10 Things to Do in New Orleans in April

New Orleans is full of life all year round, but if you choose April for your trip to the southern city you have several must-see events. Music everywhere in the streets of New Orleans, which will make you enjoy a spectacular weather, with temperatures around 25 degrees at this time. If you don't want to miss the most exciting spring in the city of New Orleans, stay tuned to all the activities offered by the city that never sleeps.

Tospeak of New Orleans is to speak of Jazz in capital letters. Considered the cradle of this musical style, the city offers countless related activities in which to learn about the origin and culture of jazz. However, if there is a great event in which to immerse yourself in the world, do not miss the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, held in late April at the Fairgrounds Racetrack.

Foo Fighters, The Who, Lionel Richie, Erykah Badu or Ludacris are some of the artists who have played on its stages. Sounds good, doesn't it? You can purchase tickets for either of the two weekends or even for a single day. Prices are around $80. And if you are passionate about this music, do not hesitate to book a jazz tour of New Orleans. Pleasure for the senses!

Jazz lovers can vibrate at the many concerts inside and outside the festival grounds, but not only that:

• Each year, this event hosts the best artisans in the area and present displays that bring the culture and history of jazz to its visitors.
• Among the music tents you can find handmade clothing, instruments as well as accessories, jewelry and artwork.
• The African market of Congo Square brings to this great festival the roots and heritage of jazz. African art, customs and products to learn first-hand about the life and folklore of New Orleans.
• You can also get to know the traditional cuisine of the state of Louisiana, with its Cajun roots and Caribbean influences.

The French Quarter or French Quarter is one of the most popular neighborhoods in New Orleans: the colorful and contrasting buildings, bars and stores make it very special. But if there is a time to enjoy even more the picturesque streets of this neighborhood is in April, when the French Quarter Festival is celebrated.

Four days of music of all styles: swing, funk, rock, gospel, Latin music and even cabaret will accompany you on the stages that are deployed throughout the city during these days. More than 2,000 artists participate in this event and you will enjoy live music and dance for free!

The venues around Jackson Square are also open to host concerts and offer their delicious dishes and cocktails. Gastronomy is also a strong point of this famous festival. You can't forget the typical seafood such as barbecued oysters or Cajun meat pies.

Another square that comes alive in spring is the centrally located Lafayette Square. In its surroundings are held the " Wednesdays in the Square", that is, concerts with live music by local bands of all musical styles that will put rhythm to the afternoon and will make you enjoy on numerous stages.

No one can imagine a festival of this kind without street food and drink stalls to keep you going, right? And local artists also sell souvenirs and other handicrafts and artwork at the outdoor stalls.

To enjoy the concerts you can bring a chair or sit on the ground with your blanket to meet the best artists of the New Orleans music scene. Great plan!

Although Easter Sunday changes every year depending on the celebration of Easter, it usually coincides in the month of April. That is why I invite you to witness the processions that New Orleans hosts in commemoration of this Christian feast.

There are several parades that run through the city, starting with the French Quarter, where the locals, elegantly dressed, walk on foot or in horse-drawn carriages to distribute Easter bunnies to children. After mass, they gather for lunch in the restaurants in the area.

But you also can't miss the gay Easter parade, the most colorful of all. It is held in the afternoon and you will see bikers in their leather costumes and Easter hats, who will also give surprise gifts to passers-by.

Easter Day for kids

If you're traveling with little ones, take them to enjoy the Egg Scramble at New Orleans City Park. You'll have family fun, hunt for Easter eggs, get a special visit from the Easter Bunny and ride unlimited rides on all the attractions at the park.

Afterwards, let them relax and get their adrenaline pumping as you tour New Orleans' most iconic sights by booking a seat on the City Sightseeing Bus.

If thrills are your thing, you've got to see an NBA game. The New Orleans Pelicans are the city's basketball team and coinciding with your trip in April you can also attend the vibrant NBA playoffs, if they qualify.

See live at the Smothie King Center stadium stars like Zion Williamson, all-star Brandon Ingram or Spanish center Guillermo Hernangomez, will remain in your memories forever.

Of course, I recommend that you buy your tickets to see the New Orleans Pelicans as far in advance as possible because they fly!

