A Romantic Weekend in New Orleans
New Orleans is a great city for couples, and not only because the drinks come in to-go cups. It’s slow, it’s warm, it’s full of music, and almost every street looks like it was designed for holding hands on.
In this guide
- Friday night: jazz on Frenchmen Street
- Saturday morning: beignets and Jackson Square
- Saturday afternoon: the streetcar and the Garden District
- Saturday night: a proper Creole dinner
- Sunday morning: jazz brunch
- Sunday afternoon: City Park
- Sunday evening: a cruise on the Mississippi
- Where to stay
- When to go
- A few couple-friendly extras
- Common questions
It also rewards a plan. Wander without one and you’ll end up on Bourbon Street at midnight, which is fun for about eleven minutes. Here’s how to spend a romantic weekend in New Orleans, from Friday night to a Sunday sunset on the river.
Friday night: jazz on Frenchmen Street
Skip Bourbon. Frenchmen Street, just past the edge of the French Quarter in the Marigny, is where locals actually go to hear music. It’s three short blocks of small clubs, and most of them have no cover or a low one if you buy a drink.
The Spotted Cat is tiny and packed with swing dancers. Snug Harbor is a proper seated jazz club, so it’s the better pick if you want to talk between sets. Walk the strip, put your head into a few doors and stay wherever the band is best. On weekends there’s also a night art market with handmade jewelry, which is a good place to buy each other something small.
Saturday morning: beignets and Jackson Square
Start at Café du Monde for beignets and café au lait. Yes, it’s the most touristy breakfast in the city. Do it anyway. Go early, before 8am if you can, and you’ll miss most of the line. Wear something dark. The powdered sugar goes everywhere.
Then walk next door to Jackson Square. St. Louis Cathedral sits at the top, artists hang their work on the iron fence, and street musicians play most mornings. Stroll up Royal Street afterward for antique shops and the prettiest balconies in the Quarter.
Saturday afternoon: the streetcar and the Garden District
Catch the St. Charles streetcar on Canal Street. It’s the oldest continuously running streetcar line in the world, it costs $1.25, and the ride under the oaks is half the point. Sit by an open window.
Hop off around Washington Avenue and walk the Garden District. The houses here are enormous, painted in soft colors and wrapped in wrought iron. Magazine Street, a few blocks south, has boutiques and coffee shops when you need a break. Honestly, this is the part of the weekend most couples remember best, and it costs almost nothing.
Saturday night: a proper Creole dinner
This is the night to dress up a little. New Orleans has some of the oldest restaurants in the country, and they still do the whole show: white tablecloths, waiters in jackets and dishes set on fire at the table.
Arnaud’s and Galatoire’s are classic French Quarter picks. For something smaller and quieter, look at the bistros along Magazine Street or in the Marigny. Book ahead, especially on a Saturday. Afterward, have a nightcap at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. The bar slowly rotates, so you’ll go around once while you finish your drink.
Sunday morning: jazz brunch
Jazz brunch is a New Orleans tradition, and it’s made for couples. A trio wanders from table to table while you eat eggs and drink a milk punch or a Bloody Mary.
Commander’s Palace, the big turquoise building in the Garden District, is the famous one, and it has a dress code. The Court of Two Sisters in the Quarter has a lovely courtyard under a canopy of vines. Either way, reserve a table a week or two ahead.
Sunday afternoon: City Park
City Park is bigger than Central Park, and it’s full of ancient live oaks covered in Spanish moss. Walk through the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, which is free, then rent a pedal boat or just sit on a bench by the lagoon.
It’s calmer than the Quarter and very green. If you’d rather stay central, take a slow walk along the riverfront in Woldenberg Park instead.
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Sunday evening: a cruise on the Mississippi
End the weekend on the water. The Steamboat Natchez is a real paddlewheeler that leaves from the foot of Toulouse Street, and its evening dinner cruise comes with a live jazz band and the city skyline turning gold at sunset.
It’s a little cheesy. It’s also genuinely lovely, and the steam calliope (a whistle organ) on the top deck is a sound you won’t hear anywhere else.
Where to stay
For a first romantic trip, stay in the French Quarter or right on its edge. You’ll walk everywhere, and coming back late from Frenchmen Street is easy. Look for a small boutique hotel with a courtyard and a pool. Many old Quarter buildings have one hidden behind the street door.
If you want quieter nights, the Garden District and the Marigny have beautiful guesthouses in historic homes. You’ll trade some convenience for the calm.
When to go
The sweet spot is October through April. The air is mild, the evenings are comfortable and you can sit outside. Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest are fun, but they’re crowded and expensive, so avoid them if a quiet weekend is the goal. Summer is very hot and humid.
A few couple-friendly extras
If you have time, catch a set at Preservation Hall. It’s a small, plain room with no bar and a 45-minute show, and it’s one of the best music experiences in America. Buy tickets ahead.
A carriage ride through the Quarter is touristy but sweet in the evening. And a cocktail tour will teach you the story of the Sazerac, which was invented here.
Common questions
Is New Orleans good for a romantic getaway?
Yes. The music, food and architecture make it one of the most romantic cities in the US.
Is two days enough in New Orleans?
Two full days covers the highlights. Three lets you slow down.
Where should couples stay in New Orleans?
The French Quarter for convenience, or the Garden District for a quieter stay.
Do you need a car in New Orleans?
No. Walk the Quarter and use the streetcar and rideshares for the rest.
What’s the most romantic thing to do in New Orleans?
A sunset jazz cruise on the Mississippi, followed by live music on Frenchmen Street.
