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It was my first time in New Orleans, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The Lyft driver that picked my boyfriend and I up from the airport had a very negative outlook on New Orleans as a whole, so I wasn’t sure what to think of it from the start.

The airport (MSY) is in Kenner, Louisiana which is about 30-ish minutes from New Orleans. Along the drive, there were many drastic changes between good and bad neighborhoods. I could tell that a lot of the areas were highly impoverished and had not recovered from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This included many shops either very run-down or out of business (such as gas stations, restaurants, etc.).

My boyfriend and I stayed on St. Charles Avenue about 25 minutes by street car outside of the French Quarter. In my opinion, this location was perfect! It was in a safe and quiet neighborhood without being a hassle to get into downtown.

We arrived in Kenner about 1:30pm, headed to the apartment to unpack, and went into the French Quarter for an early dinner and to walk around. It took us a little time to figure out how to get tickets for the streetcar (because unlike Boston you can’t just buy them when you get to the stop). We downloaded the online mobile app and bought a 3 day “Jazzy Pass” which is unlimited rides for $9. It was SUPER easy to use – a lot easier than the Boston T.

There are countless things to do and eat and three nights was NOT enough to do it.

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PLACES TO EAT

Pier 424 Seafood Market

Pier 424 is located in the middle of the French Quarter on Bourbon Street. I really liked how despite being right on Bourbon Street, it was fairly quiet in the restaurant. This restaurant makes a lot of classic New Orleans dishes you’ve heard of like Jambalaya, Gumbo, and Po-Boys.

I ordered Hush Puppies as a starter and Blackened Shrimp Alfredo as my entrée. If you’re a seafood lover like me, I would highly recommend you get this dish.

If you don’t like seafood, there is also Blackened Chicken Alfredo I can guess is delicious as well! They make their own Alfredo sauce fresh with every meal.

My boyfriend got Jambalaya, a classic New Orleans dish, for his starter. I would highly recommend ordering Jambalaya at some point during your trip in New Orleans. For his entrée, he got Red Beans and Rice with Chicken. The chicken is deep fried and a special glaze on top that makes it DELICIOUS!

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Cafe du Monde (French Market)

Café du Monde is most definitely a huge tourist attraction I would HIGHLY recommend going, it is so popular for a reason! It is located just outside Jackson Square with a view of the river. Beignets are the only item on the menu and it’s about $4 for three. My boyfriend and I went about noon-time on a Monday, so there was no line. On a weekend, it can get busy with crazy lines. But I promise you, the Beignets are worth the wait!

There are a ton of small Café du Monde’s chains and Beignet places in New Orleans but I would suggest going to the first Café du Monde in the French Market. You will find Jackson Square on one side and the view of the Mississippi on the other. The location is perfect.

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Palace Café

Palace Café is pretty expensive so although the food is very good, I would not recommend if you are on a budget. If you are willing to spend the money – this is the perfect place to get some authentic Creole cuisine. I got the Pepper Crusted Duck Breast which was amazing – definitely worth the money!!

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Creole House Restaurant and Oyster Bar

Creole House is another restaurant that has delicious and authentic creole cuisine. My boyfriend and I got breakfast here one morning. Even if you are trying to save money, go out to get breakfast at least once!!! Some sort of seafood concoction is common to have for breakfast.

Both my boyfriend and I stayed away from the seafood for breakfast and got avocado toast. It originally came with two sunny side up eggs – but I am not a fan of eggs so I got it without eggs! I got a side of grits with it.

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There are many different places we didn’t get to try because we tried to save money by buying groceries and eating a few meals at the apartment. There are so many places left to try!

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THINGS TO DO

Jackson Square

My first picture I posted is of the church in Jackson Square – the St. Louis Cathedral. It was built in 1727 which makes it the oldest Cathedral in the United States! We didn’t spend long at the square, but it was nice to walk through and admire the church and the greenery.

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Audubon Park

If you want a couple quiet hours away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Audubon Park is your place! It is on St. Charles Street and very easy to get to by street car. Even on a Tuesday afternoon, Audubon Park was popular for many locals trying to get their exercise in. It is a quiet little oasis with beautiful greenery.

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Walk Around the French Quarter

The French Quarter is one of the highlights of New Orleans and therefore, a must see. You will see everything under the sun from street performers to drunk tourists the French Quarter is nothing like you have ever seen.

Bourbon Street is the main street that people walk along but there are also side street to explore. There are tons of shops, restaurants, and bars to stop in along your walk. Many bars are famous for their drinks, such as Pat O’Brien’s which is famous for the New Orleans Hurricane (it’s worth the money to try once). Shops along the French Quarter are quite unique as well ranging from art shops to voodoo stores to souvenir shops to hot sauce stores (all of which I recommend you stop in during your visit there).

It’s important to walk around the French Quarter during the day AND at night – because the atmosphere is completely different. Of course it is a lot safer during the day than at night. That being said, I never felt in danger walking around the French Quarter at night. I think some important rules such as:

• If people come up to you on the street and talk to you – don’t talk to them (Some people might ask to guess where you got your shoes – just ignore them and walk away)
• Don’t accept the beads on the street unless you want to pay for them
• Don’t go down side streets that are not lit or do not have people walking down them
• Just generally keep an eye out for others

If you abide by these rules and don’t stay out there past like 1:00am – you should be fine.

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Riverwalk Mall

I don’t think its a must-see as the rest on this list but if you have some time to kill I think it’s worth your while. There are a few good sports stores for apparel, everyday clothing, and food places.

One thing I thought was funny was that my boyfriend was able to buy an alcoholic slushy in the mall! This was a very interesting concept to me that you can buy alcohol in a mall…!

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Attend a Sports Game

Depending on the season you go in – I would check out if any sports teams are playing. We arrived on a Sunday right when the Saint’s lost so the French Quarter was packed with fans wearing Saints jerseys and apparel drinking and eating. One thing I quickly learned is that people from New Orleans LOVE their sports teams and asking about them is a quick conversation starter.

My boyfriend and I attended a New Orleans Pelicans (basketball) game while we were there. It was a Monday night, so tickets were as cheap as $5 (coming from New England this is unbelievable). I found funny was whether it was outside or inside the arena, there was music blaring, and everyone was dancing/having a good time. New Orleans fans will find any chance they can to party. Leaving the game we saw someone dressed as Darth Vader dancing to Roar by Katy Perry…I mean you can’t make that up…!

We met some Louisiana locals at our seats who gave us some tips on the best places to eat and some must-sees to finish out our trip. They were incredibly helpful and were CRAZY Pelicans fans.  

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MY IMPRESSIONS

New Orleans is as unique as it is crazy. Because it has much French and African influence, it is unlike any US city I’ve been to. There were plenty of things to do during the daytime and nighttime. I would go back and do the trip again in a heart beat.