You don’t need to have deep pockets to enjoy the sights, sounds and flavors of Louisiana’s jazz capital of New Orleans. Keep your travels to the Big Easy big on experience but light on the wallet with these five ways to enjoy New Orleans on the cheap.
Free music performances
You won’t have to search very far to hear the jazzy tunes of New Orleans filling the air. Street performers abound in areas like the French Quarter, while Lafayette Square hosts free concerts in the spring months. Free music festivals are also held throughout the year, including the French Quarter Festival and the Satchmo Summerfest.
Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
Spend an afternoon wandering through a lush outdoor garden as you pose for pictures with more than 60 pieces of art at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Admission to this tranquil green respite is free.
French Market
Get a taste of the true flavors of New Orleans at the French Market, a public market that embodies the heart of old New Orleans. Stroll through the public – and free – market’s six blocks of aisles and stalls to find a few flea market pickings or sample the best of New Orleans’ authentic Creole flavors. While you’re here, be sure to stop by the famed Cafe du Monde for the quintessential taste of New Orleans: the powdery, flaky goodness of the beignet.
Jackson Square
Appreciate the visual arts for an afternoon at Jackson Square, an open plaza that often hosts the wares of some of the city’s top artists. Street performers and food vendors round out the experience, as does the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France, where you can wander the church and attend mass for free.
River rides
Take in the city from a new vantage point with a ferry ride down the Mississippi River. The Canal Street Ferry is a free ride along the curved crescent of the waters, offering sweeping views of New Orleans and her skyline.
(Main image: majcher used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
