20 Fun Things to Do in New Orleans at Night

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New Orleans is an exciting and unique city located in the state of Louisiana. The city boasts many historical Louisiana landmarks, friendly locals, and a unique atmosphere. You can also find an array of fun things to do in New Orleans at night, making it the ideal destination for those that like to explore the places they visit by day and night.

Activities to try in NOLA at night range from drinking at trendy bars to trying dance classes and dining aboard old-fashioned steamboats. There really is something for everyone to enjoy after dark in New Orleans!

Planning a last-minute trip to New Orleans?

Book your New Orleans accommodations and experiences early! We've pulled together top suggestions below.

🏨 Top accommodations in New Orleans

• The Jung Hotel & Residences (under $100 USD a night)
• St Charles Coach House, Ascend Hotel Collection (rated highly)
• DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans (relax by the pool)

☂️ Top tours and experiences in New Orleans

• Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Cruise (likely to sell out)
• Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise With Dinner Option (very popular)
• New Orleans Airboat Ride (very popular)
• New Orleans Original Ghost, Voodoo, Vampire, & More Tour (very popular)
• New Orleans Steamboat NATCHEZ Jazz Cruise

20 Fun Things to Do at Night in New Orleans

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Bar hop on a NOLA pub crawl

A list of night activities in New Orleans wouldn't be complete without visiting a range of bars on a pub crawl. Luckily, you can choose from an array of New Orleans pub crawls covering various themes.

Pub crawls to choose from include haunted and live music bar crawls. Whichever operator you decide to go with, you'll get to drink and party at some of the city's best spots, including at bars on Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street.

🏨 Stay near Bourbon Street

• The Jung Hotel & Residences (good value rooms)
• St Charles Coach House, Ascend Hotel Collection (scored highly by guests)

Admire the views from Hot Tin rooftop bar

Located in the Garden District on Saint Charles Avenue, Hot Tin rooftop bar at the Pontchartrain Hotel is one of the best places to go in New Orleans at night. The bar is named after the Tennessee Williams play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and is designed in a 1940s style.

Along with enjoying breathtaking views of New Orleans from the bar, you can order various delicious cocktails. Sophisticated drinks to order include an espresso martini, old-fashioned, or French 75. Drinking at Hot Tin offers a luxurious and laid-back atmosphere that you're sure to love.

🏨 Nearest accommodations to Hot Tin

• NOPSI Hotel New Orleans (5-star rating)
• Homewood Suites by Hilton New Orleans French Quarter (offers a pool)

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Experience Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is world-renowned. This exciting annual event takes place in the city during the week before Lent, a religious holiday that begins in February or March.

If visiting during Mardi Gras, you'll discover a range of nighttime festivities to enjoy. From parades and music performances to trying yummy snacks, like Kings Cake, experiencing NOLA during Mardi Gras is a bucket list activity!

☂️ Visit New Orleans with an excursion

• New Orleans Original Ghost, Voodoo, Vampire, & More Tour (a hit among most)
• Ghost, Voodoo, Vampire & Horror Walking Tour

🏨 Nearest accommodations to New Orleans

• Best Western Plus French Quarter Courtyard Hotel (4-star rating)
• Le Pavillon New Orleans

Attempt to beat an escape game

Another fun nighttime activity to try is attempting to break out of an escape room. The Escape Game is one of New Orleans' most popular escape room operators, and they have a location downtown.

During the 60-minute game, you and your friends will solve a range of puzzles to hopefully break free from the room. You can also choose a range of themed rooms to try, from a special ops-themed room to a prison break scenario.

🏨 Accommodations close to The Escape Game New Orleans

• New Orleans Marriott (relax by the pool)
• Hyatt Regency New Orleans (4-star rating)

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Dine aboard a Steamboat Natchez cruise

Enjoying a meal aboard an old-fashioned Steamboat Natchez on the Mississippi River is a memorable activity. The Steamboat Natchez dinner cruise lasts two hours, and during this time, you can eat, take in the views, and listen to a live band.

Delicious buffet dining options range from seafood pasta and salads to meat dishes, veggie options, and tasty desserts. Watching the sunset over the water and seeing the New Orleans skyline illuminated as you wine and dine is an enjoyable experience for all! Taking the cruise is also an excellent activity for families visiting New Orleans with kids.

