Look, if you think New Orleans is just about Mardi Gras beads and hurricanes in plastic cups, you're missing the magic. As someone who got lost in the French Quarter three times last summer (on purpose!), I'll tell you this city's adult playground goes way deeper. We're talking jazz-soaked speakeasies, cemetery tours that'll make your spine tingle, and food so good you'll want to slap your mama (as they say down here).
Music That Gets Under Your Skin
You haven't truly lived until you've crammed into a sweaty backroom jazz club at midnight. The music here isn't background noise – it crawls into your bones. I still remember that trumpet solo at Preservation Hall that made my beer bottle vibrate.
Can't-Miss Music Spots
| Venue | Address | Hours | Cost | Why Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preservation Hall | 726 St Peter St | Shows at 5PM, 6PM, 8PM, 9PM, 10PM | $25-50 (cash only!) | Raw, intimate jazz in a 1817 building |
| The Spotted Cat | 623 Frenchmen St | 2PM - 2AM daily | $10 cover after 6PM | Dive bar vibe with killer jazz/blues |
| Tipitina's | 501 Napoleon Ave | Varies by show (usually 8PM-close) | $20-60+ | Legendary venue for big-name acts |
Pro Tip: Frenchmen Street beats Bourbon for music any night. Wander until you hear something you like – no cover before 6PM at most spots.
Eating Like a Local (No Tourist Traps)
Forget those powdered sugar mountains. Real New Orleans food is about gumbo dark as Cajun night and oysters that taste like the ocean punched you in the mouth. Last July, I waited 45 minutes for a po'boy at Parkway – totally worth the sweat.
| Restaurant | Must-Order Dish | Price Range | Hours | Local Secret |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander's Palace | Turtle Soup & Bread Pudding Soufflé | $$$$ ($75+/person) | Lunch: M-F 11:30AM-1:30PM Dinner: Nightly from 6PM |
25¢ martinis at lunch (limit 3) |
| Willie Mae's Scotch House | Fried Chicken (seriously) | $ ($15-20) | Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM | Go at 10AM or 3PM to skip lines |
| Cochon Butcher | Muffuletta & Cajun Pork Cracklins | $$ ($20-30) | Daily 10AM-10PM | Order at counter, grab beer, head to courtyard |
Honestly? The fanciest meal I had couldn't touch that $8 shrimp po'boy eaten on a sidewalk bench at 2AM. Sometimes messy beats Michelin.
Ghosts, Booze & History Tours
New Orleans doesn't just have history – it haunts you. My hotel's elevator kept stopping on the 3rd floor... with no buttons pressed. Spooky? Absolutely. But the real thrill is walking those stories.
Top Adult-Oriented Tours
- French Quarter Phantoms Ghost Tour (8PM & 10PM nightly | $25 | Meeting spot: 723 St Peter St) - Skip the cheesy chains. These guides actually research.
- Drunk History Tour (Thu-Sat at 3PM | $35 | 941 Bourbon St) - Exactly what it sounds like. History with 3 cocktail stops.
- Save Our Cemeteries Tour (Sat 10AM | $20 | St. Louis Cemetery #1) - Non-profit giving real cemetery preservation insights.
I did a vampire tour where the guide showed us actual medical leech jars from 1820. Gruesome? Sure. But way cooler than plastic fangs.
Beyond the Quarter: Real NOLA
The French Quarter's fun, but you'll find more authentic fun things to do in New Orleans for adults when you escape the tourist bubble. Rent a bike and explore:
Underrated Neighborhood Gems
- Magazine Street Antique Shops (Uptown): Six miles of weird treasures. Found a voodoo doll from 1910 last trip ($85, worth it).
- Music Box Village (Bywater): Interactive musical architecture. Play a house like an instrument? Yes please.
- City Park Sculpture Garden: Free surrealist art among live oaks. Perfect for hungover mornings.
