New Orleans Nostalgia
My heart was set on one day visiting New Orleans after seeing Princess and the Frog. I fell in love with the dream of walking down the streets full of life, feasting on gumbo, and finally experiencing some Southern hospitality for myself. Perhaps that is a bit naive to dream of a place based on a fairytale, but our time in New Orleans was everything I dreamed it would be. As someone who looks for food, culture and history, and entertainment when traveling, the Big Easy is all that and more. Our four days there offered the perfect amount of time to enjoy the best parts of the French Quarter and even the Everglades. This post will take you through a four day itinerary of our New Orleans trip that gave us one of the best trips we’ve been on.
Our Stay at Bienville House Hotel
We booked our stay at the Bienville House Hotel, a boutique hotel located in the French Quarter that offered charm and some of the best service we’ve experienced. Right as we landed, we made an impromptu decision to rent a car. While a car rental is not required to get around New Orleans, we found a fantastic deal going on. A car gave us the opportunity to venture freely and deep into New Orleans and the Everglades. We love to travel as spontaneously as possible, giving us unexpected yet memorable experiences. The Bienville House offers valet since the surrounding parking lots tend to be full and street parking is absolutely none existent. Parking spots are limited, so if you are interested in having a car and using the valet services, definitely call ahead to ensure availability. There was an additional $44 daily charge during our time there for these services. It was especially worth it for us as it was a busy time, but there may be other pricings and options nearby if you book ahead of time.
The hotel was quaint and elegant with its high ceilings and classic Spanish architecture ironwork. The staff was gracious, always ensuring that we had what we needed and would give us great suggestions for where to eat, where to go, and what to do. Our room was extremely spacious, with a clean and large bathroom. Do not underestimate the southern heat. That room had the most amazing, cold AC that revived me after my afternoon naps. On our floor, we had access to a rooftop terrace where we watched the sunsets.
Hotel Amenities and Highlights
Some amenities included a Polynesian bar and restaurant called Latitude 29. We did not dine or drink here, but I took a peek into the restaurant and it was a cozy, tiki themed ambiance that I could imagine would be perfect for a girls tiki night in. The restaurant is conveniently located right next to the hotel’s enchanting courtyard and pool. I have to highlight this as my favorite spot of the hotel, extremely chic to take pictures and feel like a hand carved statue. As a couple it was super romantic to sit at night by the water with some wine looking up to the balconies.
Arrival and Brunch at Cafe Fleur de Lis
We landed in New Orleans late afternoon after an unbelievably long flight delay, meaning we were on the hunt for a big brunch. We quickly opted to try Cafe Fleur de Lis as it was a quick walk from the hotel and had 4.5 stars out of three thousand reviews. The cafe was the perfect place for our starving stomachs as their menu included a variety of breakfast or lunch plates ranging from pancakes and eggs to some classic po boys. The cafe was simple but offered the Southern meals I have always heard of. I ordered the Big Easy Breakfast which included two eggs, bacon and sausage, grits, a short stack, and wheat toast (yes, I unbuckled my pants walking out of this place).
Exploring Jackson Square
Staying in the French Quarter was definitely one of the major factors for such an easy and enjoyable trip. Since we arrived the Friday after Mardi Gras, we got to enjoy the wonderful street decorations without the masses. The streets were still filled with beads and you could just feel the energy still lingering in the air. Speaking of streets, expect your shoes to take quite a beating from all the walking. As you can expect with any city with high traffic, especially after a festival, the streets were absolutely filthy. I am so grateful I brought my Croc sneakers that allowed me to have comfort for all day walking and easy to wash off all the dirt.
One of the biggest conveniences was being within walking distance from Jackson Square. The square has a few must see attractions such as the St. Louis Cathedral, artists selling their works all around, and even some spiritual mediums ready to give you a reading on the spot. It reminded me of Central Park when you walk through and find those sections full of music and paintings or people just sitting on a bench enjoying a coffee. As not only a Princess and the Frog lover, as someone with a sweet tooth I was dying to try the infamous beignets. Cafe du Monde, New Orleans’ notorious coffee shop really fulfilled my Disney nostalgia by biting into a fresh, warm, and powdery beignet and sipping some coffee. It was such a central hub of the quarter that you could easily spend half a day there taking a peek at all the different art works, shops, and restaurants. I will warn you, it is a totally different scenery from day to night in the square.
Haunted History Tour
We have always heard of New Orlean’s extensive history, especially its dark one. One night we joined a walking tour with Haunted History Tours that shared the quarter’s lore of werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Not only was this fun, it was probably a little too fun because it ended with me peeing my pants as I ran back to our hotel. It starts out by meeting at a bar, where you’re actually given stickers that let you buy one hurricane and get another free, not just at this bar! but at all three bars you stop on during the tour (so don’t judge me for having an accident).