🏨 Accommodations close to the Steamboat NATCHEZ

• The Royal Sonesta New Orleans
• Wyndham New Orleans French Quarter

Take a night helicopter tour

One of the best night activities in New Orleans is taking a helicopter ride over the city. This nighttime helicopter tour takes you high above the city and over some major landmarks.

Once in the air, you can appreciate the beautiful illuminated city below and spot Louisiana landmarks, such as the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and the French Quarter. Although the flight lasts just 15 minutes, this activity is well worth it and will leave you with lifelong memories!

🏨 Accommodations in close proximity to New Orleans

• Hyatt House New Orleans Downtown (top-rated)
• Hilton New Orleans Riverside

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Enjoy jazz at the iconic Preservation Hall

Preservation Hall is another excellent live jazz spot in NOLA. Located in the French Quarter, the club has been hosting jazz performances since the 1950s.

You can dance and watch shows until just after 8 PM, you're also guaranteed to know some of the songs performed if you want to sing along! If you are interested in visiting some other amazing music venues, going on a New Orleans music heritage tour, that also stops at Preservation Hall, is recommended.

🏨 Accommodations nearby Preservation Hall

• Hotel Mazarin
• Bourbon Orleans Hotel (well-regarded)

Dance aboard a paddlewheeler jazz cruise

Another of the unique night activities in New Orleans that will get you out on the water is taking a paddle-wheeler jazz cruise. This two-hour trip offers scenic views of New Orleans and the Mississippi River.

You'll also get to eat a delicious creole dinner featuring Cajun seafood pasta, jambalaya, and white chocolate bread pudding, among many other dishes. Once you've eaten, grab some tasty drinks and dance to music performed by a live jazz band.

🏨 Places to stay close to 1 Poydras St

• Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter (very highly rated)
• Hilton New Orleans StCharles Avenue

Get spooked on one of NOLA's ghost tours

New Orleans is well-known for having a paranormal past and for being a highly haunted city. From voodoo queens to serial killers and pirates, New Orleans has its fair share of ghostly residents.

The best way to see New Orleans' most haunted places is on a nighttime ghost tour. Places you may visit include St. Louis Cemetery No.1, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, and the LaLaurie Mansion. Daring to go on a ghost tour is one of the most fun things to do in New Orleans at night!

🏨 Stay nearby New Orleans

• One11 Hotel (highly acclaimed)
• Virgin Hotels New Orleans (rated 4-stars)

Experience a cocktail tour

If you love fancy cocktails, then this is the nighttime activity for you! On a New Orleans cocktail tour, you'll be taken to four of the city's hottest drinking spots. These establishments include the Bourbon Orleans Hotel bar and a former ice house.

Along with trying famous NOLA cocktails, like a Sazerac, you'll learn some unique drinking-related history facts, such as why Absinthe was banned in the US. This tour is a unique activity for those who enjoy sophisticated beverages.

🏨 Places to stay near Red Fish Grill

• International House Hotel (good value)
• Le Richelieu in the French Quarter (unwind poolside)

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Go on a haunted horse and carriage ride

A fun alternative to a ghost tour is going on a haunted horse and carriage ride through New Orleans. On this unique one-hour tour, you'll ride past an array of spooky spots and hear ghost stories relating to each site.

Attractions you'll see include Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral, and various spots in the French Quarter. You'll hear tales about the ghosts of those who died of yellow fever, vampire sightings, and various other paranormal activities around the city.

🏨 Stay in close proximity to 700 Decatur St

• Omni Royal Orleans (4-star rating)
• Bienville House Hotel

Learn about NOLA history on a history drinking tour

New Orleans is a city with an incredibly rich history. Learning about some of this history is a must when in the city and a fun way to do so is with some drinks on the Drunken NOLA History Tour!

On the tour, you'll spend a night in New Orleans hopping back and forth from landmarks to famous bars. Your guide will offer history on everywhere you see and bars to visit include Pirate's Alley Cafe and Tujague's.

🏨 Stay near Ryans Irish Pub Inc

• La Galerie French Quarter Hotel
• Melrose Mansion Suites

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Sip New Orleans cocktails at Carousel Bar & Lounge

If you want to try classic New Orleans cocktails, then heading to the Carousel Bar & Lounge at the Hotel Monteleone is the activity for you! The sophisticated bar serves NOLA drinks like a Sazerac and a Vieux Carre.

This spot also includes a notable feature; the bar at the center of the lounge rotates and is designed like a carousel, hence the name. Sipping some drinks at Carousel Bar & Lounge is highly recommended and is an ideal activity for couples in New Orleans.

