My husband took me to New Orleans, LA for my 24th
birthday this past weekend! We had an incredible short & sweet vacay. In
preparing for the trip, I was overwhelmed by all of the things to do and see.
Pretty much any Southern magazine had reviews and recommendations. Luckily, one
of my best friends had recently visited NOLA, and she was able to steer me in the
right direction. So, here I am writing a review to add to the multitude of
resources out there (haha)!
NOTE: We tried to #shoplocal and #eatlocal so you’ll see a
lot of local businesses highlighted throughout this post; however, New Orleans
is a top destination in the U.S. so there’s plenty of franchise & chain restaurants!
Eats
Brennan’s – This is where we had my birthday brunch, and it
was my all-time favorite restaurant in New Orleans! The Sparkling Pear is one
of their famous cocktails. It is made with Brennan’s fresh, hand squeezed pear
juice – it was delicious! I highly
recommend you have a reservation.
Café Du Monde – Famous for their beignets and café au lait. You have to go to say you did!
Commander's Palace - I wished we had just a little bit more time to try this restaurant. Founded in 1880, it is New Orleans famous! I heard many great things about the food and drinks. It is at the top of our list for the next time we visit!
Josephine Estelle’s – An Italian restaurant that has an
incredible atmosphere. My husband called it “fancy food” which is great for a sophisticated
palette. I thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We ordered a couple dishes of spaghetti
and one order of meatballs to split. It was the perfect amount of food for two!
Pêche – One of New Orleans newer seafood restaurants. We ran
out of time to try this one! I read/heard from many reviews, blogs and locals that
this is a great spot. Adding it here as a reference so we try it
the next time we visit NOLA.
Gallier’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar– Great, casual New
Orleans style food. This was less than one block away from our hotel so when we
arrived late Friday night, it was the perfect spot for us to grab a quick bite
to eat. We ordered the Cajun chicken pasta, and it was delish!
Le Bayou – I ordered one of my favorite cocktails here:
Hendrick’s Cup! Recipe for the Hendrick’s Cup is Pimms No. 1 liqueur, Hendrick’s
gin (my fave), Sprite, sweet n’ sour, with fresh muddled lime and cucumber.
Oceana’s Bar & Grill – A NOLA local recommended this restaurant
to us, and I am glad we tried it! We ordered drinks and an appetizer, blackened
alligator bites. I was a bit nervous to
try these, but the alligator bites were good! My husband and I agreed it tasted like flavorful chicken with
the consistency/texture of grouper.
Daisy Dukes - A casual dining experience, open 24 hours a day. We had breakfast here one morning, and it was good. With so many restaurants to try I'm not sure we'd rush back, but we did enjoy the food.
The Monteleone Carousel Bar & Lounge - the city's only revolving bar and named one of the top 20 bars in the world! We ordered a couple of the bar's signature cocktails: Fleur Des Lis. I love Hendrick's gin so this drink won my vote!
Activities
Take a stroll down Magazine Street – SO many great, local
shops on Magazine St. Note: the street is six miles long. Wear walking shoes!
We walked up and down Magazine for nearly 4 hours.
St. Charles Street Car (the green car) - tour the Garden
District and see the beautiful historic homes. It is only $3 for an all-day
pass, which allows you to get on and off the car as you please.
Bourbon Street is a sight, let me tell you! There are more
bars and restaurants on this road than I’ve ever seen. Local artists and music
groups flock to Bourbon Street and surrounding roads to play, which was really neat
to see.
Frenchman Street has several bars and live music with an
open concept. You can walk in and out as you please. There’s a local art market
on Frenchman that’s open from 7:00pm-1:00am, which is great for after dinner
in French Quarter.
City Oaks Park – It is all decorated and lit up for Christmas!
A great spot to take dessert or tour at night once the lights are lit!
Walk along the Mississippi River waterfront
Shopping
Elle Boutique
Marsh & Bayou Outfitters
French Market
Art studios are everywhere!
The Shops at 2011 on Magazine Street
Verdure Olive Oil
Too many beautiful design studios to count!!
Antique shops line the streets on Royal Street and Magazine
Street
Canal Street Mall – Tory Burch, Tiffany’s & Co,
Anthropologie, Lululemon, Urban Outfitters, J. Crew, Charleston Shoe Company, and BCBG
...
We had an amazing trip
and loved seeing the lively, Louisiana culture come to life. If you’re heading
to New Orleans soon, don’t hesitate to reach out, and I will gladly share
additional recommendations!
XOXO | Riley
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