Romantic Getaways in New Orleans: Two Nights Out
Pour a Sazerac, hear a clarinet carry across a room and then step out into warm night air. A couple does not need a long list in New Orleans, because two well-chosen evenings can carry a whole trip.
Night one: river and jazz
Begin on the Mississippi aboard the Steamboat Natchez, which sails from the Toulouse Street Wharf. The evening dinner cruise features live jazz with the Dukes of Dixieland, and it costs well above the daytime fare, so check the schedule and rates on steamboatnatchez.com . Afterwards, walk to Jackson Square, where street musicians play late on busy nights.
If you prefer a smaller room, book a 45-minute set at Preservation Hall on St Peter Street instead. Tickets are sold online in advance only, from about $25, and the calendar shows seating options. Choose a seated ticket for the closest listening.
Night two: cocktails and Frenchmen Street
Start the evening at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone, open daily from about 11:00 to midnight. A classic cocktail there runs about $16 to $22. From there, move to Frenchmen Street in the Marigny, where the Spotted Cat, Snug Harbor and the Blue Nile run live sets, with Snug Harbor shows at about 20:00 and 22:00. The Frenchmen Art Market opens nightly from about 18:00 to 01:00 and is good for browsing between sets.
Daytime pauses
Between the two evenings, ride the St. Charles streetcar for $1.25 under the live oaks, or take the Canal Street ferry across to Algiers Point for $2 and walk its Victorian cottages. The Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park is free daily and holds more than 90 sculptures under live oaks.
Sleeping well
Pick a hotel in the French Quarter or the Marigny to keep late-night walks short. Check rates for New Orleans hotels on Booking.com and look at the cancellation policy. Mardi Gras Day on 9 February 2027 and Jazz Fest weekends on 22 to 25 April and 29 April to 2 May 2027 push prices up, and hurricane season peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
Late-night sense
Petty theft is the realistic concern on Bourbon Street and around Jackson Square, so keep phones and wallets secure. Taxis and rideshares are better than empty side streets in the lower Quarter and Treme after a late set. See the couple-friendly sightseeing ideas for daytime options.
Book the Natchez or Preservation Hall for the first night, then leave the second night open to wander.