What To Do Besides Eat and Drink in New Orleans

New Orleans is known for its epicurean pursuits, and many tourists visit the Big Easy to eat and drink their way through the city. After all, experiencing the cuisine in a new place is a great way to experience the culture, and in New Orleans, drinking opportunities abound.

But what to do in between bouts of consumption? Turns out, there’s plenty to keep yourself entertained in New Orleans.

Live music is an easy bet, with plenty of great venues around town hosting musicians every night of the week. Among the best are Preservation Hall, Spotted Cat, Blue Nile, Hi Ho Lounge and Maple Leaf Bar, where the Rebirth Brass Band plays every Tuesday night.

If you’re interested in higher-brow pursuits, check out the Ogden Museum of Southern Art or the New Orleans Museum of Art. If other types of museums are of interest, there’s also the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (no eating required) and the extraordinary National World War II Museum.

Several tours are also offered, allowing you to cruise the French Quarter with an expert to learn the fascinating history and culture, or browse the city’s historic — and haunted — cemeteries. You can also ride a bike through scenic neighborhoods like the Marigny and Bywater, or take a tour on the Mississippi River aboard a historic ship.