Visiting New Orleans With Kids

 Thank you to Oak Alley Plantation, the Presbytère and the New Orleans Botanical Gardens for hosting our visits and to the Cajun Pride Swamp Tours for providing our family a discounted rate. 

My husband and I have enjoyed several trips to New Orleans without our kids – both for Jazz Fest and for a weekend getaway several years ago.  When we decided to attempt flying for the first time since the pandemic and take a domestic family trip this summer, Mark immediately suggested New Orleans.  His parents had never been to New Orleans and decided to join us to celebrate their recent milestone anniversary, and his sister came too.  It was a great opportunity for us to play tour guide in a familiar city, return to our favorite restaurants, galleries and landmarks and also explore new sites – with both our kids and extended family.

As the birthplace of jazz and known for Mardi Gras celebrations and Bourbon Street revelry, New Orleans may not seem like an ideal family destination.  But, the city offers a number of exciting opportunities for young ones.  Even though Bourbon Street can get rowdy, and guests under 21 are not welcome at most live jazz venues and a number of bars and restaurants, New Orleans has much more to offer for visitors of all ages.  We found many great activities for families visiting New Orleans with kids.  Here are our favorites:

French Quarter With Kids

Visiting Jackson Square With Kids

Jackson Square

Jackson Square is a historic park in the French Quarter.  St. Louis Cathedral, one of the most recognizable landmarks in New Orleans, towers over the north side of Jackson Square and is the country’s oldest active cathedral.   Construction of the Cathedral began after the previous cathedral was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788.  We attend Sunday Mass here every time we visit.

A statue of Andrew Jackson riding a horse stands in the center of Jackson Square.  Before he became the country’s seventh President, Jackson was the U.S. commander in the Battle of New Orleans that ended the War of 1812.

St. Louis Cathedral

Jackson Square is a great family destination because it is a lively area in the city where the excitement does not involve either jazz or drinking.  Especially on weekends, local artists line the sidewalk outside the park’s fence selling their works while creating new ones.  We spoke with an artist painting St. Louis Cathedral who explained to us that she painted a man sitting at a nearby table even though she believed he specifically turned away from her so she would not capture his face.

Especially on a hot summer day, we really appreciated the ice cream vendor parked right in front Saint Louis Cathedral.  Fortunately, the Cathedral is also air conditioned and offered a much needed reprieve from the heat.

• Jackson Square Address:  701 Decatur St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
• Jackson Square Hours:  Daily – 8 am to 6 pm

Presbytère

The Presbytère is part of the Louisiana State Museum and is housed in a building adjacent to St. Louis Cathedral that was completed in 1813 to serve as the monastery.  There are two permanent exhibits focusing on hurricanes and Mardi Gras.  Both multimedia exhibits are informative and enjoyable for the whole family.

We started with Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond.  I remember watching and reading news coverage of the disastrous hurricane in August 2005, just two years after my first visit to the city.  By the time of my next visit in April 2007, it was hard to imagine that so much of the city was under water less than two years before.  The interactive exhibit detailed the days leading up to Katrina, the evacuations, the flooding and immediate aftermath and the conditions within the Superdome for evacuees.  My 12 year old son recently competed in the Meteorology event at Science Olympiad and was particularly interested in the portions of the exhibit related to the formation of hurricanes.  The exhibit reminded me of the 911 Museum, which also documented a recent historic tragedy and made me wonder what COVID-19 pandemic exhibits may look like in future museums.

Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond Exhibit

Of course, Mardi Gras is synonymous with New Orleans, and while we were visiting months after all the parades had ended, Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time was a perfect glimpse into annual celebrations throughout the years.  The crown jewels and virtual float exhibit were my daughter’s favorite parts, and she was fascinated by the intricate costumes.

Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time Exhibit

• Presbytère Address:  751 Chartres St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
• Presbytère Hours:  Tuesday through Sunday – 9:00 am through 4:00 pm
• Presbytère Admission:  Adults – $7, students, senior citizens and active military – $6, children 6 and under – free

Art and Antiques

There are innumerable galleries in New Orleans selling pieces that soar into the five, six and even seven digits in spaces that can become more crowded than your typical art museum.  When we visited in July with our three kids, we were often the only visitors in each gallery, and we were all excited to learn about each artist.  The galleries all have video camera surveillance, but our children are all familiar with art gallery behavior and were welcome in each gallery.

My husband’s favorite is Michalopoulos Gallery.  James Michalopoulos captures New Orleans architecture in his expressive paintings that evoke Van Gogh’s style and has also branched out to landscapes since he began spending part of each year in France.  We visited the Michalopoulos’ Gallery on Bienville Street twice during this trip.  My oldest thought his paintings were a nice mix of realism and abstract art, and my youngest was enamored with how the colors popped.

Michalopoulos Gallery

• Michalopoulos Gallery Address:  617 Bienville St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
• Michalopoulos Gallery Hours:  Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday 11 am to 6 pm

My favorite was Delancey Art Gallery.  Danny Delancey used to paint his surrealist works behind St. Louis Cathedral until he opened a gallery on Royal Street in 2020.  Delancey’s motto is, “As you stroll through life, be positive, have a sense of humor, and hold on to what’s dear to you.”  He was painting as we walked in and was happy to chat with us and tell us about his thoughts about all of his available paintings and works in progress.  Even though surrealism isn’t one of my favorite genres, it’s so unique to have seen such a talented artist painting on several occasions.  I hear his voice narrating the story of his paintings and love how they ooze positivism.

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A post shared by Danny DeLancey (@delanceyart)

• Delancey Art Gallery Address:  829 Royal St, New Orleans, Louisana 70116
• Delancey Art Gallery Hours:  Tuesday through Thursday  and Sunday to Monday – 10 am to 9 pm; Friday and Saturday – 10 am to 10 pm

We discovered M.S. Rau during this visit.  M.S. Rau is a 40,000 square foot fine art and antique dealer.   Our kids were fascinated by the reverspective painting by Patrick Hughes in the window, and we initially went in to get a closer look at The Scottish Museum of Modern Art.  We found dozens of museum-quality paintings, including those painted by Monet, Renoir and Pisarro to view and compare prices.  The prices on every painting added a new element to our art appreciation as we could compare paintings not only by style and preference but also cost.  One of the most impressive was Monet’s Nympheas, which was available for $5.5 million.  That is certainly substantially above our budget, but we now know how much it costs to display Monet in our own home.

Monet’s Nympheas

Patrick Hughes’ reverspectives are part painting and part sculpture, and the 3D construction creates the illusion of movement.  These unique pieces attracted interest and intrigue from all members of our group.  Acqua Alta Again took us right back to Venice’s Grand Canal and is available for a mere $139,500.

Patrick Hughes’ Acqua Alta Again

• M.S. Rau Address: 622 Royal St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
• M.S. Rau Hours:  Monday through Saturday:  9 am to 5:15 pm

Modernist Cuisine Gallery is a gallery that focuses on Nathan Myrhrvold’s photography.  We spent a long time examining his works and learning about Myrhrvold’s techniques from the gallerist.

There are galleries outside of the French Quarter as well.  We have visited Frenchy Gallery in Uptown.  Frenchy is known for his live paintings at music concerts.  A few years ago, we met Frenchy when stopping into his gallery before drinks at Maple Leaf Bar and dinner at Jacques’Imos.

• Modernist Cuisine Address:  305 Royal St New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
• Modernist Cuisine Hours:  Sunday through Wednesday – 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday through Saturday – 10 am to 8 pm

Eat Beignets at Cafe Du Monde With Kids    

Cafe Du Monde is a famous open-air coffee shop that is located on Decatur Street across from Jackson Square.  It is known for beignets – square French-style doughnuts liberally covered with powdered sugar and cafe au laits.  The limited menu is printed on the napkin holders.  The delicious beignets are the only food offering, but you can also order an assortment of beverages, including coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, milk, soft drinks, spring water, iced coffee and frozen cafe au lait.  I’ve never seen so much powdered sugar.

