Top Things to Do in the French Quarter (Beyond Bourbon Street)

Bourbon Street may be the most famous stretch of pavement in New Orleans—but it’s far from the most interesting.

Just steps away from the neon lights and plastic cups is a French Quarter filled with real history, hidden streets, incredible food, and stories that shaped the city long before it became a party destination. If you’re looking for authentic things to do in the French Quarter, this guide takes you beyond Bourbon Street and into the heart of New Orleans.

1. Walk the Historic Streets (The Quarter Is the Attraction)

The French Quarter is best experienced on foot. Every block tells a story—iron balconies, brick courtyards, and narrow alleys that predate the United States itself.

Streets like Royal, Chartres, and Pirates Alley reveal a quieter, more atmospheric side of the neighborhood. You’ll see centuries-old buildings, hidden passageways, and architectural details most visitors miss when they stay on Bourbon.

👉 Pro tip: A guided walking tour helps you understand what you’re actually looking at—and why it matters.

2. Take a Pirate Walking Tour (Real History, Not Gimmicks)

New Orleans wasn’t just haunted—it was dangerous, lawless, and deeply connected to pirates and smugglers.

A Pirate Walking Tour explores the true underworld of early New Orleans, when pirates like Jean Lafitte operated just blocks from where you’re standing. You’ll learn how smuggling kept the city alive, how pirates worked with corrupt officials, and why New Orleans couldn’t survive without them.

Unlike ghost tours or costumed gimmicks, this experience is grounded in real history, told where it actually happened.

✔ Perfect daytime activity
✔ Family-friendly
✔ Ideal before dinner in the Quarter

3. Explore Pirates Alley (One of the Most Historic Streets in the City)

Tucked between St. Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo, Pirates Alley is one of the most photographed—and misunderstood—spots in the French Quarter.

This narrow passageway once served as a passageway from the river into the city. Today, it’s a quiet, atmospheric street that feels frozen in time.

Stop by during the day for photos, or at night when gas lamps cast long shadows and the Quarter feels like the 1800s again.

4. Visit Jackson Square (But Don’t Rush It)

Most visitors see Jackson Square. Fewer actually experience it.

Take time to sit, listen to street musicians, watch artists work, and admire the St. Louis Cathedral—the oldest continuously active cathedral in the United States.

Jackson Square has witnessed executions, uprisings, pirate dealings, and celebrations for over 300 years. It’s not just a park—it’s the historic heart of New Orleans.

5. Eat Your Way Through the Quarter

The French Quarter is one of the best food neighborhoods in America.

From elegant Creole fine dining to casual po’boy shops, you’ll find iconic New Orleans dishes within a few blocks:

• Gumbo and jambalaya

• Po’boys and muffulettas

• Beignets, pralines, and bread pudding

Many of these restaurants sit inside buildings that were already old during the pirate era—adding flavor to every meal.

👉 A Pirate Walking Tour before dinner gives context to the streets and buildings you’re dining in.

6. Visit Historic Bars (Not Just Bourbon Street)

Some of America’s oldest bars are hidden just off the main drags.

These historic watering holes once served sailors, pirates, smugglers, and dockworkers. Today, they offer classic cocktails, intimate atmospheres, and a sense of continuity you won’t find in louder venues.

If you want drinks with history—and stories to go with them—a guided experience is the way to go.

7. Join a Pirate Pub Crawl (History + Cocktails)

A Pirate Pub Crawl blends storytelling with drinks, guiding you through historic French Quarter streets tied to pirates, smugglers, and the city’s criminal past.

This isn’t a loud, chaotic bar crawl, ok it kinda is but it’s a walking experience focused on:

• Legendary New Orleans stories of torture and crime

• Historic bars with character and really strong drinks

• Pirate stories rooted in fact, violence and brutality

✔ Perfect after dinner
✔ Ideal for couples, groups, and visitors who want something different
✔ A fun alternative to Bourbon Street chaos

8. Shop Local in the French Quarter

Skip the mass-produced souvenir shops and look for locally owned stores offering New Orleans–made art, books, and gifts.

In Pirates Alley, you’ll find pirate-themed merchandise inspired by real history—not movie myths—including apparel, artwork, and items you won’t see anywhere else.

It’s where the pirate tours begin and a way to take a piece of authentic New Orleans home with you.

9. Experience the Quarter at Night (When It Slows Down)

When the crowds thin, the French Quarter transforms.

Gas lamps glow, music drifts through courtyards, and the streets feel closer to how they did centuries ago. This is the best time to walk, explore, and listen to the city.

A Pirate Pub Crawl or evening stroll reveals the Quarter’s darker, more mysterious side—without the noise.

Final Thought: The Best Things to Do Are Beyond Bourbon

Bourbon Street is easy to find—but the real French Quarter rewards curiosity.

If you want history, food, atmosphere, and stories that actually happened:

• Walk the quieter streets

• Learn the city’s pirate past

• Eat well

• Drink with purpose

And experience New Orleans the way it was meant to be experienced—beyond Bourbon Street.