Jazz Fest Entrance
by Jay

What You Need to Know About the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Jazz Fest Entrance

It’s almost that time of year again — time to sip the iced tea, snack on crawfish Monica, and sway to the music of local and international musicians under the hot New Orleans sun. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, or Jazz Fest, is one of the most celebrated festivals in New Orleans and takes place every year during the last weekend of April and the first weekend in May. Jazz Fest has been around since 1970 and gets bigger and better every year.

During these two weekends, locals and out-of-towners get together to enjoy the culture of New Orleans with the various food, crafts, and performances that Jazz Fest has to offer. Contrary to the name, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is more than just jazz music.

Various musical genres like hip-hop, zydeco, blues, tribal, and electronic music can all be heard live from Jazz Fest’s multiple stages. This year the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will take place at its usual spot on the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots (1751 Gentilly Blvd.) starting on Thursday, April 25, and ending on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Some of the top headliners for the festival include The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Queen Latifah, Heart, The Beach Boys, Jon Batiste, Neil Young Crazy Horse, The Killers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Bonnie Raitt, Earth, Wind & Fire, and hundreds more. The music schedule is broken down by day in cubes with times for all the acts, which you can view here.

Of course, one of the best parts of Jazz Fest is the food. Some staples for food include Crawfish Monica, mango freezes, ya-ka-mein, snoballs, poboys, and much more. Here’s the list of 2024 food vendors.

The 2024 Jazz Fest

  • Jazz Fest expanded to eight days this year, adding the opening day of Thursday, April 25, to the schedule.
  • Jazz Fest went cashless last year, and remains so. Ticket, food, beverage, craft, and merchandise booths no longer accept cash payments. If you come to the event with only cash, the Festival will offer two cash exchange booths near key vending locations so you can get a prepaid card for your cash.
  • This year, Jazz Fest features over 5,000 musicians across 14 stages.
  • The festival will be the largest one in its 53-year history. Eight is the most number of days for the event, and this year there will be the most food vendors and food items ever. And there also will be 260 art and craft vendors, the highest number ever.
  • Single-day tickets are $95 through April 24 and $105 at the gate. Tickets for children ages 2-10 are $5 at the gate.
  • “Locals Thursday” will be April 25 this year, with tickets at $50 for Louisiana residents.
  • This year Jazz Fest is introducing a 4-day GA+ weekend pass with access to an exclusive GA+ lounge with private restrooms, a full-service bar, and a shaded area to relax.
  • Tickets for Thursday, May 2, the day topped by The Rolling Stones, are sold out, including multiple-day passes.
  • The Rolling Stones headline Thursday, May 2, at 5 p.m. That day of the festival will operate normally until about 3:30 p.m. Then, when the Stones go on at 5 p.m., they’ll be the only band playing on the Fair Grounds.
  • Besides The Rolling Stones, the lineup includes Foo Fighters, Queen Latifah, Heart, The Beach Boys, Jon Batiste, Neil Young Crazy Horse, The Killers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Bonnie Raitt, Earth, Wind & Fire, and hundreds more.
  • This year, Jazz Fest will celebrate Colombia’s musical and cultural diversity at the Expedia Cultural Exchange Pavilion. During the festival, 17 bands and a wide variety of artisans from throughout Colombia will present their sounds and traditions.
  • The Jazz & Heritage Gala kicks off Jazz Fest with the celebration of Louisiana music and cuisine on April 24 at Generations Hall (310 Andrew Higgins Blvd.).

Are You Coming to Jazz Fest?

We’d love for you to stay with us! Take advantage of Prince Conti Hotel’s specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous cuisine and enjoy everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

by Jay

Year at a Glance in New Orleans

From major music and cultural 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 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 LGBTQIA+ with block parties, shows, and a parade.

October begins with the ever-expanding National Fried Chicken Festival at the Lakefront. Also, 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.

Don’t miss the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival, 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 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, 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.

November brings more food festivals — the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival and the Beignet Festival at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds.

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 fabulous hats. Next, there’s Bayou Classic, a fan fest, a parade, the 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. 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 Convention Center.

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.

