10 Things to Do in New Orleans in July

Thinking of 10 things to see and do in New Orleans in July is a no-brainer, as it's the start of summer and the city is flooded with opportunities to entertain in every way possible. In fact, it's one of the best months of the year to have a good diversity of plans to see and do in New Orleans.

So the best decision you can make if you are contemplating getting to know this city for a few days in July is to keep reading this excellent summary I have prepared for you.

Essence Fest will always be among the top ideas of things to see and do in New Orleans in July, as it is one of the most important cultural events in the city and really, in the entire country.

It was born as a simple commemoration of the first 25 years of Essence magazine, a publication that focuses primarily on content for African-American women.

However, the success was resounding and over the years it has grown into an event that has escalated to impressive dimensions. These combine a full line up of musical artists, literary lectures and presentations by personalities relevant to the African American community, especially for the female audience.

They are usually attended by up to 500,000 visitors, from all over the world and especially from all corners of the United States.

Important information

• Prices: Most commonly range from $60 U.S. dollars to $1,000 for a VIP pass. Although it depends on the event as such, as there are special activities with a theater or an entire stadium for a single artist, as well as there is a sequence of dates for the same group of singers.
• Location: they can change every year, but it is usually at the Superdome in Louisiana, which has changed its name several times due to commercial sponsorship issues.
• Dates: they always change, but most likely to be the first weekend of July, known in the United States as the 4th of July weekend.

Speaking of the 4th of July, you can't miss this excellent time of year for Americans if you plan your trip for the first week of the month. In turn, New Orleans is known throughout the country as one of the best destinations to celebrate the nation's annual commemoration of independence.

The fireworks are one of the protagonists of this celebration and being located in any establishment on the banks of the Mississippi River will give you a great perspective of the explosion in the sky of the white, blue and red colors of the national flag.

Live music, street performers and a vibrant and flashy nightlife also characterize the celebration of independence in this important southern city.

The Creole Queen is a good plan if you want to be on a typical steamboat for an even closer view of the fireworks.

In addition, jazz and French-American cuisine will be felt in any restaurant you choose to visit, and some of New Orleans' best tour buses may also offer special nighttime tours.

Relevant information

• Prices: Watching the fireworks is a free activity, but any other consumption will depend on the conditions of the establishment you choose.
• Duration: the fireworks usually start after 8 or 9 pm, but recreational activities are available from early morning until after midnight.
• Location: Woldenberg Park or the French Quarter are areas with a wide commercial offer and with enough space for you to sit and wait comfortably.

New Orleans is a city that, like Miami, is known within the United States for a rather foreign identity. In this case it stems from the fact that for a long time it was the most important port of what was then a French territory.

In 1803 the United States bought it, but to this day there are cultural aspects that remain in force, such as the allegorical celebration of Bastille Day.

Therefore, on July 14 it is almost certain that the city's restaurants, as well as the bars and street life, will be focused on commemorating a holiday that has little to do with North America, but is very important for French history.

Many of these establishments usually offer dishes directly inspired by French gastronomy and nightclubs, such as the bars of the Royal Sonesta Hotel, also usually offer a theme night with music and ambiance with a direct connection to the French tricolor.

Some of the best guided tours of New Orleans may give you a fairly detailed historical tour of the aspects of the city's architecture that remain from the colonial period.

Also, learning about the history of a place from a specialist is always a good idea if this is the type of tourism you are interested in.

• Location: the French epicenter of the city is the French Quarter and its surroundings. Therefore, it is preferable that you visit it on this day if you want to enjoy the discounts or the entertainment that the locals in the area could offer you.

If July 14 already has other plans that don't include the French Quarter in your schedule, don't worry, because the French Quarter is full of life and movement all summer long. The Essence festival and the 4th of July further motivate the atmosphere to guarantee fun from the first moments of the month.

You'll find that this is a place with a rather unique architectural identity, as it's actually theonly truly colonial neighborhood still preserved within the United States.

The wide balconies, the colorful porches, the great variety of ornamental plants and the cobblestone streets are elements that will impress you throughout your walk.

Jackson Square is an unforgettable stop and the St. Louis Cathedral is an ideal place to take pictures worthy of a post on your social networks.

Royal, St Louis and Charles Streets offer you buildings native to the city such as the Shotgun Houses and the Creole Cottages. The former are narrow and elongated, while the latter are one-story and quite colorful.

• Duration: the time you spend touring this neighborhood depends on your will, but it is recommended that you bet on a specialized tour in the French Quarter of New Orleans if you want to understand the historical significance of each known corner.

If dusk falls while you're still in this corner of the city, you can't miss the opportunity to experience a typical New Orleans-style party night in July. In fact, Bourbon Street is perhaps the most iconic epicenter of the nightlife in the American South.

From shows with drag queens at the Oz New Orleans bar to burlesque at the Bourbon Boylesque. These are some of the activities that this street offers you to see and do in New Orleansat night.

• Location: it is easy to locate, as it is right in the center of the French Quarter. The streets that cross it north and south are also excellent alternatives for partying.

