Whether you planned a trip to the Big Easy with your group of girlfriends, are heading down with your company for a work conference, or planning a weekend getaway with your family, you will want and need to know all the details about this number one Affordable New Orleans Excursion. Classic Louisiana delicacies such as oysters, po-boys, crawfish, and beignets are at the top of any New Orleans itinerary, but there’s much more to the city than eating and indulgence.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a born-and-raised local, there is always something new to do in New Orleans, from palm-readings in the French Quarter to one-of-a-kind museums and historical jazz joints (between meals at some of the world’s best restaurants, of course). One thing’s for sure: You’ll be ready to collapse into bed at one of the best hotels in New Orleans by the end of the day.

New Orleans is a city that never sleeps and is never dull, but paying for all of that activity can add up.  Luckily, there are tons of inexpensive (even FREE!) things to do in New Orleans to help lift the financial burden that excursions can add. Recently, Louisianatravel.com published their Top 10 list of affordable New Orleans attractions. The following is our Top affordable NOLA excursion!

The French Quarter stretches along the Mississippi River from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue and inland to North Rampart Street. It equals an area of 78 square blocks and has an elevation of 1 foot.  The French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré (“Old Square”), is the oldest section of the City of New Orleans. Founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, New Orleans developed around the Vieux Carré, the city’s central square. Today, the district is referred to as “the Quarter.”

There are lots of attractions in the Quarter and you could spend an entire day there just adventuring around and taking in the sights that you happen upon.  You will see plenty of street performers. They may be extravagantly painted jokesters that at first glance look like a statue, or young boys with bottle caps nailed to the bottoms of their shoes.  New Orleans isn’t short on raw talent. You will see tons of artists using various mediums and propping their art up in various places, some even doing commissioned representations of Quarter visitors who have the time.  There will be palm readers, street preachers, and tons of tourists from all over the world. It’s a place bustling with color and life.

Several tours are available in the Quarter.  Some cheap, some free. One popular option is a Literary Self-Guided Walking Tour.  See where some of New Orleans’ most renowned authors lived such as Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Truman Capote, Thornton Wilder, Walker Percy and Anne Rice.  Click here for our favorite Literary Quarter Tour.

When your tummy starts rumbling, pop in any one of the iconic Quarter restaurants, not for a meal, but for an experience.  Have Oysters Rockefeller & Cafe Brulot at Antoine’s Restaurant, Shrimp remoulade and pompano with crab meat from Galatoire’s, Barbecue Shrimp at Mr. B’s, Killer Po-boys in Erin Rose, or a Late Night Burger at Clover Grill.

When you’ve seen all there is to see and you are ready to retire for the night, there are plenty of lodging options available, depending on what you prefer.  Whether you are looking for a quaint, tucked away inn or a hotel right in the middle of the bustling French Quarter, you’ll find the perfect accommodations in this quintessential New Orleans neighborhood.  If you want something right smack in the middle of things, book your room at Four Points by Sheraton.  It is located in the heart of the French Quarter on the corner of Bourbon and Toulouse; you can’t get much more central than that. Many rooms offer balconies overlooking the street below or the courtyard/pool and it is in walking distance to all French Quarter attractions.  If you want to remain within walking distance but don’t want to be too much in the mix, try the Astor Tower whose renovation was just completed in 2016.  This AAA Four Diamond hotel is located at the edge of the French Quarter at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Street.  Wherever you stay, just know that you will sleep hard and well- New Orleans has a funny way of wearing you out!

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