New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans for Grown-Ups: Jazz, Creole Tables and Old Hotel Bars
Bourbon Street is what New Orleans shows the bachelor parties. The grown-up city is a block or two away: a revolving bar where Faulkner drank, a plain wooden hall where jazz has been played the old way since the 1960s, Friday lunch at Galatoire's and a backyard wine bar with a band. This is that New Orleans.
- Best base
- The edge of the French Quarter, or the CBD / Warehouse District
- Ideal stay
- 3 nights
- Book ahead
- Commander's jazz brunch, Preservation Hall, Jewel of the South
- Bring
- Cash for bands and tips; a jacket for Galatoire's dinner
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Itineraries
Our 3-day New Orleans itinerary is the full grown-up version: French Quarter classics, a Garden District jazz brunch and two Frenchmen Street nights. Short on time? The 2-day plan packs in the essentials. Music is the reason most people come; our jazz and live music guide tells you where to go for which sound.
The neighbourhoods that matter
The French Quarter has the historic bars and grand old restaurants. Frenchmen Street in the Marigny, just downriver, is where locals go for live music every night. The CBD and Warehouse District have the Sazerac Bar, the WWII Museum and some of the best modern restaurants. The Garden District is for mansions, Commander's Palace and a rooftop drink at Hot Tin.
Grown-up essentials
Preservation Hall
726 St. Peter St, French Quarter
The small, plain room that has kept traditional New Orleans jazz alive since the 1960s. Several short concerts run each evening with a rotating line-up of the Preservation All Stars and other house bands.
Tip: A limited number of seats can be reserved online; the rest are sold at the box office in the afternoon.
Carousel Bar & Lounge
Hotel Monteleone, Royal St
The city's only revolving bar: a 25-seat carousel that turns once every 15 minutes, in the hotel where Faulkner, Capote and Tennessee Williams drank. Live music plays in the lounge nightly.
Tip: Seats on the carousel are first come; the lounge tables are easier and closer to the music.
Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Ave, Garden District
The turquoise Victorian landmark of Creole fine dining. The weekend jazz brunch, with a trio strolling between tables, is the classic grown-up New Orleans meal.
Tip: Jazz brunch runs Saturday and Sunday; book well ahead.
Dress: Business attire; jackets preferred for men, no shorts ever
Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
Frenchmen St
Frenchmen Street's seated listening room: modern and traditional jazz sets in a proper concert setting, with Creole cooking in the restaurant downstairs. Come to listen, not to talk.
Jewel of the South
1026 St. Louis St, French Quarter
A tavern in an 1830s Creole cottage from bartender Chris Hannah, ranked #6 on North America's 50 Best Bars 2026. Classic New Orleans cocktails such as the Brandy Crusta, with a serious food menu to match.
Hot Tin
Pontchartrain Hotel, St. Charles Ave
A rooftop bar on the Pontchartrain Hotel's 11th floor, styled like a 1940s artist's loft, with a wide view of downtown and the river. First come, first served from 2 p.m.
Everything here was checked in September 2026. Music line-ups, hours and prices change often in New Orleans, so confirm before you go and bring cash for the bands.
Questions people ask
Is New Orleans fun for couples over 40?
Very. Swap Bourbon Street for Frenchmen Street's jazz clubs, historic hotel bars like the Carousel Bar and the Sazerac Bar, Commander's Palace jazz brunch and the rooftop Hot Tin.
Where should adults stay in New Orleans?
The upriver edge of the French Quarter or the CBD / Warehouse District: walkable to the best bars and restaurants and a short ride to Frenchmen Street, without Bourbon Street noise at 3 a.m.