Brockie and I covered a lot of ground during our day in the French Quarter, walking a total of nearly four miles as we zig-zagged through the streets over the course of the day. We ended up doing a lot of wandering around and backtracking! But by the end of the day we had a solid feel for the area.

By the way, if you haven’t looked at our 2022 cross country road trip plans yet, click here for the Week 1 trip itinerary.

But back to New Orleans…

The French Quarter is 13 blocks long from Canal Street on one side to Esplanade Street on the other side. North Rampart Street forms the top border of the French Quarter, with the Mississippi River forming the bottom.

Many of New Orleans’ most famous spots are just a short walk apart, sprinkled along the few streets that run the length of the French Quarter, from Canal Street to Esplanade.

At the bottom and closest to the Mississippi River lies Decatur Street, home to Jackson Square, Café du Monde, and the French Quarter Market. Two blocks up is Royal Street, lined with shops, art galleries, and antique shops. Above Royal Street you have Bourbon Street, famous for its nightlife.

These three parallel streets that run the length of the French Quarter (Decatur, Royal, and Bourbon) are where we spent the majority of our time. Once you go above Bourbon Street, you will mostly find hotels and residential housing.

Driving in the French Quarter is not something I would care to do again. The roads all throughout New Orleans are awful—probably because the city is sinking, so at least they have a good excuse—but it’s really bad in the French Quarter. Most of the streets are narrow one-way roads, with street parking on one side.

Finding a parking space can be quite a treasure hunt, especially if you are trying to find cheap parking. Some of the parking lots cost $20 an hour or more…which is more than I am willing to pay. Streetside parking is definitely cheaper, but it is difficult to find open parking spots, especially on the weekends. If you are planning on parking streetside, then make sure you arrive early in the morning.

Otherwise, you have a few other options:

We put on some shorts, a thin, cool top, and comfortable walking shoes. I would definitely recommend bringing sunscreen and a sunhat or ballcap too. Louisiana summers are no joke.

We spent WAY too long on parking, and didn’t really get started until after 9. But if you have time, there are several nice breakfast cafés to choose from. The famed Café du Monde was packed when we walked by, so plan for a wait. For a Café du Monde alternative, try Café Beignet.

If you plan to do a guided walking tour of the French Quarter, do it before the day gets too hot. You can book tours online, or stop at one of the tour companies on St. Peter Street. You will find many businesses offering tours throughout the French Quarter, so don’t worry if you haven’t booked anything in advance.

Otherwise, start off with a short riverwalk along the Mississippi River. Enjoy the nice breeze coming off the water, and get some nice views looking down into the French Quarter.

At 10 a.m. (as of the time of this post) the French Market on Decatur Street opens. The French Market is outdoors; perfect to knock out in the morning, because the day will only keep getting hotter. If you forgot your sunhat, you can buy one here, along with some sunglasses and a New Orleans t-shirt. This is a great place to pick up small gifts like jewelry and carvings.

While you’re making your way through the market, stop by one of the outdoor bars to grab a mixed drink or a fruit smoothie. We found several musicians stationed around the market, offering a variety of live music.

After going through the French Market, stroll down Decatur a few blocks to the shops at Jax Brewery, which is a fun indoor shopping mall and food court.

At this point the heat was starting to wear us down and we started looking for indoor activities. First up: Next door from the Jax shopping mall to the Washington Artillery park, which is tiny but offers a great view of the St. Louis Cathedral. It’s the oldest cathedral in the US that is still in regular use! Crossing Decatur Street into the Jackson Square, we could take a self-guided tour of the cathedral. 

After that we walked up to Royal Street, which is lined with art galleries and antique shops. Art + air conditioning was a welcome change.

As you can see, there are a lot of carriage tours available. While we didn’t get to do one, a carriage ride is not a bad idea for a hot afternoon. It will give you a break from walking, plus you get a more in-depth tour of the area.

We spent forever trying to pick a restaurant, because there are lots of dinner options. The French Quarter is full of good food! Afterwards we wandered into a couple of bars along Bourbon Street for a few hours of live music.

Honestly, you don’t even need to enter a bar. We found that Bourbon Street fills up with musicians and street performers as soon as it starts getting dark. It’s a good idea to bring cash for tipping.

We left before it got too rowdy, but Bourbon Street pretty much stays awake all night.