My Top 5 Favorite Things I Did in New Orleans 🌴🎺

We finally made it to New Orleans and got to experience that soulful and utterly unique vibe that everyone mentions when they say it’s “unlike anywhere else in America.”

I was initially struck by the beautiful Creole-style homes in the French Quarter and ooh’d and aww’d at all of the wrought-iron balconies. The second feeling was one of embracing the laid-back vibe. I instantly knew that this was going to be a great week and we would leave no stone unturned—exploring every possible activity, sight, and dining option. ✨

Although very difficult, I narrowed down my absolute favorite experiences.

1. Live Jazz at Preservation Hall 🎷🎶

Hands-down one of the best live music experiences I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot!).

• A no-frills music hall on St. Peter Street founded in 1961 to preserve traditional New Orleans jazz

• Very small and intimate setting with a max capacity of 100 people

• Up-close and personal vibe—we paid only $10 more to reserve the front row and it was phenomenal

• Reserved bench seating for around 40 people, with the rest of the room standing room

The stage is set up with no amps and no mics—just pure acoustic magic performed by Preservation Hall's rotating ensemble with a singer, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, piano, bass, drums, and banjos.

This 45-minute powerful set made my soul dance. Shortly into the set people were clapping and stomping their feet. Pure magic!

• Tickets are around $25–$50

• Small venue with limited bench seating

  
  

Pro tip: You definitely need to book online in advance

2. High-Speed Airboat Tour with Arthur 🚤🐊

If you want the real deal Louisiana swamp experience and have a car, I highly recommend Airboat Tours by Arthur!

• About a 40-minute drive from New Orleans

• We were lucky enough to do a sunset tour 🌅

• They were easy to book with and even suggested bringing our own alcohol

• Small, fast airboat = absolute thrill

We headed out during the day and returned after nightfall, experiencing the landscape—and its wildlife—in two entirely different ways. The captain was a hoot and told many Cajun stories and jokes and even showed us where he had been bitten by a gator.

• We saw so many huge alligators, some as big as 14 feet long

• The guide hand-fed them and even got them halfway into the boat

• He grabbed baby gators out of the water for us to hold

I thought it was really cool at first and then felt kinda sad for the little guy as he was probably scared, so he was put back into the water with his very unhappy mama.

Pro tip: Bring bug spray!! 🦟

3. Cocktails in Muriel’s Seance Room 👻

We started our evening with traditional Creole dining in the elegant Muriel’s Jackson Square, but the real gem was taking our drinks upstairs into the Seance Lounges.

• Plush velvet red furniture

• Chandeliers and exposed brick

• A table set nightly for the resident ghost (Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, who died in the building in 1814)

Pro tip: If you don’t plan to eat there, just grab a craft cocktail and head upstairs to sit in the perfectly dim seance room or on the epic 170-foot wrap-around wrought-iron balcony.

Absolute chills—in the best way! 😱

4. Shopping on Magazine Street 🛍️🏺

If you want to skip the tourist traps in the Quarter, then Magazine Street is for you.

• Six miles of independent boutiques, galleries, and vintage stores

• Set in historic buildings with old-world charm ✨

• Easily accessed by the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar

You can take Line 12 ($1.25 per ride, runs 24/7 every 10–20 minutes) and get off at:

• Washington Avenue stop

• Louisiana Avenue stop

• Jackson Avenue stop

Driving in New Orleans can be terrifying 😅. The city was never designed for modern traffic, the roads are narrow and uneven, and parking rules can be confusing (I may or may not be speaking from experience… LOL).

We spent hours wandering shops with:

• Vintage and retro clothing (my jam!)

• Antiques and home décor

• Art galleries

• Specialty shops, restaurants, and bars

Pro tip: Use meters when parking or bet yet don't drive!

5. Drinks, Drinks, and More Drinks in the Quarter 🍹🥃

Have you really done New Orleans justice if you haven’t had some of their famous specialty boozy cocktails?! Well, here are my favorites:

Pimm’s Cup Flight at Napoleon House ⚜️

One of the most iconic historic 18th-century French colonial buildings, with stuccoed brick and patina walls, exposed brick, a wooden bar, classical music, and those classic New Orleans balconies.

We bellied up to the bar, though there are options to eat inside or in the lovely open-air courtyard. The Pimm’s Cup Flight includes:

• Original Pimm’s Cup — the classic gin-based version the bar is known for

• Englishman’s Pimm’s — a cucumber variation

• Watermelon Pimm’s — a seasonal fruit-inspired version

My favorite was the original, and I mostly enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere.

Pro tip: As you can in almost every bar in the Quarter, you are welcome to walk right in and grab one to go! 🚶‍♀️

Hand Grenade at Tropical Isle Bar 💣

Hand Grenade

Billed as “the most powerful drink on Bourbon Street,” and that very distinctive tall, neon-green grenade-shaped cup will definitely catch your eye. It’s made with vodka, rum, and gin mixed with melon-flavored liqueur and other “secret mixers” that give it that bright color and sweet taste.

Pro tip: You better pace yourself with this one—it will sneak up on you! 😵

Frozen Irish Coffee at Erin Rose ☘️☕

Irish Coffee at Erin Rose

If you like coffee, this is a must-do. It was towards the end of the week, so feeling a little lazy, we rolled out of bed for breakfast and then bellied up at this cozy dive bar for their famous Frozen Irish Coffee.

I’m a dive bar gal, so this was my kind of place—warm, welcoming, and relaxed. The drink itself was cold, creamy, and delicious—basically a boozy adult coffee milkshake made with Irish whiskey, vanilla ice cream, and coffee. It wasn’t overly sweet, and I could drink this every day. 😎

Pro tip: It’s a dive bar, so it’s perfect for a roll-out-of-bed stop before getting ready later.

Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s 🌪️

The Hurricane was born at Pat O’Brien’s in the 1940s, and there’s a reason it’s still as popular today. It’s served in a tall, curvy glass that resembles a hurricane lamp and makes a great souvenir.

The bar has a laid-back pub vibe inside with dim lighting, a long wooden bar, hundreds of beer steins hanging from the ceiling, and dueling pianos in the Piano Lounge. We chose to sit in the beautiful open-air courtyard with the iconic Flaming Fountain, which gave us all the historic, cozy, and lively feels.

Pro tip: It gets crowded—go early or go late!

There are many other famous cocktails that are considered must-haves in the French Quarter, like the Sazerac (America’s First Cocktail) or a French 75. You truly won’t walk a step without a drink option! 🍾

Let's Plan!

I’m a meticulous travel planner and certified travel advisor, constantly seeking out must-do experiences and hidden gems. Whether you’re dreaming of wandering the streets of New Orleans or curating a one-of-a-kind journey anywhere in the world, I specialize in making every trip truly unforgettable. 🌍. 🌍

If you’d like me to help plan your next adventure, reach out!

Nikol Allee

Alleeways Travel

📞 +1 317-828-4950

📧 nikol.allee@fora.travel

www.AlleewaysTravel.com

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