Ten Things To Do for $10 in New Orleans
New Orleans has always been a city that attracts thrill-seekers. Not necessarily the type of adrenaline junkie looking to jump out of an airplane of off a perfectly stable bridge – though these types can also find themselves quite a rush in the Big Easy. No, New Orleans attracts a different type of risk-taker. The type more inclined to see where the day takes them. More of a “let’s get lost and see what we discover” attitude. This mental attitude fits in naturally – like okra in a zippy gumbo – in a city perhaps best known for its revelry during a festival designed for overindulgence in the shadow of an impending religious season of self-denial and penance.
Consequently, travelers headed to New Orleans frequently need to watch their spending as they drift from street to street, looking for their next adventure. New Orleans is one of the best places in the world to sit on a bench and people-watch, but if you are looking to spend a little something to brighten your day and appreciate New Orleans, here are ten ideas for activities, each of which costs $10 or less.
1) Visit the Musée Conti Wax Museum. Featuring wax representations of Napoleon in a tribute to Louisiana’s French history, the wax museum is quirky and offbeat to the point of revelry. Tickets are $7.
2) Visit a More Traditional Museum. The New Orleans Museum of Art features an eclectic and deep collection of art, with items on display that date back as far as 15 centuries. Tickets cost $10 during regular museum hours, except for Wednesdays, which are free. Always free is the outdoor portion (the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden).
3) Get Around in the Square. The beating heart of the French Quarter is a popular destination for tourists of any stripe, but it is also one of the best places in the country to people watch, appreciate amazing architecture and spend as much or as little money as you would like. Shops, restaurants, galleries, and museums occupy the amazing buildings in Jackson Square, but you won’t need to go spend money in any of them in order to have a unique New Orleans experience. And since it sits right up against the Mississippi River, you can also…
4) Beat Your Feet in the Mississippi Mud. It’s fun to act out the lyrics to a song, and you can do it here without having to go all the way to Winslow, AZ just to stand on a corner or try to become a Johnny Cash Everywhere Man by visiting everywhere in the song.
5) Honor the Greatest Generation. The National World War II Museum pays tribute to the most influential event in America’s history. Aside from the amazing work of the curators devising interesting and exciting exhibits, their Imax Theater (a 4-D Experience!) is thrilling and educational, while costing a mere $10 per ticket.
6) Zee Zome Zydeco, Jam to Jazz. At Preservation Hall, they pay tribute to these uniquely New Orleans musical forms. The intimate venue leads to long lines, alas, but the chance to mainline genuine New Orleans Zydeco is worth it, and if you are close enough to the front of the line, you get a seat on the bench. Tickets to see the show? $8.
7) Saaa-wing, Batter! The New Orleans Zephyrs are the AAA affiliate of the Florida Marlins. Many of their players will go on to play in the bigs – and there’s a strong chance you’ll be able to see actual major-leaguers on rehab assignments as well. Frequent promotions and fan-appreciation events make minor league baseball a treat. Tickets right on field level cost $10. You can spend even less if you don’t mind sitting in the upper deck.
8) Drink Way Too Much. Upscale Italian cuisine with a New Orleans twist, Bacco brings out all the mouth-watering stops by marrying two regions known for their cuisine: Italy and the land of quality Cajun food itself. The entrees are likely to run you more than the $10 limit we’ve set, but maybe you’d rather hang out at the bar and enjoy ten-cent martinis. That’s 90 drinks for you, leaving a little something left over to tip you bartender, and hopefully offset the cost of that carpal tunnel syndrome you gave him ordering so many martinis.
9) Have One At Pat’s. Pat O’Brien’s is a standard New Orleans port of call, featuring strong drinks. They target tourists, but considering the punch packed by this punch, one drink may be just enough. Order a Hurricane and nurse it for a while, enjoying the colorful New Orleans night life, or have a Bloody Mary and enjoy the colorful New Orleans morning life. Drinks range from $5.25 to $8.
10) Learn the Ways of Your Enemy. If you’ve had too many Hurricanes, Lemonades, or most of the other drinks offered by Pat O’Brien’s, chances are you and rum got to know each other intimately and unfortunately. Well, for $10, you can learn more about that sandpaper lining the inside of your skull and how it got there. With a fascinating tour and a little hair of the dog what bit ya, the Rum Distillery Tour will help you remember that it’s all science, and the rum is not a demon for you to destroy. Armed with your newfound knowledge, Celebration Distillation will send you out for another night in the city where the party never stops.