Mardi Gras season culminates every year on Fat Tuesday anytime between February 3 and March 9 (March 4 in 2025). There’s not enough room to describe one of the great spectacles in the world, but keep up with the parade schedule 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 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)

Lovely weather and endless festivals continue this time of year with Wednesday at the Square; the Congo Square Rhythms Festival; 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 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.

March also marks the annual return of NOLA on Tap Beer Fest at Lafreniere Park, the largest fundraiser for the Louisiana SPCA and the largest beer fest in the area, with more than 400 beer offerings from local and national breweries and homebrewers.

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)

Want to cross an iconic New Orleans restaurant off your bucket list? There’s no time like 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. Also in June is another culinary fest, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, and the popular Louisiana Cajun Zydeco Festival, held at Louis Armstrong Park.

Summers here can be pretty hot and humid, but, still, 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 exactly a week later, 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 is one of the smaller fests to enjoy, and Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans, except the bulls are the Big Easy Rollergirls.

Finally, 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?) will at least keep your mind off the heat.

As you can see, we have a lot going on all year round! No matter when you visit, take advantage of Prince Conti Hotel specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

by Jay

Enjoy the Music at Satchmo SummerFest in New Orleans

One of the best things about New Orleans is the city’s undying passion for music. Music lovers come from near and far to experience New Orleans’ diverse music scene, which features a variety of musical artists and genres.

This summer, the popular Satchmo SummerFest will be returning to New Orleans on August 5-6, 2023, with two stages, a delicious culinary lineup, and indoor lecture series at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint.

New Orleans French Quarter

Experience Foot-Tapping Music at Satchmo SummerFest

Satchmo SummerFest is New Orleans’ tribute to one of its most famous native sons, the beloved Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, on the centennial of his birth. This festival began back in 2001 and has since evolved into one of the top celebrations in the city.

For many who attend this dynamic festival, it’s the highlight of the summer season. This festival includes live bands on two different stages, featuring some of New Orleans’ best musicians. Many of the musical artists performing will play their tributes to Louis Armstrong and his famous music.

Some of the past headliners at this New Orleans festival include the Preservation Hall Brass Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bill Summers and Jazalsa, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, and many others.

satchmo fest

In addition to the vibrant outdoor music scene, this New Orleans festival would not be complete without plenty of delicious local food and drink. This festival offers some of New Orleans’ world-famous culinary delicacies for sale around the festival site, as well as refreshing beverages, to keep you hydrated throughout the day.

There are also several indoor events at Satchmo SummerFest, including inspiring indoor lecture series created to highlight Armstrong’s history and enduring impact.

Shrimp From The Bombay Club in New Orleans

Looking for Hotels in New Orleans? Choose the Prince Conti Hotel

When it comes to hotels in New Orleans, location is key. The Prince Conti Hotel is located just blocks from the New Orleans Jazz Museum, where Satchmo SummerFest will be taking place this coming August.

You don’t even have to venture far to listen to live New Orleans music when you stay at the Prince Conti Hotel. The hotel’s own restaurant, The Bombay Club, features live music every night.

The Prince Conti Hotel is also a quick walk to Frenchmen Street, where you will find tons of local bars and restaurants playing live music for all to enjoy.

The hotel is also located near the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, which can take you to New Orleans’ Uptown to visit famous places for music like Tipitina’s and Le Bon Temps Roule.

If you are planning a trip to New Orleans this summer, be sure to check out the city’s unique music scene and book your reservation at one of the best hotels in New Orleans with great low room rates, the Prince Conti Hotel!

The Prince Conti Hotel in New Orleans, LA

by Jay

Shopping for Women Near the Prince Conti French Quarter Hotel

Photo courtesy of Hemline on Facebook

Shopping in New Orleans gives visitors another way to experience the city’s vibrancy. Clothing in the French Quarter runs the gamut of styles and this list of some of the area’s best women’s clothing shops reflects that. Whether you’re looking for vintage or contemporary, formal or casual, there’s something for everyone in the French Quarter.

Dirty Coast 

713 Royal Street

Dirty Coast offers casual New Orleans-themed clothing and gifts for women and men. Their French Quarter location opened in 2016 “at the corner of Pirates Alley and Touchdown Jesus” (their description). Since 2002, the company has printed more than 250 local designs for t-shirts and posters that proclaim their love for New Orleans.

