New Orleans, Louisiana
I haven’t even come close to visiting all the places on my Travel Bucket List but I think I can safely say that so far, New Orleans is my favourite destination. What is it about New Orleans? It’s so difficult to put it into words but here goes…
It’s not just a place, it’s a state of mind, it’s a feeling. It’s walking down a street adorned by 18th century French colonial architecture and suddenly getting butterflies in your tummy when the sweet aroma of Magnolia blooms in the sunshine, and the distant distinct sounds of a brass street band take you back, back to a time where you have never been. Like a past life memory. Have I been here before? Because it feels like home, and I never want to leave. Sounds crazy eh? Maybe that’s why so many have been drawn to this city over the years and stayed. The city is rich with culture and history, and it’s that, combined with the sights, sounds, scents, and tastes that truly captivate the soul and the senses. Top of my list for recommended places to visit in the U.S.
So please take some time to browse through my New Orleans Destination Guide with advice on restaurants, bars, sightseeing and historical tours, voodoo and the macabre, and my Top Tips for planning your trip.
When to go
The weather in New Orleans is HOT HOT HOT! Not the kind of hot you get in the south of Spain, it’s humid, so my advice would be to avoid the scorching summer months between June and October which are also hurricane season. I have travelled there in both April and May and the weather was perfect, averaging around 28 degrees celsius and the humidity was low. Another great reason to travel there in April or May is The Jazz & Heritage Festival which usually takes place last weekend in April and first weekend in May. You don’t have to be a die hard jazz fan to enjoy the festival, headliners from the last few years included Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, and Maroon 5 so there’s something for everyone, and trust me, going to the festival is an experience you will not forget, and no doubt it will leave you wanting more! So roll on Jazz Fest 2023! Another popular time to visit is during Mardi Gras in early March but unfortunately I haven’t attend yet as accommodation prices skyrocket during that week as demand is high. But I haven’t completely ruled that one out for future trips.
Getting there
Flights are generally quite reasonable to get to New Orleans, probably the best thing you can do is to check out Kayak or Skyscanner to find flights and prices from your origin airport. For both of my trips there I flew in from Dublin airport via London Heathrow and arriving at Louis Armstrong Airport early evening around 7pm. It’s very easy to find transport from the airport to your hotel. As soon as you leave arrivals and head for the exit, there’s a desk where you can buy your shuttle bus ticket, plus the return bus ticket for your departure. Doesn’t matter where you’re staying, the friendly bus driver does drop offs at all the hotels in and around the French Quarter.
Where to stay
Choosing a hotel in The French Quarter puts you in the centre of the action, and keeps you within walking distance of all amenities.
Maison Dupuy on Toulousse Street is my recommendation if you are looking for a hotel that’s bang smack in the middle of the action yet far enough away from Bourbon Street that you’re not disturbed by the noise.
The Hotel is a quaint oldy worldy style New Orleansian Hotel. Cosy, homely, spotlessly clean, amazing staff, swimming pool & courtyard, and a bar/restaurant that serves an amazing breakfast..
It’s a little pricey compared to some other French Quarter Hotels, but if you’re willing to pay a little extra for comfort and location, this is the place to stay.
Where to eat
Is it even possible to actually be in love with food? I think so…
I haven’t even come close to eating in as many restaurants and cafes in New Orleans as I would like to but, a girl can dream…
Before my first visit, my knowledge of traditional Cajun and Creole cuisine was extremely limited, other than the little jars of Cajun seasoning you find in the supermarkets in Ireland, which I soon learned are nothing compared to the real thing! If you’re a fan of flavours - paprika, garlic, red pepper, cayenne pepper… then do your taste buds a favour and take them to New Orleans, they’ll thank you for it.
First and foremost, before I give you a list of recommendations, I want to tell you all about my favourite restaurant. If I had to chose only one place to eat in for the rest of my life, The Gumbo Shop on St Peter Street (just off Jackson Square) would be it. Seriously, the worst thing about this place is - trying to decide what to chose from the menu!
The whole experience starts before you’re even seated. You may have to queue for a table but it’s totally worth the wait as the mouthwatering aromas gently caress your senses as you wait in anticipation to be seated (sounds sexy eh? It is…) I’m actually starving as I write this, so my ability to come up with a poetic description of the whole experience is impaired. Poetic impairment? The best description coming to mind right now is…
It was amazeballs! *wipes drool from chin
Anyway…
The overall atmosphere of the place gives a proper New Orleans vibe - rustic, arty, friendly, a little loud, yet relaxing. you don’t need to dress up to eat here, you can walk in wearing shorts and flip flops and feel right at home. Hey, you could even rock up in your best fancy dress costume and no one would even bat an eyelid - In New Orleans, anything goes!
