The 25 Best Cheap or Free Things to Do in New Orleans

Cheap New Orleans Activities

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Cheap New Orleans Activities
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Big Easy, Small Budget

Zesty seafood, live music, and elegant architectural gems converge in New Orleans. The city was battered in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina, but has made a comeback. Tourists are again indulging in a vibrant culinary scene and the legendary annual Mardi Gras celebration, as well as everyday pleasures — especially those who are in town for the Super Bowl. 


Here are Cheapism's top free or cheap things to do in the Big Easy.

Munch on French Beignets
Marie D./Yelp

Munch on French Beignets

Cafe Du Monde's coffee canisters are sold everywhere, but it's not a trip to New Orleans without a cafe au lait ($3.40) and beignets (French fried doughnuts, which sell in packs of three for just over $4.50). Visitors have to hustle to grab a table at this crowded cafe, but waiters and kitchen staff are quick and so is turnover. Get an icy caffeine and sugar boost for less than $10.

Shuck a Dozen Oysters at Happy Hour
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Shuck a Dozen Oysters at Happy Hour

Craving oysters and a well-made drink? Head to Luke, which serves French and German food on mansion-laden St. Charles Avenue, called "The Jewel of America's Grand Avenues" -- but make reservations a few days ahead to take advantage of the happy hour specials. Every day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., oysters are $1.50 cents each and wine and specialty cocktails are half off. More oyster happy hours can be found on Eater.

Celebrate Mardi Gras Yearound at The Presbyère
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Celebrate Mardi Gras Yearound at the Presbyère

For those looking to avoid the crowds and high prices of visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras, you can still learn about the vibrant history about the world-famous celebration at The Presbytère. Built in the late 18th-century on the site of the Capuchin monks' residence, this beautiful historic building is one the nine sites of the Louisiana State Museum. 


Here you'll find a colorful and informative exhibit dedicated to Mardi Gras, complete with parade floats, costumes and music, as well as another exhibit in honor of the losses suffered by Katrina and other hurricanes. Admission is $7 for adults; $6 for seniors, students, and active military; and free for kids under 6.

Hear Live Jazz at Preservation Hall
Pudding Y./Yelp

Hear Live Jazz at Preservation Hall

New Orleans is full of incredible music everywhere you turn, but Preservation Hall on St. Peter's St. in the French Quarter is the cornerstone of New Orleans jazz and a must-visit for everyone, especially traditional jazz lovers. Since 1961, the intimate venue has hosted acoustic performances from local legends and visiting greats nearly every night of the year. 


Multiple nightly shows take place beginning at 5 p.m. Mondays through Friday, and often earlier on the weekend. General admission for standing is $25, $40 for seating, and $50 for the front row. All reservations must be made online in advance.

Listen to More Music on Frenchman Street
Ilya T./Yelp

Listen to More Music on Frenchman Street

Escape the crowds and neon of Bourbon Street and head over to Frenchman Street, just outside the French Quarter, where locals and visitors-in-the-know go for live music and art. Along a three-block stretch you'll find legendary venues like The Blue Nile, The Spotted Cat, and The Apple Barrel Bar with exceptional musicians playing everything from jazz and blues to funk, rock and more. Admission to most places is typically cheaper than more touristy spots and you'll usually find plenty of free performances in the streets. Grab cheap, late-night bites at places like Dat Dog or 13 on Frenchman.

Devour a Muffuletta at Central Grocery & Deli
Deanna W. / Yelp

Devour a Muffuletta at Central Grocery & Deli

A New Orleans staple, the muffuletta is a sandwich you definitely have to try when you're in the Big Easy. The hearty sandwich is layered with mortadella, ham, salami, provolone, mozzarella, and an olive spread made with green and kalamata olives, garlic, capers, onions, red wine vinegar and spices. You'll find the best rendition at Central Grocery & Deli, a favorite spot since 1906, which recently reopened.

New Orleans Secrets Tours
©TripAdvisor

Contemplate the Afterlife With New Orleans Secrets Tours

From historic grave sites to Second Line funeral parades, celebrations of the afterlife are a prominent feature of life in New Orleans. Learn about the numerous legends and myths of the city on one of New Orleans Secrets Tours, which offers a range of options including a paranormal experience tour, a mysteries of voodoo tour, and ghosts of the French Quarter tour. 


The company also offers a variety of other tours that aren't spooky, including a French Quarter History tour, a New Orleans Cocktail tour, and a Beyond the French Quarter Tour.

Get a Free Round of Crawfish
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Get a Free Round of Crawfish

Visit New Orleans during crawfish season, December through May, to enjoy crawfish boils -- heaping mounds of juicy, seasoned crawfish and plenty of hands-on nibbling. The Royal Street Inn Bar (also known as R Bar) throws free crawfish boils every Friday while the mudbugs are in season. There's a round of free crawfish at 6 p.m. and another an hour later for bar patrons (don't forget to tip the chef).

Cubs The Poet
Cubs The Poet

Seek Out Custom Poetry from Cubs the Poet

Should you happen to see a bespectacled man pecking at a vintage typewriter with the slogan "Poetry Still Matters" on a sidewalk in the French Quarter, do not hesitate to say hello to Cubs The Poet. Chat him up and he'll even create an impromptu poem about whatever topic your heart desires, standing and delivering the prose with poise.

Carousel Bar, New Orleans
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Take a Spin at the Carousel Bar

The Carousel Bar and Lounge, inside the impressive Hotel Monteleone, is a popular place to stop by for photos. The unique bar sits atop a merry-go-round and slowly revolves around the stationary bartender island. The elegant decor and glimmering bejeweled paintings in the lounge are also worth the visit. Cool down with a draft beer (starting at $10) or a specialty cocktail, like a refreshing Pimm's Cup, for $18.