Co-founder and designer Blake Haney was in Baton Rouge after Hurricane Katrina and created the company’s first design, a bumper sticker that said “Be a New Orleanian, Wherever You Are” and stuck 5,000 of them all over the city as soon as he could move back. Write-ups in the Times-Picayune and The New York Times followed. The company now has devotees around the globe — locals and visitors  — who want to celebrate how much they love New Orleans.

Dollz & Dames

216 Decatur Street

A colorful boutique offering everything you’ll need for one-stop shopping for a glam evening out or a stylish, retro-inspired daytime outfit. Retro-chic polka dot halter dresses, boleros, rompers, kimonos, Irregular Choice heels (when you know, you know) — it’s all there.

Dollz & Dames is a treasure trove of accessories too, from funky-glam clutches to bold jewelry to embellished sunglasses. Don’t stop there though, especially if you’re shopping for a gift. There are fragrances plus bath products, candles — the list goes on.

Fifi Mahony’s

934 Royal Street

Fifi Mahony’s has been wigging Mardi Gras krewes, the burlesque community, performance artists, fashion shoots and shows, and us mortals who just need a fresh wig for Mardi Gras Day, since 1997. A second location, with a beauty parlor, opened in Bywater (3212 Dauphine Street) recently.

A true New Orleans original, Fifi’s will make a glam queen out of you in one afternoon with its vast collection of makeup, glitzy accessories, sunglasses, and, of course, wigs. Oh, the wigs. Do you wanna be a “Marylin” or “Antoinette”? Done, and done. Any style, length, or color you have in mind, Fifi’s will have it. Custom wigs run for around $200, but you can snag a wig for as low as $40, too. Beware, come Halloween or Mardi Gras, the line is out of the door, so prep accordingly.

Hemline

609 Chartres Street

Hemline is an elegant boutique with two locations in New Orleans. Their flagship store is located in the French Quarter and sells contemporary designers like Nanette Lepore, Tracy Reese, Amanda Uprichard, and Dolce Vita, among many others. Brigette Holthausen moved to New Orleans from Brazil at age 16 and started the business selling backpacks, sandals, and jewelry at the French Market, opening her shop on Chartres several years later.

Lost and Found

323 Chartres Street

A quirky boutique with women’s fashions in a wide size range, whimsical accessories, and unique gifts. It’s a gem of a place if you have your eye on a swing dress or a unique accessory to go with it.

Trashy Diva

Trashy Diva Clothing Boutique (537 Royal Street)

Trashy Diva Lingerie (712 Royal Street)

Trashy Diva started in 1996 as a traditional vintage clothing store and has expanded into five shops across New Orleans carrying vintage-inspired clothing and lingerie with contemporary touches. There are two locations on Royal Street: a lingerie shop near the cathedral and a clothing boutique two blocks up.

Trashy Diva’s lingerie shop offers custom-fitted corsets and boudoir glam, essential to the city’s burlesque community, as well as myriad other lacy undergarments. Many styles in the clothing boutique pay homage to the 1940s and 50s; bold Asian-inspired prints and elegant florals decorate day dresses while evening options include velvet, bias-cut gowns like something Audrey Hepburn might wear to Tiffany’s.

UAL (United Apparel Liquidators)

518 Chartres Street

UAL focuses on deeply discounted designer fashion. The inventory changes almost daily and the wide variety of merchandise in the store’s single room makes digging for the perfect look a lot of fun. Christian Louboutin heels, Kara Ross handbags, and Chloe blouses will fill the store one week, and next week that’s gone and Alexander Wang dresses occupy the racks along with Balmain and Valentino. Some of the pieces are sample items or marked as defective, so a careful eye makes for the best shopping experience.

All of these shops are in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter, short blocks from the Prince Conti Hotel. Guests can enjoy first-class accommodations as well as shopping that reflects the diversity of cultures and styles that make New Orleans unique.

by Jay

Celebrating Easter Sunday in the French Quarter

Celebrating Easter Sunday in the French Quarter

As a historically Catholic city, New Orleans takes Lent seriously. New Orleans also loves a good parade. Naturally, breaking the 40-plus days of fasting and the arrival of spring are great reasons to catch a parade, show off your bonnet, and feast on some Gulf seafood.

