Nana's Tour of New Orleans: The No-Backtracking French Quarter Loop
New Orleans is more than Bourbon Street. This is how locals do it. Follow this order and you'll walk 6 miles instead of 12.
Baby, if you only got 2 days in New Orleans, you don't have time to get lost or waste money on Ubers and tourist traps. Nana's been walking these streets for 57 years, and this is the way we do it — slow, smart, and with good food every few blocks. We start with beignets and end with hurricanes, and we never, ever walk the same block twice...
unless it's for more pralines.
This 2-day French Quarter walking itinerary saves your feet, your wallet, and gives you the real New Orleans.
The music, the food, the magic — without the headaches.
This is 2 days: Day 1 is the French Quarter loop. Day 2 is the WW2 Museum and poboys.
Nana's Tour of New Orleans: The No-Backtracking French Quarter Loop
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Day 1: French Quarter Walking Loop — 3.2 Miles Total
Nana's Rule: Do this in order. Each stop is 2–8 minutes from the last. You'll be done by 4pm with time for a nap before Pat O'Brien's.
8:00 AM — Café du Monde 800 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116. Line is shortest before 9am. Cash only. Get beignets and café au lait, sit by the river, and watch the city wake up. Tip: Bring wipes for powdered sugar & lean over the table or you'll be sticky with humidity and powdered sugar all day. Ask how Nana knows.
A travel coffee tumbler keeps your café au lait hot for the walk ahead.
8:45 AM — St. Louis Cathedral (2-minute walk) 615 Pere Antoine Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116. Free to enter — the oldest cathedral in the US. Opens 8:30am. For the best Jackson Square photo, get the whole cathedral plus you in frame —
A portable phone charger means you're not down to 12% by lunch.
9:30 AM — Algiers Ferry (6-minute walk) Canal Street Ferry Terminal, 1 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130. $2 each way. A 30-minute round trip — you don't even have to get off in Algiers. Best skyline photo of New Orleans. Runs every 30 minutes; check the RTA app.
10:30 AM — Jax Brewery (3-minute walk) 600 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130. It's not a brewery anymore — it's shops and clean bathrooms.
Buy pralines here.
Head upstairs for the air-conditioned Riverwalk and skyline views.
11:30 AM — Lunch at Maspero's (4-minute walk) 440 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130. The oldest family restaurant in the Quarter. Get the jambalaya or muffuletta. Dark, cool, and full of locals — the line might wrap around the corner, but it moves fast and it's well worth it. Trust Nana on this one.
1:00 PM — French Quarter Phantoms Cemetery Tour (7-minute walk) Meeting point: 941 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70116. The 1pm Haunted Cemetery Tour takes you into St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to see Marie Laveau's tomb. Book ahead of time — you can't enter the cemeteries without a guide anymore, but it's worth every penny.
3:00 PM — Streetcar Tour (8-minute walk) Start at Canal Street at Bourbon St, Stop ID 108. Take the St. Charles Streetcar #12 ($1.25 cash or the Le Pass app) through the Garden District. Get off at Washington Ave for the mansions, then hop back on to loop home. Tip: Sit on the right side heading uptown for the best house views. Bring a reusable water bottle to refill along the way.
6:00 PM — Pat O'Brien's (2-minute walk from the Canal streetcar stop) 718 St Peter St, New Orleans, LA 70116. Home of the Hurricane — sit in the courtyard, where the flaming fountain starts at dusk. Warning: One Hurricane limit if you're walking — they're strong.
Day 2: WW2 Museum + Real New Orleans Food — 1.5 Miles Walking
9:00 AM — The National WW2 Museum 945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130. Streetcar or a 10-minute Uber from the Quarter. The #1 museum in the US — buy tickets online. Don't miss the 4D film "Beyond All Boundaries," narrated by Tom Hanks. Plan on 4-5 hours. The American Sector restaurant is inside the museum — John Besh is the chef, and the fried chicken is the move.
2:00 PM — Danny & Clyde's (8-minute walk from the museum) 1429 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130. Gas station poboys are law in Louisiana. Get the fried shrimp or roast beef dressed — that means lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayo, say yes. Cash preferred.
December Bonus: Christmas in City Park
If you're here in December, don't miss Celebration in the Oaks 1 Palm Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124. Horse-drawn carriage rides through a million lights. Take the Canal Streetcar labeled City Park/Museum to the end. Tip: Book ahead — it's worth the Uber back to the hotel after.
Nana's New Orleans Safety Tips
Crossbody bag worn in front. No back pockets, no open totes — pickpockets work Bourbon St. Get a real anti-theft crossbody bag if you don't already have one.
