New Orleans With Kids: Zoo, Floats, Boats
Children in New Orleans tend to remember three things: giant floats, a paddlewheel boat and powdered sugar on everything. The city has a good base of kid-sized attractions, and most sit close to the streetcar lines.
Audubon Zoo and the riverfront attractions
Audubon Zoo in Uptown is the main family day. Adult tickets run about $30 to $40, child and senior tickets about $25 to $35, and children under 2 are free; prices rose in 2026. Ticket sales run daily from 10:00 to 16:00 with the grounds open to 17:00, and the zoo closes on Mardi Gras Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Aquarium and the Insectarium sit near the river, and a combined Aquarium and Insectarium ticket costs about $45 to $55 for an adult, with all three attractions about $60. Both riverfront venues take card payments only from 1 October 2026. Check dates and prices on the Audubon Nature Institute site .
Mardi Gras World
At Mardi Gras World, Blaine Kern Studios artists sculpt and paint the floats for Carnival parades in a huge riverfront warehouse. Adults pay about $22, children $14 and seniors, students and military $17. It is open daily 9:00 to 17:30 with last entry at 16:30. Watching artisans sculpt, paint and fiberglass the floats is the draw. The venue closes on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and Mardi Gras Day, and the Mardi Gras World site shows the current ticket options.
On the water
The Steamboat Natchez operates daily from the Toulouse Street Wharf. Children enjoy the calliope whistle and the chance to peek at the engine room, and a daytime cruise costs about $43 for an adult and about $21 for a child. Swamp tours are another option: Jean Lafitte pontoon boats run about $29 to $35 per adult when you drive yourself and about $56 to $65 with pickup, and child fares are lower. Browse family swamp tours on GetYourGuide to compare pickup options and ages.
Cheap and easy
A streetcar ride is $1.25, and a 1-day Jazzy Pass at $3 covers unlimited rides for a family willing to ride from end to end. The free Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park has more than 90 outdoor sculptures under old live oaks. Cafe du Monde serves hot beignets for $3.60 to $5.50 an order of three, and it takes cash only, so bring bills. Jackson Square musicians and street performers cost nothing to watch.
Older children
The National WWII Museum suits older children and teenagers who like history, with adult admission from about $37 and extra charges for its theaters. Preservation Hall admits all ages for a 45-minute set, and tickets are online in advance only.
Staying comfortable
Bourbon Street is an adult nightlife strip, and petty theft is the usual concern there, so keep to Royal Street and Jackson Square after dark with younger children. Summer heat is heavy, so schedule outdoor stops before noon. Hurricane season peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
More ideas for adults travelling alongside the family are in the sightseeing guide .
Plan the zoo for the morning, then reserve the afternoon for the streetcar and beignets.