If you’re lucky enough to be staying in the French Quarter for Easter weekend, you can celebrate the end of Lent with three parades, Catholic masses, special Easter brunches, and an Easter Bonnet contest. Here’s a quick rundown of the things you can do on Easter Sunday in the French Quarter (April 9, 2023).

The Parades

Three groups parade annually through the French Quarter and downtown on Easter Sunday. The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade leaves from Antoine’s Restaurant at 9:45 a.m. and proceeds to St. Louis Cathedral for 11 a.m. mass. The riders, clad in their best Easter attire, ride in convertibles and carriages, handing out stuffed Easter bunnies, candy, and other theme-appropriate throws along the way. After mass, the parade slowly weaves its way back to Antoine’s.

The French Quarter Easter Parade rolls at 1 p.m. from St. Louis and Royal streets. The one and only Chris Owens traditionally helmed the parade as the Grand Duchess until her passing in 2022, but the organizers chose to go on in her memory. Expect colorful floats, marching bands, whimsical bonnets, and plenty of throws.

The annual Gay Easter Parade celebrates the city’s LGBTQIA+ community and benefits the Food for Friends charity. It starts at 5:30 p.m. on N. Rampart St. by the Armstrong Park arch and continues to St. Ann, Bourbon, and Esplanade. With stops at some bars along the way, the parade makes it back to N. Rampart for the after-party.

The Easter Bonnet Contest at Good Friends Bar at the corner of Dauphine and St. Ann streets is open to all participants, and spectators decide on the winners. A tall order every year, as the entries are often fabulous and wildly creative.

Brunch

What’s better than marking the end of Lent with a multi-course Cajun/Creole brunch? Many French Quarter restaurants offer a special Easter menu buffet-style or as a sit-down prix fixe option.

Since it’s a family tradition for many, reservations are highly recommended. (You can check the list of participating restaurants and make a reservation via OpenTable.)

Here are our five top Easter Sunday brunch recommendations.

The Bombay Club (830 Conti St.)

Start your Easter Sunday right with a cocktail and eggs in this elegant restaurant located at the back of the Prince Conti Hotel. The extensive Easter brunch menu runs the gamut from lighter fare to the more substantial and New Orleans-focused. Check with the restaurant for this year’s Easter brunch menu.

Antoine’s Restaurant (713 St. Louis St.)

Antoine’s holiday brunch menu will render you speechless with its baked oysters, Gulf shrimp, and other top-notch, Louisiana-centric delights. Top it off with either pecan bread pudding or strawberry mousse. Brunch includes one complimentary Mimosa. Check with the restaurant for this year’s Easter brunch menu.

Arnaud’s (813 Bienville St.)

In the years past, Arnaud’s Easter brunch menu was prix fixe and highlighted the best of the regional cuisine could offer, such as smoked duck, Andouille and oyster gumbo for starters. Let’s hope that this year one of the appetizer offerings will again include the signature Shrimp Arnaud: Gulf shrimp marinated in Creole remoulade. Check with the restaurant for this year’s Easter brunch menu.

Red Fish Grill (115 Bourbon St.)

On Easter Sunday, you’ll typically find a family-style Easter buffet with dishes like alligator sausage and seafood gumbo, crawfish etouffee, Creole potato salad, BBQ shrimp, oysters, pickled crawfish, and a carving station (just to name a few options). The kids’ buffet usually offers child-friendly versions of the above and a sundae bar. Check with the restaurant for this year’s Easter brunch menu.

Steamboat Natchez Easter Jazz Brunch Cruise (Toulouse St./boardwalk)

The two-hour Mississippi River cruise with live music by The Steamboat Stompers includes a buffet and reserved seating. Kids can meet the Easter Bunny aboard the steamboat. Check with the restaurant for this year’s Easter brunch menu.

Mass

Church services on Easter Sunday start early and continue throughout the day. You can see every year’s schedule on the Archdiocese of New Orleans website. For a truly unique experience, consider a stroll to Jackson Square to hear the bells of St. Louis Cathedral and mingle with the revelers in their Easter finery.

St. Louis Cathedral usually has a mass at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12:30 p.m., and remains open between services. The majestic Our Lady of Guadalupe (411 N. Rampart St.) also offers Easter mass throughout the day, including at least one in Spanish.

