If you are new here, then you may not know that the second people talk sh*t about a place, it automatically makes me interested in it. (I also went for all the bad boys in school – so you know, this has been a problem my whole life, LOL). Anyway, sh*t-talking is one of the reasons I went to Mexico City. A city that captured my heart, and became my favorite city in the world.
So, what did I do when I started hearing all the “fun, but dirty and unsafe” opinions of New Orleans? I Immediately planned a girls trip there for my 35th birthday, of course. I now believe, that anyone with these opinions didn’t actually see the city. So, I had to put together a New Orleans travel guide. A guide that goes beyond the infamous Bourbon Street. A guide to actually experience this beautiful and lively city.
Community
I would be remiss if I got started without mentioning the amazing community that is in New Orleans. I can’t explain why (maybe having to live through such dangerous weather), but the feeling of belonging and hospitality is amazing. We frequently had people come up to our group and ask us questions about where we were from. They would give us advice about where we should and shouldn’t walk, and tell us places we had to visit. I’ve said so before, and I’ll say it again, people are what make a place worth visiting.
A great example of the strong community are Second Lines! Second Lines are brass band lines where the community is encouraged to celebrate with the band and “first line.” Originating back in the 1860s Second Lines were a way to advertise social service co-ops to newly freed slaves to help them start an independent life. Because former slaves didn’t have access to normal forms of financing, education, insurance, and other services, these co-ops would band together to help fill in the gap.
Travel Tip: A note about safety in NOLA. New Orleans is one of the cities with the highest crimes rates in the US. Further, as of the writing of this post, petty crime is on the rise in big cities all over the US. Travelers need to have pictures of travel documents on their phones and sent to partners. This is so you are able to travel even if your wallet/purse gets stolen. And ALWAYS have travel insurance.
Travel Tip: Everyone knows NOLA’s weather can be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. You can always check for weather updates prior to any travel, here. The good news is NOLA also recovers quickly from their weather. Thanks to amazing community.
The French Quarter
I know what you’re thinking, “Hey! You just said we would go beyond Bourbon Street.” Well yes, yes I did. But, there is so much more to the French Quarter than Bourbon Street. In fact, any good New Orleans travel guide would start with this iconic quarter, because there is so much to do! Even just walking around the quarter in the early morning, without people is magical. The streets are very beautiful and all the balconies are decorated. However, if you really want to get a feel for the quarter, you will need to do a tour.
French Quarter Food Tour
To be completely honest, you don’t really need to include a food tour in your New Orleans travel guide. There is delicious food everywhere, and all you really need to do is duck in restaurants or cafes that look appealing, and try all the things. We did do a food tour with Free Tours By Foot, and though interesting, I think a history tour would have been better. We visited the French Market, Cafe Du Monde, and a praline shop on the tour. The French Market is an absolute must, as is trying a Muffuletta from Alberto’s.
Travel Tip: Free Tours By Foot is an awesome, budget saving, way to explore a city! The tours are free in the sense that you tip the guides what you think the tour deserved at the end. They have tons of tours, in tons of languages all over the world. I highly recommend them.
On the tour we got Cafe Du Monde’s famous beignets and cafe au lait to go, and learned about the difference in Creole and Cajun cooking. Which, I believe boils down (haha) to the different bases often used in each dish, as well as the meat choices. However, don’t hold me to that! Even though the beignets weren’t warm or fresh, it was nice to eat them in the Jackson Square while listening to some food history.
Travel Tip: Unpopular Opinion – I liked Cafe du Monde’s beignets better than Cafe Beignet’s. Though, neither were warm or fresh. To be honest, I’ve had better beignets in Savannah, GA. So, go figure.
French Quarter Ghost Tour
Taking a ghost tour of the French Quarter is an absolute must for any New Orleans travel guide. Whether you’re into the supernatural or not, they are all really fun! We took a ghost tour with Legendary Walking Tours, and it was absolutely incredible. It was also affordable, at about $27 per person plus tip. We learned so much about New Orleans’ creepy history, the religion of voodoo, and got to see killer sunsets to boot. Plus, taking a tour is a great way to bump into second lines around the city and do a little jig with them!
There are tons of other tours and classes you can do in the French Quarter. Find one or two to your taste and really go for it! And promise me that you will dance with every single second line that you see! I have a new obsession with second lines, if you can’t tell.
