New Orleans in February is a very unique an exciting adventure! Itâs a city with a palpable beating life, and that is never more tangible than the weeks leading into Mardi Gras and the burgeoning springtime.Â
I have to admit that I underestimated this trip. I didnât quite know what to expect or what I wanted to check off my list while I was there. My Google searches leading up to my departure turned up more of the same voodoo tours and swamp excursions that I judged before I read their descriptions.Â
I booked knowing that I had to see the French Quarter, so I splurged for a stay at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel. The beautiful historic hotel features a friendly and welcoming staff, a rooftop pool, beautifully restored antique chandeliers, and a second floor resident ghost. It has a specifically French Quarter feel, with the familiar hint of antebellum charm that touches every bit of this city.
I learned very quickly upon arrival that this city had far more to offer than I could have imagined! Our 4-day trip covered a lot of ground, and at the end of the trip there were still a few things left on our to-do list. Come check it out!
Jackson Square is very simply a sight right out of Disney Land. Itâs no wonder that Disney chose New Orleans as one of their many magical settings, this area alone looks like the perfect American Antebellum castle. One of the most recognizable focal points of the park is St. Louis Cathedral, which sits just outside of the parkâs gates. On a sunny day, youâll find dozens of artists and vendors lined up along the outside of the park, ready to exhibit and sell their creations. The park itself is small but beautiful, centering around a statue of President Andrew Jackson, who led the American to victory against the 1815 British in the Battle of New Orleans.
From the center of New Orleans, and even from the busy streets of the French Quarter, itâs easy to forget that this city sits on the edge of the great Mississippi River. Along the bank is a beautiful river walk, that winds past the Aquarium and the famous CafĂŠ de Monde. Itâs a great place to get a different perspective of the area.
Garden District & Lafayette Cemetery
The Garden District is a short drive outside the city and into the suburbs. Lafayette Cemetery, where our Uber dropped us off, sits at the edge of the residential Garden District. Lafayette was the cityâs first planned cemetery- and it did take some serious planning! Itâs occupants are buried in raised graves, which protect the sites from being destroyed by frequent flooding. I donât even want to think about what happened before they constructed the mausoleums!
Taking a walk outside of the cemetery, you begin to notice quickly that these neighborhood homes are far different than the buildings of the Business District or French Quarter. The mini-mansions are known for their luscious gardens and grand architecture. Many feature wrought iron gates and trellises that frame the high balconies. These homes were built by wealthy American 19th Century families who wanted to live further from the craziness of the French Quarter.
If you had asked me the week before I left if Iâd be taking a swap tour in New Orleans, I would have said probably not. It didnât really seem like something Iâd enjoy until we got to New Orleans and I realized that this area is unlike any other. This is a region of the world that I wasnât at all familiar with, even though it wasnât all that far away. It really does feel like a whole different world. It was this disconnect from my norm that led me to want to go on a swamp tour!
Cajun Encounters became a staple for us during our New Orleans stay, mostly because they picked us up right from our hotel in the morning and took us to places we wouldnât have reached on our own. We booked this first tour with the company an hour before our hotel pick up. We were looking for something distinctly New Orleans to do with our day (that wasnât Bourbon Street), and we certainly found it. Loaded up on a long swamp boat, our tour guide took us into the heart of the living swamp and introduced us to the beautiful vegetation and animal life on the swamp. We saw tree snakes, raccoons, wild pigs, and of course alligator. This was a very unique way to see a different side of the south!
Oak Alley Plantation Tour
Like many southern states, New Orleans and the surrounding area was forever changed by the American Civil War. Oak Alley Plantation was once was once one of many estates built on the backs of slaves. What was once a contained sugar plantation, is now a bustling tribute to the American Antebellum era and the impact of the Civil War. The Big House was last occupied in 1969 after a long history of traded ownership, a century of economic rise and fall, and the stain of former slavery.
The main focus of the Plantation is the Big House. The inside is decorated with replica period furniture, which sits beside a few original pieces. Like back in its day, the grounds are meticulously landscaped, particularly the canopy of live oaks that line the front walk. It is said that the original lady of the house, Celina Roman, didnât like the look of the feathering Spanish moss, so it was constantly removed from these trees. Looking at the sloping branches and overflowing roots, there is still no sign of any âbeardsâ on these 150+ year old trees.
Surrounding the Big House, different stations are available to teach the history of the estate and the surrounding area. A costumed Civil War reenactor will tell you about how the battles of the Civil War reached into life on this plantation and others like it. A shed across the way can answer every question you have ever had about farming and refining sugarcane, as the land once did. In sight of the back of the house are two rows of cabins where the plantationâs slaves were once housed. Each cabin teaches about a different role, hardship, custom or tool in the life of a plantation slave. This walk culminates in a list of the names of every slave employed on this property, bringing life and identity back to these people.
