USA
New Orleans, Louisiana
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Best for: families looking for variety. Skip if your kids melt down in crowds.
Best season
February - April, October - November
Best ages
6-17
Hotel / night
$160-280/night
Kid rating
5/10
Works best for
Verified April 2026Is New Orleans, Louisiana Good for Families?
New Orleans earns a 5/10 for families with young children — not because the city isn't wonderful, but because a significant portion of what makes it wonderful is adult-oriented. Bourbon Street is genuinely inappropriate for children at night and uncomfortable during the day. However, Uptown neighborhoods, the Audubon Zoo, the Children's Museum, swamp tours, and daytime French Quarter exploration offer real family value to parents willing to plan selectively.
New Orleans is one of America's most distinctive and culturally rich cities, and it can be a fantastic family destination if you approach it with clear expectations. The city's culinary heritage — beignets at Café Du Monde, po'boys, red beans and rice, and fresh Gulf seafood — is accessible and delightful for food-curious children. The architecture of the Garden District and French Quarter is genuinely unlike anywhere else in the US. The history spanning French colonial settlement, the slave trade, jazz origins, and Creole culture is endlessly interesting for teens. The realistic challenge: New Orleans' identity is deeply intertwined with alcohol and adult entertainment. Bourbon Street operates as a 24-hour open-air drinking zone and is genuinely not appropriate for children at any time. But the broader French Quarter is quite accessible during daytime hours — Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral, and the French Market are all family-friendly and remarkable. Royal Street with its antique galleries and street musicians is lovely. The Garden District and Audubon Park are the city's family-friendly heartland — beautiful Victorian mansions, oak-canopied streets, and a genuinely excellent zoo make this part of New Orleans a pleasure to explore with children. The Audubon Zoo is consistently ranked among the best in the country, and the streetcar ride through the Garden District is a historic experience in itself. Weather is a serious consideration. New Orleans summers are brutal — temperatures regularly exceed 95°F with 80%+ humidity, making outdoor activities genuinely punishing for young children. March through April and October through November are the honest sweet spots. Hurricane season runs June through November with peak risk in August-September.
Monthly Weather Guide
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Jun Weather
High: 90°F · Low: 76°F· 14 rainy days · Humidity: very high
Hurricane season begins and heat is intense — not recommended for families with young kids.
Top Activities for Families
Audubon Zoo
Consistently ranked among the top 10 zoos in the US, the Audubon Zoo in Uptown is genuinely excellent — particularly the Louisiana Swamp exhibit featuring alligators, black bears, and nutria in a realistic bayou habitat. The African Savanna and Jaguar Jungle habitats are standouts. The zoo is beautiful, well-maintained, and significantly less crowded than comparable urban zoos in other cities.
Swamp Tour from New Orleans
An airboat or flat-bottom boat tour through the Atchafalaya swamp ecosystem 45 minutes from New Orleans is unlike anything kids can experience elsewhere in the US. Seeing wild alligators at close range from a boat, plus herons, egrets, and the magnificent bald cypress trees draped in Spanish moss, is genuinely memorable. The naturalist guides are excellent at keeping kids engaged and are careful about safety.
Café Du Monde and Jackson Square
The beignet at Café Du Monde — a New Orleans powdered-sugar fritter eaten at outdoor tables watching Jackson Square — is the city's most iconic food experience, and it costs $6 for three. The street performers, tarot card readers, and artists around Jackson Square create a lively atmosphere. The St. Louis Cathedral behind the Square is beautiful and free to enter.
Louisiana Children's Museum
A recently rebuilt state-of-the-art children's museum in City Park with hands-on exhibits about Louisiana's environment, culture, and science. The outdoor spaces reflect the wetland landscape and the architecture itself is remarkable. Best for children ages 2-10 who need an engaging indoor option during the heat of the day. Much less crowded than comparable museums in larger cities.
Garden District Walking Tour
The Garden District's streets lined with antebellum mansions, ancient live oaks, and flowering magnolias are among the most photogenic in the country. The Magazine Street commercial strip running through the neighborhood has independent shops and casual restaurants. Walk past Commander's Palace restaurant (book a lunch reservation if you can), the Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (the aboveground tombs fascinate older kids), and the grand mansions of Prytania Street.
Safety Information
Water Safety
Check local beach conditions and flags. Stay near lifeguarded beaches with young children.
Sun Protection
Apply reef-safe SPF 50+ sunscreen every 2 hours. Seek shade during 10am-2pm.
Medical
Locate the nearest pediatric facility before your trip. Bring a basic first-aid kit.
Where to Stay
Hotel Monteleone
The historic grande dame of French Quarter hotels, with a genuinely beautiful lobby bar (Carousel Bar — a rotating circular bar that kids find fascinating even if they're not drinking). The location on Royal Street puts you in the better part of the French Quarter away from Bourbon Street. Family rooms and connecting options available. This is one of those hotels with real character.
$200-340/night
Check Availability (opens in new tab)Loews New Orleans Hotel
Modern full-service hotel in the Central Business District adjacent to the French Quarter with an excellent pool and good-sized family rooms. The Canal Street location provides easy access to both the French Quarter and the streetcar lines to the Garden District. Less atmospheric than a French Quarter property but significantly better value and more family-practical.
$170-290/night
Check Availability (opens in new tab)The Pontchartrain Hotel
A beautifully restored mid-century landmark on St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District neighborhood — the most family-friendly location in the city, away from the French Quarter nightlife entirely. The Pontchartrain sits on the historic St. Charles streetcar line and is walking distance to Audubon Park and the zoo. Rooms have genuine character and the rooftop views are excellent.
$160-280/night
Check Availability (opens in new tab)How to Read This Guide
Scored for families
TotScore weights transit friction, weather, terrain, kid food, and editorial family fit.
Research-based
Guides use static research and planning data, not unverifiable personal testimonials.
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Directional estimates · April 2026. Check live prices →