3-Day New Orleans Itinerary: A Day-by-Day Template
New Orleans runs on music, roux, and hospitality. Three days gets you the Quarter, the Garden District, and enough live sets to reset your standards.
New Orleans · 3 days United States
Best time: October to early December, or spring festival season (Jazz Fest, late April).
French QuarterDay 1
📍8:30 AM
Cafe du Monde beignets
Powdered sugar everywhere is the correct outcome; go early.
🚶 ~2 min · 🚗 ~1 min · 448 ft
⛪10:00 AM
Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral
Tarot readers, brass bands, and the Cabildo museum.
🚶 ~15 min · 🚗 ~2 min · 0.5 mi
🌆7:00 PM
Frenchmen Street sets
The Spotted Cat and d.b.a. back to back; tip the band.
Garden DistrictDay 2
🌆9:30 AM
St. Charles streetcar ride
Rumble past oak canopies and mansions to Washington Avenue.
🚶 ~4 min · 🚗 ~1 min · 0.2 mi
🌳10:30 AM
Garden District mansions walk
The Anne Rice houses and oak-shaded blocks; Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is closed for restoration, so admire the above-ground tombs through the gates.
🚶 ~14 min · 🚗 ~2 min · 0.5 mi
🌆1:00 PM
Magazine Street po’boys
Shrimp, dressed. Six miles of shops if the afternoon disappears.
Bayou and museumsDay 3
🖼️9:00 AM
National WWII Museum
Routinely rated the country’s best museum; give it three hours.
🚗 ~11 min · 3.3 mi
🌳1:30 PM
City Park and Cafe du Monde annex
Sculpture garden under centuries-old oaks, beignet round two.
🚶 Walkable hops
🍽️6:00 PM
Gumbo and jazz dinner
A table at a music hall so the last night ends on horns.
✈ Live flight status🚶 Travel time between stops🌤 Weather each day📎 Passes & receipts🔗 Share with your group
This is how Petrel lays out a trip. Upload your own confirmations and it builds this for your dates: flights and hotels included, with live flight status and the travel time between stops.
The route, mapped
Every stop below, numbered in the order you would do them.
Make this New Orleans plan yours
Forward your real booking confirmations to Petrel and it builds this exact day-by-day view for you: flights, hotels, reservations, live flight status, and the travel time between stops. Under a minute.
The same day-by-day plan as text. Times are starting points, not homework.
Day 1: French Quarter
8:30 AM
Cafe du Monde beignets
Powdered sugar everywhere is the correct outcome; go early.
10:00 AM
Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral
Tarot readers, brass bands, and the Cabildo museum.
7:00 PM
Frenchmen Street sets
The Spotted Cat and d.b.a. back to back; tip the band.
Day 2: Garden District
9:30 AM
St. Charles streetcar ride
Rumble past oak canopies and mansions to Washington Avenue.
10:30 AM
Garden District mansions walk
The Anne Rice houses and oak-shaded blocks; Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is closed for restoration, so admire the above-ground tombs through the gates.
1:00 PM
Magazine Street po’boys
Shrimp, dressed. Six miles of shops if the afternoon disappears.
Day 3: Bayou and museums
9:00 AM
National WWII Museum
Routinely rated the country’s best museum; give it three hours.
1:30 PM
City Park and Cafe du Monde annex
Sculpture garden under centuries-old oaks, beignet round two.
6:00 PM
Gumbo and jazz dinner
A table at a music hall so the last night ends on horns.
Make this New Orleans plan yours
Forward your real booking confirmations to Petrel and it builds this exact day-by-day view for you: flights, hotels, reservations, live flight status, and the travel time between stops. Under a minute.
