New Orleans, LA: A Weekend Adventure

I know I’ve shared here before how much I love the city of New Orleans. My love letter was posted just a few weeks ago and you can find it here. This is one of the places that I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun weekend trip in the US. The city is nothing like any other large city in this country and it has something for everyone.

New Orleans Favorites

Beignets

When a location has a special dessert, I see it as my duty to try it. The famous spot for these pillowy treats is Cafe du Monde near Jackson Square. If you are looking to try them multiple times, I would recommend stopping at Cafe Beignet on Royal Street, the Cafe du Monde location in City Park or one of the specialty shops on Magazine Street that have different flavors.

Chargrilled Oysters

If you’ve always wanted to try Oysters, but the idea of sucking down something slippery from the bottom of the polluted ocean isn’t your cup of tea – these are the perfect choice. They are cooked instead of raw, but the way in which they prepare them is different than you will find in other places. Grilled with butter and topped with a little cheese and some dipping sides, this is the only way I ever want to eat Oysters again. Acme is a famous spot near Bourbon Street for these and our personal favorite of the few spots we tried.

Bourbon Street & The French Quarter

It is totally touristy and filled with drunk people at least 18 hours a day, but you should stroll through at least once. The drinks are extremely cheap during the day. We have come across a 3 for 1 special in the past. With the sounds of bad karaoke and really good jazz floating through the air, it’s easy to understand the appeal for people visiting.

Pat O’Brien’s is the home of the famous Hurricane. It’s not my favorite drink because it’s extremely strong and not cheap. We had a great bartender there last time we watched Dueling Pianos that made us a “rainstorm” and it was much better. It’s also worth noting that you can carry out your drinks anywhere in NOLA, so you will see lots of people on the streets with open containers.

Royal Street is the next block over and it is quite a bit quieter with beautiful art galleries and eclectic shops. I usually prefer strolling that street instead of Bourbon but you can do both in a short amount of time.

Walking Tour of the Garden District

Using this guide, we took ourselves on our own walking tour of the famous Garden District. The highlights included the inspiration for the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney World and the Manning house. It’s nice to be able to go at your own pace and stop for coffee or a cocktail along the way.

One of the most famous cemeteries is also located along the route of this walking tour. It may seem strange to add a cemetery to your travel wishlist, but the ones in New Orleans have some incredible history and are much different than what you’re probably used to.

Magazine Street

District Donuts, French Truck Coffee, The Vintage, Turkey and the Wolf – all places I would recommend on (or near) Magazine Street. It’s a perfect stroll to pair with the Garden District. There are tons of great spots to drink, eat and shop. There are too many places to name, so just walk until something grabs your attention.

The Marigny Neighborhood

The houses in this neighborhood are my absolute favorite to look at. While they aren’t as big as the Garden District, they are so colorful and beautifully decorated. I have spent many daydreams thinking about the front porches and the contrasting colors that wouldn’t look right anywhere but New Orleans.

Frenchmen Street

In my opinion (and many others’), this is the place to see live music in New Orleans. The Spotted Cat Music Club and Snug Harbor Jazz Club are our two favorite places to visit there. There is also a great spot to shop goods made by local artists.

City Park of New Orleans

With 1,300 acres to explore, the City Park is a great place to spend a day while in town. There is a Cafe du Monde location in the park that doesn’t have a line like the one near Jackson Square. I promise the beignets are just as good. We also liked walking through the Sculpture Garden there (free).

The Midcity neighborhood is a great place to explore near City Park as well. Things are little quieter here and there are less tourists, so you will get a better idea of the community in New Orleans.

Food Halls

Food markets are a favorite of ours no matter what city we are visiting. Being able to eat from multiple vendors at the same time brings me great joy. No decisions required because you can order a little bit from each place that looks great.

St Roch Market is our favorite in New Orleans. Our AirBnB was within throwing distance of the market this time, so it was super easy to visit. We have been multiple times and there is always plenty of seating, new foods to try and good vegetarian options.

Auction House Market is a newer place we tried this time. It is a little fancier of a food hall and with that, comes a higher price tag. We grabbed a couple of smoothies and just did some window shopping, but the options here looked amazing as well. Plus, the place is gorgeous.

New Orleans Basic Info

Where to Stay

In the Garden District, we stayed in this hotel and really loved it. It was affordable and right across from a cable car stop making it incredibly easy to get around.

Book your stay here.

For something on the other side of the French Quarter, the AirBnB we recently stayed in was just incredible. It’s perfect for two people, but it can accommodate a few more since the couches become beds. Here is the link for that place.

Use this link for a discount on your first AirBnB stay.

If you really want to stay in the French Quarter, I would avoid being right on Bourbon Street or even within a few blocks. It’s a fun place to hang out, but not the best if you want to relax in a quiet area.

Getting Around

The street car has a few lines that will bring you to many of the neighborhoods mentioned in this post. Ubers are also easily accessible. I wouldn’t recommend renting a car if you are flying here since it’s extremely walkable.