Things to do nearNew Orleans City Park
New Orleans City Park is a sprawling urban oasis in Louisiana, beloved for its ancient oaks, art museum, and botanical garden.
New Orleans City Park is one of the oldest and largest urban parks in the United States, covering more than 1,300 acres in the heart of New Orleans, Louisiana. Its history stretches back to the early nineteenth century, when the land was part of a plantation before being set aside for public use. Today the park is anchored by a remarkable collection of southern live oaks, some estimated to be more than six hundred years old, their broad limbs arching over the ground and creating a sense of place found nowhere else in the city.
The New Orleans Museum of Art stands at the park's entrance, housing a permanent collection that spans thousands of years and includes strong holdings in photography, glass, and French and American decorative arts. Behind the museum, the Besthoff Sculpture Garden offers an outdoor experience of large-scale works set among lagoons and mature trees. The park's Botanical Garden, a product of New Deal-era craftsmanship, features Art Deco structures and carefully tended plantings that reflect both formal European garden traditions and the subtropical character of south Louisiana.
Families gather at Storyland and the historic Carousel Gardens amusement area, while golfers use one of the oldest public golf courses in the South. The park's lagoon system supports fishing, birdwatching, and paddleboating, making it genuinely useful to visitors with very different interests. The surrounding Bayou St. John neighborhood adds further character to any visit.
New Orleans City Park is a place where the natural, cultural, and social life of New Orleans converge in a way that no single museum or neighborhood can replicate.
7-day forecast
Chance of rainTips for visiting New Orleans City Park
Visit during the early morning hours to walk beneath the ancient oaks in the Dueling Oaks area before the crowds arrive.
Try a visit to the New Orleans Museum of Art, located within the park, on a weekday for a quieter experience of its permanent collection.
Bring a blanket and spend time in the Botanical Garden, which features formal parterre beds and native Louisiana plantings worth exploring slowly.
Rent a paddleboat on one of the park's scenic lagoons for a relaxed way to see the landscape from the water.
Check the park's event calendar before you go, as Celebration in the Oaks, the annual holiday lights display, draws large crowds in late November and December.
Top tours & experiences near New Orleans City Park
Creole Heritage Bike Tour of New Orleans
Pedal through New Orleans history across five distinct neighborhoods
2-Hour Guided City Tour of New Orleans
See key New Orleans neighborhoods by air-conditioned minibus
New Orleans History Guided E-Bike Tour
Pedal through New Orleans history on an electric bike
24/7 Bike Rental with French Quarter Route Map
Explore the French Quarter at your own pace with quality bikes, a route map, and 24/7 return flexibility.
After-Dark New Orleans Ghost Hunt & Cemetery Tour
Investigate haunted homes, cemeteries, and voodoo sites by van after dark
3-Hour Guided Bike Tour of New Orleans Landmarks
Bike the French Quarter, City Park, and Bayou St. John with a local guide
New Orleans 3-Hour Guided E-Bike Tour
Ride an electric cruiser from the French Quarter to City Park and Congo Square
Self-Guided New Orleans Electric Bike Rental
See more of New Orleans with adjustable electric assistance
New Orleans 24-Hour Cruiser Bike Rental
Explore New Orleans freely on a multi-speed cruiser
Guided 3-Hour New Orleans City Tour
See New Orleans highlights by air-conditioned vehicle with a licensed guide
Guided Bike Tour in New Orleans City Park
Cycle from the French Quarter to City Park and Bayou St. John with a small group
3-Hour New Orleans Driving Tour
Explore New Orleans' historic neighborhoods in private luxury transportation
Night Cemetery Bus Tour in New Orleans
Ride a night bus tour to New Orleans “Cities of the Dead”
Cruise New Orleans City Park on a 50-Minute Gondola
Private 50-minute gondola ride for 2–6 in New Orleans City Park
St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 Guided Tour in New Orleans
Walk St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 near City Park and learn New Orleans burial customs
Explore New Orleans by Bus on a 2-Hour City & Cemetery Tour
See top New Orleans neighborhoods plus St. Louis Cemetery #3 in an air-conditioned bus
Take a New Orleans Private City & Cemetery Tour
Cover the French Quarter, Garden District, and a cemetery on a 2.5-hour private tour
Private 4-Hour New Orleans History Driving Tour
See New Orleans history by private car, from the French Quarter to the Garden District
Explore New Orleans City & Cemetery Tour With Garden District
See New Orleans by bus, tour St. Louis Cemetery #3, and stroll the Garden District
Explore New Orleans City Park Bike Tour
Bike from the Bywater to City Park with a licensed guide
New Orleans French Quarter & City Park Tour
Explore historic neighborhoods, live oaks, and New Orleans stories by car and on foot
3-Hour New Orleans Citywide Driving Tour
See New Orleans neighborhoods in air-conditioned comfort
New Orleans Mardi Gras City & Cemetery Tour
Explore New Orleans neighborhoods with cemetery stories and Mardi Gras party extras
New Orleans Airboat Swamp & City Tour
Explore New Orleans neighborhoods, then ride Louisiana swamps by airboat