Discover new things to do and a fresh way to experience The Big Easy from our historic New Orleans B&B! Settle into your home-away-from-home and get ready for an “off-the-beaten-path” getaway full of lesser-known but highly recommended activities in New Orleans. To help you get started, we’ve put together a guide full of great things to do, that way you can spend less time planning and more time having fun!
A Day’s Worth of Activities at City Park
Conveniently located only a couple miles from our romantic New Orleans bed and breakfast, City Park has a little something for everyone. It’s perfect for spending some time outside while also practicing social distancing! You can easily spend a whole day here taking it all in, but here are some of what we believe to be absolutely essential outdoor activities in New Orleans if you are planning a visit.
- The New Orleans Museum of Art, and the newly expanded outdoor sculpture garden, is truly a delightful destination! Take in the beautiful artwork and wander the grounds at your leisure. The sculpture garden, in particular, is highly recommended, especially for those who like their art with more modern eccentricities.
- For a relaxing visit filled with the beauty of nature, the New Orleans Botanical Garden is certainly a must-see! A local landmark since the 1930s, it has over ten acres of plant life and outdoor artwork. The garden is famous for hosting over 2,000 plant varieties.
- Often overlooked by tourists, the Longue Vue House and Gardens is a hidden treasure of the area and worth checking out. Located just beyond the park, this city estate with a Classical Revival-style mansion is surrounded by eight acres of breathtakingly landscaped gardens designed by some of the finest outdoor architects of the early 20th century. The home was built by the late philanthropists Edgar Bloom Stern, a New Orleans businessman and cotton broker, and his wife Edith Rosenwald Stern, an heiress of the Sears department store family.
Looking for things for kids to do in New Orleans?
- The City Putt miniature golf course will certainly entertain the kids, but it’s also a great time for everybody else. Go for a hole-in-one on two 18-hole courses themed after the unique history and culture of the area.
- The Louisiana Children’s Museum has now reopened with safety measures in place to protect the kids! There is still lots to do with interactive exhibits and specialized learning designed to engage kids on their level while still being fun for the whole family.
Tour the Rich Jazz History of New Orleans
Jazz is at the heart and soul of everything in New Orleans. It’s the lifeblood of the city, a cultural force that has been a constant presence for over 100 years. If you love jazz, then New Orleans is the place for you! There is a wide variety of self-guided jazz tours that visit historically significant landmarks all throughout the city. In addition, the Historic New Orleans Collection has developed an iPhone and Android app to help you explore the French Quarter! See interactive maps of the area and even build your own walking tour full of New Orleans attractions right within the app. Take a journey back in time and feel the soul that still flows through the streets.
- Canal Street Jazz History
- Central Business District/”Back O’Town”
- French Quarter – Central
- Decatur Street
- Lafayette Square
Delve into the Area’s Rich History
So much has happened in New Orleans since people began settling in the area. Hundreds of years of history all condensed into an urban environment create a unique cultural heritage. If you are willing to go a little outside the city proper, then a treasure trove of historical landmarks awaits intrepid explorers.
- Travel the famous Great River Road with its antebellum plantations, museums, and ancient oaks dripping in Spanish Moss. Tour one of the many plantations for an uncut look at life during a darker period of US history. Explore the political and social repercussions of an economic system built on human labor and take in the distinct southern architecture of plantation-style homes and grounds
- Recently reopened, the Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetary is the site of the Battle of New Orleans during the final hours of the War of 1812. Famous for being a battle that began after the war had officially ended, it is a must-see for history buffs and you can easily spend hours taking in everything there is to see. An audio tour of the cemetery is also available and takes you through the lives of those that fought and died on the battlefield.
- For some of the earliest history of the area, the Los Isleños Museum explores the lives of the first non-indigenous inhabitants of Louisiana. Formed by Spanish settlers from the Canary Islands who colonized Bayou Terre-Boeuf in the late 1700s, they created a bustling community with historic homes, a replica dancehall, two small museums, and a nature trail form a little village on 22 landscaped acres. It’s the perfect spot for some relaxing sightseeing and time spent exploring the unique grounds.
Stay In Beautiful New Orleans Lodging
Ashton’s Bed and Breakfast is a perfect home-base for a wide variety of area activities. Stay in comfort with our beautifully decorated rooms and luxurious accommodations like our King and Queen beds, jetted tubs and showers, and lavish furnishings. Wake up to a delicious breakfast made fresh every morning with a distinct New Orleans flair and take in the morning from the patio. Explore area attractions from the Ashton with our convenient location halfway between the French Quarter and City Park! There is so much to do here that you’re bound to find something to fall in love with. We wish you safe travels in these uncertain times and hope that your next visit to New Orleans is a pleasant one.
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