Bombay Club
by Jay

Eat, Drink, Work: Co-Working in the French Quarter


Image courtesy of The Bombay Club

Traveling purely for pleasure is delightful. But if you need to work remotely on the road, New Orleans is one of the best places on the planet to mix business with pleasure. Many charming spots in the Quarter near Prince Conti are co-working havens with blazing Wi-Fi, where you can soak up local ambiance along with cafe au lait, craft cocktails, and gourmet New Orleans cuisine.

Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe (308 Decatur St.)

One of the few coffee shops in the city that serves shots of booze in their coffee, Envie has it all: steaming cups of java, scrumptious pastries and breakfasts, and a full-service bar.

French Truck Coffee (217 Chartres St.)

Need a jolt of caffeine to get down to business? French Truck boasts some of the city’s best locally-roasted coffee, prepares espresso to perfection, and puts a unique spin on mocha with hints of cayenne and cinnamon.

Kingfish (337 Chartres St. at Conti)

Known for its award-winning craft cocktails, the Kingfish is another great happy hour co-working spot. Sip $7 cocktails, $6 wine, or $4 beer, and sample $9 small-plate specials like fried boudin balls or duck and Andouille gumbo. Monday through Friday from 2 to 5 p.m.

The Bombay Club (Prince Conti Hotel, 830 Conti St.)

You could work in your room at the Prince Conti Hotel. But what fun is that? Wander down to The Bombay Club during happy hour, and graze on small and shareable bites like Ploughman’s Board or Natchitoches meat pies while imbibing great specials on beer, wine, and house cocktails. From 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

by Jay

Getting Around As a Guest of the Prince Conti Hotel

You can pretty much walk to all of your destinations in the French Quarter from the hotel as the terrain is flat, the area is just 78 square blocks, and the street layout makes sense and is easy to navigate. The next best thing would be to bike or hail a pedicab (check out Blue Bikes). If you want to go outside the Quarter, try a cab or rideshare, or a streetcar.

Taxicab and ride-share services

The ride-share options in New Orleans include Uber and Lyft. We also recommend United Cabs, Inc. (504-522-9771). Use the United Cabs Passenger app to book.

Bus and streetcar

City buses run every 30 minutes on average on weekdays (less often on weekends) and have special schedules on holidays. It costs $1.25 one-way (a transfer costs 25 cents), and you can see routes and schedules online. To pay the fare on the bus, you must have exact change, but you can also buy passes via the Le Pass App, online, and at the ticket machines.

Another option is the Hop-On Hop-Off double-decker bus tours by City Sightseeing. They run every 30 minutes on a two-hour loop; the unlimited one-day pass is $46 for adults and $10 for kids ages 3-12. To hop on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar, walk to Canal and Carondelet streets (directly across Canal from Bourbon St. in the French Quarter) and look for the iconic green car.

by Jay

Best Things to Do and See in Nearby Neighborhoods


Photo by Trevor Mark

Just outside the Quarter, not far from the Prince Conti Hotel, you’ll find a wealth of nearby neighborhoods with their own distinctive character. Ready, set, explore!

Feast Your Eyes and Fine Dine in the Arts District

New Orleans is steeped in history. But modernism takes center stage in the Arts District, where old warehouses find new life as contemporary art galleries and nouvelle cuisine restaurants. Home to more than a dozen world-class galleries, Julia Street invites the public to view their latest exhibits at lively wine-fueled receptions on the first Saturday of every month. Feast your eyes on art, then delight your palate with cuisine from some of the city’s most creative chefs at Herbsaint and Cochon (Donald Link), Compere Lapin (Nina Compton), and the man who started it all: Emeril’s.

Bar-Hop to Hear Live Music in the Marigny

Once known only to locals, Frenchmen Street now rivals Bourbon Street as a tourist destination. Live music bars line the street, where top New Orleans musicians start playing long before dark at small clubs like the Spotted Cat and continue well past the wee hours at marquee venues like Blue Nile.

But don’t stop at Frenchmen. Hit three hotspots right next to the Elysian Fields streetcar stop: Siberia, the Allways Lounge & Cabaret, and the Hi-Ho Lounge. All offer an eclectic range of terrific music from local and touring bands, along with a colorful grab bag of homegrown entertainment.

