Known for its iconic high-end restaurants like Galatoire’s, and swank bars like French 75, the French Quarter is a magnet for high rollers, but you can also drink deep of its delights on a limited budget, like many of the locals do, while enjoying a wealth of free attractions.

Rise and Shine at Cafe du Monde (800 Decatur St.)

If you hit Cafe du Monde in the morning, you’ll probably have to cool your heels in line. But it’s definitely worth the wait for a breakfast treat New Orleanians have been savoring since 1862.  Order a plate of three fresh-from-the-fryer beignets, dusted with powdered sugar, and dip them into a steaming hot cup of cafe au lait. Heaven! Though light as air, beignets are surprisingly filling, and taste even better when you’re listening to live jazz while breezes waft off the nearby Mississippi. Cost: about $6, plus an extra buck or two for a tip.

Walk Along the Mississippi, and Take a Trip on the Algiers Ferry

Strolling the banks of the Mississippi is both delightful and free. And you don’t have to spring for a pricey ticket on a paddlewheel boat to cruise the river. It costs just $2 to board the Algiers ferry to the West Bank, which leaves from the foot of Canal Street, near the Aquarium of the Americas. You’ll enjoy sweeping views of the city’s skyline, and the towering spires of St. Louis Cathedral. Five minutes later, you’ll dock at Algiers Point, a historic neighborhood with expansive views of the Crescent City along the Mississippi River levee. Reboard the ferry for another $2 when you’re ready to leave, and get back off where you started. Cost: $4 round trip.

Grab a Muffaletta at Central Grocery (923 Decatur St.)

Central Grocery invented the muffaletta. It rivals the po-boy as the city’s most iconic sandwich. Layered with sliced Italian deli meats, rich provolone cheese and hot & spicy olive salad, muffalettas are served on locally-baked seeded buns and are big enough to feed two people. Pro tip: Opt for the half-sandwich ($9.50) and bring it to the Moonwalk for a riverside picnic that will more than fill you up for the day. Cost: $9.50.

Window Shop On Royal Street

M.S. Rau Antiques (630 Royal St.) houses a trove of priceless antiques worth a fortune, but it doesn’t cost a dime to drool over exquisite Victorian music boxes, dazzling diamond-encrusted brooches and elaborate player pianos. And Rau is just one of the many shops brimming with oddities and treasures on Royal Street. Cap off an afternoon of aspirational window-shopping by trying on one of the phantasmagorical wigs at Fifi Mahony’s (934 Royal St.) Cost: Free

Eat, Drink and Be Merry at Happy Hour

New Orleans is a drinking town, and boasts some of the best happy hours in the country. Lagniappe: many offer budget-priced small bites that can easily serve as an early dinner.

The Bombay Club (830 Conti St.)

If you’re staying at the Prince Conti, one of the best and most leisurely happy hours in the Quarter is right downstairs at the Bombay Club, where it runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and from 1 to 7 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday. Wash down $5 small bites like Pork Belly Tacos and Boudin Croquettes with a couple beers ($4), glasses of wine ($5) or specialty cocktails ($6). Cost: Depends on how heartily you imbibe, but about $20 + tip for two drinks and two tapas buys a nice buzz and something in your belly to offset it.

Kingfish (337 Chartres St.)

Live like a King on a budget every day from 2 to 7 p.m., when you can drink half-price beers and wines and $6 specialty cocktails while noshing on $5 bar bites like Chicken and Andouille Gumbo and Pulled Pork Tacos. Cost: Like the Bombay Club, depends on what you eat and drink.

The Prince Conti is ideally located for you to embark on a perfect French Quarter day.

Have Breakfast at Cafe Conti

When you’re ready to rise and shine, pop downstairs to Cafe Conti for delightful sweet and savory crepes, and a range of breakfast specialties from light (house-made Muesli) to hearty (shrimp & grits in a sherry reduction).

Catch the Passing Parade at Jackson Square

Jackson Square is the bustling epicenter of the Quarter. Local artists and colorfully-clad fortune-tellers ply their trades in front of St. Louis Cathedral, while street entertainers perform all manner of amazing feats on the steps leading up to the banks of the Mississippi River

Walk Along the Mississippi River

Catch a cool breeze walking along the Mississippi, where vessels from around the globe cruise the waters of one of the world’s busiest ports and calliopes on local paddlewheelers provide a colorful soundtrack.

