Best Outdoor Activities in New Orleans

Rose flowers in St. Louis Cathedral garden, La Galerie Hotel

Stay Cool: 7 Refreshing Experiences for a New Orleans Summer

The Most Instagrammable Spots in the French Quarter

Looking to add some flair to your Instagram feed or consider yourself a bit of an influencer? Then New Orleans is the perfect place to liven up your photographs while on vacay.

22 Things To Try In New Orleans 2022

Planning a trip to New Orleans in 2022 is full of possibilities. There are so many different things to do and places to see that you’ll never get bored. Use our list of 22 things to do in NOLA as a jumping-off point, no matter what time of year you decide to visit The Big Easy.

Celebrate National Dog Day in NOLA

National Dog Day is right around the corner on August 26th. If you’re planning on taking a vacay to New Orleans to celebrate, you don’t need to leave your furry friend at home. La Galerie Hotel is proud to be a pet-friendly hotel, and there are plenty of ways to spend time with Fido in the Crescent City.

Exploring New Orleans with Kids

If you're planning a family vacay, New Orleans delivers some fun, kid-friendly attractions too.

Top NOLA Parks for the Ultimate Spring Picnic

And as springtime approaches, those pleasant days start to increase in number. It’s the perfect time for some picnics in the park, featuring delicious food and fabulous surroundings, two things that NOLA has in abundance.

New Orleans Christmas: Shopping for the Season

Whether you’re a local New Orleanian who has some Christmas shopping to do, or you’re a visitor to the Big Easy looking for some seasonal souvenirs, the French Quarter is a great place to find some Christmas magic.

New Orleans Christmas

‘Tis the season for Christmas lights all aglow, singing carols, and if you’re lucky, catching a glimpse of Mr. Christmas himself, Santa Claus.

What’s Open in New Orleans

Whether you’re a Big Easy local or planning to visit NOLA for a much-needed getaway, something is spellbinding about this unique city!

Four Best Places to Watch the Saints During Covid-19

If you’re a die-hard Saints fan, then you’re likely struggling with the fact that you don’t get to watch your beloved football team from their home in the dome.

New Orleans: Haunted Legends and Mysteries- Marie Laveau’s Tomb

The Big Easy is full of tales of the supernatural, mysterious, and downright puzzling. When you take a stroll through the French Quarter, pop into a neighborhood restaurant, or even browse through one of the many local shops, you’ll likely find yourself exploring a haunted place (whether you realize it or not). This darker side of the city is part of what gives NOLA such a rich and colorful story and enticing charm.

Art Lover’s Halloween: JAMNOLA and a Stay at La Galerie Hotel

When you visit New Orleans, in addition to the fantastic food and amazing sights and sounds, you’ll also discover endless opportunities to discover art and music. Furthermore, during Halloween, there are no exceptions to this rule. In fact, you’ll be treated to a bevy of design that celebrates the spooky season with the newest addition to the NOLA art scene, JAMNOLA.

Taking It Outside: NOLA Style

New Orleans might be known for its fun atmosphere, vibrant nightlife, and Creole culture, but there are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors!

Dog-Friendly Guide to New Orleans

New Orleans is a welcoming city for people and pets alike. It’s filled with dog-friendly restaurants, activities, and so much more. There’s even a dog parade, Barkus, during Mardi Gras! This pet-friendly destination is one of the best places to travel—not just because you can bring your pet along with you, but because there is so much to see and do. However long you plan your stay, there’s always more to experience. Our dog-friendly guide to New Orleans provides you with all the information you need to plan an amazing stay with your dog in the Crescent City. Get insider tips on accommodations, restaurants, things to do, and important information for your next trip to New Orleans.

Say What? New Orleans Lingo - Know Before You Go

If you’re planning to make a visit to New Orleans, then you’re in for a real treat. There is no other city that is quite as unique and vibrant as the Big Easy; from the people to the architecture and the vast array of eclectic entertainment options that you’ll discover at every turn. Another element of NOLA that possesses its own special charm is the language. New Orleans natives and self-made locals speak a whole different vocabulary that can make you feel like it’s a foreign language.

How To Beat the Heat on a New Orleans Vacation

There’s no place that can match the magic and romance of New Orleans, but if you’re traveling to the Big Easy during the summer, it can get hot and steamy (which isn’t always a good thing)! Lucky for you, NOLA is packed with possibilities for all sorts of fun, including many attractions that keep you nice and cool while you explore.