Spend the Day Exploring Bywater

If you’re feeling outdoorsy, walk or bike along the Mississippi from Marigny to Bywater through Crescent Park, a lovely 1.4-mile stretch of native landscaping. Cross the “rusty rainbow bridge” over the tracks to Piety Street, where you can grab a slice at Pizza Delicious and browse bins of collectible vinyl at Euclid Records. Junk hounds can rummage through found objects at Bywater Bargain Center (3200 Dauphine St.).

Whet your whistle at Bud Rips, the locals’ favorite dive bar, and take a dip in the pool at the Country Club. Then swing by Bacchanal Wine, grab a bottle of wine, and take it out to the open-air courtyard, where you can feast on upscale bar food like build-your-own-cheese-plate and bacon-wrapped dates. Dreamy!

Discover the Heart of African-American Culture in Tremé

The living, breathing heart of New Orleans culture is the African-American community of Tremé, where free people of color once proudly brought their own property and where many generations of black residents continue to live today. Second-line parades and Mardi Gras Indians emerged from these streets, which nurtured countless jazz greats.

Get a crash course in Tremé history at the Backstreet Cultural Museum, and catch its current incarnation at the Candlelight Lounge, where live brass bands perform often. Tremé also abounds in the city’s signature Creole cuisine. Known for its world-famous fried chicken, Willa Mae’s Scotch House serves “food for your soul,” while Dooky Chase’s menu is a rich sampler of Creole faves like Shrimp Clemenceau and Gumbo Z’Herbes. Both have been justly honored with James Beard awards. Dig in, and enjoy!

by Jay

Nightlife Near the Prince Conti


Photo by Cheryl Gerber

Want to dive into New Orleans’ storied nightlife? You’ve got a head start at the Prince Conti Hotel. The Bombay Club, the hotel’s swank in-house bar and restaurant, is just steps away from your room.

Start your evening at one of the club’s nightly music showcases, where you can sip a perfect martini from the largest martini selection in town while listening to live jazz. The musical menu changes nightly, so The Bombay is always a good launching pad for hitting the streets at other legendary New Orleans venues.

Balcony Music Club (1331 Decatur)

You never know what kind of music you’ll find at BMC, as the locals call it, and that’s all part of the fun. Dozens of bands and performers are featured nightly, with shows at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. And since there’s never a cover, you can always dip in and dip out, after fortifying yourself with the daily drink and shot specials. Conveniently located on the Esplanade edge of the Quarter, it’s a good pit stop before or after hitting the lively Frenchmen St. scene.

Blue Nile (532 Frenchmen St.)

Hailed as the “premiere live music venue in the city” by Where Y’at magazine, the Blue Nile hosts a stellar roster of New Orleans artists every night on both the main stage and in the club’s upstairs Balcony Room, from Cyril Neville and Big Sam’s Funky Nation to Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers. It’s also a must-stop venue for national touring acts. Shows start early and go late, so it’s a great place to cap off the night in a high-energy environment where the collective force field can be contagious.

d.b.a. (618 Frenchmen St.)

Since this live music venue opened its doors in 2000, d.b.a. has hosted hundreds of live acts. The bar features a broad selection of beer and spirits, and the music plays nightly. Tin Men and John Boutte perform there regularly.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop (941 Bourbon St.)

Ready to wind down but don’t want to go to bed? Lafitte’s is just what the doctor ordered. Founded in the early 18th century, and housed in a historic building reputed to have served as the New Orleans headquarters for the infamous pirate and smuggler Jean Lafitte, the candlelit bar exudes exactly the kind of spooky ambiance you’d expect to find in New Orleans. Expect live piano music and a potent menu of nightcaps.

Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro (626 Frenchmen St.)

Jazz mavens make a beeline for Snug, the city’s premier showcase for contemporary jazz. Nightly shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. feature New Orleans icons and world-class visiting artists. Check the music calendar to see who is playing this week.

by Jay

24 Hours in the French Quarter

Prince Conti Hotel 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 (eggs Benedict of the day).

Catch a 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 Street

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 Street, where you’ll also catch street musicians and pass some splendid private homes.

Bar-Hop During Happy Hour

Enjoy a grande-dame ambiance while sipping 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., 2-5 p.m. weekdays) for $7 cocktails and $9 small plates. Top that off with $5 specialty cocktails at Prince Conti’s own The Bombay Club (4-7 p.m. Wed.-Sun.).

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.