Grab a Muffuletta for Lunch at Central Grocery

Founded in 1906 by Silician immigrant Salvatore Lupo, Central Grocery originated the world-famous muffuletta. Made with homemade bread layered with Italian meats and cheeses topped with the store’s famous olive salad, it rivals po-boys as the city’s most iconic sandwich.

Take a Stroll Down Royal St.

Lined with art galleries, charming gift shops and antique stores filled with treasures like 19th century absinthe glasses, there’s plenty to elicit oohs and aahs on Royal St., where you’ll also catch street musicians and pass some splendid private homes.

Bar-Hop During Happy Hour

Enjoy grande-dame ambience while sipping $4 house cocktails and wine at Hermes Bar at Antoine’s (713 St. Louis St., 4-7 p.m. weekdays), then hop over to Kingfish (337 Chartres St., 2-7 p.m. daily) for more great half-price deals. Top that off with $5 specialty cocktails at The Bombay Club (4-7 p.m. weekdays; 3-7 p.m. weekends).

Treat Yourself to a Gourmet Dinner

There’s no shortage of top-tier dinner spots in the Quarter. Some of our favorites include Bayona (430 Bienville St.), known for its creative spin on Creole and Cajun classics; and Irene’s (529 Bienville St.), which turns traditional Sicilian dishes into haute cuisine.

Sit Back and Enjoy Live Jazz

Head back to The Bombay Club for jazz by New Orleans artists that goes down as smoothly as the house martinis.

From major music and culture events to the festivals that honor just about every local food there is, New Orleans celebrates life like no other city. From the fabulously unique traditions like Reveillon and Super Sunday to the Saints football season, the city doesn’t stop eating, drinking, and celebrating. To give you a glimpse of just how much is going on in New Orleans all year round, here’s a quick look at the annual highlights grouped by the season.

Fall (September 1 – November 30)

Cooler temps and the seemingly endless slew of food, drink, and music festivals are on tap in the fall in New Orleans, starting over the Labor Day weekend with the massive and fabulous Southern Decadence, a popular festival that celebrates LGBTQA with block parties, shows, and a parade. The fun continues with Who Dat Rally & Music Festival, to get New Orleans’ game-face ready for the upcoming NFL season and to celebrate our beloved Saints ahead of the season opener game.

Want to cross an iconic New Orleans restaurant off your bucket list? There’s no time like the Restaurant Week New Orleans, during which dozens of participating restaurants, from the James Beard luminaries to the new hotspots to the Creole grand dames offer set course menus at a deep discount. September fun continues with the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, with performers from all over the world competing for the title of “Queen of Burlesque.”

Closing the month of September are the ever-expanding National Fried Chicken Festival at the Woldenberg Riverfront Park; and NOLA on Tap Beer Fest at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds, the largest fundraiser for the Louisiana SPCA and the largest beer fest in the area, with more than 400 beer offerings from the local and national breweries and homebrewers.

In October, New Orleans throws its version of Oktoberfest over the three weekends at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City, to celebrate the city’s rich German history, followed by one of the best attended art events in the city, Art for Art’s Sake. Carnaval Latino closes the vibrant annual celebration of the National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) with the annual free festival that includes a parade that starts in the Marigny and weaves its way through the French Quarter to the Warehouse District.

October is pretty heavy on food festivals as well: The Beignet Festival, Mac n’ Cheese Fest, and Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival all happen then (sometimes on the same day), plus the Tremé Fall Festival and the New Orleans Film Festival, which is one of the largest film festivals in the South and is the longest-running one festival of its kind in the state.

New Orleans does Halloween like no other city, so if you’re lucky to be visiting around that time, consider any of the balls, costume parties, a parade, haunted tours, and a huge block party on Frenchmen Street! The kid-friendly parade called Krewe of Boo rolls through the French Quarter, courtesy of Kern Studios, and there are many more Halloween activities around the city happening in the couple weeks leading up to Halloween that your children will love. Then, of course, there’s Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, a mammoth outdoor music festival that takes over City Park with the national headliners, art installations, and throngs of partiers in their Halloween finery.