The Garden District
Phew, okay, I know that was a lot to take in but there is more! Another must for any New Orleans travel guide is going to explore the Garden District. The Garden District is a really pretty area of huge well preserved homes in New Orleans. There are beautiful trees overhanging the streets, and you can watch the Charles St. trolley come through. You can also take a tour of this district but we opted out. You would basically learn about the big fancy homes and any notoriety that comes with them. A lot of movies have been filmed in this district because the homes are so well preserved.
You can ride the trolley to the Garden District, but I will say that you would need to get up early to do it. The trolley cars get really crowded, and it makes it hard to get off and on. You MUST have cash to ride the trolley, so keep that in mind, and have some small bills, in case you want to get on.
Frenchman’s Street
Frenchman’s Street is where there are tons of amazing live music venues back to back. It’s a great place to go bar and music hopping after spending your day in the Garden District. I mean is there really anything better than having a drink outside while listening to live music? I don’t think so. The length of Frenchman’s street is maybe a mile or so long with bars and music on either side. We literally let our ears guide us and if we heard music that appealed to us? We stopped.
There weren’t usually cover charges to get into each bar, allowing you to move freely as you wish. Also, drinks were decently priced. What I liked most is that most bands had an electronic way for you to tip them! So if you forgot your cash, you could Venmo them!
Travel Tip: New Orleans is kind of a cash heavy city. I would recommend at least $100 in cash in smaller bills for a weekend.
Jazz Brunch
Since music is really the beating heart of New Orleans. So too music has to be of any New Orleans travel guide. And when it comes to Sunday, that means Jazz Brunch. Jazz Brunch is essentially just eating traditional brunch foods while listening to jazz music. Even if you don’t like brunch (because you’re crazy?), Jazz Brunch is a must. There are lots of places to have Jazz Brunch all over the city. From the fancy, like the Court of Two Sisters, to hole’s in the wall, like Buffa’s.
We opted for Buffa’s, for a more authentic experience (and better price!). We had a front row seat to the jazz ensemble, “Some Like It Hot,” and tickets were about $10/person. Reservations should be made in advance.
Armstrong Park and The Congo Square
Continuing your Jazz education, after Jazz Brunch you can head to the Congo Square and Armstrong Park. Slaves had command over their own lives on Sundays, in the Congo Square and Treme neighborhood. As such, this area is full of great history that you can walk around and read about. Armstrong Park also has a statue of the great Louis Armstrong, and history about how jazz originated. As a new jazz fan, you will learn so much about the jazz greats.
The St. Louis Cemeteries
New Orleans has some of the most unique cemeteries in the world, and that is because they are filled with mausoleums! Some of the tombs are very old, and some are still fairly new and still being used. Mausoleums serve more of a purpose than just being a tomb. Their design is specifically to allow for human remains to safely decompose without spreading disease. Then, after a year and a day, the bones of the deceased can be gathered and held with other family members. This is also why some mausoleums can hold so many members of the same family.
If you are very interesting in the cemeteries of New Orleans I highly suggest booking a tour to learn more about them.
Travel Tip: Both St. Louis cemeteries 1 and 2 were closed while we were visiting New Orleans. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was closed because someone has defiled Marie Laveau’s gravesite. No. 1 is where there are several famous tombs. St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 was closed due to recent hurricane damage.
Eat And Drink All The Things
No New Orleans travel guide would be complete without telling you to eat and drink all the things. I say this for most of my travel guides, well, because I love food, but it is especially true for New Orleans. I have a google map below of several places, but wanted to shout out Jewel Of The South, in particular. We loved the vibe and drinks at Jewel of The South so much we went twice! They have a great outdoor dining courtyard filled with twinkling Edison lights. Their menu is filled with inventive small plates, and their cocktails are divine. If you are in New Orleans, be sure to get a reservation!
So Much More
There is so much more to New Orleans I can’t even cover it all (yet). I can’t wait to go back someday and spend more time in the neighborhoods of the Marigny, the Bywater, and the Treme. If you have more time, you can also take a day trip all the way out to Oak Alley Plantation, for one of the most famous views in Louisiana. Or, take a day trip to the bayou to see wildlife and cypress trees. Regardless now you know, there is so much more to this fair city than Bourbon Street. Time to get out to NOLA and explore!
So, for those of you who have visited New Orleans, what do you think of this post? Anything I missed? What should I plan for next time? Let me know in the comments!
