The ultimate city guide to New Orleans: What to eat, drink, see and do

I finally did it.

I visited a new city in America. I’m just as shocked as you are.

Truth be told, it’s very difficult for me to visit new cities in the states when I travel back.

Most of my time in the United States ends up being spent heading home to visit family and friends.

So this was certainly a trip unlike any other we’d done before. We wanted to add an extra little stop into our journey and decided purely based on quick destinations we could get to from Florida (after a great few days visiting Disney and Universal Studios).

New Orleans it was! 

We landed at the airport and I couldn’t have been more excited to explore a new state.

I’ve never been to Louisiana before and while I’ve heard fascinating stories about Mardi Gras, I’d never experienced it first hand. Still not totally sure I could handle it!

We had a few days to explore but I’m confident that you CAN do and see it all while you’re there. 

City Guide: A weekend in New Orleans

Best places to eat and drink in New Orleans

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde 

Sure, it’s touristy, but Cafe du Monde is also a NOLA staple that you need to get to for your coffee and beignets!

Beignets originated in France but here they are living and thriving in The Big Easy.

Established in 1862, the Cafe is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – which is PERFECT for the clientele.

It closes only on Christmas Day. Can you imagine?!

In fact, at Cafe du Monde you can only order beignets and coffee.

They’re totally worth any line you may have to wait in.

The coffee is a specialty and includes chicory. You can get your coffee is black or au lait. Au Lait at Cafe du Monde is a mix of half and half with hot milk.

It’s all good, so grab a seat and get your face (and clothes) covered in powdered sugar. 

PS don’t forget cash! They don’t take credit cards. 

Muriel’s 

This is a bit of a ~fancier~ one but it’s well worth it.

The service is unparalleled and the food was simply amazing. I thought attention to detail was noticeable here in a really big way and I’m so happy that we booked in for dinner.

They have an absolutely delightful menu so of course I ordered something I *could* have gotten back in England – A Vegetable Curry!

But I’ll tell you what, it was one of the best curries I’ve had. And all I’d been craving was a simple, good dish and this delivered on all fronts.

Joe ordered the Duck Breast Jambalaya which was another beautiful dish. And my mom tried the Wood Grilled Gulf Fish. They were all hits from us! 

Of course, Joe and my mom have sweet teeth so they ended up ordering this INCREDIBLE dessert called Saints and Sinners.

It’s layers of angel food cake, peanut butter mousse and devil’s food cake covered with dark chocolate ganache, served with dulce de leche ice cream. It’s amazing. Order it again and again.

In fact, go in just for that. So good! 

ALSO: How to stay connected while there?

If you’re like me, you never want to miss an opportunity to stay connected while on the go.

I use my favourites, Holafly! Their eSIMs can provide Unlimited Data which keeps me connected! Super handy for maps when visiting a new place or checking out the best restaurants nearby while on the move!

You can check them out here and get your eSIM ahead of your next trip abroad!

Brennans

Yes, it’s totally “Insta-famous” for it’s exterior pink building walls and gorgeous interior decor.

The food is good, but the service was really not the best. And we went for BOTH breakfast and dinner.

I’d probably skip due to the poor service but it is a classic NOLA spot.

Perhaps someday we’ll try it one more time!

Erin Rose Bar

The Erin Rose pub is a beautiful orange building in the heart of the French Quarter. It’s traditionally Irish, complete with a dark interior and walls covered with memorabilia and photos of patrons over the years. It’s quite a contrast to the bright sunshine outside.

But the windows are thrown open and you’re sure to have a cool breeze. Order the local beer, it’s a lager ale called a Dixie. 

The Erin Rose also doubles as a where to eat because they serve up Killer Poboy’s in the back of the bar.

Order a shrimp poboy and ENJOY. I’ve come to the realization that they really do like messy food in New Orleans. 

Pat O’Briens

Another Irish place you say? YES I SAY.

Pat O’Briens is famous for their Hurricane drink. It’s like a sassy rum punch that will easily leave you feeling like you’re caught up in a Hurricane.

If you’re brave like Joe, you’ll order a second one. Just make sure you try standing up after the first one, OK? 

I recommend sitting out in their courtyard at the bar there. If the weather’s great – it’s the perfect spot to sip your cocktail and soak in the city. 

Bacchanal Wine

In the middle of absolutely no-where (Bywater) is Bacchanal Wine.

It’s located in what I’m guessing is an old house-turned wine shop. It’s cool, very hipster and very, very good. I’d also like to point out that service here is super great too.

They’ll help you select a wine, sort out your cheese board and make you feel like you’ve popped round there’s for an afternoon drink and a catch up.

Things you simply HAVE to do in New Orleans

Explore the French Quarter

It’s gorgeous and well worth a visit. The French Quarter is the most “famous” part of New Orleans.

You can go full on tourist at Bourbon Street or alternatively take a little detour over to Frenchman Street – this is where the locals hang. You’re most likely to get that authentic experience. 

Hop on a streetcar 

Sure this is a pretty touristy thing to do – but I am saying it’s WORTH IT.

Others might not think so because it’s not quite that efficient. It does take awhile to get around. But if you’re touring, it’s a fun beautiful way to see the city. 

Take a walk in the Garden District

We all love a house nosey, don’t we? I’m obsessed with home programmes so this is right up my alley.

We took the streetcar over to the Garden District and had a big old wander around. 

I’d also recommend a stroll down Magazine Street. Pop into Volt coffee, it’s a cute little hipster type spot serving up different caffeinated beverages and treats galore. 

Visit City Park 

Another streetcar trip!

Although this one did take awhile so maybe hop in an Uber if you’re an impatient kinda person (me, mostly). We wanted to take a stroll around the park – I was keen on spotting one of their gorgeous bridges.

And when we visited they were actually filming an episode of NCIS: New Orleans – which was really fun to see!

My mom and Joe were very interested in getting involved and I had to reign them in. Gatecrashing a film set was not exactly what I had in mind for our vacation! 

Go on a ghost tour

How spooky! We booked tickets for the Killers and Thrillers tour with Ghost City Tours and our guide Christian was brilliant.

He really was such a great storyteller and engaged our group in conversation all along the way. The tour lasts around one and a half to two hours. Ours was closer to two hours – which I loved.

It was such a fun thing that we wouldn’t typically do in a city and it made all the difference. Plus, you can order drinks at the bar before going on the tour.

We took a few cheeky G&Ts to walk around with! Trust me – with some of the stories on this one – you’ll need it!

Best hotels to stay at in New Orleans:

My verdict on New Orleans

I genuinely loved visiting New Orleans and can’t wait to write more about all of these places.

The city is eclectic and full of energy. There’s always something to do or see and I didn’t expect to like it quite as much as I did.

And while it’s definitely a city I’ll be back to someday – I think we absolutely covered a great chunk on our first NOLA visit.

Have you been to New Orleans before?

Are there any musts to add to the list or ones you’ve been to already? Let me know in the comments below!

Kelly x