It’s easy to party a bit too hard in New Orleans – The Country Club is the perfect elegant escape for nursing a hangover before heading out on the town again. This place is an oasis: lounge around the pool in the shade and enjoy some people watching. They serve comforting creole cuisine and have a poolside bar for when your ready to hit the booze again.

Take the St. Charles streetcar to Uptown – it’s a beautiful ride past the large suburban mansions and leafy streets. Walk around Audubon Park with its huge trees and end up at Magazine Street where there are lots of small restaurants and boutique shops to explore.

Take a time out from bars and brass bands and visit the New Orleans Museum of Modern Art – it has a great collection of French and American work. Check out their temporary exhibitions, which are usually worth seeing and spend time walking around the gardens which are full of sculptures set into the landscape.

Located in the heart of the Garden District, Lafayette Cemetery Number One is the oldest of New Orleans’ seven cemeteries. Quieter than Saint Louis, it’s free to roam without the watchful eyes of a paid tour guide. The city’s underlying swamps meant tombs had to be built above, leading to the Lafayette Cemetery, and other burial ground in the area, being dubbing as “Cities of the Dead”.

Located in Louisiana’s Tremé district, the oldest African American neighbourhood in the city, this museum celebrates the history of New Orleans. With a particular focus on the experience of African Americans that honours the Mardi Gras celebrations as well as jazz and soul music, it’s a must-visit.

Full of ornate, historic buildings, bustling streets and restaurants serving local Louisianan fare, the French Quarter is worthy of multiple visits while in New Orleans. Pop into the iconic Café Du Monde for a beignet, then sample a fresh $1 oyster in the French Market and finish off the day relaxing in Jackson Square. For all its beauty, the area is incredibly touristy, so avoid Bourbon Street on a night out, in spite of recommendations.

Get up close to alligators and snakes by booking yourself a swamp tour. Cruise along the bayou in an airboat under the shade of cypress trees laden with Spanish moss and discover the history of the New Orleans swamps courtesy of an enthusiastic guide. If the trip leaves you hungry, scoff some freshly-caught crawfish from one of the nearby shacks that line the tourist tracks.

Explore over 60 sculptures located in the scenic acres of City Park. The urban oasis is home to some of the most beautiful oak trees, which are entangled with Spanish moss and date back more than 200 years. Grab a daiquiri and stroll through the garden’s many paths to enjoy the brilliant artworks and landscape – the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Built in the early 1940s, the Stein family’s Longue Vue estate is relatively youthful when compared to most of its neighbours. The main building houses a selection of covetable modern art – including works by Kandinsky and Picasso – alongside well-preserved collection of antique furniture. Outside, almost eight acres of sprawling gardens have been replanted according to the original landscaper’s plans following Hurricane Katrina.

This intimate garden space, which typically serves as a wedding and special events venue, also hosts some weird and wonderful weekly happenings. Try goat yoga in the garden during the summer months or opt-in for pizza feasts and concert series in cooler months. Each Sunday evening at Paradigm Gardens is BYO for Vinyl Vibrations – an evening set to the sounds of vinyl and featuring a la carte menus from New Orleans chefs.