Dylan and I went to New Orleans at the beginning of November for a little vacation and early (one year!) anniversary present to ourselves. I've been to New Orleans once before this, but it was only for a long weekend and I didn't get to do any of the things I really wanted to, so I was especially excited to head back. It's such a cool, lively city, and I think everyone should visit at least once.
There is so much to see and do (and eat and drink) in New Orleans that it's easy to get overwhelmed, so we focused on exploring just a few neighborhoods rather than trying to see the whole city. I figured breaking down my favorite spots by neighborhood would be the best way to share.
→ Octavia Books is a cool little bookshop tucked away off the far east end of the street. I always make a point to buy something from (at least) one local indie bookstore wherever I travel, so I finally picked up a copy of Truly Devious (so good!) and a purple fountain pen when we stopped here.
→ I love visiting museums when I travel, and the New Orleans Museum of Art is the perfect size with a diverse collection and a sculpture garden. It's located in City Park, which is perfect for reflecting after a couple of hours wandering the museum.
→ For our anniversary dinner, we dressed up and went to Cochon in the Central Business District. Most of the plates are meant to be shared, so we ordered quite a few and all of it was delicious. My favorites were the fried alligator with chili garlic mayonnaise and all the cocktails I drank. (Cochon Butcher, the butcher shop and sandwich counter next door, was also recommended to us by several friends, but we sadly weren't able to make it back. You should probably go though.)
-Maggie
There is so much to see and do (and eat and drink) in New Orleans that it's easy to get overwhelmed, so we focused on exploring just a few neighborhoods rather than trying to see the whole city. I figured breaking down my favorite spots by neighborhood would be the best way to share.
FRENCH QUARTER
→ One of the first things on my list for New Orleans was a ghost tour, and Lord Chaz's Ghost and Vampire Tour did not disappoint. Unfortunately, Lord Chaz himself was sick, but Master Thomas stepped in and did an awesome job. (If you've never been on a ghost tour, don't worry—they're not scary! It's basically like a walking lesson in local history and lore. I promise you'll have a good time.)
→ If you feel yourself slowing down after a long day of walking (and probably drinking), stop in at Molly's at the Market and get their frozen Irish coffee for a quick pick-me-up. Pay the extra $1.50 for the large. You'll regret it if you don't.
→ If you feel yourself slowing down after a long day of walking (and probably drinking), stop in at Molly's at the Market and get their frozen Irish coffee for a quick pick-me-up. Pay the extra $1.50 for the large. You'll regret it if you don't.
→ Faulkner House Books, the former home of (you guessed it) William Faulkner, is a charming little bookstore tucked away down Pirate's Alley. Duck in there for a quiet escape from the bustle of the Quarter.
→ Anything covered in powdered sugar deserves your attention, so you have to stop in at Cafe Du Monde. Service moves fast here, so don't feel discouraged by a long line or full tables. You can get an order of beignets and two cafe au laits for less than ten dollars, and it's totally worth it.
BYWATER & MARGINY
→ We ate Sunday brunch at Elizabeth's Restaurant and even though the wait was half an hour longer than we were originally told I would totally do it all over again. Dylan ordered the duck waffle, I had the eggs florentine (with shrimp instead of oysters), and we split an order of the fried boudin balls. It was all to die for.
→ Crescent Park stretches along the riverfront for over a mile with a nice walking trail, cool industrial spaces, and swings to sit on and watch the boats pass by. (There's an entrance to the park right across the street from Elizabeth's, which is perfect because you'll need a place to walk off that delicious southern food.)
→ Our first night we ate at St. Roch Market, a beautiful and super cool food hall that hosts twelve local food and drink vendors, and walked St. Claude Avenue, stopping in neighborhood bars along the way. (After a couple of drinks, you might feel brave enough to belt out a song at Kajun's Pub's nightly karaoke. I may or may not have sung "Breakaway" with the help of three Maker's and Cokes.)
→ We originally decided to go to Sólo Espresso because it was a short walk from our AirBnb, but we enjoyed it so much we went two mornings in a row. Get there early so you can grab a biscuit and their fig earl grey jam to enjoy with your vanilla latte.
MAGAZINE STREET
→ There are so many great shops along the six-mile stretch of Magazine Street, but my favorite was probably Zèle NOLA, an indoor market with art, clothes, jewelry, and more all crafted by local makers.
→ Sucré is an amazing sweet shop with macarons, gelato, chocolates, and other delicious desserts that are almost too beautiful to eat. They have several locations around the city, but we went to the one on Magazine Street (twice) and I think about their raspberry and cookies and cream gelato every day.
→ Sucré is an amazing sweet shop with macarons, gelato, chocolates, and other delicious desserts that are almost too beautiful to eat. They have several locations around the city, but we went to the one on Magazine Street (twice) and I think about their raspberry and cookies and cream gelato every day.
→ We stopped in Hey! Cafe to take a break from all the walking (and shopping), and I'm so glad we did because I had literally the best vanilla latte of my life. It was so good that I pretty much immediately got back up to buy a bag of their Hello Espresso roast (which you can also buy online) and a mug (just because).
→ Octavia Books is a cool little bookshop tucked away off the far east end of the street. I always make a point to buy something from (at least) one local indie bookstore wherever I travel, so I finally picked up a copy of Truly Devious (so good!) and a purple fountain pen when we stopped here.
ELSEWHERE
→ I love visiting museums when I travel, and the New Orleans Museum of Art is the perfect size with a diverse collection and a sculpture garden. It's located in City Park, which is perfect for reflecting after a couple of hours wandering the museum.
→ For our anniversary dinner, we dressed up and went to Cochon in the Central Business District. Most of the plates are meant to be shared, so we ordered quite a few and all of it was delicious. My favorites were the fried alligator with chili garlic mayonnaise and all the cocktails I drank. (Cochon Butcher, the butcher shop and sandwich counter next door, was also recommended to us by several friends, but we sadly weren't able to make it back. You should probably go though.)
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