November brings more food festivals — the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, Fête des Fromages, Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival (in conjunction with the Congo Square Rhythms Festival), and the celebrity-chef studded annual fundraiser by Emeril Lagasse, Boudin, Bourbon & Beer.

Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds Race Course is a long-standing New Orleans tradition of turning out at the track on Thanksgiving Day to watch the opening-day races while sporting cocktails and some seriously fabulous hats. Next there’s Bayou Classic, a fan fest, a parade, battle of the bands, and, of course, the big game at the Superdome between Southern University and Grambling State University. The beloved Celebration in the Oaks kicks off the holiday season with a dazzling holiday lights festival scattered throughout the 25 acres of the City Park, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.

Winter (December 1 – February 28)

There’s a whole slew of events that accompany Christmastime in the Crescent City, from bonfires on the Algiers levies to concerts at St. Louis Cathedral to the family-friendly NOLA Christmasfest to Reveillon menus at some of the city’s classic Creole restaurants. But surely one of the most pleasurable things you can do during the winter holidays in New Orleans is simply stroll through the French Quarter, marveling at the light displays that are hung from wrought iron fences and elegant European-style balconies. The streetcars are decked with wreaths, and the city is alight with the holiday sparkle, including at the annual LUNA Fête that brings large-scale light and sound installations to the Lafayette Square in the CBD.

The New Year’s Eve celebrations in New Orleans include the Dick Clark Rockin’ New Year’s Eve at the historic Jax Brewery in the French Quarter, with a fleur-de-lis drop at midnight to the countdown on Jackson Square, quite a few balcony parties on and around Bourbon Street, and the fireworks over the Mississippi River.

The first day of the carnival season, known as Twelfth Night, or the Epiphany, kicks off every year with three parades — Phunny Phorty Phellows ride the streetcar from Uptown to Canal Street and back, plus the walking Krewe of Joan of Arc in the French Quarter, and the Société Des Champs Elysée that follows the N. Rampart/St. Claude streetcar route. The King Cake Festival also marks the beginning of the Mardi Gras season, which culminates every year on Fat Tuesday anytime between February 3 and March 9 (look up the upcoming dates here). There’s not enough room to describe one of the great spectacles in the world, but check here and here to at least get started on how to do Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

February closes with an enormous public Tet celebration in New Orleans East to celebrate the Lunar New Year (did you know that New Orleans is home to one of the largest Vietnamese diaspora communities in the country?), and the Valentine’s Day – which isn’t unique to New Orleans but is nevertheless good to celebrate in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Spring (March 1 – May 31)

The lovely weather and the endless festivals continue this time of year with BUKU Music + Art Project; Wednesday at the Square; the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival (don’t miss the “Stella!” shouting contest); the Mid-City’s own Bayou Boogaloo, held on the picturesque banks of Bayou St. John; the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience; the Freret Street Festival that’s getting bigger every year; and, of course, the two heavy hitters and the reason so many visitors come to New Orleans in the spring – the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest.

St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are subject to more celebration, with multiple parades and parties. Finally, the Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday is a treasured tradition dating back to the 19th century and held on the Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day, which gets its own unique celebration across the Catholic churches and even private homes in the city with the beautifully appointed altars (the Italian-Sicilian contribution to New Orleans’ rich cultural tapestry).

Summer (June 1 – August 31)

The best restaurants and bars in town celebrate Tales of the Cocktail in July, and COOLinary New Orleans with prix fixe menus in August. You can also browse the galleries on the White Linen Night (or its cheeky cousin, the Dirty Linen Night).

The city comes to life for the Satchmo SummerFest and a slew of events over the Fourth of July and the Labor Day weekends, like Go 4th on the River, and the Essence Festival at the Superdome. The French Market Creole Tomato Festival and Bastille Day Fête are two of the smaller fests to enjoy, and Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans, except the bulls are the Big Easy Rollergirls.

The Red Dress Run (who doesn’t want to run a madcap two-mile course through the city in August while wearing a red dress?) and the Louisiana Cajun Zydeco Festival will at least keep your mind off the heat.

Phew, these are just some of the annual highlights. Happy exploring, in any season!

