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New Orleans
New Orleans, also known as the Big Easy, is the most recent city I visited in the USA at the time of writing this. After visiting I would also say it's likely my favourite and one of the most fascinating cities in the country. It's history is very unique and many aspects of the culture are different from anywhere else in the USA. Many people know New Orleans because it's the host city of Mardi Gras, but it offers a lot more than just that to tourists. For example, it was also the birthplace of jazz. The city takes it's influence from the English, French, West Africans and Spanish. The combination of these cultures gives it a one of a kind identity. Unlike most places in the USA it's not uncommon to hear people here speaking French. The city has been through a lot in it's history, including the somewhat recent Hurricane Katrina, which caused extensive damage to the city. Nowadays, you can enjoy some of the best food in North America and watch live jazz music at charming, historic jazz clubs throughout the city. If you're interested in history, culture, food and nightlife, New Orleans is an amazing city to visit. Here are some of my favourite activities to do in New Orleans.
The French Quarter is the main tourist area of the city. It features the famous Bourbon street as well as many other historic streets. The area is unique for it's architecture, history, food and nightlife. Here, you'll find many great restaurants which offer delicious Cajun cuisine. I'll list some of the restaurants that I tried and enjoyed under the food section of this page. While Bourbon street can be quite loud and overwhelming if you're not into partying the rest of the French Quarter seemed relatively quiet and family friendly for exploring. You'll see lots of voodoo related places, tarrot card readers, fortune tellers, drummers and street performers in the area. There are many bars on Bourbon street of course. For those looking for authentic jazz style bars I would suggest Maison Bourbon, Fritzel's European Jazz Pub and Laffite's Blacksmith Shop Bar. These are historc jazz bars on Bourbon street and show you the more traditional side of the city. Aside from these there are more commercialized places. You can also stop at one of the Little Tropical Isle locations and try a Hand Grenade, which is a famous New Orleans drink. For cheaper, quieter and more local feeling bars I enjoyed Molly's Irish Pub and Buffa's which was at the East end of Burgundy Street. Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral are must see places in the French Quarter. Finally, you can also visit the French Market or visit the riverside area including Decatur St for some of the best shopping in the area.
While Bourbon Street is quite commercialized already and geared towards partying Frenchmen Street is quieter and has dedicated itself more towards the art scene of the city. My favourite jazz bar in the city was The Spotted Cat on Frenchmen street. Right next to the Spotted Cat is a little art market where local artists display their unique products. It's a short walk from Bourbon street and is basically just across the road from the East edge of the French quarter in a neighbourhood called Marigny. This is a great street if you want to experience the jazz culture without overwhelming amounts of drunk people around. There are some other jazz cafes on this street which offer a nice dining atmosphere with live music. A few other notable places are Snug Harbour Jazz Bistro and Favela Chic.
A short street car or bus ride away from the French Quarter is the Garden District. It's famous for its nineteenth century homes and gardens. The houses in this area are massive and built with big columns and intricately designed fences and balconies. You can easily walk around the neighbourhood and see some of the historic mansions which include Walter Grinnan Robinson House, Sully Mansion, Briggs-Staub House, The Rosegate House, Carroll-Crawford House and more. There are also some decent restaurants in the area offering typical New Orleans food.
Swamp Tours are also a popular tourist activity to do in New Orleans. Since New Orleans is at the bottom of the Mississippi River it's near a massive delta which is where the famous Louisiana Bayous are found. People have a different way of life in this area and are very reliant on the resources around them. While I didn't actually end up doing a swamp tour I've heard it's a great way to experience the rural life along the Bayou and see wildlife including alligators! There are plenty of tour companies available to give tours once you arrive in New Orleans. You can also visit https://airboatadventures.com to book a tour online.
New Orleans has some of the best food in North America. If you love seafood and spicy food this is a great destination for those things. It's unique mix of cultures and geography has resulted in a cuisine that is very distinct. Food from New Orleans (and Louisiana) is typically referred to as cajun or creole food. While there is a difference between the two I'm not exactly sure what they are. Some must try dishes here are etouffee, gumbo, jambalaya, chargrilled oysters, muffalettas, poBoys, beignets, fried catfish and seafood boils. Aside from these unique options you can find other popular food such as fried chicken, burgers and more. Some restaurants that I recommend are:
Acme Oyster House (various cajun dishes)
Felix's Oyster House (Various cajun dishes)
Nola PoBoys (The best poBoys and muffalettas)
Seafood Boil House (for proper seafood boil)
Market Cafe (great place for lunch with live music)
The French Flea Market (variety of food and drink)
Today's Cajun Seafood (large variety of food for reasonable prices)
Willie's Chicken Shack (great fried chicken)
New Orleans Creole Cookery (Happy hour food specials on weekdays from 3-6pm)
Cafe Du Monde (Birthplace of beignets)
Loretta's Authentic Pralines (Breakfast, coffee, desserts)
Pictured below from top left to right are: etouffee, fried catfish and shrimp platter, muffaletta sandwich, shrimp poBoy, chargrilled oysters and a cajun seafood boil with shrimp, crawfish, crab, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes.
New Orleans has an easy to access public transport system. It consists of buses, streetcars and a ferry. The buses and streetcars cost 1.25 usd per ride and the ferry across the Mississippi River to Algiers Point is only 2 dollars one-way. You can also conveniently buy day passes for 3 usd which allows you to take any of the aforementioned types of transport throughout the day. This is a good option if you're going to take basically more than 2 of these types of transports in one day. There are also 3 day, weekly and monthly passes available priced at 8 usd, 15 usd and 45 usd, respectively. You can take the 202 bus from the airport to get to the French Quarter area. We opted for an uber which cost rougly 34 usd from the airport to Marigny (just East of the French quarter). I really enjoyed taking the street cars around the city. These street cars have been around for a long time and offer a tranquil way to travel through the city. The ferry ride across the river to Algiers point was enjoyable as well. You get some of the best views of the city skyline from the ferry and Algiers Point on the other side of the river.
