7 Hidden Experiences in New Orleans You Won’t Find in Guidebooks (2026)

Whether you’re planning your first trip to the Big Easy or your 15th, chances are you’re familiar with the tried-and-true tourist options. Instead of partying your way down Bourbon Street, stopping at Cafe du Monde for beignets, or hopping on an airboat for a ride down the bayou, why not check out some of these lesser-known experiences in New Orleans?

We’ve chosen seven of the most enticing, odd, and hidden things to do in New Orleans, offering a different perspective of the city than the average tourist attractions.

1. Music Box Village

When: Open most Saturdays and Sundays, seasonally (check their calendar)

Where: 4557 N. Rampart St., New Orleans

Price: Suggested donation of $15 per adult and $5 per child

The experience: Music Box Village is a set of musical houses that make up an outdoor sculpture garden, where visitors can enjoy live performances or tinker in areas designed to let them make their own tunes. This space is both interactive and creative, making it one of the best lesser-known experiences in New Orleans. It brings people together for some fresh air and unique architecture as they admire the different building installations and take in—or take part in—a performance or two.

Other key info: Tickets are not required in advance, but they can be purchased for general admission or scheduled events on the Tixr website. They’re not refundable. If you’re local, you can pay what you wish at the door, but nobody will be turned away.

2. Backstreet Cultural Museum

When: Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: 1531 St. Philip St., New Orleans

Price: $25 per adult, $10-$15 per child (depending on age), free for kids younger than 6; discounts available for veterans, seniors, students and groups

The experience: The Backstreet Cultural Museum pays homage to African American parade and masking culture in New Orleans by preserving it. Inside, you’ll learn about Mardi Gras Indians, Skull and Bone gangs, Baby Dolls, social aid and pleasure clubs, jazz funerals and more via costumes, video footage and even tours that take place outside the museum.

Other key info: Tickets can be purchased at the door. Tax is not included in ticket prices.

3. We Bite Rare & Unusual Plants

When: Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: 1042 Franklin Ave., New Orleans

Price: Plants priced individually

The experience: We Bite sells carnivorous plants—such as Venus flytraps and sundews—and educates visitors on how to properly care for them through care guides and family-friendly workshops. The shop also offers repotting services, domestic shipping, and a soil bar, which carries custom-made earth for the plants you buy. It’s truly one of the most unique and semi-secret things to do in New Orleans.

Other key info: Tickets are not necessary, and visitors can simply walk in during operating hours. Street parking is available.

4. The Voodoo Cemetery Escape Room

When: Dates and times listed on website

Where: 830 Union St., Suite 101, New Orleans

Price: $35 per person

The experience: Available for up to six people, Clue Carre’s Voodoo Cemetery escape room is a private experience that puts participants in a room resembling one of New Orleans’ above-ground tombs. There, everyone will help main character Molly to appease the ghost of Marie Laveau. It’s an interactive way to have fun while learning a bit about one of NOLA’s most notorious former residents. (Clue Carre’s New Orleans location has four other escape rooms to choose from if the Voodoo Cemetery isn’t up your alley.)

Other key info: Bookings can be made on the Clue Carre website. Ticket prices do not include tax. Street parking and pay lots are available nearby. Each experience lasts 60 minutes. Because the game clock starts promptly at your scheduled time, it’s a good idea to arrive 15 minutes early; anyone arriving more than 15 minutes late will not be admitted. Rooms are ideal for ages 8 and older, and anyone younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

5. The Seance Lounge at Muriel’s Jackson Square

When: Open to the public (unless there’s a private event) Sunday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Where: 801 Chartres St., New Orleans

Price: A la carte

The experience: When it comes to experiences in New Orleans that give visitors a sense of the city’s dark past, The Seance Lounge’s two-room setup on the second floor the Muriel’s Jackson Square restaurant (contemporary creole cuisine in a casual atmosphere) offers a bordello-esque escape featuring red upholstery, lots of tassels, and plenty of cocktails. There’s also a table permanently set with bread and wine for the restaurant’s resident ghost, Mr. Jourdan, who used to own the property.

Other key info: Reservations for the lounge are not necessary, but dining reservations at Muriel’s are recommended if you’ll be dining before or after a visit to the lounge. You can make them on OpenTable. To reserve The Seance Lounge for a private event, call 504-568-1955, or email [email protected].

6. The Carousel Bar & Lounge at Hotel Monteleone

When: Open daily to everyone from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and for visitors 21 and older from 6 p.m. to midnight

Where: 214 Royal St., New Orleans

Price: A la carte with drinks ranging from $16 to $21 each

The experience: This carousel-themed bar, housed in the historic Hotel Monteleone, doesn’t just look like an amusement ride from your childhood; it actually behaves like one, too. Patrons can grab one of the chairs that surround the bar and watch as it completes a full rotation every 15 minutes. Adding to the ambiance are a carved overhead canopy and daily live music.

Other key info: Due to limited seating at the bar, reservations are recommended and can be made via Resy. The bar only accepts cashless payments. A $0.75 sustainability fee is added to each check, and a 15% gratuity will be added to all unsigned checks.

7. New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

When: Self-guided tours Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; guided tours at 10 a.m. Thursday through Sunday (September through May), Friday through Sunday (June) and Saturday and Sunday (July and August)

Where: 514 Chartres St., New Orleans

Price: $10 (self-guided), $20 (guided); free for children 6 and younger; discounts available for seniors, students, people with disabilities and members of the military

The experience: For more than 75 years, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum has aimed to tell the story of pharmaceutical history through the preservation of thousands of artifacts and resources from the 18th to mid-20th centuries. The museum offers both guided and unguided tours of the collection, which includes bottles, cosmetics, cabinets, medical instruments, and even an old soda fountain dating back to 1855, as well as apothecary recipe books, posters, photos, periodicals, and more.

Other key info: Reservations are only necessary for guided tours; they can be made on the museum’s homepage. Children are welcome at the museum, but there are no exhibits specifically designed to be kid-friendly. Visits to the museum usually last 45 minutes to an hour, but yours could be shorter or longer, depending on how much you want to read.

Bottom Line

Some of the most intriguing experiences in New Orleans include niche museums, iconic art installations, and bars with a twist, most located in buildings with historical significance.

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