New Orleans is located on the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana.  The closest airport to downtown is the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.  I recommend finding a hotel on Canal Street within walking distance of Bourbon Street if you plan to go out in the evening.  Many visitors enjoy coming to New Orleans for Mardi Gras Parades, for a weekend getaway, a sporting event, conference, or before departing for a cruise.  Here are some of my favorite things to do in New Orleans:

Things to do:

Jackson Square
Jackson Square is located in the French Quarter and is one of the most popular destinations in New Orleans.  The historic square is situated on the Mississippi River and has restaurants, shopping, art galleries, street performers, and the St. Louis Cathedral.  This is a great place to start your trip to the area.​ 
St. Louis Cathedral
This national historic landmark is the “oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States.”  The church is open to the public daily from 8:30 am- 4:00 pm, and has Daily Mass at 12:05. 
Royal Carriages
Don’t miss this chance to take a horse drawn carriage through the French Quarter of New Orleans.   This guided tour begins on Decatur Street on Jackson Square and takes visitors through the French Quarter.  The 1-Hour Carriage Tour includes admission into the Saint Louis Cemetery, which is the oldest above ground cemetery in New Orleans.   Evening ghost tours are also available.  
Cafe Du Monde
Visitors to Jackson Square will want to take a coffee break at the historic Café Du Monde and try some of their famous Beignets, French doughnuts covered in powdered sugar!  The Café is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Bourbon Street
This famous street in the French Quarter dates back to 1798 and comes alive in the evening when you can hear music playing on every street corner.  There are 13 city blocks of restaurants and night clubs that feature all types of music including DJ’s, live bands, and of course jazz.
RTA Streetcars
Streetcars operated by the city’s Regional Transit Authority are a great way to get around the city.  You can buy a day pass for around $3.00 and hop on and off any of the four streetcar lines.  We used the streetcars every day to get around town, but we also took a scenic ride on the St. Charles Streetcar.  The St. Charles line runs from the French Quarter down St. Charles Avenue and then to South Carrollton Avenue.  Each car is a national Historic Landmark and the line runs along streets lined with live oaks and historic houses.  The entire trip from end to end takes around 40 minutes.
Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World
Go behind the scenes and learn how the elaborate Mardi Gras floats and costumes are made.   This working studio builds and decorates over 500 floats for the Mari Gras parade each year.  Tours are offered daily from 9:00am- 5:30pm.  Tours typically last one and a half hours.