Sweating It Out: Swamp Adventures
Airboats are fun, but real adventurers go kayaking. I did a sunset paddle through cypress tunnels last fall – saw gators sliding into black water while herons flew overhead. Magical doesn't cover it.
| Tour Company | Tour Type | Duration | Price | Why It Rocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Louisiana Tours | Kayak Swamp Eco-Tour | 3.5 hours | $75 | Small groups (max 8), biologist guides |
| Cajun Encounters | Airboat Night Tour | 2 hours | $89 | Spot gator eyes glowing in your flashlight beam |
Pro Tip: Bring bug spray. Seriously. The mosquitoes treat OFF! like salad dressing.
When You Need AC (Summer Survival)
August feels like breathing soup. Here's where to cool off without wasting time:
- New Orleans Pharmacy Museum (514 Chartres St | $10 | Tue-Sat 10AM-4PM): Creepy medical oddities and old opium bottles.
- Sazerac House (101 Magazine St | Free | Wed-Sat 1PM-6PM): Interactive cocktail museum with samples. Their absinthe tasting made me see green fairies.
- Cinematery Horror Film Screenings
Various historic locations | $25-40 | Monthly events Watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre in an actual tomb? Yeah.
Nightlife Beyond the Obvious
Bourbon Street's fun for 20 minutes. Then it's sticky and loud. Here's where locals drink:
| Bar | Signature Drink | Vibe | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cure | Pimm's Cup Revival | Craft cocktails in historic firehouse | Sun-Thu 5PM-12AM Fri-Sat 5PM-2AM |
| Jewel of the South | Champagne Cocktail | Hidden courtyard speakeasy | Wed-Sun 5PM-1AM |
| Port of Call | Monsoon (32oz hurricane) | Dive with insane hamburgers | Daily 11AM-3AM |
Adult Fun Without Alcohol
Not a drinker? No sweat. Plenty of fun things to do in New Orleans for adults that don't involve booze:
- Cajun Cooking Class (New Orleans School of Cooking | $35 | 524 St Louis St): Make gumbo hands-on.
- Streetcar Poetry Ride (First Fridays monthly | $15 | Board Canal St Station): Poets perform on moving streetcars.
- Mississippi River Sunset Yoga (Woldenberg Park | Donation-based | Tue/Thu 6:30PM May-Oct): Downward dog with paddlewheelers.
Money-Saving Hacks for Grown-Ups
NOLA doesn't have to break the bank:
- Go Museum Hopping: $35 gets a 3-day pass to NOMA, WWII Museum, Pharmacy Museum & more.
- Happy Hour Like a Pro: Antoine's (725 St Louis St) does 25¢ martinis 11:30AM-1PM Mon-Fri. Yes, really.
- Free Music Everywhere: Royal Street brass bands tip only. Frenchmen Art Market (free entry nightly).
Quick Answers: Fun Things to Do in New Orleans for Adults FAQ
What's open late for adults in New Orleans?
Most bars serve until 4AM (yes, AM!). Frenchmen Street music clubs stay packed until 3AM. Late-night eats: Clover Grill (Bourbon St - 24hr diner) or Verti Marte (1201 Royal St - insane "All That Jazz" po'boy).
Where can couples find romantic adult activities?
Steamboat Natchez sunset cruise (book upper deck - $48pp), candlelit dinner at Bayona (430 Dauphine St), or midnight stroll through Jackson Square when crowds vanish.
Any adult-only hotels?
Hotel Peter and Paul (former church/school - adults-only pool) and The Chloe (17+ only, epic veranda). Avoid family-heavy resorts near Convention Center.
Is Garden District worth visiting for adults?
Absolutely. Skip the group tours. Grab a self-guided map from Garden District Book Shop, stroll past Anne Rice's house, then hit Columns Hotel bar for mint juleps on the veranda.
What should adults avoid in New Orleans?
Hand Grenade drinks (cheap sugar bombs), Bourbon Street after midnight (unless you enjoy puke smells), and any "voodoo shop" with plastic skulls near Jackson Square. Real voodoo temples like Island of Salvation Botanica are in the Bywater.
Look, you'll make missteps. I once paid $18 for a sad beignet tower at a tourist trap. But get lost down alleyways smelling of jasmine and hot sauce. Sit on a stoop listening to brass bands. Let the city's weird magic grab you. That's where the real fun things to do in New Orleans for adults live – in the messy, sweaty, soulful moments between the guidebook pages.
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