I’m finally coming at you with my New Orleans travel guide. I visited at the end of last month to celebrate my sister Sarah’s 21st birthday and had such a blast exploring this wonderful city. The city was gorgeous, the people were wonderful and there’s so much life and music around every corner. Although I only spent three days in NOLA, it’s already one of my favorite places and I’m yearning to go back.
Today, I’m sharing some of my favorite spots from my trip in case you’re planning a visit yourself. If you’d like to check out a daily itinerary, head over to my sister Ale’s blog. She gets all the credit for coordinating this trip and keeping us on track!
Where to Stay
My sisters and I stayed at the Ace Hotel and, as usual, it did not disappoint. The hotel was lovely and unique, the rooms were cozy and the staff was extremely friendly. It was also well-situated, and my sisters and I could easily walk to the French Quarter from our hotel, which is where we spent most of our time. We also had plenty of great eating options around, which was perfect for those lazy evenings.
And, since it was nearly 100 degrees and humid, a trip to the pool was mandatory. The Ace Hotel New Orleans has a rooftop pool with a bar and a beautiful view of downtown. It was a great place to spend a few hours escaping the heat.
Where to Grab a Drink
Because we were in New Orleans to celebrate my sister’s Sarah’s 21st birthday, bar visits and crawls were basically mandatory. Plus, with the city’s lenient open container laws that make it so you can walk out of any place with a drink in hand (as long as it’s in a plastic cup), it seems like a waste not to take part in all the fun.
Compère Lapin
One thing you must know about me is that I love alcoholic slushies! This place has some fancy options with fun names like the Georgia O’Keefe. They also have a drink called The Copper Bunny which they serve in these really cute copper bunny mugs!
Napoleon House
Napoleon House is located in the French Quarter and has a long history. Story has it that the Mayor of New Orleans offered it as a home to Napolean during his exile over 200 years ago. Nowadays, it serves as a bar and restaurant. I had the Bourbon Milk Punch and definitely got my money’s worth based on how delicious and strong it was.
Molly’s at the Market
This dive bar is famous for their frozen Irish coffees, so it seemed like a good spot to stop by for day drinking. The vibe was super chill, and we stayed for a bit to watch one of Mexico’s World Cup games. It was fun at 11 am in the morning, but I would definitely like to come back at night sometime.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop
As much as I like a bougie drink, I’m also a fan of more divey places where you can have a beer, or in this case frozen daiquiri, and just have fun with friends. Although this place is located on Bourbon Street, it’s far away enough from all the raucous, so it has a more relaxed vibe.
Cane and Table
We loved this place situated in the French Quarter so much that we visited it twice. The staff was super friendly and even remembered us! I didn’t have anything fancy to drink, but they did have some fun cocktails on the menu.
The Bar at Muriel’s Jackson Square
The bar at Muriel’s Jackson Square was absolutely gorgeous! It’s located inside a hotel that is supposedly haunted by a benevolent ghost, Pierre Antoine. After our drinks, we went upstairs to visit the seance lounges, where the ghost is said to be most active, and also checked out the amazing view of Jackson Square from the balcony.
NOLA Eats
Cochon
If I had to recommend just one place to eat when visiting New Orleans, it would have to be Cochon. All the options sounded so delectable, that we opted for a family style dinner and shared a few dishes. We tried the wood-fired oysters, catfish and rabbit and dumplings. I even tried fried alligator, which I was skeptical about at first, but it turned out to be delicious! Oh, and let’s not forgot that they have the best buttery bread ever!
Willa Jean
Willa Jean was recommended to us by a very enthusiastic and friendly Uber driver and was conveniently a short walk away from our hotel. Since we woke up not wanting to travel far after our bar crawl, we paid it a visit. I appropriately had the Hangover Bowl, which consisted of braised short ribs, grits, and poached eggs. It was the perfect dish to fuel me for a busy last day in NOLA.
Balise
Balise was on the same block as the Ace Hotel, which was convenient. My sisters and I visited during happy hour and they had some delicious and cheap eats. We ordered oysters which were a deal at only a $1 each! They were topped with a spicy cocktail sauce, and you guys know how much I love my spicy food! Wwe also had fries, pickled quail eggs, and the chicken liver mousse, and they were all also equally affordable and scrumptious.
Bevi Seafood Company
This place looked like a little hole in the wall, but that is sometimes where you find the most delicious food. We couldn’t leave New Orleans without eating crawfish, so we ordered two pounds and an order of swine fries to share. Both were equally yummy! Plus, our server was super nice and, probably knowing we were noobs, took the time to come over and teach us how to eat crawfish.
Central Grocery and Deli
Central Grocery and Deli claims to be the home of the original Muffuletta sandwich, which was a great pick for brunch by the way. It’s cute and has a very homie feel to it, and the food was good. My sisters and I split an entire Muffuletta among the three of us since they’re pretty big.
Café du Monde
I couldn’t leave New Orlean’s without trying beignets, and Café du Monde’s were pretty yummy. Despite Ale and I stopping by at 7 am, it was quite busy and the service was slow. I would recommend you to visit just once, but I think I’ll venture out and try other beignet shops on my next visit.
Places to Visit
French Quarter
Even if you don’t partake in all the crazy partying down on Bourbon St., the French Quarter is still a great place to visit. The architecture is beautiful and there are so many local vendors and shops to visit. Jackson Square is a gorgeous place to check out, and there’s live music around every corner.
A few fun spots in the French Quarter include the Museum of Pharmacy, Hové Parfumeur, and the Trashy Diva.
The French Quarter is where we spent most of our time, and Ale and I even walked down here at 6 am in the morning so that we could capture some photos without the crowds. I still have some outfit posts to share, so stay tuned!
Garden District
The Garden District is such a cute place to walk around and admire the architecture. The Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is nearby, so you can also indulge yourself in the city’s history. And, if you’re an Anne Rice fan, you can picture where she got the inspiration for some of her gothic vampire novels!
Faulkner House Books
I was really surprised that the nerdy English major in me didn’t know that William Faulkner spent a brief time in New Orleans. His home is now a cute and cozy bookstore with a well-curated selection of books. This is a must-visit if you’re a book lover like me.
French Market
This place kind of reminded me of Grand Central Market in LA, before all the new and hip shops started to pop up. There are a lot of food options and even a flea market where you can buy souvenirs and such.
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I hope you enjoyed my New Orleans Travel Guide. It was such a fun place to visit, and I can only hope this post did it justice. Let me know if you have any spots you want to visit or favorites that I should check out on my next trip!