Introducing our itinerary for...

New Orleans, LOUISIANA

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Hotel/Accommodation Recommendations

Here are the top five accommodations in New Orleans that are in a convenient location to all the action, have a romantic ambiance, and are good enough for our fine readers. They are listed below from most budget-friendly to least. Take a quick glance at them, book one, and download our Organized Travel PDF so you can write the booking details in your “Organize the Essentials List”.

If you are looking for a more affordable option, an apartment rental is the way to go. Using Airbnb you can rent an apartment anywhere in the city. You typically don’t get the amenities of a concierge, breakfast, gym, pool, etc so you can get your stay for less than half the price of a hotel. You’ll want to book far in advance to get a good place with good reviews. Get $40 off your first booking here: BOOK AN AIRBNB

New Orleans Trip Details

DAY 1 AT A GLANCE

Today’s Goal to Crush: Get a lay of the land.

Are you a breakfast eater? Well as soon as you wake up, get on Yelp and add your name to the waitlist at The Ruby Slipper. Then you can roll out of bed, get ready, and head there with less of a wait (yes, the wait is that long). It’s the most popular breakfast restaurant in town, but well worth the wait. Afterwards, we think it’s always best to start a trip with some sort of tour - how about a City Sightseeing New Orleans double decker bus tour? It’s a great way to get an idea of the layout of the city, see which areas are poppin’, and decide where you want to invest your time there. On this tour, you can hop on and off all day. However, the bus only stops every half hour without a set schedule which leaves you guessing when it will arrive next. We recommend you just stay aboard the bus the whole time and use it more as a tour than transportation from one destination to the next.

Once you’ve finished your loop, consider strolling down Magazine Street for some shopping at unique shops that have crafts from local artists. There are lots of lunch options around here. While you’re in the Garden District, you can’t leave without trying District Donuts! Anyone who has been to New Orleans recently knows about this place. Huge donuts that are to-die-for. It even won America’s favorite donut shop! If you’re into history, walk to the Lafayette Cemetery #1 where you can do a self-guided tour or a tip-only tour and learn about who its history. It was established in 1833 on the grounds of a former sugar plantation. It’s interesting to learn about the tombs and vaults, especially how they’re re-used after bodies decompose. Don’t forget to look around and admire all the beautiful homes and architecture around this part of town: unique colors, gorgeous columns, and possibly even some Mardi Gras decor!

Then head to the French Quarter for some people watching and bar hopping. One bar to consider (which will be busy) is Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop. It looks like a hole in the wall but it’s popular because of its history. It was built between 1722 and 1732 and is said to be the oldest structure used as a bar in the USA and home of some brothers’ smuggling operation. Some other options for drinks or music before dinner are B.B. King’s Blues Club or Old Absinthe House. When you’re ready for dinner, we recommend Cafe Sbisa which has delightfully delicious French-Creole cuisine. It’s a bit of a nicer place, but we basically licked our plates here: that’s how good it was. Another dinner option nearby could be Cane and Table which has a Caribbean vibe and tiki cocktails!

Call it a night or head out on the town. Bourbon Street anyone? I don’t think you need the details...you can guess what happens there.

DAY 1 DETAILS  

Oh So Tasty Food Options & Bars Nearby:

DAY 2 AT A GLANCE

Today’s Goal to Crush: Learn how rum is made!

Today is more about relaxation and taking in that New Orleans culture. Start your day with a phenomenal brunch at French Toast. It’s a tiny little restaurant near French Quarter, so once again get on the waitlist with the Yelp app. They’re obviously known for their french toast but also have great omelettes!

Next, grab the shuttle nearby for the Old Rum Distillery tour! You must pre-book this ahead of time, but they’ll pick you up and drive you to the distillery which is considered the oldest rum maker in the USA. You’ll get to tour the distillery, learn how rum is made, learn about how Hurricane Katrina affected them, and then taste some of their award-winning and unique premium rums. It was definitely a good time! After you shuttle back into town, stop at the Gazebo Cafe for some daiquiris that are made with ice-cream and are absolutely delicious. They may even have some live music there! Next door is the French Market if you’re hungry and want to grab some food to-go at one of the vendors there.

Then stroll to Frenchmen Street, daiquiri in hand (yes, that’s allowed here). This is an area of town that’s like Bourbon street, but where more of the locals hangout. You’ll find some colorful little restaurants and bars. The most poppin’ place on the street? Bamboula’s. Wow, this place was incredible! You have to buy a drink per hour if you want to sit at a table because it’s a very popular place when they have a live band. They have copper ceilings, gorgeous lighting, and an upbeat atmosphere. A few other music spots that looked cooled were d.b.a., The Spotted Cat Music Club, and The Maison.