Fall in New Orleans means the end of heat-induced hibernation and switching gears to enjoy the upcoming months of moderate weather, a calendar full of foodie-haven and music festivals, a unique take on Halloween, plus several parades and many other fun activities. With the summer lull over, this is a great time to visit the Crescent City. Here are a few highlights, to give you an idea just how much is going on in New Orleans in the fall.

SEPTEMBER

Southern Decadence
August 29 – September 2
Held over the Labor Day weekend, this popular festival celebrates LGBTQA culture and attracts participants from all over the world. The festival’s annual hub, Bourbon Pub/Parade, will be open 24/7. Just like in the previous years, it will serve as an epicenter of the Bourbon Street Extravaganza, a free show/block party happening on Saturday, and the annual Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Parade on Sunday.

Restaurant Week New Orleans
September 10-16  
This is your chance to enjoy a popular gastronomic extravaganza at a more economic price point. Participating restaurants — which include James Beard luminaries, new hotspots, iconic grand dames, and everything in between — offer set course menus at a discount.

New Orleans Burlesque Festival
September 13-14  
This annual international event brings together the best of local talent and some big international names. Dancers, emcees, comics, singers, and variety-act performers will be doing nightly shows at the Civic Theatre and House of Blues. The main event, held on Saturday at the Civic Theatre, will have performers from all over the world competing for the title of “Queen of Burlesque.”

National Fried Chicken Festival
September 20-22  
Now expanded to three days, this relative newcomer on the foodie-fest scene promises to be one of the highlights of September. The free fest will have three outdoor stages, two for music and one for the cooking demos, at the Woldenberg Riverfront Park. The stellar food lineup includes over 30 well-known fried chicken vendors coming from all over the region to represent different cooking styles of this classic Southern dish.

NOLA on Tap Beer Fest
September 21  
Held at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds, this is the largest fundraiser for the Louisiana SPCA and the largest beer fest in the area, with more than 400 beer offerings from the local and national breweries and homebrewers (other beverages will also be available, of course). The festival is kid- and dog-friendly.

OCTOBER

Oktoberfest
October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
New Orleans throws its version of Oktoberfest over the three weekends in October at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City, to celebrate the city’s rich German history with all the usual trappings, including authentic food and live music.

Art for Art’s Sake
October 5
One of the best attended art events in the city, this annual fundraiser is an open house for the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) and an opportunity to browse the shops and galleries in the CBD district and along the commercial stretch of Magazine Street. Expect extended hours, special deals, live music, and beverage sampling.

Beignet Festival
October 5
This annual extravaganza returns for its fourth year. The free, daylong party will give you an opportunity to sample over 30 renditions of the beloved beignet, from traditional sweet treats swimming in powdered sugar to savory options bursting with seafood and cheese. There will be vegan and gluten-free beignets to accommodate every diet, and awards will be given in four “Best of” categories once again. Don’t forget to vote for your pick!

Tremé Fall Festival
October 5
This local fave throws a serious party in the blocks connecting Henriette Delille, Tremé and Gov. Nicholls Streets in one the nation’s first African American neighborhoods during the first weekend of October, just as the weather is getting nice. Most of the action is centered in front of the historic St. Augustine Church on the 1100 block of Henriette Delille Street. Expect entertainment from New Orleans musical royalty and food trucks and vendors from some of New Orleans’ best eateries. The festival is donation-based.

Carnaval Latino
October 12
The vibrant celebration of the National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15) wraps up with the annual free festival organized by the Hispanic American Musicians and Artists Cultural Association, Inc. (HAMACA) and will have Latin music from different parts of the world, food and drink, art, and a parade. Parade of the Americas, or “Desfile De Las Americas,” kicks off at 2 p.m. in the Washington Square Park in the Marigny, weaving its way through the French Quarter to the Warehouse District with about 20 floats. Krewe of Quetzal is accompanied by marching folkloric groups and bands, all featuring costumes that celebrate national roots of various Latin countries.

Mac n’ Cheese Fest
October 12
This free annual fest is held at the Louis Armstrong Park and keeps expanding to accommodate its growing popularity. This year, it will feature a judged competition among the dozens of mac ‘n’ cheese dishes from Louisiana restaurants, pop-ups and food catering businesses, an artist market, and an eating competition.