For those of us who do not know what a hurricane is, it’s New Orleans signature drink for getting you f—ed up. As both of us walk through the tour double fisting some delicious and quite strong hurricanes, you are taken through the dark history of the streets of one of the most historical cities. Our guide did an incredible job giving us a tour that was informative and entertaining, making it one of my favorite things to recommend people to do at night in New Orleans. The tour is about two hours long, with quite a bit of walking, but you go at a nice slow pace with plenty of breaks that make this late night activity perfect for pregaming or as your night cap!
Carousel Bar at Monteleone Hotel
Speaking of a night cap, do not think twice about heading over to the Carousel Bar inside of the Monteleone Hotel. If you’re looking for a higher end stay, I would recommend this place with a restaurant, spa, pool, and other amenities right in the hotel. Located on the bottom floor right next to the restaurant Criollo, their bar and lounge is brightly illuminated with plenty of seating. You could easily grab a drink and a seat and get ready for some conversation because it seemed like everyone there was open to talking with the stranger next to them. We got lucky enough to sit at the Carousel and experience a full spin. One of my favorite things while there was watching the bartenders jump over the counter as they changed shifts. The Carousel was installed in the 1940’s, and has been kept in great conditions making you go back in time. Another place that I would’ve loved to try was the Sazerac House, a museum and distillery dedicated to the Sazerac. If you’re a whiskey aficionado, definitely look into one of their many tours (I counted thirteen on their website!) that offer history and tasting of New Orleans’ cocktails.
Exploring Museums
Pharmacy Museum
Speaking of museums, the French Quarter is full of them. The Pharmacy Museum is dedicated to the history of medical equipment, techniques, and ideas from all over the world. The museum is in a beautifully restored building with a wonderful outdoor courtyard that was perfect for taking pictures. One of the most interesting exhibits I found was a lead baby pacifier that was used to calm babies down. If this isn’t interesting enough for you, a few blocks away is the Museum of Death.
Museum of Death
This Museum of Death is definitely not family friendly, and it is very hardcore. The entrance is divided by a big black curtain, and you are not allowed to take photography in there, setting the scene to one of the most disturbing museums I’ve ever been to. While it is not large, there is so much to look through ranging from pictures, articles and artifacts of deaths, killings, and even taxidermy. I will be honest, of all creepy or haunted stories, this museum was the thing that made my hairs stand up the most.
Whitney Plantation
However, the museum that I would say left the greatest impact for me was the Whitney Plantation, a sugar slave plantation that has been turned into an educational space of the history of slavery. Our tour was self-guided by providing audio devices that would take us through the lives of the slaves and the impact they had on U.S. history. You are taken through the entire plantation and learn the daily lives and responsibilities of slaves, and what it meant to endure a lifetime on a plantation. What sets this museum apart is they are one of a kind, as they focus entirely on the slave experience. This location is to remember what happened and educate, not a venue or restaurant. For my fellow film lovers, this is actually the plantation where Django Unchained and 12 Years a Slave were filmed. The museum is about an hour from the Quarters, so some planning is involved in getting there. We opted for a car rental as we wanted to enjoy driving through Louisiana. However, you can also book with a tour company who offer transportation to the museum.
Outdoor Adventures and Swamp Tours
These tour bookings will often have the option to bundle different excursions such as the walking tours or a swamp tour. While we are very much beginners, my partner and I love to fish. I always love to incorporate outdoor activities into our traveling, such as national parks or hikes or snorkeling. Our tour was with Ragin Cajun Airboats, and it was such a memorable experience. We decided to do an early tour, and it was just beautiful to experience the chilly morning of Louisiana’s swamp. The gators would love to swim up close to the boat waiting to be thrown a marshmallow. It was my first experience on an airboat and it is something I would definitely do again.
Things You Can Tell Me About!
As you can see, for our four day weekend getaway, we covered most of New Orleans! It was the perfect location for such a diverse experience that was true non stop fun. Below you will find our full itinerary if you feel like you need somewhere to start your planning. We weren’t too interested in the night life for this trip, which allowed us to relax and be able to wake up early and get a lot into our day. There is plenty to be said about the food of New Orleans that I have dedicated another post to. Some of the things we did miss were learning more of the voodoo legends of New Orleans, visiting the St. Louis Cemetery, and this princess did not get her jazz dinner or brunch. If you are considering doing a longer stay, do it, there is plenty of life in New Orleans to keep you busy!
New Orleans 4-Day Itinerary
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