Self-Guided Tour of the French Quarter
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Take a Self-Guided Tour of the French Quarter

Put on comfortable walking shoes and download a map from the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau for a self-guided tour of the French Quarter, perhaps the most famous neighborhood in New Orleans. There's charming French-style architecture throughout, plenty of window shopping, and fascinating people-watching at the numerous shops, restaurants, and galleries along the way.

Sample a Praline
The Kentuckian ../Yelp

Sample a Praline

Make a sweet tooth happy by popping in to the city's numerous candy shops. Most sell pralines, a popular treat that originated in New Orleans but otherwise has an obscure origin. Pralines are made of nuts, sugar, syrup, and butter, although recipes vary. Try samples of bacon praline brittle at Leah's Pralines and see if the glazed pecans at Southern Candymakers match up.

Wander Around City Park
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Wander Around City Park

Walking around New Orleans (or partying on Bourbon Street) can be exhausting, especially in the heat. Head to City Park to recuperate and explore 1,300 acres of oak trees, lagoons, biking and walking trails, lakes, and green space. The park is open year-round, seven days a week, and admission is free.

NOLA Hurricanes
Ginette P. / Yelp

Enjoy a Famous Hurricane

Gourmets can't visit New Orleans without stopping by Pat O'Brien's for an authentic sweet rum drink. The large souvenir glass for $13.50 is more than enough to split with a buddy. The staff will even pack the glass in a box to take home at the end of the night. Frequent live piano duels entertain patrons.

St. Louis Cathedral
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Marvel at St. Louis Cathedral

St. Louis Cathedral, near the French Market and overseeing Jackson Square, is one of the oldest cathedrals in America still in operation; the site has welcomed worshipers since 1727. Venture inside to marvel at sculptures, painted ceilings, and stained-glass windows. (Be respectful when visiting; Mass starts at 12:05 p.m. daily.)

Try a Po' Boy and Frozen Irish Coffee Brunch
Shruti J./Yelp

Try a Po' Boy and Frozen Irish Coffee Brunch

Instead of choosing between a second cup of joe and an early happy hour, head to Erin Rose, an Irish pub known for frozen Irish coffee with chopped espresso beans sprinkled on top. A small but well-regarded menu of po' boys from Killer PoBoys includes a roasted sweet potato version for $11 and a seared gulf shrimp selection. Daily specials run early from 10am to 2pm, including mimosas and screwdrivers for $3 and those frozen Irish coffees for $4.

Drink With the Locals
O N./Yelp

Drink With the Locals

Bourbon Street can get loud, rowdy, and packed with inebriated tourists who've had one too many hurricanes. For a low-key dive bar, head to Le Bon Temps Roule. Reviews on Yelp call the bar a favorite among locals and highlight the live music in the tiny back room. The free oysters Friday evenings (starting at 7pm., typically gone by 9 p.m.) may be another reason to stop in.

Explore a Voodoo Shop
Stephanie L./Yelp

Explore a Voodoo Shop

The French Quarter is peppered with voodoo shops playing off the the tradition that originated with West African slaves and refugees from the Haitian Revolution. Stop by the small New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum for a quick tour. Enthusiasts can join a name-your-own-price walking tour to explore more voodoo temples and learn more about its history.

Watch a Free Concert at Lafayette Square
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Watch a Free Concert at Lafayette Square

In the spring, catch the free concert series Wednesday at the Square. The Young Leadership Council, a nonprofit civic organization, puts on 12 three-hour concerts from March to June. In addition to hearing local bands playing jazz, rock, funk, swamp pop, and Latin rhythms, visitors can enjoy browsing the works of artists who set up nearby to sell their work.

The French Market, New Orleans
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Shop Cajun-Style at the French Market

It's easy to miss Cajun cooking on the return home, so take a stroll through the popular French Market before leaving the city. Among the snow cones (which locals call "snowballs" or "snoballs"), spiked smoothies, fresh seafood, and souvenir vendors, there are market stands selling shelves of Southern goodness. Bring home unique hot sauce flavors, gumbo mix, shrimp étouffée seasoning, or dirty rice mix.

Hyatt Centric French Quarter New Orleans, The Balcony
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Stay at the Hyatt Centric French Quarter

When visiting the Big Easy, you're going to want to stay in the thick of things and there's no better vantage point that being in the heart of the city's oldest and most popular neighborhood. The historic Hyatt Centric French Quarter is handily adjacent to NOLA's Central Business District and a short walk from many of the city's main attractions. 


GlassWorks, New Orleans
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Discover the Art of Glass Blowing

Glass blowing is a meticulous, precise, and mysterious art. Head to GlassWorks in the city's Arts District, where the curious can buy a 30-minute mini-workshop or two-hour short course -- or view studios, works in progress, and daily demonstrations for free.

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
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Take a Free History Tour

Follow a ranger from the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve on a riverfront history walk. Rangers share stories on the beginnings and history of New Orleans on these hour long walks Tuesday through Saturday mornings. Twenty-five first-come, first-served tickets are given out at 9 a.m. at the park's French Quarter Visitor Center.

Shop at the Crescent City Farmers Market
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Shop at the Crescent City Farmers Market

Every major city has at least one farmers market, and New Orleans is no exception — but this one dates back to 1779. Shop for flowers, organic goods to snack on, or even fresh food to cook at the Crescent City Farmers Market, which runs every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday at different locations. There are often demonstrations and lessons in Southern cooking, some from famed local chefs.

Listen to Live Music
Danon H./Yelp

Listen to More Live Music

Banks Street Bar Grill has live music every night and recently reopened under new ownership. A quick Yelp search will also turn up plenty of bars with happy hours and live blues and jazz.