We were seated by the most handsome of waiters who was extremely attentive, and promptly served us our drinks, and warm fresh bread that was neatly wrapped up in napkins. Now what do you chose from a menu where every single dish sounds like you want to be buried in it? You order a bit of everything. What I love about NOLA restaurants is that you can order a side or a cup of some of their main dishes. So, after much deliberation, I chose… wait for it… *deep breath - The Fillet of Fresh Catfish topped with Shrimp Creole, a side of Jambalaya, and a side of Creole Creamed Spinach - enough food to feed a small village! Every single mouthful was an absolute treat, and I think I was slowly falling in love with our waiter as he kept returning to our table with fresh bread and coke refills. Bless his heart. And bless him for those complimentary cocktails. He called me Ma’am. He had dreadlocks. And I think (now don’t quote me on this) that his name was Hector. *Sigh
Too full for dessert? Huh, I’m no amateur, Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce please. God bless stretchy pants!
Definitely a big 10/10 for The Gumbo Shop.
If you want to feel like one of the locals and step out of your touristy comfort zone, a visit to Mother’s Restaurant on Poydras Street is a must. It’s a 1940’s cafeteria style eatery just outside The French quarter with classic NOLA homestyle cooking. I’ve been here a couple of times but the first time I walked in, I stood there looking around me like “what the heck is going on here”? You just have to grab a menu and jump in line. Read quick, it’s a huge menu, or better still, Google the menu before you go to get an idea of what you’d like. When you get to the top of the queue, order your food and drinks. You get your drinks there and then, then you take your receipt to pop on your table, find a seat, and your food will be brought to you. (I like to advice people with all the little details as I know it can be a bit intimidating when you don’t know the drill). This is the perfect place to try something new, I suggest the Jambalaya or the Ferdi Special. Delicious!
No trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to Café du Monde on Decatur Street where coffee and Beignets are the delicacy. “What are Beignets?” I hear you ask… Imagine a square deep fried doughnut served warm with a mound of icing sugar on top. Yes, it is as sinful as it sounds, and exquisitely luscious. I love the simplicity of this place - no orderly queues, you just hover around (it’s all outdoor) and wait to jump in at the first sight of a free table. Or, a trick I found to be successful - make eye contact and wave to a table who look like they’re finished their coffee, chances are as they’re about to leave they’ll beckon you over to grab their table. Worked for me! No need for a menu, they serve coffee, Beignets, and soft drinks. Full stop. A waitress will do table service, and make sure you have cash because I don’t think they take card. Table manners are out the window here, expect to leave covered head to toe in white powder, and twitching from the sugar intake. Worth every mouthful!
It’s always Hurricane season at Pat O’Briens Bar On Bourbon Street! This place has a fantastic atmosphere, and plenty of areas to chose from - the main bar, an indoor dueling piano lounge, and the patio bar with an awesome flaming fountain! There’s also a casual outdoor dining area where you can have anything from Alligator Bites to Beef Brisket! Pat O’Briens is famous for inventing the well known Hurricane cocktail. Now I’m not usually a cocktail drinker but my goodness, this thing is so tasty and easy to drink but wow, it packs a punch! Two Hurricanes, followed by a shot of Bourbon and you’ll fall over in the street, and lose your hotel - that eh… happened to “a friend”… ahem.
Now here’s a weird one for you… The Central Grocery & Deli on Decatur Street is the home of the Muffuletta sandwich. Have you ever gotten goosebumps from eating a sandwich? No, well I have, and it was a Muffuletta! Have you ever fantasised about eating a sandwich…? No? (well you get the picture). The shop itself is an old fashioned grocery store that was founded in 1906 by a Scicilian immigrant, and is still run by the same family today. You can do a little shopping while you’re in there, I recommend picking up some Louisiana sauces and seasonings, and a box of Gumbo or Jambalaya mix. You get your sandwich from the deli counter at the back of the store, and tradition is that you eat on the street. So park your bum on the nearest bench or rest against a wall in the shade, and enjoy. It's mind-blowingly delicious! The photo above is a Muffuletta I got at Jazz Fest and it was almost as good as the deli one. So The Central Grocery & Deli deserves a place on my list of places to eat in New Orleans.