty of co working space at the adorable cafe.

Walk Down Magazine Street

Magazine Street is just one street north of Nova Espresso and the hotel. I think that Magazine Street is one of the most beautiful streets in New Orleans due to its stunning European style architecture. The street stretches for six miles and offers visitors plenty of photo opts, cool shops and amazing restaurants. It is also a bit more laid back and quieter than other nearby streets. Magazine Street is a must on a quick trip to New Orleans.

Afternoon

Bourbon Street

Honestly, Bourbon Street is not my cup of tea. It was loud, smelly, and a bit uncomfortable - definitely not a place for kids. With this said, no trip to New Orleans is complete without seeing Bourbon Street, and there are some cool things to see. You will see perfect examples of Creole style architecture (also known as French Colonial), street performers playing jazz music, you will also find some iconic bars on Bourbon.

If you are looking for a fun night out go to Bourbon Street later. Since its not really my scene I opted to go during the day. If you are a solo traveler or a group of women be careful - it is not the safest place.

See The Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the most well known river in the United States and is the second longest. I was strangely excited to see it, but it turns out I had good reason to be. This river was huge, it looked like a lake rather than a river. It was so cool seeing the Ozark like Riverboat - so American. The water in the Mississippi is a gross shade of brown. The Mississippi River is so ugly, but it is cool to see. You cant miss the Mississippi River on your one day trip New Orleans.

Dinner At August

This French restaurant checks all of the boxes for a luxurious dinner. Situated in an 19th century French Creole building in the outskirts of the French Quarter you will find amazing food, drinks, and a grand dining room at August.

Day Two - Morning

Coffee and Breakfast at Cafe du MONDE

You can not visit New Orleans without eating your fair share of Beignets, and the best place to get these culinary delights is Cafe du Monde. Cafe du Monde is an iconic New Orleans food spot situated adjacent to the stunning Jackson Square. You will find melt in your mouth Beignets, live jazz music, and unique NOLA style coffee at Cafe du Monde.

If you are a fellow coffee nerd, you should read this article all about how New Orleans was the first place coffee was brought to North America.

Jackson Square

Just across the street from Cafe du Monde is Jackson Square. Jackson Square is one of the most well known sights in NOLA with the charming statue and cathedral in the distance, it is a lovely sight to see. The monument in the center of the square is in honor of the Battle of New Orleans.

Just beyond Jackson Square is the St. Louis Cathedral. The St. Louis Cathedral is in honor of Saint Louis, King of France and is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the United States. This place needs to be on your New Orleans must-do list. You can go inside the Cathedral from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily.

FRENCHMAN Street

A short walks away from Jackson Square and through the historic French Quarter is the stunning Frenchman Street. Frenchman Street is a bit quieter than the usual New Orleans Street and is lined with unique boutiques and cool cafes. If you are a fellow photographer you will love this place.

Depart New Orleans

Have More Time In New Orleans?

If you have more time in NOLA or are looking for more inspiration checkout our Complete Guide To New Orleans, Louisiana!

24 Hours In New Orleans Wrap Up

With it's intriguing history, insanely good food, European style architecture, and top notch jazz music New Orleans is truly a fascinating place. I hope that this short but sweet guide to 24 hours in New Orleans helps you plan the coolest trip ever. If you liked this post checkout our complete guide to New Orleans and our best things to do in Orlando posts.

Happy Travels,

Daisy