Beignets and coffee

Especially on weekends, there is often a line outside of people waiting to be seated, but tables turn over frequently in this large cafe, and the line moves quickly.  Before the pandemic, it was open 24/7 except for Christmas and the “occasional hurricane”, but its hours are now limited.   Make sure to bring cash because credit cards are not accepted.

• Cafe Du Monde Address: 848 Decatur St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
• Cafe Du Monde Hours: Daily – 7:30 am to 11:00 pm

Other New Orleans Activities for Families

Ride the Streetcar With Kids

Streetcar on Canal Street

The Streetcar is a fun way to travel in New Orleans.  The classic trolley is a hit with kids, especially those familiar with Mr. Rogers or Daniel Tiger.  We’ve taken the St. Charles Line through the Garden District to Audubon Park, Magazine Street and also the landmark diner, Camellia Grill.   We learned that it is the oldest continuously operated street railway line in the world.

The cost to ride the New Orleans streetcar just $1.25 each ride for one trip or an unlimited one-day “jazzy pass” costs $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for children and $.80 for seniors.  You need exact change if buying onboard and can also purchase in advance online.

New Orleans Botanical Garden

New Orleans Botanical Garden is located within the City Park and features more than 2,000 plants.  The gardens opened in 1936 but were devastated during Hurricane Katrina when they were submerged for several weeks, and staff could not water indoor container plants due to the power outages.  Nonetheless, the Botanical Garden re-opened in March 2006.

We visited on a Wednesday when admission is free for Louisiana residents, but it wasn’t too crowded.  The gardens in the botanical gardens are lush and colorful and had all of Mark’s favorite plants, including orchids and ferns.

Storyland was definitely my seven-year old daughter’s favorite.  She is old enough to know all the stories and young enough to find the life-sized sculptures exhilarating.  She ran from display to display and wanted to come back after we explored the gardens.

Storyland

• New Orleans Botanical Garden Address:  5 Victory Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70119
• New Orleans Botanical Garden Hours:  Wednesday through Sunday – 10 am through 4:30 pm
• New Orleans Botanical Garden Admission:  Adults – $10, children 3-12: $5 and children under 3:  free

Spend an Afternoon in Audubon Park With Kids

Audubon Park is a city park located in the Uptown neighborhood that borders the Mississippi River.  We were amazed by the Tree of Life.  This knobby oak tree is believed to be about 275 years old, and some of its long branches actually reach the ground.  It was so serene to stand in its vast shade.

Tree of Life

Audubon Park features many other giant oak trees and several playgrounds.  The largest play structure is near St. Charles Avenue, across from Loyola University.  Due to the excessive heat on the day we visited, we didn’t venture further into the Park, but the kids enjoyed the updated playground and the ice cream available nearby.

Audubon Par Playground

Day Trips from New Orleans With Kids

We had never traveled out of New Orleans on our previous trips.  On this trip, we definitely wanted to explore the region.  We rented a large SUV for our entire group so that we could finally visit an area plantation and take a swamp boat tour.

Oak Alley Plantation With Kids

The Oak Alley Plantation offered the opportunity to step back in time to the mid-nineteenth century.   Oak Alley is named for the 28 oak trees that span from the front façade of the manor to the road.  The trees may have been planted as full-grown trees in the early 1800s, and the original trees all remain.  Their branches stretch out to the ground and create a beautiful web and perfectly frame the estate, which features Greek Revival architecture and has 28 columns lining the outdoor porch that correspond to the oak trees.  I have seen some magnificent trees, including the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, which is estimated to be over 1,000 years old, but this canopied path is unparalleled.

