So if anyone knows me they know that my two favorite places in the world are London, UK and New Orleans, LA. I wanted to move to New Orleans (and planned on it) right before COVID hit. I try to visit at least once a year and have a lot of favorite spots down there so I decided to share them with ya’ll.
When it comes to places to stay its really hit or miss – I’ve stayed in bed and breakfasts, hotels, whatever I can find at the cheapest rate on hotels.com. I try not to stay in Airbnb’s because of how they negatively impact the people living in the area. Trust me, you can find a hotel for cheaper than an Airbnb.
MY ideal day in New Orleans would be flying in, exploring Jackson Square before grabbing drinks at Erin Rose and Lafittes. Getting dinner at Coterie, and after dinner drinks at Pals.
Breakfast the following day at Cameilla grill before doing a swamp tour followed by a late lunch at Parkway Bakery & Tavern. If I am staying that night then I would go on a haunted tour (just because I never have) otherwise I’d probably end up back at Pal’s or the Black Penny.
Below are some other suggestions 😉 feel free to add your own!
Breakfast
Ruby Slipper
Camellia Grill – this place is so crazy good!
Stanleys
Jimmy J’s
Oysters
ACME
Coterie – probably my personal favorite
Felix’s
Bourbon House
Gallier’s
Muffuletta
Napoleon House – this is a new favorite! SO GOOD
Verti Marte
DiMartinos
Central Grocery and Deli
Po’ Boys
My favorite is from Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Johnny’s Po Boys
Domileses
NOLA po boys
Mothers
*ACME also had a pretty good Po Boy
Gumbo/Jambalaya
The Gumbo Shop
Mr. B’s Bistro
Creole House Restaurant
Cajun Seafood
Cochon Restaurant
Other*
Coops or Willie Maes: for chicken
Port of Call: great burgers -totally not going to say that this burger was the best burger I have ever had but after a few days heavily drinking and eating the same type of food I really enjoyed this burger and loaded baked potato. Definitely recommend this if you’re starting to become tired of all the crawfish, gumbo and po’ boys. (I know, it happens, unfortunately)
The Junction – cool bar with good food
Paladar 511 – on the fancier side, but delicious food
Southern Candymakers: YESSSSSSS! I love Pralines, if they wouldn’t rot my teeth I would probably eat them everyday… No shame.
Beignets
Cafe Du Monde (because most of you wont listen to go somewhere else, fun fact there is another location in city park)
Cafe Beignet
NOLA uptown coffee & beignets
My favorite drinking spots
Erin Rose – I’m from Chicago, of course it is
Pals– a friend of mine works here, I have to visit every time I make it to New Orleans
BlackPenny – another awesome bar, on the dive side
Lafittes – have a frozen purple and take in the history
Carousel bar – this is located in a hotel, and its a cool concept but on the pricier side and can be hard to get a seat
Country Club– has a swimming pool!
Bacchanal Wine – A wine bar out of the quarter where you can purchase wine to go or to stay and enjoy on the back patio with or without some food while enjoying live music. This is nice if you’re looking to relax.
The Big Easy: These are everywhere, I just really liked getting the frozen hurricane drinks to run around the city with. It tastes like a slushee… I am ten years old again.
Little Tropical Isle: Home of the Grenade – or as I would like to describe it a tide pod in a drink! My friends forced me to drink a Grenade and honestly I am not fond of the flavor
Sazerac House
How I like to spend my time in New Orleans
Swamp Tour – If i have the time I try to go on a swamp/gator tour. I love reptiles especially alligators and these tours are always pretty fun. If you follow me on any social media or know me IRL you most likely know that holding a baby gator on a swap tour was a defining moment in my life, and it could be in yours as well. When I am (hopefully?? but am i hopeful??) ninety years old and talking to my adopted grandchildren I will tell them about my glory days holding this baby gator. This was a very fun experience and maybe because I have been born and raised a city girl i appreciate it more than most but if you’re tired of all the drinking and eating and the quarter in general and want to embrace your inner swamp hoe, I recommend going on a swamp tour. My favorite one to do with a group is the Louisiana Tour Company, they have big boats and small air boats. I have taken the large boat tour multiple times and have gotten the opportunity to hold a baby alligator multiple times. The drivers are knowledgeable, fun, and care about the animals. Highly recommend.
Tour the cemeteries – Louisiana cemeteries are so beautiful to me, its probably some subconscious psychological issue I have with burying the dead in the ground… In the past I have visited the cemetery and been able to just waltz right in. But, due to people coming into the cemetery and graffitiing and defacing Marie Laveau’s tomb you now need a tour guide to enter the cemetery. So we had to pay 20$ at the entrance BUT it was cool to have a guide to point out all of the other tombs and learn new information I did not before.
Tours in general – historical, haunted, Hurricane Katrina, they have all sorts of interesting and informational tours
City Park – this park is so beautiful, take a day or a few hours away from the French Quarter and wander around
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park
Louis Armstrong Park
The French Quarter – explore the bars, shops, and festivities, there always is something going on :
JACKSON SQUARE: In the past when I visited Jackson Square there was a guy with a chicken and a snake and he was having people hold them. Other times I have visited hes not there and I don’t know why I remember him so vividly but I just think that Jackson Square is such a beautiful area with the church and everything.
- Outside of Jackson Square there are a bunch of horse-drawn city tours, our first night we were so exhausted we went on one. It was interesting. Our driver got into a fight with a biker and they almost ran each other off the road. It was a lot to deal with after a long, and tiring day of drinking.
BOURBON STREET: Okay, I doubt I need to tell anyone to go here because chances are you were already planning on it. Go get drunk on the streets but be warned… we witnessed a bar hosing down the street because someone went to the bathroom outside of it.. and it wasn’t pee.
Explore the French Market
Go Listen to some live Jazz music
Museums -There are SO many museums to visit including but not limited to: The museum of death, WWII museum, Pharmacy museum, Mardi Gras World, Jazz, History, Art, The Cabildo, The Presbytere: which has information on Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina.
Anything Voodoo: Literally anything at all, museums, shops, temples. I only recommend this is you’re respectful, however. I’m superstitious and super into voodoo but it also scares me because I am not a professional, duh. If you’re going to go taunt someone else’s beliefs, be disrespectful, or are uncomfortable with voodoo – then don’t. go. Simple as that.
The Coven House If you like American Horror Story: I am a big fan of the American Horror Story series so of course I had to let my inner basic out and visit the Buckner Mansion, 1410 Jackson Avenue, aka Miss Robicheaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Women.
Runaway Blond 