In New Orleans, your evening entertainment options rival those of any global city, but with an accessibility and authenticity that Manhattan or Los Angeles lost decades ago. After completing your rounds at Ochsner Baptist, you might find yourself at Preservation Hall, sitting just feet from legendary jazz musicians in an intimate venue that holds only 100 people—no VIP tickets needed, just $25 and a love for music. Perhaps you'll catch Hamilton at the newly renovated Saenger Theatre, where Broadway tours perform in a venue so stunning with its starlit ceiling and Renaissance details that it's worth attending just for the architecture. Your weekend might include shopping for antiques on Magazine Street, catching a film at the Broad Theater, or attending a lecture by a Pulitzer Prize winner at Tulane. This isn't entertainment you plan months in advance and pay premium prices for—it's simply how Tuesday nights unfold in New Orleans.
The New Orleans performing arts scene features venues that would be flagship institutions in cities three times its size. Enjoy the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at the Orpheum Theater, or experience the New Orleans Opera at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. The Contemporary Arts Center brings cutting-edge performances, while Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré offers intimate, historic productions in the French Quarter. Your children can enjoy concerts, KID smART programs, or train at the New Orleans Ballet Association.
Whether it's a spontaneous Tuesday night at Tipitina's, dinner and jazz at Snug Harbor, or a stadium concert at the Smoothie King Center, you'll experience world-class music year-round. Frenchmen Street delivers nightly live shows, while Jazz Fest and Heritage Festival bring major acts to town every spring. Your children might study at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, where even Wynton Marsalis occasionally teaches.
Dining in New Orleans is a celebration. From the historic Commander's Palace to Galatoire's or modern icons like Shaya and Compère Lapin, you'll find 1,400+ restaurants serving everything from pho to po'boys to gourmet Creole tasting menus. Your neighborhood gem might be a soul food spot in Tremé, a taqueria in Mid-City, or a hidden café in Algiers Point.
Beyond Mardi Gras, enjoy Jazz Fest, the French Quarter Festival, Essence Fest, Voodoo Music Festival, and more. Food festivals celebrate po'boys, beignets, crawfish, and international cuisines. Your team might host a tent, join a krewe, or walk parades together—making these events part of your professional and personal rhythm.
What makes New Orleans entertainment unique isn't just variety—it's the ease of access. You won't need reservations months in advance or endure traffic to enjoy the best the city has to offer. Jazz clubs, art galleries, and festivals are part of your neighborhood fabric. You'll run into patients at cultural events and colleagues at street parades. Your children will grow up steeped in music, food, and community—because in New Orleans, that's simply life.
Your outdoor adventures in New Orleans will immerse you in landscapes found nowhere else in America—mysterious bayous draped in Spanish moss, vast wetlands teeming with wildlife, and the magnificent Lake Pontchartrain offering 630 square miles of water recreation just minutes from your door. From kayaking through Bayou Sauvage to casting for redfish in the Mississippi River delta, you'll experience authentic wilderness year-round in a subtropical climate that replaces snow boots with hiking boots.
From raised boardwalks through Barataria Preserve to pine forest paths in Fontainebleau State Park, the diverse ecosystems around New Orleans offer unique hiking experiences. The Mississippi River Trail provides 60 miles of scenic river views, while the Northlake Nature Center and City Park trails bring accessible nature into your daily routine.
Lake Pontchartrain offers sailing, kayaking, and paddleboarding year-round, with Bayou St. John providing calm urban waters and Honey Island Swamp inviting adventure through mysterious cypress groves. The Southern Yacht Club and New Orleans Yacht Club offer lessons and races, making the aquatic lifestyle part of your weekly routine.
Located on the Mississippi Flyway, New Orleans is a birding hotspot where you'll spot painted buntings, warblers, and egrets on your morning run. Barataria Preserve and Couturie Forest in City Park offer daily sightings, while North Shore migrations bring spectacular spring birding. Wildlife photography thrives year-round with alligators, nutria, otters, and dolphins in view.
While New Orleans isn't a beach town, the Gulf Coast beaches are just 90 minutes away. Grand Isle State Park provides surf fishing and birding, Ship Island offers ferry-accessible sands and forts, and Pass Christian boasts white sand family beaches. Year-round mild weather makes beach getaways possible even in winter.
What makes outdoor life in New Orleans exceptional is its daily accessibility. Begin your morning with a paddleboard session, cast for redfish at lunch, and walk the levee trail at dusk. No snow gear, no altitude, no closures—just seamless integration of nature into your personal and professional rhythm. Your children will grow up catching dinner and spotting alligators—because here, it's normal.
Your active lifestyle in New Orleans will be supported by recreational facilities that rival those in much larger cities, with the added advantage that memberships cost a fraction of what you'd pay in coastal metros. The Franco Athletic Club offers 95,000 square feet of amenities for just $150/month. The Jewish Community Center Uptown features indoor aquatics and youth programs, while the Downtown Fitness Center at the Superdome includes executive-level perks and professional networking. These aren't just gyms—they're community hubs where you'll form meaningful relationships.
From Ochsner Fitness Center's medical-grade equipment to boxing gyms like TITLE and Boxing NOLA, New Orleans offers diverse fitness experiences. CrossFit communities, boutique studios like Orange Theory and CycleBar, and the historic New Orleans Athletic Club all provide options tailored to busy physician schedules. These venues prioritize wellness, camaraderie, and flexible access.
Your children can participate in NORD youth leagues for basketball, football, baseball, and soccer at just $50–75 per season. Programs like Carrollton Boosters and Lakeview Baseball offer advanced play, while Sugar Bowl Football League and New Orleans Youth Swimming League nurture discipline and excellence. Specialized training is available at NOLA Fencing Club, New Orleans Gymnastics Academy, and Deutsches Haus.
Join Crescent City Sports or WAKA for flag football, kickball, or coed leagues with a social twist. City Park Tennis and USTA leagues provide options for competitive play, while the New Orleans Rowing Club opens Bayou St. John to beginners and pros alike. These leagues understand physician schedules—flexibility and fun take precedence.
What sets New Orleans apart is the integration of recreation into daily life. Your morning starts at Ochsner Fitness Center, your lunch break includes tennis at Audubon Park, and your evening ends cheering at your child's NORD basketball game. These are not once-a-week privileges—they're neighborhood-accessible, affordable, and constant. Your children will grow up thinking it's normal to train in Olympic-level facilities and compete beside future pros—because in New Orleans, it is.