New Orleans Film Festival
October 16-23
The New Orleans Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in the South and is the longest-running one festival of its kind in the state. The festival has grown to the point of attracting thousands of attendees and industry insiders, plus more than 400 filmmakers and over 200 films annually. It’s one of the few film festivals in the nation that showcases Oscar-qualifying films drawn from all three Academy-accredited categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short. Venues include Broad, Orpheum and Prytania theaters, and the festival’s hub, the Contemporary Arts Center.

Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival
October 18-20
This free fest happens every year in the CBD, in Lafayette Square. Join the fun for two stages of music, a dozen of the best barbecue vendors in the region, and a large art market.

Krewe of Boo
October 19
This lively affair has become the “official Halloween Parade” in New Orleans in 2007, and has been going strong since, only growing in popularity. The parade is brought to you by Kern Studios, so expect the usual 3-D fiberglass and papier-mâché extravaganza, plus all of your favorite spooky characters. All the monsters on the floats are PG-13 and not too scary even for the youngest kids. Parade-goers are encouraged to come in costume. Expect plush toys, candy and unique, eco-conscious throws.

Voodoo Music + Arts Experience
October 25-27
A mammoth outdoor music festival that takes over City Park around every Halloween, Voodoo attracts thousands of costumed revelers without fail with national headliners, art installations, and a weekend of great music among the oaks.

Halloween
Second half of October; October 31
New Orleans puts its own spin on the Halloween fun with a slew of balls, costume parties, a parade, haunted tours, and a huge block party on Frenchmen Street. The city knows how to do Halloween in a family-friendly style too. We are thankful for the variety, and hope you’ll find plenty of entertainment in the couple of weeks leading up to the holiday as well as on the day of Halloween itself.

NOVEMBER
Oak Street Po-Boy Festival
November 3
There’s a po-boy for every budget and palate in New Orleans, and at this festival dedicated to the beloved New Orleans staple you can sample over 50 varieties. Dozens of vendors also compete in several “Best of” categories.

Boudin, Bourbon & Beer
November 8
Every November celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse invites scores of top local and national chefs to join him for his one-night fundraiser to benefit the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, featuring a specially curated, Louisiana-inspired menu, live music and open bar. Over 70 chefs participate at this outdoor festival held at the Champions Square, the plaza located adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Fête des Fromages
November 13-16
Who doesn’t like cheese? This relative newcomer has expanded from a one-day day to the weekend of cheese-eating opportunities at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. There you can taste more than 150 varieties of cheese, meet the cheesemakers from all over the world, and watch the chefs attempt to break down a giant slab of cheese in a cheese-wheel cracking competition. The cheese will come paired with wine, beer and cider, and a few cheese experts and local chefs will be on hand to present on the history of cheese.

Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival
November 16-17
The annual Tremé Creole Gumbo festival serves up the perfect trifecta of gumbo, brass bands and cooler temps, returning to celebrate over a decade of existence at the Louis Armstrong Park. This year, the free fest is joining forces with another popular local event, the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, adding more music, and featuring two art markets and two food courts.

Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds Race Course
November 28
Per a long-standing New Orleans tradition, it’s customary to turn out at the track on Thanksgiving Day to watch the opening-day races while sporting cocktails and some seriously fabulous hats. The first race starts at 11 a.m., and the racetrack also serves a sumptuous holiday buffet, plus a fancy dinner with all the holiday trimmings at the Clubhouse.

Bayou Classic
November 29-30
Each November the Bayou Classic draws the fans and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University to New Orleans to partake in one of the country’s greatest college sports rivalries. Over the years, this has become much more than a football game, drawing more than 200,000 visitors to New Orleans. The event stretches for two days and includes a fan fest, a parade, battle of the bands, and, of course, the big game at the Superdome.

Celebration in the Oaks
November 29 – January 1
This beloved New Orleans tradition is celebrating over three decades of existence, selling out quickly for the past few years. Celebration in the Oaks is a dazzling holiday lights festival scattered throughout the 25 acres of the City Park, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park. Stroll through the magical grounds swathed in hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights, take a train ride or a holiday picture by the iconic Mr. Bingle, listen to the caroling, do some holiday shopping, or ride the historic carousel.