Five Art Galleries You Don’t Want To Miss Near NOLA’s La Galerie Hotel

One of the biggest draws of New Orleans is its rich culture and opportunities to experience incredible art. La Galerie makes it easy to channel your inner art-lover.

COVID-19 Protocols

Magazine Street Guide

Stretching an astounding six miles long as it winds through the city, Magazine Street is a destination unto itself. You can easily spend a day (or days) traversing this amazing thoroughfare and still barely make a dent in seeing everything it has to offer. Luckily, we’ve put together a comprehensive Magazine Street itinerary as a handy guide to some of the street’s best bars, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and more, so you can spend less time looking up places to visit and more time enjoying the endlessly fun Magazine Street!

New Orleans Streetcar Guide

Can't quite figure out the streetcar yet? View our guide to learn about the routes closest to La Galerie, where they go, and what you can do on each line.

New Orleans is known for its city life. Mardi Gras parades, live jazz music, and drinking on Bourbon Street are often the first things that come to mind when New Orleans is mentioned. But with gorgeous lakes, swamps, bayous, and a variety of plants and wildlife around, there are plenty of natural attractions in the area as well. Soak up some sun and enjoy the great outdoors with our list of the best outdoor activities in New Orleans.

Fishing Charters

Fish like a local with one of the many fishing charters located in New Orleans and the surrounding area. They provide the equipment and knowledge to give you a fishing trip you won’t soon forget. Even if someone in your travel party doesn’t love to fish, the natural beauty of the landscape is enough to make it worth the while.

Take your pick from these top fishing charters:

Swamp Tours

If you haven’t been to one yet, you might not think a swamp is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon. But the swamps that surround New Orleans are filled with breathtaking beauty. Huge cypress trees and tangles of Spanish moss set the scene for alligators, pelicans, wild boar, nutria, and much more to make appearances as you glide through the water. Hear all about our swamps and the plants and animals that call them home when you take one of these guided swamp tours:

Kayaking and Canoeing

Kayaking, canoeing, and other paddlesports offer you more active experiences with the nature in New Orleans. Paddle up to the gnarled tree roots that caught your attention, reach out to touch the Spanish moss, or dip your fingers in the water all around you. Even the animals feel closer when you can come level with them on the water.

In New Orleans, experts and newcomers alike can find the kayaking or canoeing experience to meet their needs. Choose a route that will give you a real workout or just get a little leisurely exercise. Whether you want to take a tour or make your own way in a rented kayak or canoe, we’ve got an endless number of bayous, lakes, swamps, marshes, and more to put you on the water. Browse some of these great options to get started:

Hiking Trips

If land adventures are more your style, there are plenty of opportunities for hikes of all shapes and sizes within an hour of New Orleans.

Couturie Forest

Right in New Orleans’ City Park, this forest is sure to amaze. There are 60 acres of forest full of fish, birds, and towering trees to explore. Take a quick trip around the one-mile hiking trail or wander off the beaten path.

Barataria Preserve

Explore the numerous trails and keep an eye out for wildflowers, birds, and even alligators along the way. You can take a self-guided tour, cell phone tour, or ranger-led tour to see the 23,000 acres of bayous, marshes, swamps, and forests within this expansive preserve.

Bonnet Carre Spillway

Less than an hour from New Orleans, the Bonnet Carre Spillway in Laplace offers just over five miles of hiking trail along the river. Become one of the 250,000 visitors who experience everything from hiking to biking, boating, fishing, off-roading, picnicking, playing sports, and more in this popular outdoor recreation area.

Fountainebleau State Park

Check out the 4.8-mile hiking trail or shorter nature trail about a mile long in Fountainebleau State Park if you want wildlife sightings. The nature trail contains two viewing platforms above the water so you can spot snakes, alligators, and more in and around the water. This Mandeville park is bordered by Lake Pontchartrain, Bayou Cane, and Bayou Castine, giving you an incredible view of New Orleans’ various ecosystems.

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

Between Slidell and Mandeville lies the Big Branch National Wildlife Refuge and all of its recreational activities. In addition to fishing, hunting, and canoeing, there are several shorter nature trails as well as a longer four-mile hike where you will cross paths with oak trees and if you’re lucky, endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers.

In New Orleans’ unique blend of natural environments, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you know what you like or you’re looking for a fun way to stay active on vacation, these best outdoor activities in New Orleans are sure to bring something special to your trip. For more travel tips, browse La Galerie’s other guides and activities.