Oak Alley

We came to Oak Alley after spending the morning on the Cajun Swamp Boat Tour and collected our tickets and the enjoyed lunch at the Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant before our tour.  During our tour of the manor, we learned that the home was built by Jacques and Celina Roman.  Jacques Roman’s brother, Andre served as the Louisiana Governor from 1831 to 1835, and the Roman’s bought the sugar plantation in 1836 and began constructing their home, which was constructed with 16 inch clay bricks and is surrounded by an outdoor balcony that wraps around the second floor.  While this home was considered a mansion at its time, it is not massive by current standards.  Due to its thick walls and balcony, the rooms themselves are not large, and the family likely used hallways as living space.

Jacques Roman died in 1848 after contracting tuberculosis.  His wife, Celina, was not adept at management, and the plantation was near bankruptcy when her son, Henri took over management in 1859 and eventually sold the plantation in 1866.  Several owners struggled to afford the maintenance costs of the property until Andrew Stewart bought Oak Alley in 1925 and began extensive renovations.  Josephine Stewart donated the house and grounds to the Oak Alley Foundation upon her death in 1972.

Oak Alley Manor

Of course, plantation life was so much more than beautiful oak trees and the nineteenth century Greek Revival architecture.  Behind the “Big House” was a second set of oak trees leading to the slave quarters.  The Slavery at Oak Alley exhibit focused on the 220 men, women and children who were enslaved at Oak Alley between 1836 and Emancipation.  These individuals included field slaves who lived on the plantation at the time that the Roman family acquired the property, the slaves who were subsequently purchased by the Roman family and the children of those slaves.

Replica Slave Cabin

In addition to the harsh living conditions, enslaved children could be separated from their parents at the age of 10.  The names of all of the men and women enslaved at Oak Alley are engraved in the wall of one of the replica cabins, which each typically housed two families.

Names of all people enslaved at Oak Alley

We appreciated that Oak Alley did not gloss over the true history of the plantation.  While little is known about many of the people who built and sustained Oak Alley for the several decades, we learned about their challenging lives of the field slaves, the house slaves, the cooks and the gardeners.  Slaves tended their own crops after working long days on the plantation so that they could supplement their meager rations.  Antoine, the Roman’s gardener, was the first person to graft a pecan tree and was able to produce premium nuts as a result.   His methods were widely copied, and Antoine’s last name is not even known.

• Oak Alley Address:  3645 LA-18, Vacherie, Louisiana 70090
• Oak Alley Hours:  8:30 am to 5:00 p.m. daily except New Year’s, Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Oak Alley Site and Big House Admission:  Adults – $30, children 6-12: $10, and children under 6:  free
• Oak Alley Site Admission:  Adults – $27, children 6-17: $8 and children under 6:  free
• Oak Alley Tips:  Purchase tickets in advance on the website for discounted rates

Cajun Pride Swamp Tour With Kids

Our entire group thoroughly enjoyed the Cajun Pride Swamp Tour.   We saw dozens of alligators and learned all about the history of the area through Captain Danny’s constant and fascinating narration.  We had the chance to see Honey Bun, the 500 pound alligator up close and also had a show and tell time where we saw a baby turtle named Stinky, crawfish named Bonny and Clyde and a grasshopper named Hopper.  We also each had the chance to hold a baby alligator named Bruce.

Honey Bun

We learned that National Geographic named the area is one of the most haunted, creepiest places in America.  I particularly enjoyed Captain Danny’s ghost story about Julia Brown, a voodoo queen who died in 1915.  A category 4 hurricane hit during her funeral and killed most of the residents.  We also learned that much of the area had been destroyed by Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in August 2021, exactly 15 years after Hurricane Katrina.  The boats survived, but the rest of the structures on the wildlife refuge were destroyed.

The whole family enjoyed the swamp tour, and I felt like I had jumped into Where the Crawdads Sing.  After some research, I discovered that while the book is actually set in North Carolina, the movie was filmed outside of New Orleans.

