New Orleans 2 Day Itinerary: Everything “Big Easy!”
If I had to make a list of my top 10 most favorite cities in the US, New Orleans, LA would without a doubt be on it. I’ve had the opportunity to visit this incredible city a few times now and it just DOESN’T get old. Between the good eats, live music, architectural beauty, and overall good vibes I don’t think it ever could! If you haven’t been to the Big Easy yet, GO! Because it’s amazing and you’ll love it. 😉 Here are my recommendations for a New Orleans 2 Day Itinerary.
Royal Street
Take a walk down Royal street in the French Quarter. It’s where you’ll find some interesting shops and galleries and the most beautiful buildings with those iconic iron balconies. This street is the stuff your New Orleans dreams are made of.
Pat O’Brien’s
Stop by Pat O’Brien’s for a Hurricane, the official drink of NOLA (I made the last part up, but Hurricane drinks really are a thing and Pat O’Brien’s really is the place to get them) If you don’t drink (like myself) there’s a delicious non alcoholic version as well.
Cemeteries
Check out a cemetery. Any cemetery. Because the city is below sea level and also known to flood, graves in New Orleans have to be above ground. With the huge tombs that are often times lopsided on the uneven ground, the mossy discoloration you find on the tombs themselves and the small shrubs that sometimes grow on top of them, cemeteries in this city look like something you’d find at a Halloween haunted house! They’re super unique and iconic of New Orleans so you have to see one in person.
The Garden District
Take a stroll through the Garden District to see some of the most beautiful, historical homes in all of New Orleans. *Bonus* You can take a street car there from the French Quarter. How cool is that?!
The Spotted Cat
Check out The Spotted Cat (music club) for some awesome live music. It’s a well known spot for it in NOLA.
Carousel Bar
Swing by the Carousel Bar inside Hotel Monteleone. It literally looks like a carousel, and the seats even rotate around the bar! Someone told me it’s on Playboy Magazine’s list of top 10 bars in the country (world?) I didn’t Google it to confirm but I’d totally believe it. It’s super cool.
Acme Oyster House
Make sure to eat at Acme Oyster House. The line will be out the door but it’s well worth the wait. And, of course, get the oysters. Fried>steamed
Cafe du Monde
Get your beignets at Cafe du Monde of course. It’s open 24 hours, it’s ALWAYS busy, it’s cash only, and be prepared to get COVERED in powdered sugar. Heads up. 😉
Jackson Square
Check out Jackson Square (right across from Cafe du Monde) It’s an iconic location in NOLA.
Swamp Tour
Take a tour of the swamp and learn all about the wildlife in New Orleans and Louisiana. Experience the swamp up close from a boat and, of course, see quite a few gators. *I’ve done a few tours with Cajun Pride Swamp Tours and they’ve been great!
Oak Alley Plantation
Check out the history at Oak Alley Plantation. You’ll need a car to get there, but learning about this plantation and seeing the way the memory of slaves who worked here are honored are well worth the trip. And this gorgous Oak lined pathway isn’t such a bad sight to see either!
*We rented a car and drove to the swamp tour and then continued on to Oak Alley. Worked out perfectly.*
Remember Hurricane Katrina
Take a (respectful) drive through the Lower 9th Ward where Hurricane Katrina hit the hardest. There’s not a whole lot there now; a few reconstructed homes, a few abandoned homes, and numerous foundations where homes once stood, but seeing it in person felt a little like paying respects if that makes sense? At 5000 Warrington Dr, New Orleans, LA 70122 there’s a “museum” (more like informational placards and a memorial of sorts) that explains the happenings of the hurricane and marks the place where a home used to be (swept away when the levee behind this “museum”/former home broke). At approximately 6931-7001 Bellaire Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124 is a memorial plaque in front of the 17th Street Canal which also broke during Hurricane Katrina.
And I think that’s everything!
Have you been to New Orleans and think I missed an important recommendation? Or did you take some of these recommendations on your trip to the Big Easy and have some feedback? Let me know in the comments!
Safe travels friends. 🙂
CE
