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
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
Bayou St. John & City Park Bike Tour in New Orleans
Cycle from the French Quarter to City Park and Bayou St. John with a small group
New Orleans French Quarter & City Park Tour
Explore historic neighborhoods, live oaks, and New Orleans stories by car and on foot
Family-Friendly New Orleans City Tour
See New Orleans highlights by air-conditioned vehicle with a licensed guide
3-Hour Guided Bike Tour of New Orleans Landmarks
Bike the French Quarter, City Park, and Bayou St. John with a local guide
Private New Orleans Driving Tour With Garden District & French Quarter
Explore New Orleans' historic neighborhoods in private luxury transportation
Guided Creole History Bike Tour in New Orleans
Pedal through New Orleans history across five distinct neighborhoods
Night Cemetery Bus Tour in New Orleans
Ride a night bus tour to New Orleans “Cities of the Dead”
After-Dark New Orleans Ghost Hunt & Cemetery Tour
Investigate haunted homes, cemeteries, and voodoo sites by van after dark
New Orleans City Tour with Hurricane Katrina Sites
Look beyond the landmarks to explore New Orleans' history and recovery
Explore New Orleans City & Cemetery Tour With Garden District
See New Orleans by bus, tour St. Louis Cemetery #3, and stroll the Garden District
2-Hour Guided City Tour of New Orleans
See key New Orleans neighborhoods by air-conditioned minibus
Private New Orleans City & Cemetery Tour
Cover the French Quarter, Garden District, and a cemetery on a 2.5-hour private tour
3-Hour New Orleans Citywide Driving Tour
See New Orleans neighborhoods in air-conditioned comfort
New Orleans City Bus Tour with Cemeteries & Garden District
Discover the Big Easy’s historic highlights with a guide
Edgar Degas House & Creole Neighborhood Tour in New Orleans
Discover Degas' New Orleans story with the artist's great-grandnieces
New Orleans 3-Hour Guided E-Bike Tour
Ride an electric cruiser from the French Quarter to City Park and Congo Square
Private 4-Hour New Orleans History Driving Tour
See New Orleans history by private car, from the French Quarter to the Garden District
New Orleans E-Bike Tour of French Quarter & City Park
Pedal through New Orleans history on an electric bike
Self-Guided New Orleans Electric Bike Rental
See more of New Orleans with adjustable electric assistance
New Orleans Airboat Swamp & City Tour
Explore New Orleans neighborhoods, then ride Louisiana swamps by airboat
Haunted Cemetery Van Tour & Ghost Hunt in New Orleans
Join a small-group ghost hunt with cemetery and haunted city sightseeing
Off-the-Beaten-Path New Orleans & Small-Town Tour
Customize a private Louisiana day of neighborhoods, small towns, folklore, and local flavor
Private New Orleans City Tour with Hurricane Katrina Sites
Explore New Orleans your way with a local guide