The French Quarter is the part of New Orleans most visitors picture before they arrive: wrought-iron balconies, old buildings, music drifting through open doors and streets that always seem to have something happening.
Walk without a strict plan
This is a neighborhood best explored on foot. Bourbon Street gets the fame, but wander a few blocks away and the atmosphere changes quickly. Royal Street, Jackson Square and the streets toward the Mississippi offer architecture, galleries, cafés and plenty of reasons to slow down.
Go more than once
The Quarter feels different in the morning, afternoon and late at night. I would visit early at least once, before the busiest crowds arrive, then return after dark when live music and nightlife take over.
Look beyond the party
It is easy to reduce the French Quarter to drinking and Bourbon Street, but that misses much of what makes it interesting. Historic buildings, courtyards, restaurants, music venues and street life reward visitors who take their time.
Comfortable shoes are more useful here than a complicated itinerary. Let yourself turn down interesting streets, stop when you hear good music and leave space for an unplanned meal.
If this is your first trip to New Orleans, the French Quarter belongs on the list. Just remember that it is the beginning of the city, not the whole story.