Hey y’all! It’s time to begin our next trip report series, focusing on my three days at The Big Easy, also known as New Orleans! I had the incredible opportunity to visit New Orleans a couple of weeks ago, and the trip was an absolute dream.
Throughout our three days in New Orleans, we ate, explored, and experienced everything NoLa has to offer. From wandering through the French Quarter to soaking up the vibes of the Garden District and getting immersed in the insanely good food culture of the city, we had an amazing trip and I already want to go back to this city as soon as possible.
During my trip, I took as many pictures and made as many detailed notes as I possibly could. So hopefully this trip report can serve as a great introduction to this amazing city and will hopefully convince you to book a trip there soon.
As with our other trip reports, there will be New Orleans trip planning posts following the conclusion of this trip report series. I’m still working on the Las Vegas planning posts, but don’t worry, I’ll get you those posts as soon as I can. I’m excited for all the content that will be coming to this site.
This New Orleans Trip Report introduction post will serve as a planning post where I give some background information on our trip and give a peek into our planning process. So without further ado, let the New Orleans trip reports commence!
Background
New Orleans has always been at the top of my US city bucket list. I had always wanted to visit it since I experienced New Orleans Square at Disneyland. Stories of the city’s famed Mardi Gras parades, as well as its interesting culture, diverse food scene, and eclectic architecture made it my number one most sought after destination in the US.
I had also previously booked roundtrip flights to Orlando, Florida that I never actually used and had to cancel because my plans fell through. I then told my friend that I wanted to use the flight credit on another trip to Orlando in the future, but my friend then pointed out that maybe I could use the flight credit to go somewhere else. When they said that, my mind immediately went to New Orleans.
I then quickly booked my flights to New Orleans, not wasting any time at all. I began planning the trip with my friend, who was kind enough to join me on this trip. My friend is a huge foodie and had been to New Orleans before, so they knew all the best food spots in the city. As food is arguably the number one attraction in this city, it was very important to me that I experienced the very best food this city had to offer, so I’m glad they decided to join me.
Looking back, I’m glad I had someone with me during this trip. I have solo traveled before, but it was nice getting to share expenses and experiences with someone else during the trip. I have a couple more trips coming up, both solo and with other people, and I can’t wait to share those trips with you as well.
Now that’s enough on the background of the trip, let’s move on to the planning portion of this trip.
Planning
The first thing we did is looked at the restaurants we wanted to try and then booked those as soon as reservations dropped. I would say that, as soon as you have your trip dates and assuming this isn’t a last minute trip, I would recommend booking dining reservations as soon as possible, especially if you’re coming during the peak season.
We booked our meals at Commander’s Palace, Dooky Chase, and Brennan’s fairly early. If dining at these or any of the other amazing restaurants in New Orleans is a priority for you, then definitely make it a point to learn when reservations drop so you can make a reservation in time.
This is also the most tour-heavy trip I have ever been on. I normally don’t do tours as I like exploring a location by myself, but the tours here in New Orleans seemed really interesting. They weren’t normal tours but instead were specific to a certain part of New Orleans history and culture.
We booked tours of the Pharmacy Museum and Mardi Gras World, as well as a Bayou tour, a ghost and vampire tour, and a cemetery tour. All the tours I went on were well worth the money and I would recommend them to anyone who is interested in learning about New Orleans history and culture.
We stayed at Le Richelieu, a boutique hotel located on the edge of the French Quarter. It was located a couple of minutes away from Cafe du Monde, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, and Frenchman Street, but was far enough away from the noise and the chaos of Bourbon and Frenchman streets that it didn’t affect our sleep.
This was by far one of the best hotels I’ve stayed at in terms of location. It was only distant from the Garden District, and was even near the pickup point for my Bayou tour. The room was also really nice. It wasn’t elaborate by any means, but had everything we needed for our stay. The hotel feels a bit old, but for the location and price it can’t be beat.
I know New Orleans has a reputation of being just a party and food city, but I found it to be such an incredible attraction city as well. There was so much to do that we didn’t even end up doing all of it. On the top of my head, we didn’t even do the World War II Museum or the Steamboat Natchez. We also could have spent more time at City Park. I would say, if you want to visit this city, that a good 3-4 days is enough to experience it. If you have less time, you could do it in 2 days, but don’t expect to do everything there is to do in that case.
And that’s the end of this short and sweet New Orleans Trip Report introduction post! I’ll be back with the first installment of this trip report series soon!
If you found New Orleans Trip Report Introduction post helpful, consider subscribing to my newsletter to receive inspiration, tips, and insider secrets delivered straight to your inbox. Whether you’re planning your next adventure, daydreaming about far-off places, or seeking hidden gems closer to home, we’ve got you covered.
✨ Here’s What You’ll Get:
- Curated travel guides to iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
- Budget-friendly tips and tips on solo traveling.
- Exclusive deals and must-know travel advice.
- Stories and trip reports to spark your wanderlust and make your trips unforgettable.
Travel smarter, deeper, and with more joy. Join our community of explorers today and never miss a chance to wander! Sign up down below!
SUGGESTED READING:
Leave A Comment