The Oak Alley Restaurant was one of our final stops before the end of our trip. Inside the quaint cottage, a friendly staff will ask you about your day at the plantation and offer to answer any questions that you still have. The food on site is great! This was my first (and personally last) experience with alligator bites, which our waitress handed over with such excitement and lingered to watch us try! All in all, Oak Alley was a great way to spend a day on the outskirts of New Orleans!
One of the biggest selling points to this destination is the local culture, and the music was a big part of that! Embracing our inner Huck Finn, we set sail on the Mississippi River on the Creole Queen. This Paddlewheeler offered two different packages for our night cruise: one with dinner included and one without. We opted for the package without food, but sitting in the dining room, listening to the band play and smelling the delicious scents of the dinner, we decided it may have been worth it. Somewhat satisfied with the snacks weâd eaten on the way to the port, we sipped our hurricanes as the ship set sail down the Mississippi. The band on board played a collection of classic jazz, sprinkled with some show tunes. They created a wonderful atmosphere for our cruise. Even better, we could still hear the band playing from outside on the upper deck of the ship! Â Â Â
New Orleans is famous for a lot of different types of food, but this one really satisfied my sweet tooth. CafĂŠ Du Monde is said to be the best place in the French Quarter for beignets! Being the only beignets that I tried during my visit, I canât really say how they stack up, but they were delicious! The cafĂŠ literally serves three things: beignets, hot chocolate and coffee. What else do we really need? Even better, the cafĂŠ is open 24 hours a day, so those late night beignet cravings are totally okay!
Manningâs happened to be one of the only places in the city to air the Super Bowl. As New Englanders who happened to be headed down to NOLA for Super Bowl weekend, we had mixed feelings about the Saints getting jilted out of the championship. The Saints fans did not. In the most proud and dedicated âprotestâ I had ever seen, 99% of bars in New Orleans refused to show the game. Saints fans took the street to party during the broadcast, and protest concerts and parades were happening all over the city. This was one of the most passionate displays I have ever seen from a sports rally! As those New Englanders out of place, it was a little problematic. After a few calls to bars who were choosing to air the puppy bowl, the kitty bowl, or the 2010 Super Bowl instead, we found Manningâs.
Manningâs is owned by the family of Payton and Eli Manning, so we shouldnât have been surprised that they would show a football game, no matter which teams were playing. The inside was a sports fanâs dream. Three rows of recliners at the front of the room faced a theater-size television that took up most of the wall. Outside, there was patio seating facing another large screen. This place is the champion of all sports bars!
Speaking of famous foods in the area, Acme Oyster House was a great place to find them all! Thereâs an obvious reason that the line to get into this little restaurant stretches all the way down the street almost all the time. Donât worry, the line moves quickly! The restaurant serves customers inside within minutes and turns table over very efficiently. The food is everything that you came to New Orleans for in the first place. Jambalaya, gumbo and every po-boy that you can imagine, this place has the whole array of delicious Cajun classics!Â
As we were looking into brunch across different restaurants in the French Quarter, we noticed that most brunch places served a menu that more closely resembled just lunch. The Ruby Slipper satisfied our craving for breakfast foods! Stopping in at one of their many locations, we found a charming little cafĂŠ with a unique and delicious menu. Iâd be happy to start every single day with the Ruby Slipper Mimosa, and the Bananas Foster Pain Perdu was incredible!
When you think nightlife in New Orleans, no doubt the first thing you think of is Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. Thereâs a certain expectation for this wild piece of the city that it definitely lives up to! Something that struck us (as those foreign New Englanders) was that there is no such thing as open container laws in this city. Thatâs right people, most bars serve in a plastic cup so that you can simply go on your merry way with drink in hand. Bourbon street is lined with bars from one end to the other. Each of these has a different theme or feel, but all are a wild time! This is the place to go for a sloppy drunken night on the town.
Pro-tip: Bourbon Street and the blocks around is are also packed with hotels! If you plan to bar hop your nights away, find a place to stay thatâs conveniently close by!
Frenchman Street is the slightly less sloppy side of NOLA nightlife. This is the place where youâre more likely to take your drinks to-go and pop in and out of different bars along this strip. What makes this street different is the live music that you can find in almost every bar. Talented local jazz bands and individuals take each stage, creating a truly unique cultural feel and a special Southern charm. To me, this was New Orleans! I would definitely recommend taking a step away from Bourbon Street at some point to explore what Frenchman has to offer!