View of the Swamp

• Cajun Pride Swamp Tour Address:  110 Frenier Rd, Laplace, Louisiana 70068
• Cajun Pride Swamp Tour Hours:  Tours run daily
• Cajun Pride Swamp Tour Admission:  Adults (13+) – $27; children (4-12) – $16

Eat Out in New Orleans With Kids

New Orleans is known for amazing Cajun and Creole food.  The main difference between the two is that Creole food uses tomato.  Even though kids limited our restaurant choices as many options prohibit any diner under 21 (including Coop’s Place, which my husband and I have enjoyed a few times), there are still a number of amazing restaurants for families.  Our group was happy to eat traditional New Orleans cuisine for the majority of our meals and definitely found some great gems.

Our first recommendation for family-friendly dining is Gumbo Shop.   Gumbo Shop is known for its award-winning gumbo and has won Best Gumbo of New Orleans every year since 1999.  However, the crawfish etouffe and the crawfish and pasta in tasso cream were also our family’s favorites.  We had our first lunch of the trip at Gumbo Shop and ended up returning for a lunch a few days later and also our final dinner.

Superior Grill is located on the St. Charles streetcar line and was an easy stop on the way back to the French Quarter from Audubon Park.  We all love Mexican cuisine, and Superior Grill did not disappoint.

Another family-friendly restaurant is Emeril Lagasse’s Meril.  Meril, a contemporary American restaurant, is Emeril’s fourth restaurant in New Orleans that offers amazing small plates that are designed for sharing but also perfect for kids.

Meril

Camellia Grill is a landmark diner right across from the final St. Charles streetcar stop, about 20 minutes from the city center.  There is often a line to get in, and that line continues on benches at the side of the restaurant after you finally make it through the doors.  Guests are served diner favorites such as omelets, cheeseburgers, “freezes” and pecan pie.

We also have enjoyed several fabulous breakfasts at Ruby Slipper Cafe, an award-winner that offers New Orleans flair to the southern breakfast standards and also offers a Kids’ Menu.  The buttermilk biscuits are truly a treat.

Where to Stay in New Orleans With Kids

Location is key when visiting New Orleans.  We always stay in or very near the French Quarter so that most sites and restaurants are easily within walking distance.  For this trip, we absolutely wanted a pool, and my husband booked the Royal Sonesta.  When I realized that we would be staying on Bourbon Street with our kids and extended family, I was more than a little skeptical.  The last time we were on Bourbon Street during Jazz Fest, the only kids we saw were buskers.  We discovered that there were many more families strolling down Bourbon this time, and while there was some rowdiness, walking to and from the hotel was not an issue.

The rooftop pool was definitely appreciated, and the kids visited the pool almost every day we were there.  We typically did some sightseeing in the morning and then headed to the pool after lunch.  The summer heat could be sweltering, and the pool was the perfect reprieve.  The Royal Sonesta hosts a pool party every Sunday afternoon for its guests with a DJ and outdoor barbecue in addition to the daily bar service.  The pool was absolutely packed during the party, but our kids were still welcome.  Most of the adults were drinking, but the vibe was laid back and relaxed.

Royal Sonesta rooftop pool

The property was recently renovated, and we loved the art deco vibe in the lobby and the enormous bouquet of roses.

Royal Sonesta lobby

We were assigned a room that overlooked an interior courtyard, so we were completely shielded from the noise on Bourbon Street.  Our room was very functional and had plenty of storage and a refrigerator, which was perfect for left overs.

Royal Sonesta guest room

Visiting New Orleans With Kids

If you are willing to forego an evening listening to live jazz or the excitement of Bourbon Street, New Orleans can be a great family destination.  But, there is still so much to do in this amazing city filled with French and Spanish influences, and parents can find quieter places to sip on a a classic hurricane as well.

Originally posted October 17, 2017

Updated September 6, 2022

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