New Orleans with Kids: Our Exact Schedule

Here’s what we did with a 9 year old, 7 year old, 3 year old and about $2500.

Day One

The long drive: 8 hours to be exact. Once we got into town, we checked into our rental and headed to the nearest RTA stop. We downloaded Le Pass and got the Jazzy Pass so we could ride the trolleys, buses, and ferry. New Orleans’ streetcars are some of the oldest continuously operating in the world, which made even transportation feel like part of the experience.

We took a trolley over to the ferry and rode across the Mississippi to Algiers Point, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, dating back to the early 1700s. It has a quieter, almost storybook feel compared to the French Quarter.

From there, we ate at Nighthawk Pizza, then walked around admiring the colorful homes, many of them built in the 19th century, with that classic New Orleans charm. the kids were excited to see quite a few cats. We ferried back across the river as the sun started to dip, and the French Quarter was just starting to light up for the night.

Day Two

We started the day at Willa Jean, a modern bakery and restaurant that still feels rooted in Southern tradition with amazing square biscuits, pastries, and the best Chai Latte I’ve ever had.

After that, we headed to City Park, one of the oldest urban parks in the country. The live oak trees there are incredible! Some are over 800 years old, with branches that stretch and twist like something out of a fairy tale. Don’t even get me started on the stone bridges and Spanish moss.

We tried our first beignets at Café du Monde. Beignets themselves trace back to French settlers, and New Orleans has been making them for centuries. They’re pillowy, powdered sugar-covered pieces of history. They remind me very much of a Sopapilla.

Lunch was at Cochon, known for honoring Cajun and Southern cooking traditions. It’s on the Michelin list and we were excited to try it.

Then we walked to the National WWII Museum, which is considered one of the top WWII museums in the world. New Orleans earned that honor because the Higgins boats, used in D-Day landings, were designed and built here. The kids especially loved the dog tag experience, which made history feel personal.

We made the long long long walk back to the French Quarter, stopping for another beignet at Café Beignet. Dinner was at Willie’s Boil House, then we trolleyed back to our rental, tired in the best way.

Day Three

We had a simple breakfast, eggs and yogurt at the rental, then drove across Lake Pontchartrain, one of the largest inland saltwater lakes in the U.S., connected to the Gulf.

We headed out for a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters and it was amazing. The tour lasted two hours and was incredibly educational. These swamps are part of Louisiana’s coastal ecosystem, where fresh and saltwater mix to create “brackish” environments full of life. We saw gators (of course), along with snakes, a wild pig, turtles, raccoons, water birds, and spiders: all part of this intricate, ever-changing habitat.

Afterward, we had lunch at Southside Cafe before heading back.

We drove around Audubon Park, which was once the site of the 1884 World’s Fair. Now it’s peaceful and green, lined with beautiful homes and ancient oaks. Truly, the homes were breathtaking to me. If I win the lottery, find me there in a Victorian mansion.

We stopped for another beignet at The Vintage, then later walked to Mulate’s for dinner, where we heard live zydeco music, a genre rooted in Creole culture, blending African rhythms, French influence, and Louisiana storytelling.

Day Four

We started with eggs and another beignet from New Orleans Coffee & Beignet Co..

Then we headed to the Audubon Zoo. It’s one of the oldest zoos in the country and is known for recreating natural habitats, especially Louisiana swamp environments.

After lunch at the Cypress Knee Café and finishing up the zoo, we Ubered to the French Quarter. We stopped at the original Café du Monde, which has been serving beignets and coffee since 1862, open through wars, hurricanes, and generations of visitors.

We walked through Jackson Square, once called Place d’Armes in the 1700s, where colonists gathered and major events unfolded (like the Louisiana Purchase. Now it’s bordered with artists, musicians, and brick roads.

We bought an ink blot print of Pirate’s Alley from a local artist, a narrow little passage rumored to have once been a meeting place for pirates and smugglers. Nearby in the alley is Faulkner House Books, the former home of William Faulkner during his time in New Orleans. It’s now a tiny, dreamy bookstore, only six people allowed in at a time, which made it feel even more special. I could have stayed there all day.

We found a one dollar little art vending machines tucked inside The Court of Two Sisters and decided to stay for dinner. This restaurant dates back to the 1700s, and its courtyard, full of twinkle lights and greenery, and sparrow friends, felt almost frozen in time. I had the best redfish of my life, and we ended with tableside bananas foster, a classic New Orleans dessert created in the French Quarter in the 1950s.

Day Five

We packed up, checked out, and made one last stop at Morning Call for a final beignet. This spot has been serving them since the 1800s: one last sweet bite of a city that feels like it lives halfway between history and magic.

Can you feel homesick for a city you’ve never lived in? We left tired and happy, already talking about “next time,” which I think is the best kind of trip.