The French Quarter, live jazz on Frenchmen Street, Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral, the Garden District, and Audubon Park are all free to explore, and once you're ready to pay for something, most tours and activities run $26–$59 — from a French Quarter walking tour to a swamp boat ride. The two splurges worth planning around, a treetop zipline swamp tour and a Creole Queen jazz brunch cruise on the Mississippi, are the exceptions rather than the rule. Here's the full breakdown, from what costs nothing to where to stay.
🎷 Free Things to Do in New Orleans
1. Explore the French Quarter — FREE
The French Quarter is the heart of New Orleans and completely free to explore. Historic architecture, street musicians, live jazz, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, local shops, galleries, and cafés. Visit early morning or in the evening for fewer crowds and better photos.
2. Live Jazz on Frenchmen Street — FREE
Frenchmen Street is where locals go for live music. Many venues have no cover charge and offer incredible live jazz every night in an authentic New Orleans atmosphere. Bring small cash for tipping musicians.
3. Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral — FREE
The historic heart of the French Quarter — street artists, tarot readers, and musicians fill the square, with the iconic St. Louis Cathedral (free to enter) anchoring the view. One of the most photographed spots in the city, and it costs nothing to visit.
4. Garden District — FREE
A self-guided walk through one of New Orleans's most beautiful neighborhoods — historic mansions, oak-lined streets, and a completely different pace from the French Quarter. Free to wander at your own speed.
5. Audubon Park — FREE
A large uptown park with a scenic lagoon walking path, century-old live oaks, and views of Audubon Zoo from outside the gates. A good spot for a slower-paced morning away from the crowds.
💰 Best Budget-Friendly Activities
6. French Quarter Walking and Storytelling Tour — From $26
A guided walk through the French Quarter's history — architecture, legends, and stories you'd miss exploring on your own. A good first stop to get oriented before you start wandering solo.
Book French Quarter Walking Tour on GetYourGuide
7. New Orleans Premier Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour — From $33
New Orleans is famous for its haunted history. This tour covers haunted mansions and cemeteries, true crime stories, local legends, and voodoo folklore — one of the city's most popular after-dark experiences.
Book Ghost, Voodoo & Vampire Tour on GetYourGuide
8. New Orleans: Swamp Tour on Covered Pontoon Boat — From $35
An easy half-day trip out of the city — alligator sightings, cypress swamps and bayous, and Cajun history and wildlife, all from a covered pontoon boat.
Book Swamp Tour on GetYourGuide
9. Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise — From $37
See New Orleans from the water aboard the Steamboat Natchez, with a live jazz band on board — a classic, unmistakably New Orleans way to spend an afternoon on the Mississippi.
Book Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise on Viator
10. The National WWII Museum Ticket — From $39
One of the top-rated museums in the country — interactive and immersive exhibits, aircraft, tanks, and historical displays. Easy to spend half a day here.
Book National WWII Museum Ticket on Viator
11. New Orleans Food Tours — From $44
A guided tasting tour through several of New Orleans's classic dishes and neighborhoods in one outing — a good option if you'd rather sample a lot in one afternoon than plan your own restaurant crawl.
Book New Orleans Food Tour on Viator
12. New Orleans City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour — From $47
See the whole city at your own pace — the French Quarter, Garden District, City Park, and more — hopping off wherever you want to explore and catching the next bus when you're ready to move on.
Book Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour on GetYourGuide
13. New Orleans Airboat Swamp Ride — From $59
A faster, louder alternative to the pontoon boat swamp tour — an airboat ride through the bayous for travelers who want more speed and adrenaline with their alligator sightings.
Book Airboat Swamp Ride on Viator
👑 Splurge Picks — Worth Every Penny
Most of New Orleans is free or cheap — but these are worth the extra spend for an experience you can't get any other way.
14. New Orleans Zipline Swamp Tour — From $89
Zipline through the cypress canopy over the same swamps and bayous the boat tours drift through — a genuinely different way to experience Louisiana wetlands, and a fun adrenaline break from walking tours and museums.
15. Creole Queen Weekend Jazz Brunch Cruise on the Mississippi River — From $80
A full Creole brunch and live jazz aboard a paddlewheeler on the Mississippi River — one of the few splurges on this list that's about the food and music rather than an activity, and a memorable way to spend a weekend morning on the water.
Book Creole Queen Jazz Brunch Cruise
🍴 Where to Eat in New Orleans (Iconic & Budget-Friendly)
- Café du Monde — Famous for beignets and café au lait. Open 24/7, located in the French Quarter
- Central Grocery — Home of the original muffuletta sandwich — affordable and perfect for lunch on the go
- Willie Mae's Scotch House — Some of the best fried chicken in the city, casual and filling
- Acme Oyster House — Classic spot for oysters, po'boys, and seafood favorites near Bourbon Street
🏨 Where to Stay in New Orleans (Budget-Friendly)
Staying just outside the French Quarter can save you a lot without sacrificing location. Best areas for value: Central Business District, Warehouse District, Garden District. Look for free cancellation — prices often drop closer to your travel dates.
Best Budget Areas
- Central Business District (CBD) — A short walk from the French Quarter, with a wider range of hotel prices and easy streetcar access.
- Warehouse District — Quieter than the Quarter, close to the National WWII Museum and the riverfront, often better value.
- Garden District / Uptown — Leafy and residential, connected downtown by the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line — a good option if you don't mind a short ride into the Quarter each day.
📅 3-Day Budget New Orleans Itinerary
- Day 1: French Quarter Walking and Storytelling Tour, Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral, explore the French Quarter on foot, evening of free live jazz on Frenchmen Street
- Day 2: Garden District walk, Audubon Park, National WWII Museum, Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise at sunset
- Day 3: Swamp Tour on Covered Pontoon Boat (or the airboat ride for more speed) in the morning, New Orleans Food Tours back in the French Quarter that afternoon, Ghost, Voodoo and Vampire Walking Tour after dark
- Optional: Swap in the Creole Queen Jazz Brunch Cruise for a Day 2 or Day 3 lunch, or the Zipline Swamp Tour for the pontoon/airboat swamp trip
✈️ Getting to New Orleans & Getting Around
New Orleans often has affordable flights into Louis Armstrong International (MSY) thanks to strong airline competition.
- The French Quarter, Garden District, and CBD are compact and walkable — a car isn't necessary for most of your trip.
- The St. Charles Avenue streetcar is one of the cheapest and most scenic ways to get between Uptown/Garden District and downtown.
- Rideshares (Uber/Lyft) are the easiest option for longer distances or late-night trips.
- A rental car is most useful for swamp tour pickups and other day trips outside the city, since most swamp tour operators pick up from outside the city center.
- Parking in the French Quarter is limited and can be expensive — factor that in if you do rent a car.
- MSY airport is about 25 minutes from downtown; rideshares and airport shuttles are the easiest way in.
💡 Final Tips for Visiting New Orleans on a Budget
- Mix free attractions with 1–2 paid experiences
- Book popular tours early for best availability
- Visit during shoulder seasons for better prices
- Eat like a local to avoid tourist-priced meals
- Hotel prices spike sharply during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest — book well ahead, or avoid those dates if you're on a tight budget
- Hurricane season runs June through November — consider travel insurance for added flexibility
- Stay just outside the French Quarter (CBD, Warehouse District, or Garden District) for better hotel rates without losing walkability
- Carry small cash for tipping street musicians on Frenchmen Street and in the French Quarter