The United States has its own reinvention of the Sanfermines and you have the good fortune that this festival takes place right in the tourist epicenter of New Orleans.

The big difference is that in this case they dispense with the bulls, and the protagonists of the event are allegorically dressed skaters who chase the participants with baseball bats.

The tradition began in 2007, just after one of the great promoters of Mardi Gras experimented with the original bullfight that takes place in Spain.

So it's a great plan in July if you're looking to experience an interesting Hispanic tradition under the terms and perspectives of the American South, where the animal theme is eliminated and all aspects of the festivities and alcohol consumption are emphasized.

Important information

• Prices: prices vary from year to year, but are usually between US$30 and US$90, depending on whether it is an individual or group purchase.
• Duration: it usually takes place in mid-July, but there are other activities before and after the main event that extend the celebration for several days.
• Location: the corrida usually takes place in some street of the French Quarter of the city and due to municipal permit issues it may vary each year.

The American South was one of the regions hardest hit by the injustices and atrocities of colonial slavery.

That system continued even after independence, until the Civil War that pitted the slave states of the South against the industrialized, liberal states of the North. A visit to these gigantic agricultural production areas is an appropriate plan if you are interested in the history of this country.

The best tours to the New Orleans plantations are a safe and practical alternative to get to know this type of historical establishment. But you must take into account that this is an event that is more oriented towards learning and not so much towards fun.

Details of interest

• Prices: Rates vary depending on the distance of the plantation from the starting point in New Orleans. You can get some alternatives for around 30 euros and others for 80 or 90.
• Duration: those that include other activities such as photos with clothing of that time or boat trips through swamps can exceed 6 or 7 hours. There are others that only require a tour of 2 or 3 hours.
• Location: there are plantations that are less than 50 km from the city and other tours, such as the one that takes you to Oak Alley Plantation, cover a much more distant stretch.

July is also known as Father's Month, as many parts of the world celebrate Father's Day on the second weekend. In the United States it coincides with this format, so organizing a lunch or dinner to taste the distinctive elements of Cajun food is an excellent idea.

If you haven't heard of this gastronomic style, you should know that this is the food that has prevailed in the area since the French occupied it in 1803.

Seafood, rice mixes and crab soups are some of the iconic dishes of Cajun flavor. My recommendation is to go for a food tour of New Orleans that offers guided visits to several well-known sites. Then you can gain a solid opinion based on a consistent variety of seasonings and cooking styles.

French Market and Graden District restaurants with a great alternative

Clearly, the French Market will be full of options to explore this gastronomic trend. But you can also choose to tour the Garden District to combine the architecture of the nouveau riche Americans of that era with the knowledge that captivated them to settle in this corner of the Mississippi Delta.

A guided tour of the Garden District of New Orleans of New Orleans is a good continuation of the afternoon, or a great prelude to the main course of the meal that celebrates the fathers in your life.

The summer of the American far south is humid during the day, but by nightfall it gets so cool that some people need coats if it's too windy.

Take advantage of these pleasant weather conditions to take a boat ride in New Orleans to tour some of the picturesque surrounding marshes.

The vegetation in this type of environment is impressive and there is a good chance that you will come across an alligator living in its natural habitat.

Don't worry, the boats of the best swamp tours in New Orleans are completely safe and there is no risk of getting hurt in this natural exploration.

Important details

• Prices: they usually vary between 60 and 90 euros per person and you can take into account that most of them offer free cancellation.
• Duration: the maximum duration for this type of activity is approximately 2 hours. Although you have to know that some offer transfer to the port of the swamp and others require you to arrive on your own.

New Orleans has a very large historical precedent on the incursion of its population in spiritualistic practices. Even the term voodoo is directly associated with this city in American mysticism.

So booking an alternative within the best New Orleans ghost tours can be a good farewell for you if this topic is interesting to you.

Some take you to iconic cemeteries of the city, others include the famous museum dedicated exclusively to this cultural aspect and all are quite entertaining if you look at it with good eyes leaving prejudices aside.

At the same time, July is an ideal month to participate in a tour with these characteristics due to the fact that the beginning of summer is a time full of esoteric mysticism and at the same time there are fewer fans of the voodoo world than in August or September.

Details of interest

• Prices: all of them are usually under 30 euros per person.
• Duration: most offer tours with a guide who will take no more than 2 hours to give you his perspective on this unusual underworld.
• Location: some combine the voodoo corners of the French Quarter with the cemeteries, while others are dedicated exclusively to one attraction or the other.

The ambient humidity during July in New Orleans is significantly high, but you should keep in mind that this entire section of the United States experiences this environment during the summer.

Maximum temperatures usually reach 35° and minimum temperatures 22°. So I advise you to bring light and breathable clothing, but also a couple of coats to prevent a visit to an air-conditioned place.

New Orleans in July is a city that offers entertainment for all members of the family, regardless of age.

Its gastronomy, its history and its other children's entertainment activities make it a convenient destination in this month, especially considering that the U.S. school vacations begin and that translates into a commercial offer that is very focused on the little ones of the house.