🏨 Stay nearby The Carousel Bar & Lounge

• Historic Streetcar Inn
• Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans Convention Center

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Listen to jazz at the Spotted Cat Music Club

New Orleans is a jazz hotspot within the United States. If you want to hear some live jazz, head to the Spotted Cat Music Club on Frenchmen Street.

This iconic NOLA bar features live acts that you can listen to as you enjoy a cold local beer. The bar is quite small, so show up early if you plan to spend the evening at the Spotted Cat Music Club.

☂️ Visit The Spotted Cat Music Club on a tour

• New Orleans Small Group City Tour (likely to sell out)
• Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl in New Orleans

🏨 Stay in close proximity to The Spotted Cat Music Club

• Hotel le Marais
• Dauphine Orleans Hotel

Take dance lessons

If you're looking to learn some new skills, taking dance lessons in the evening in New Orleans is for you. Ballroom Dance New Orleans offers an array of dances to try. These range from Latin dances, like the Tango, to ballroom classics, such as the Foxtrot and Waltz.

You'll be taught by an experienced instructor who can work with all ability levels, from beginner to expert. No matter what your level and which dance you choose to try, taking a dance class is a super fun way to spend your evening!

🏨 Place to stay close to 5050 W Esplanade Ave

• Sleep Inn & Suites (good value)

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Watch NOLA's sports teams in action

New Orleans has two major sports teams, the New Orleans Saints NFL team and the New Orleans Pelicans NBA team. If in the city during each league's respective seasons, catching a game is a must.

Watching a Pelicans game is your best bet when looking for a nighttime event, as NBA games are more often in the evenings. If you like watching college sports, New Orleans also has an NCAA football and basketball team.

🏨 Nearest accommodations to Smoothie King Center

• Homewood Suites by Hilton New Orleans
• Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Convention Center

Go on a sightseeing horse and carriage ride

While a haunted horse and carriage ride is fun, going on a nighttime sightseeing carriage ride is a great idea too. On the ride through the French Quarter, you'll see various landmarks, including St. Louis Cathedral and the French Market.

Your driver will also offer history on everything you drive by and cover topics from food to jazz. With the later rides starting at 5 PM and 6 PM, this activity is the ideal start to a night in New Orleans.

🏨 Accommodations in close proximity to 700 Decatur St

• Prince Conti Hotel
• Hotel Monteleone

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Drink like a pirate at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar

New Orleans has many unique bars, and if you're looking for an interesting place to grab a drink, you must go to Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar. Located on Bourbon Street, this bar is the oldest in the city and was opened in the 1700s.

Lafitte's Bar is also said to be haunted by the ghost of pirate Jean Lafitte who drank at the establishment before his death. If you want to discover more spooky drinking spots, why not try a haunted bar crawl?

🏨 Accommodations near Lafittes Blacksmith Shop Bar

• Hampton Inn Downtown French Quarter Area
• Holiday Inn Hotel French Quarter-Chateau Lemoyne

Create delicious dishes at a cooking class

Why go to a restaurant for dinner when you could cook a professional-style meal yourself? With a cooking class, you'll be taught various recipes to create your own delicious meal.

You cook dinner at a New Orleans cooking class on Monday and Friday nights and will produce a range of Southern dishes. These meals include gumbo, shrimp and grits, and bananas foster crepes. If you have a great time, you can return any other day of the week for a brunch cooking class.

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Eat sweet treats at Cafe du Monde

Cafe Du Monde is an iconic New Orleans eatery with a few locations throughout the city. The most famous location is at the French Market on Decatur Street. Best of all, this spot is open until 10 PM, so you can enjoy the spot after dark.

The cafe is known for its beignets, which are an absolute must-try dessert! You can also get fresh coffee, and a variety of cute merchandise is available to buy. Spending a relaxed evening with coffee and pastries at this quaint cafe is the perfect idea for a laid-back night.

☂️ Visit the Cafe Du Monde French Market with an excursion

• New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter With Small-Group Option (usually sells out)

🏨 Stay near the Cafe Du Monde French Market

• Courtyard by Marriott New Orleans French Quarter Iberville

In Conclusion

New Orleans features a wide variety of nighttime activities to try. These include various tours, hands-on activities, like cooking classes, and memorable experiences, such as helicopter rides. No matter how long you spend in the city or what you choose to do at night, you're sure to have a memorable time in New Orleans!

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