Highlight
Jackson Square
The French Quarter's grand square, framed by the cathedral, street artists and brass bands.
Typical duration
45 min
Price
Free
From port
2 km / 1.2 mi
Transfer time
20 min
Indoor / Outdoor
outdoor
Queue risk
low
🕐 Best time to visit
Morning, before the heat; artists and musicians from late morning
Jackson Square was the Place d'Armes of colonial New Orleans and was renamed after Andrew Jackson, whose equestrian statue stands in the middle. The square is framed by St. Louis Cathedral, the Cabildo and the Presbytère (both part of the Louisiana State Museum) and the red-brick Pontalba Buildings, among the oldest apartment blocks in the US. Painters hang their work on the railings, fortune tellers and brass bands set up in front of the cathedral, and the levee opposite gives a view over the Mississippi. It's the natural starting point for any French Quarter walk.
Getting there from the port
Walk 30–40 minutes along the riverfront or take the Riverfront streetcar to the Toulouse or Dumaine stop.