Outside of the City
Activities that may or may not include drinking but don’t necessarily have to or activities to in between eating and drinking and seeing music...
Disclaimer: some of these activities may be in the city, but a longer drive from most hotels and destinations. Other activities are very far outside of the city.
1.
Plantation Tour: Far outside the city of New Orleans, but if you are interested in doing a bit of Southern History exploration, there are two beautiful plantations 30 minutes to an hour outside of the city. While there are many to choose from, I recommend Laura and Oak Alley. I have seen both, and they are two of the most popular.
2.
Swamp Tour: A family-friendly adventure that I highly recommend if you have a car. Once again, far outside of the city but worth the drive. The tour consists of hopping on a hover-boat that could easily blow out your eardrums without headphones. The guides take you on a journey of the bayou and show you a bunch of gators. If you are lucky, you may even get to hold a baby.
3.
The Shed: The Shed is not even in the state of Louisiana, but rather a 2 - 2 ½ hour drive away from the city of New Orleans. A famous destination BBQ spot in Bumblfuck, Mississippi. As of recently, this was the best BBQ I have ever had. However, I just went to Austin and my life was changed. That’s a story for a different time and a different website though ;). A fun adventure if you have a day to kill. There is not much close by other than the casino town of Biloxi and Jefferson Davis’s old manor home.
4.
Baton Rouge: Although I have never been, Baton Rouge is Tiger territory and home to Louisiana State University. Their tailgates are epic.
5.
Lower 9th Ward and the Make it Right Foundation: Hurricane Katrina was an absolute catastrophe that rocked the New Orleans Community and its surrounding neighborhoods. One of the neighborhoods that was hit the hardest was the Lower 9th Ward. This area of the city still suffers today. Brad Pitt, along with other celebrities started a charity called the Make It Right Foundation in 2007. The charity was designed to build low cost, durable homes in the area and offer them to the families who lost their homes. Pitt recruited the help of famous architects such as Frank Gehry who designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall to help construct masterpieces in this area. Overall, a very cool concept that helps those in need.
6.
Bywater Exploration: Full disclosure: the Bywater is in the city. However, you have to pass it to get to most of the other destinations on this list. There are plenty of wall-length murals spread amongst the Bywater. Additionally, there are several art installations and exhibits.
7.
Crescent City Park: A seemingly magical park in the Bywater with a crystal clear view of the city, thus the name. In order to enter the park, patrons are required to climb a massive, harsh, industrial bridge that towers over the railroad. While it is a hike, the bridge makes the park even more worth it.