New Orleans with Kids
A storybook playground, a Mardi Gras float workshop, and alligators in the bayou, the version of New Orleans that actually works with children in tow.
New Orleans is genuinely far more than Bourbon Street and late nights, a city with world-class zoos, storybook parks and a food scene that wins over even picky eaters. Here’s how to spend the time on what actually works with kids.
City Park
One of the largest urban parks in the country, twice the size of New York’s Central Park, home to Storyland, a properly charming playground where fairytale characters come to life as climbable sculptures, and Carousel Gardens’ hand-carved carousel dating back to the early 1900s. Stanley Ray Playground, designed specifically for ages 2-5, rounds out the park’s family offerings.
Audubon Zoo, Aquarium and Insectarium
This trifecta consistently ranks as the top family experience in New Orleans, a real full day of animal encounters, jaguars and Louisiana alligators at the zoo, a 60-foot touch pool with sharks and stingrays at the aquarium, and a butterfly garden overlooking the Mississippi at the insectarium. All three sit within an easy trip of each other via the Riverfront streetcar.
Louisiana Children’s Museum
Interactive exhibits covering local food, music, nature and culture, properly built for younger kids, with 8.5 acres of outdoor space, the Big Backyard, to run around in once the indoor exhibits are done. Acorn, the on-site restaurant, is a properly kid-friendly lunch stop without needing to leave the grounds.
Mardi Gras World
A properly unique behind-the-scenes look at how Mardi Gras floats and sculptures come together, kids can try on costumes and play with props from past parades. It’s the single most distinctive attraction in the city, and works well for a full range of ages without any of the crowds or intensity of the actual Mardi Gras parade.
A swamp tour or airboat ride
A genuinely different side of Louisiana just outside the city, alligators, herons and Spanish moss-draped cypress trees along Bayou Manchac or similar routes. Airboat rides run at higher speed for older kids wanting more thrill, while a slower swamp cruise suits younger children better.
If the weather turns
The Louisiana Children’s Museum works well as a full indoor day, and JAMNOLA, a colourful, Instagram-friendly space celebrating the city’s music and culture, offers a shorter, genuinely fun indoor stop for a couple of hours.
Eating with kids
Beignets at Café du Monde are an essential, kid-approved start to any day, and po-boys, gumbo and red beans and rice all tend to go down well even with picky eaters. Snowballs, New Orleans’ answer to a shaved ice treat, are a reliable way to cool down between attractions.
A few practical notes
New Orleans’ streetcar system is genuinely affordable and easy to use, the Riverfront line in particular connects the Audubon attractions and French Market without needing a car. The city’s walkable neighbourhoods make it a genuinely manageable destination even with young kids in tow.
That’s everything I’ve got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government’s latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
