Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Mid-City

"If you’ve seen photos of New Orleans, you’ve likely seen Jackson Square: a small park that sits in front of St. Louis Cathedral, the view of New Orleans’ beautiful white cathedral is one of the most classic shots of New Orleans. It doesn’t take long to walk around, but the real treat is what’s between Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral: in this small walking area, you’ll often find energetic street performers, from jazz musicians to jugglers, as well as plenty of people willing to exchange a bit of touristy New Orleans voodoo for a fee."

"St. Louis Cathedral is an iconic landmark of the French Quarter, located in front of the Jackson Square. It is the oldest cathedral in the United States. It has Renaissance and Spanish Colonial type architecture."

"Often called the heart of New Orleans, Jackson Square is full of energy and activity. Facing the Mississippi River and directly across from the St. Louis Cathedral, the Square stands in the shadows of the Andrew Jackson statue, erected for his heroism during the Battle of New Orleans. Here you will find street artists painting during the day and jazz musicians by night, along with fortune-tellers and other kinds of street theater."

"Jackson Square is the center of all the history and action in New Orleans. The beautiful square lies in front of the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral with historic building on both sides, the famous Cafe du Monde and the Mississippi River to the south. It is definitely the most iconic photo spot in all of New Orleans."

"If you're looking for a kid-friendly jazz venue in New Orleans, this is it. The all-ages music landmark offers sets of jazz nightly—fyi, there's no food and beverage service—with some shows starting as early as 6 p.m. Pro tip: Queue early and grab one of the benches; seating is first-come, first-served."

"Opened all the way back in 1961, Preservation Hall is a historical landmark in New Orleans housed in a building associated with a house band, a record label, and a non-profit foundation."

"Three blocks from the mighty Mississippi is Preservation Hall, a haven for well-rounded jazz musicians to play the soundtrack of New Orleans to sold-out crowds.[Learn more]"

"Though it was named after him and offered to him as a place of refuge after his exile from France, Napoleon never made it here. Still, this 200-plus-year-old landmark carries on with his name, serving thousands of Pimm’s Cups and muffulettas to locals and tourists alike. Grab a seat in the courtyard and keep an eye out for the ghosts that are said to haunt the place."

"The home was originally built by Nicholas Girod, the mayor of New Orleans. Girod later extended an invitation in 1821 to Napoleon to reside in the mansion as a refuge during his exile. Although Napoleon never made it to New Orleans, the name has been attached to the mansion ever since."

"On a typically hot July summer day In 1966 my fiance, now wife, and I first entered Napoleon House for a late afternoon drink. We were greeted by a…"

"French QuarterArchitecture enthusiasts will quickly and easily fall in love with New Orleans, and for good reason; the city is prized for its distinctive architectural style. And nowhere will you find a better example of this than at Madame John’s Legacy, a primo example of Louisiana’s 18th-century architectural design, and an official National Historic Landmark."

"Long thought to be the oldest building on the Mississippi River, Madame John’s Legacy has proven to be not quite the oldest. It was one of the few buildings in the quarter to escape the great fire of 1795 in New Orleans. Architecture fans can appreciate the 18th century design."

"The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is another great park to visit if your family loves nature and animals. The Barataria Preserve located in Marrero Louisiana is about 30 minutes outside of New Orleans, if your family is in town for a while, I recommend visiting this park. For more information on The Jean LaFitte National Historical Park and Preserve visit https://www.nps.gov/jela/barataria-preserve.htm"

"This swampy nature preserve is only a half-hour drive from downtown New Orleans, but its cypress trees, turtles, wildflowers, alligators, and 200-plus species of birds make it feel light years away. Explore the boardwalks on your own, or have kids earn a badge with the park’s Junior Ranger program. View this post on Instagram"

"The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve consists of six physically separate sites in southeastern Louisiana. Two of these sites are in the New Orleans area and are well worth a visit. The Barataria Preserve offers a chance to see some of Louisiana's natural treasures."

"Immaculate Conception church, locally known as Jesuit church, is a Roman Catholic church in the Central Business District of New Orleans. The original church was built on this site in 1857. Immaculate Conception church was built and designed in the Neo-Venetian Gothic style of Gothic Revival architecture, with Moorish Revival and Byzantine Revival elements."

"A Hana special roll combines tuna, salmon, crab stick, tempura-fried shrimp, avocado, tamago and smelt roe. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily."

"I've been eating here since I was little, the food is amazing, the prices are good, the atmosphere and the decorations are great, and the people tha..."

"Low key West Bank sushi spot Daiwa, known for its uni, karaoke rooms, and Hello Kitty aesthetic, opened a second location in Metairie a few months ago. The Vets Boulevard restaurant in a former World of Beer location ups the ante in space and menu, with the option of omakase (chef’s choice) dinners and new specialties featuring less common fish like Japanese striped jack and sardines. Lunch was also just added in August."

"5033 Lapalco Blvd., Suite B6, Marrero, (504) 875-4203; www.daiwasushi.com. Spicy City is a deep-fried sushi roll filled with marinated crawfish, snow crab, cream cheese, avocado and jalapeno and topped with eel sauce and spicy mayonnaise."

"The Bearcat Cafe in Uptown lets you decide by indicating healthy or less healthy items on the menu. This modern sit-down cafe offers an array of fresh breakfast and lunch options. There are also selections of coffees from Equator Coffee Co, a wide variety of loose-leaf teas, and house-made bottled beverages."

"A New Orleans neighborhood restaurant in Metairie, The Galley has one of the most extensive seafood menus in the city. While other seafood restaurants present a pretty standard set of dishes that do not vary much from the offerings of competitors, The Galley menu boasts a combination of classics and imaginative dishes that you will not find elsewhere in the city. Some of the highlights of the menu include the soft-shell crab platter, seasonally served boiled crawfish, blackened redfish, and Crawfish hush puppies."

"Speaking of our friends from Mardi Gras Day, after our play date at City Park they took us to dinner at The Galley, one of their favorite seafood restaurants in New Orleans. Now this is a real locals restaurant, and popular too, especially known for their crawfish tails!. We dined on a Friday night and folks were lined up out the door into the car park waiting for a table, enjoying a cold beer and a chit chat in the process."

"2535 Metairie Road, Metairie, (504) 832-0955; www.thegalleyseafood.net. A combination seafood platter includes fried shrimp, oysters and catfish, salad and a side."