FOOD.
That’s it – that’s the blog.
Just kidding. The food was only about 75% percent of why I loved New Orleans. The other 25% was the music, museums, and tours.
What did I love most about New Orleans though? It was the kind of place that welcomed you exactly as you are. You didn’t have to pretend there. Everyone was incredibly friendly and you felt like you could be yourself.
The reasons I chose New Orleans were very simple: we had a vacation package we absolutely had to use before September 2019 and I am part of a few travel groups on Facebook. Someone had asked about what to do in New Orleans, I read every single response, and decided that I had to visit there.
I talked Gary into traveling there by promising a lot of great food. They say a man’s heart is through his stomach, and I’m not the greatest cook, so I suppose I’ll just have to take him to destinations with great food.
We stayed at Wyndham’s La Belle Maison hotel near the French Quarter to use the vacation package we bought but I would’ve paid separate to stay there. It was a beautiful and clean hotel, in a great location, and I don’t know if you know this, but every Wyndham lobby smells amazing. Seriously. Next time you’re near a Wyndham, step into the lobby for a minute and just enjoy how great it smells.
Anyway back on track. Without further ado, here are the reasons I fell madly in love with New Orleans:
Food
You visit New Orleans for the food, or at least, I visited New Orleans for the food. Beignets at Cafe Du Monde (DO NOT wear black), chargrilled oysters at Drago’s (sit at the bar for an entertaining show of them making oysters, alligator nuggets (don’t knock it till you try it), gumbo (a classic, you can’t come to NOLA without trying it), and all the other amazing dishes that are synonymous the Crescent City. You could simply spend your entire time eating and still feel like you had an amazing trip. Also pro tip, Cafe Du Monde is open 24 hours a day so go on your way back to your hotel to miss the line + bring cash because that’s all they accept.
Music
New Orleans is known for Jazz and it will surround you during your trip. From fantastic sax players serenading you as you stroll the streets (bring cash to tip your favorites), to each restaurant on Frenchmen Street having jazz band performances – you will have no shortage of great music.
Museums
I only had time to visit one museum while in New Orleans, so we visited the World War II museum. I can’t recommend this enough. If you only have time to visit one museum, make it the WWII. However, learn from my mistake and don’t think you can see it all in four hours, you can’t even see half of it in four hours. I had incorrectly assumed that it’s your typical museum and its not. With four separate buildings packed to the brim with WWII history, you can easily spend an entire day here and even then not see everything. Just give yourself a whole day there, you’ll thank me later. The next time I visit NOLA, I will be checking out the Museum of Death because I am a bit morbid, and the New Orleans Museum of Art because in 2019 I will be a person who goes to art museums.
Tours
If you have the time, I recommend taking a walking tour or two while visiting. We did a tour of the Garden District with Free Tours by Foot and it was phenomenal. We toured one of the above ground cemeteries, (which fun fact: NOLA has above ground cemeteries not because the city is below sea level but because the tombs can be used multiple times for multiple people), and it was amazing to see because there’s nothing like it back home. I’d also recommend tours of the French Quarter, a ghost tour, or a food tour. I personally do at least one walking tour in every city I visit because it’s a great to get acclimated with the layout, plus learn the history and important of different areas from your knowledgeable tour guide.
Of course I walked down Bourbon Street, you can’t really visit NOLA for the first time without getting a hurricane (shout out to the chill open drink laws!) and walking down Bourbon. And well, I did it. And I never have to do it again. Bourbon is fantastic for what it is – a non-stop party. However, that’s not my scene anymore and it was too much of a party for me. Although it’s GREAT for people watching, just be prepared for lots of naked butts.
What I loved was Jackson Square – one of the most beautiful photos in the city. I loved Frenchmen Street, Gary and I shopped at this outdoor market where we bought original artwork that now decorates our apartment. We ate dinner at a cozy restaurant which had a fantastic jazz band playing. We enjoyed a few drinks and the music. When I go back to New Orleans, I’ll be spending a lot more time on Frenchmen Street.
If you’ve never visited NOLA, I hope this inspires you to make the trip! It’s truly the most unique city in the United States and no matter what your interests are, New Orleans has plenty for you.
And thus, I will leave you with a few pieces of NOLA travel advice:
- Always head toward the water, walking in the opposite direction may take you to an area you really don’t want to be in.
- If someone comes up to you and says “I bet I can tell you where you got your shoes”, the answer is “On my feet [on whatever street you’re on]” or just walking away.
- Caution visiting in August/September (when I went), it’s hot, humid, and rains a lot. The trip is still a blast but be prepared to fight rain the whole time.
- Like any major tourist city, pickpockets are out there and they are smart. Thankfully, I wasn’t pickpocketed but I believe I was a target. We were walking next to the Mississippi River when I saw this guy put his head down and start to walk toward me. I instinctively put my hand over my purse (which was already over my shoulder) and he changed his course. Just a friendly reminder to always keep your wallet in your front pocket and have a purse that zips closed, have it crossed over your shoulder, and keep it in front of you.
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