What to Do in New Orleans That Doesn't Involve Alcohol
Not every trip to New Orleans has to revolve around bar crawls or bourbon. Especially in winter, the city feels different. The air sharpens. Side streets quiet. Warm windows glow early. It all invites a slower pace that lets you notice more—small details, familiar objects, thoughtful moments. If you're seeking things to do in New Orleans that aren't drinking, there's plenty to uncover.
From intimate craft spaces to corners filled with soft light and steam rising from the cup in your hand, there’s another side of New Orleans. It’s tactile and rooted. You can step inside something being made by hand, sit with a drink that doesn’t tip the scales, or bring home an object with purpose behind its shape. Come with time to pay attention. There’s a lot here for that.
Step Into the Studio: Molten Glass and Craftsmanship
One of the most absorbing ways to spend a dry afternoon in New Orleans is inside a live working studio where glass is shaped by heat, balance, and timing. If you’ve never seen molten glass before—how it moves, how fast it cools—it makes an impression. There’s nothing else like it.
Glassblowing experiences tied to local studios take visitors behind the scenes of traditional American glassmaking. You’ll watch how the form starts while it's molten, turning over fire before getting shaped, touched, and finally stamped. In some studios, guests even get to witness pieces being branded with custom stamps while the surface is still hot. It’s not a surface engraving. The type and lettering become part of the piece itself. That permanence is part of the appeal.
For those looking to create an object they can take home—a personalized whiskey glass, for example—this kind of experience offers more than just a souvenir. You leave with weight in your hand, a memory burned into the glass, and a story you can hand to someone else just by serving a drink.
Glassblower Ben offers hands-on classes for visitors and locals alike, where each participant can help shape or select details on their finished glass—making the experience as memorable as the object.
Explore the Quarter at a Slower Pace
The French Quarter always draws visitors, but you don’t need a bar stool or to-go cocktail to enjoy it. Come early, before the streets get loud. Stand still long enough and the subtle sounds rise—the creak of shutters, the distant notes of a street musician warming up, footsteps along cracked flagstones.
Without crowds pressing forward, the Quarter opens. Wrought iron balconies with trailing plants, chipped paint in bright colors, gas lamps still flickering from night into morning. These details get missed when you’re moving too fast.
Stop into one of the small bookstores that stay hidden behind streetfronts. Browse shelves for something by a local writer. Walk through gallery lanes and look at work made by people who actually live here. Pause for a coffee or herbal tea in a quiet courtyard café. These corners remind you that the French Quarter extends beyond nightlife. The rhythm of the place slows down with you, once you let it.
Sip Something Seasonal—No Alcohol Needed
If you still want something in-hand to sip, there are plenty of zero-proof options throughout the city that don’t feel like substitutions. In fact, winter makes room for warmth and spice in a way other seasons don’t. Think ginger, clove, wild citrus, or even roasted chicory.
Seasonal mocktail menus lean into these ingredients. You might find a spiced grapefruit spritz served with a charred rosemary topper, or a hibiscus cooler with cold-steeped tea and cane syrup. These drinks carry complexity, balance, and care—even without the alcohol.
Sometimes, they’re served in glassware that heightens the experience. Low and heavy or tall and thin, the shape of the glass affects more than just the look. The weight in your hand, the balance between fingers, the smoothness along the rim—those details, when intentional, make the drink feel like something more than filler.
Drinking without alcohol doesn’t have to mean less flavor or experience. Sometimes, it helps you notice the parts people often miss.
Glassblower Ben’s drinkware, used by local coffee shops and mocktail bars, is designed for both presentation and function—keeping every non-alcoholic pour feeling special.
Markets, Makers, and Local Keepsakes
The weeks between early December and the new year bring a calm generosity to New Orleans. Weekend markets stretch into longer hours. Small studios open their doors. Street-level workshops host pop-ups where artisans offer work shaped by hand, not marketing trends.
This is when to look for personalized gifts that have weight and purpose. It might be a hand-thrown mug from a local potter, a linen tea towel printed with ink made from local plants, or a personalized whiskey glass gift stamped with a family name or custom monogram—sealed into the glass while it was still molten.
Givers who prefer objects made to mean something tend to be drawn to experiences like these. There’s something grounding about watching the thing you’ll give be shaped in front of you. Even more so if you assist in the process—choosing type, placement, form, or finish.
For those who connect through objects, this time of year poses the right pace. You’re not rushing. You’re holding things in your hand. You’re thinking of someone while you do it.
At Glassblower Ben’s open studio events, guests can meet the makers, browse unique barware, and watch glass pieces being finished on site.
Finding Presence Without Pouring
Choosing not to drink in New Orleans doesn’t mean stepping away from the experience. Some of the deepest moments come quietly anyway—through your hands in the heat, your feet on early morning pavement, the rim of a thoughtfully made glass pressed smooth to your lip.
There are many things to do in New Orleans that aren't drinking. In winter, those options feel even more grounded. Whether you pause in a studio, sip something spice-forward and clear-headed, or find a personalized object with real meaning to carry home, the memory holds. It doesn’t need ice or proof. It needs presence and care. The kind that sticks.
Embrace the art of handmade craftsmanship and slow down your pace with an unforgettable hands-on experience at Glassblower Ben. Dive into the world of glassblowing in New Orleans, where you can both shape molten glass and your own memories.
Whether it's creating a personal memento or simply enjoying the warmth of the studio, you'll leave with a unique story to tell and a beautiful piece to cherish. Discover the magic and make your visit to New Orleans truly special.