Stay in groups after dark. Royal Street and Decatur are fine — avoid side streets alone past 9pm.
Take the streetcar over Uber at night. $1.25, well-lit, and runs till midnight. Safer and cheaper. Bring a reusable water bottle to refill along the way.
Heat and alcohol management. One drink to two waters is the rule — June through September heat and humidity is no joke. Keep a reusable water bottle on you all day.
Cemetery rules. St. Louis No. 1 requires a guide — don't hop fences, the police will find you, and tours need to be booked ahead.
Proper footwear. Cobblestones eat flip flops — wear good walking shoes.
New Orleans will either hug you or mug you.
Walk like you belong here, and she'll hug you.
This loop is built to keep you moving forward, not backtracking across the Quarter three times a day chasing whatever's trending. Two days, no wasted steps, and you'll leave having actually seen the city instead of just Bourbon Street.
How to Use This Itinerary
Travel light and stay charged. Keep your travel coffee tumbler topped off from Café du Monde so your café au lait stays hot on the walk, and bring a portable phone charger — you'll be using your phone for maps, tickets, and photos all day, and there's nothing worse than a dead battery at the cemetery tour.
Book ahead where it says book ahead. The cemetery tour and Celebration in the Oaks both sell out — don't show up expecting a same-day spot.
Budget for the whole trip, not just the big-ticket items. See the FAQ below for a realistic day-to-day number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the French Quarter safe to walk at night?
Main streets like Royal and Decatur are well-trafficked and generally fine. Avoid side streets alone after 9pm, travel in groups after dark, and take the streetcar over rideshares at night.
Do I need a car for this itinerary?
No — this entire 2-day route is built around walking, the streetcar, and the Algiers Ferry. A car adds parking costs and hassle without saving time in the Quarter itself.
What's the best time of year to do this itinerary?
Spring (March-May) and fall (October-November) bring the most comfortable walking weather. If you're going in summer, plan your indoor stops (the WW2 Museum, Jax Brewery) during the hottest afternoon hours.
How much should I budget for this trip?
Outside of hotel and flights, expect roughly $15-20 per person for transportation, $60-80 for the two days of meals, and around $30-40 for the cemetery tour.
Can this itinerary work if I only have one day instead of two?
Yes — if you're short on time, prioritize Café du Monde, St. Louis Cathedral, Maspero's, and the cemetery tour on Day 1, and save the WW2 Museum for a return trip, since it alone takes 4-5 hours to do justice.
New Orleans Is More Than Mardi Gras
It's beignets at 8am. It's a ferry at 9:30. It's a cathedral that's seen 300 years of prayers. It's a gas station poboy that beats any $40 entrée.
Follow this order, save your steps, save your money, and you'll see the city that raised me — not the one on the postcards.
Final Thoughts from Nana
New Orleans isn't about checking boxes. It's about sitting on a balcony, listening to a trumpet, and eating until you're full. This itinerary gives you the must-sees without running you ragged — leave room for magic.
That's where the best memories happen.
More From Nana's Louisiana Road Trips
Rougarou Roadtrip: Nana's Haunted Cajun Roadtrip Series | Louisiana Legends
Boudin Roadtrip Guide: How to Eat, Store, Reheat & Cook Cajun Boudin Like a Local
Louisiana Plantation Road Trip: River Road Guide
Pawpaw's 7 Rules for Chasing the Rougarou: Louisiana Nana's Swamp Guide
Be Smart. Stay Safe. Laissez les bons temps rouler! 💜
Laissez les bons temps rouler (lay-say lay bon tom roo-lay) —
"let the good times roll."
Use it before you eat, before you dance, before you pop the cork on PawPaw's wine. If you can't say it, just smile and pass the boudin.
The good times will roll anyway.
Final Thoughts from Nana
Laissez les bons temps rouler — let the good times roll. This loop is how I do New Orleans when I want to see it right without wearing myself out chasing it in circles.
👉 Ready to pack your bag? Grab the kit: Shop Nana's Complete NOLA Travel Kit
What would YOU add to this loop? Drop your favorite New Orleans stop below — I'm always looking for the next one.
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Comments
Most helpful and entertaining guide I’ve read in a long time!
Hi Debbie,
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! My blog is definitely a work in progress. It makes my heart happy that someone enjoyed it and found it helpful! If you do the tour, let me know how your experience was! Take care!
Outstanding guide! Best one I’ve read so far!
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! My blog is definitely a work in progress. It makes my heart happy that someone enjoyed it and found it helpful! If you do the tour, let me know how your experience was! Take care!