For dinner, we suggest hitting up Palace Cafe which has tables with views of Canal Street. The food is exquisite and the service is very professional. It’s a three-story restaurant with the Black Duck rum bar on the second floor. Very yummy food. After that, head out on the town again for some more bar hopping! One must-do is going to Pat O’Brien’s for their famous hurricane cocktail. They’ve got a dueling piano bar, outdoor patio, and indoor bar so it’s a very large place and one of the most popular spots in town. Also, if you’re up for a late night dessert, get some beignets at the famous Cafe de Monde because it’s much less busy at night compared to morning. Get you some beignets and your belly will be so happy.

DAY 2 DETAILS

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DAY 3 AT A GLANCE

Today’s Goal to Crush: Dive into New Orleans and WWII history.

Today is more of a day to learn and reflect on the past. Before that though, start your day off with a yummy breakfast at Two Chicks Cafe which has a location near the WWII museum. They’re a smaller establishment with a colorful, quirky vibe.

After filling up, head to the National WWII museum to be amazed. You could literally spend an entire day here, forewarning, so get there when they open so you have plenty of time. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn about WWII at your own pace. We recommend you start your day with the hour-long movie called Beyond all Boundaries that is narrated by Tom Hanks. It’s a great way to introduce you to what was going on in the world at this time. If you need a half-time break, they’ve got a cafe there. Trust us, you’ll want to spend most of your day here.

Once you’re done there, have reservations made for dinner at NOLA Restaurant. It’s a restaurant by famous chef Emeril Lagasse and the food is down-right good. We loved the Mama’s stuffed chicken wings and the pizza. They’ve also got a great cocktail selection there.

After dinner, head to Bourbon Street for a drink to-go and then to Preservation Hall for a jazz performance. You can get in the line and wait to see if you get in, but the line is super long and you may miss your chance. We highly recommend you book tickets ahead of time to secure a spot. We say spot because there are limited seats. It’s a very tiny room in an old hall, so most people are standing or sitting on the floor. You may be skeptical at first, but we assure you that one minute into the jazz performance, you’ll realize why you’re there. The musicians are absolutely incredible, energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about what they do. It’s a blast!! Bring your own cocktail into the concert because they don’t have a bar there.

Once the show is over, call it a night or head out on the town again. You’ll notice that most people flock to the bars with live music, so just stroll the streets and stop at places that sound hoppin’. There are bars with a wide variety of muscle styles and even some karaoke!

DAY 3 DETAILS

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DAY 4 AT A GLANCE

Today’s Goal to Crush: Po’boys and pills.

You know how the day starts: a killer breakfast. Try out Jimmy J’s Cafe which is known as “Nawlin’s Funkiest Lil’ Cafe.” It is just that: funky and little. They don’t take reservations, so you’ll find a line out the door. We recommend you get there early when the line is shorter. Regardless of the wait, this place’s food is legit. They’re known for their po’boys, which is a Nawlin’s classic, but their biscuits and gravy was incredible as well!

Next up on the docket: pills. New Orleans is home to the Pharmacy Museum which is where the first licensed pharmacist in America opened business in the 1820’s. His name was Louis Dufilho Jr and you get to checkout his first floor pharmacy and second floor living quarters. Although the furniture and decor aren’t original, they’ve re-created it to look like it would have back then. You can look through the displays to see many different treatments that used to be given….oh boy, there are some crazy ones! Gold pills anyone? Potions? We highly suggest you try to go on a day they include the free tour because the tour guide is very comedic and you’ll learn much more with that versus just walking around on your own.

The rest of the afternoon, you could consider exploring a few different areas.

1. Maybe you want to explore Jackson Square area more to see the St. Louis Cathedral, shop street vendors, and/or find some live music on the streets.

2. You could also head North to the Mid-City area to go to City park, New Orleans Botanical Garden, or checkout some breweries. If you go there, consider checking out Second Line Brewing, Bayou Beer and Wine Garden, or Bulldog.

3. A third option could be to head Uptown to a classier area of town. If you go there, consider checking out Maple Leaf Bar, or Hansen’s Sno-bliz for a sno-ball. There are two popular restaurants over there with great food: Boucherie and La Petite Grocery.

We also want to add that if you’re visiting New Orleans around Mardi Gras season, that’s a whole different ball game. Since this day is a light schedule, we’d recommend placing parade day on this day of the itinerary. Here’s what to expect during the parades. Everyone will line up on the sides of the street with lawn chairs and coolers so find a spot that works for you. The length of the parades is several miles and each Krewe has a different route, so you’ll want to look-up the routes online ahead of time. Bring a bag or backpack because you’re going to be catching a lot of goodies! From beads to toys to snacks, it will be so much that you’ll want a bag to carry it all. It’s very fun and exhilarating! There will be people everywhere, including kids running around trying to catch as many things as possible. Be prepared for the streets to be littered and dirty, so wear close-toed shoes. Don’t forget to dress up a little as well! Have fun with it! Speaking of Mardi Gras, if you’re there during this time, for sure get some King Cake somewhere - so yummy!

DAY 4 DETAILS

Oh So Tasty Food Options & Bars Nearby: