New Orleans, Louisiana
An amalgamation of cultures, cuisines, and rambunctious lifestyles nestled within a town several feet below sea level, New Orleans has a vibe of its own: part Disneyland, part Vegas, and part historic city. Depending on when you visit and where you’re walking, you can experience all of these parts in the span of about a minute. This kind of head-turning inanity is a quintessential part of this bayou city, which has weathered countless hurricanes, military occupations, and dismal seasons from the Saints, to become one of the most iconic destinations of the United States. Join us as we help you plan your visit to this breathtaking Louisiana destination!
When to Visit New Orleans
We’ve visited New Orleans at many different times throughout the year, and you really can’t go wrong. It all depends on what you are looking for! February is a great time if you want to experience all that Mardi Gras has to offer, from daily parades in the streets to festive treats. Fall and winter are also great for everyday exploring, and surprisingly still warm. It all depends on the humidity, which there often is a lot of! Any time you choose to go though, you will be able to experience the liveliness of jazz bands all around you and some world class food.
Where to Stay in New Orleans
A lot of the iconic touristy aspects that you will find about New Orleans take place on Bourbon Street. That being said, it can be quite noisy there (and a bit dirty)! We have found that the best way to stay close to the action without compromising sleep is to stay on Canal Street. You’ll find tons of hotels here, and they are a short walk away from the chaos. Bonus: If you are there in Mardi Gras season, you might just see the daytime street parade walk right below you from your window.
Tip: Want to see how busy Bourbon Street is at any given time? Take a look at this live cam of Bourbon from the Cats Meow.
The hotels are beautiful in Christmas-time too! Check out the Ritz Carlton here:
Must-Do Activities in the NOLA Area
If you’re coming to New Orleans, you’ve got to at least do a walk down Bourbon Street and see what all the commotion is. Come out at night and you will see tons of active nightlife as people flow in and out of bars of all kinds of themes. Make a pit stop for karaoke at the Cat’s Meow for some other good fun!
While you’re walking around day or night, look out for some wedding parades! Weddings in New Orleans are typically led through the city by parade and you’ll hear the jazz music that New Orleans is so well known for resonating through the streets!
New Orleans is known for its ghosts/vampires/voodoo so check out one of the many haunted city tours they have and learn more about the city’s history.
Check out an alligator tour in the swamplands and you may just get to hold a baby alligator! Note that you will want a bit more time for this excursion because you’ll have to go out of the city!
For an indoor day, the World War II museum in downtown is surprisingly large! We loved that the museum even gives you your own unique storyline to follow throughout all the exhibits as though you are someone living through the war. It was very immersive!
You can also venture over to the campus at Tulane to see the pretty grounds and meander around the nice park across the way. It’s a nice break from the wildness of Bourbon!
Where to Eat in New Orleans
New Orleans has so many delicious places full of Southern charms. With beignets, po boys, gumbo, alligator, jambalaya, bananas foster, and more as classic Southern staples, the flavors of New Orleans are to die for. These have been some of our favorite places:
Breakfast
CafĂ© Du Monde: This may be argued as dessert or a snack rather than breakfast, but it’s a must-have for any hour. (Beignets are donuts after all.) Cafe Du Monde always has long lines, but there are several locations you can pick from (including one at the airport). Definitely try these beignets fresh! They don’t hold up as well after a flight (though that hasn’t stopped us from trying).
Cafe Beignet: Some say that these beignets are better than the classic Cafe Du Monde, but you will have to make that call yourself. Usually the line is not as long, but they are not quite as iconic.
The Court of Two Sisters: New Orleans has many “jazz brunches” where you will get a buffet style breakfast of classic NOLA dishes and be serenaded by a live jazz band! This one also has a beautiful courtyard.
Muriel’s: Located just off of Jackson Square, this spot is a great choice for jazz brunch or dinner. Just be sure to book reservations in advance! We went for brunch and enjoyed the eggs venĂ©y and mushroom omelette.
Willa Jean: Even during the week this place has a long line. We loved the monkey bread, and how can you resist chicken and biscuits?
Lunch & Dinner
GW Fins: Yum. This is one of our favorite higher end restaurants. The scallops and lobster dumplings are to die for. Book early!
Red Fish Grill: The filet mignon with the bourbon cream sauce was top notch and we loved the double chocolate bread pudding!
Willie Mae’s Scotch House: This James Beard Award winning restaurant has some of the best fried chicken you will taste. Situated in a converted little house, this food packs a punch of flavor and comes with some classic Southern sides (get the mac and cheese).
The Gumbo Shop: Where would be better to try gumbo than The Gumbo Shop! It’s great comfort food to warm you up on a cool day.
Broussards: A more elevated dining experience, Broussards had some of the best food we had in the city. Brussels sprouts with blood orange? Gulf fish in beurre blanc sauce? Our plates were cleaned before the wait staff came back!
Oceana Grill: This restaurant is a bit more casual with a big menu that would be great for groups!
Dessert / Snacks
Gambino’s: This is our favorite place for king cakes during Mardi Gras season. They are really tasty and come in so many flavors! (If you can’t get to their storefront, you can also get some from King Cake Hub, or if you are okay paying for shipping then you can buy them online) This may be an obvious statement đ , but a word of advice would be to not transport one home in your suitcase. If you want one for home, carry it on carefully to stow under your seat! From experience, it will not look so appetizing after it’s been thrown around in the luggage compartment lol.
Southern Candymakers: This has been our favorite place to buy pralines, which New Orleans is known for. They have lots of flavors (including lemon, sweet potato, rum, and more) and you are able to sample them! The seasonal king cake flavor has been our favorite, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
Bars
Pat O’Briens: This is the spot which claims to have been the original creator of NOLA’s iconic drink: the hurricane. They also have one of the best dueling piano setups in the french quarter. There’s even a flaming fountain!
The Cat’s Meow: Located on bourbon street, this karaoke joint is rowdy, and features some seriously talented employees who work hard to get the party started and keep it going!
The Spotted Cat Music Club: Located on frenchmen street (the slightly more mature, slightly more local brother to Bourbon street), this bar features some excellent live music in a standing-room only environment. If you go, be sure to spend some time listening to the street performers on Frenchmen street, too!
Cajun Mike’s Pub & Grub: This was a spot just off Canal where we stopped to have a drink and send some emails. It definitely had that hole-in-the-wall, local dive feel to it, which is something that you can come to miss if you spend too much time at the more popular NOLA drinking spots.
General Tips for New Orleans
Let’s wrap up with some tips to help you make the most of your trip! New Orleans is a seriously gorgeous town, but it can easily get the best of you if you’re not mindful. With that in mind:
- Pace yourself! New Orleans is hot and humid most all of the year, and even a few blocks of walking can turn into a harrowing schlep for the overly-hungover. Water backs are your friend!
- Where you go, go in groups and know your route. New Orleans isn’t incredibly dangerous by big-city standards, but straying too far from the well-worn paths can definitely bring some undue attention.
- The French Quarter is really just one part of this amazing city. While you’re liable to end (most) nights out that way, you should definitely make a point to venture out and explore the rest of the city, too!
- Don’t plan on driving yourself through the touristy spots. Most of the roads in the French Quarter are narrow and packed full of pedestrians in varying states of non-sobriety, so it’s best to walk or take a Uber/Lyft whenever possible.