Vibrate with the NCAA Men's Final Four

Experiencing college basketball is another one of the unforgettable experiences that your visit to New Orleans can give you. Coinciding with spring, the Caesars Superdome hosts the NCAA Men's Final Four, in which only four teams will face each other on the court in a highly coveted tournament.

Throughout the weekend of the Final Four, fans of the sport can also practice basketball on the venue's various courts and enjoy some musical performances.

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra hosts an annual event, free and open to the public, that you're going to love.

The show is called Swing in the Oaks and will thrill you by listening to the best classical music scores and the most beautiful soundtracks in the best possible setting: the fabulous New Orleans City Park, the green retreat of the city of the state of Louisiana, an oasis to give you a breath of fresh air.

You can come to this concert bringing your own chair and blanket, to enjoy the music until the end in this beautiful natural setting next to the bayou. In addition, you can enjoy the many sports activities that the park hosts or visit the miniature golf courses. Take advantage of the good weather in April and discover the park in all its glory!

If you have time and arrive a little before the concert, you can take a walk through the more than 500 hectares of the City Park, one of the largest urban forests in the U.S.. There, you can discover the park's flora along its trails, go boating on Big Lake or discover the old carousel inside the amusement park.

If you're passionate about American food and want to devour pork in all its forms, you need to put this event on the agenda for your trip to New Orleans. Every year, teams made up of groups of friends and family gather at Hogs for the Cause, a festival that raises funds to help children with brain cancer.

Around the Lakefront Arena Festival Grounds more than 100 pre-registered teams barbecue pork, ribs, bacon, chicken wings too... Every meat you can imagine is cooked juicy there! Then you can vote for the one you like the most and the money collected by all the teams will be donated to associations that fight for this cause.

You can accompany the binge with beer and music on the multiple stages that are deployed in this festival that lasts two days. The event began in 2009 with a pig roast to raise funds for a child suffering from the disease and now there is no spring that goes by without it.

April is a great month for excursions outside of New Orleans because the heat is still not too hot and you can spend time outdoors without getting overheated.

A visit to New Orleans is not complete without learning about its darker past, and for that, nothing better than a trip to one of the many plantations that remain as a reminder of what should never happen again:

• Visit the Houmas House plantation: the tour lasts between 1 and 3 hours and the price is $40
• Visit theLaura plantation: the tour lasts about one hour and the price is $31.
• Visit theLaura and Houmas House plantations: the tour lasts about 9 hours and the price is $266.
• Visit theOak Alley Plantation: the tour lasts a little over 5 hours and the price is $85.
• Visit theLaura, St. Joseph and Oak Alley plantations: the tour lasts 6 hours and the price is $144.

If nature is your thing, the New Orleans Botanical Garden is a must-see. With more than 2,000 varieties of plants from around the world, you can admire the beauty of the old live oaks, among many other species, and meet the native animals.

But if you can also attend on Earth Day, April 21, you can celebrate among the beautiful gardens on the other side of Victory Drive, the importance of environmentalism and the care of natural resources. They offer outdoor music and informative lectures to raise awareness among visitors.

You can also visit the bird watching center, recognized by the best nature magazines.

Evenings with Enrique

In addition, the reconstructed garden, whose plants were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, offers a **free program to visit the sculptures of the Spanish-American artist Enrique Alférez. The event occurs in April on Wednesday evenings. **** Come and see the beautifully illuminated sculptures while enjoying live Latin music and tasting typical dishes in an unbeatable setting.

More Earth Day events

The New Orleans Museum of Art also joins the Earth Day celebration and offers a dance performance with the Melange Dance Company that transports the audience to the wonders of the sea. It will be a surreal journey that will connect you with nature and the importance of preserving the environment.

It's not all music and festivals in New Orleans. You can also sign up for the popular Crescent City Classic 10K race, held every year on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. It's aimed at participants of all levels, in fact, you can even walk, and it's a fun way to have fun too because you can go in costume!

During the race weekend you can also attend the free health and wellness days that are organized in the surrounding area or come to the post-race party where sport gives way to live music and local food.

Participants can register as charity runners and will have some advantages during the race. All funds raised will go to the Louisiana charity program, in particular, to help the most disadvantaged areas of the city of New Orleans.