New Orleans on a Budget: Prices and Free Days
New Orleans, priced: what’s free and what isn’t
New Orleans’ single best sight costs nothing: Jackson Square and St Louis Cathedral together, no ticket required. The paid tier that follows is short and specific, the National WWII Museum at $36 and St Louis Cemetery No. 1’s mandatory guided tour at roughly $33. Don’t assume every above-ground cemetery here works the same way; only two of the city’s several allow a free walk-in, and No. 1 isn’t one of them.
New Orleans key facts
| Site | Price | Hours | Time needed | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Square + St Louis Cathedral | Free | Square always open; Cathedral 9:30am-4pm daily, last entry 3:45pm | 30-45 min | None; walk-up |
| National WWII Museum | $36 adult / $33 senior / $26 student-military | Daily 9am-5pm | Half day minimum | Advance ticket recommended, not required |
| St Louis Cemetery No. 1 | ~$33, guided-only | Tours 9am-3:45pm daily except Mardi Gras Day | ~45 min | Mandatory; book a licensed guide |
| St Louis Cemetery No. 3 / Metairie Cemetery | Free | Daylight hours | 30-60 min | None; walk-in allowed |
| St Charles Streetcar | $1.25 single / $3 one-day pass | Runs 24/7 | As long as you ride | None; pay on board |
Is St Louis Cemetery No. 1 a walk-up sight?
No, and it’s the single most-missed fact about this city’s cemeteries. The Archdiocese has required a licensed guide since March 2015, after repeated vandalism including the defacement of Marie Laveau’s reputed tomb, so independent walk-ins are barred entirely. Book a guided tour for about $33, or visit St Louis Cemetery No. 3 or Metairie Cemetery instead, both allow free, unguided walk-in access.
Is the National WWII Museum worth $36?
Yes, for anyone spending a half day or more in the Warehouse District. It’s a multi-building campus, not one exhibit hall, covering the Pacific and European theaters plus home-front production, confirmed on the museum’s own site . Add-on films like Beyond All Boundaries run $9 each ($12 combo), and a second-day pass is $15 if one day genuinely isn’t enough.
What happened to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1?
It’s closed to independent public access in 2026 for repairs. A Garden District walking tour still passes its gates, viewing the above-ground tombs from outside rather than walking among them, the practical way to see it while the closure holds. Current streetcar fares for getting there are posted on norta.com .
Book the WWII Museum ticket before you land rather than queuing at the box office, and treat the free Jackson Square-Cathedral pairing as the anchor of any first day. Check current rates on Booking.com for a French Quarter or Garden District base, and see our New Orleans budget guide for the full free-and-cheap list plus a day-by-day plan starting with the 2-day itinerary .