New Orleans. NOLA. NAWLINS. All you need is 3 days in New Orleans to get the feel of the most colorful city. Many names but everything leads to jazz, food, fun and music. It is true : “You can live in any city in America, but New Orleans is the only city that lives in you.” – Chris Rose

New Orleans is world-renowned for its distinct music. The birthplace of Jazz and the home of Mardi Gras makes New Orleans one of the most fun cities to visit in the USA. Creole cuisine, unique dialects, and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras. The historic heart of the city is the French Quarter, known for its French and Spanish Creole architecture and vibrant nightlife along Bourbon Street. 

Essentially an island between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans is a city defined and shaped by waterways. Nicknamed the Crescent City because of its quarter-moon shape, New Orleans was isolated from the mainland for close to 250 years.

Many adjectives for Nola: shabby and charming, swift and popular, young and cool, important and powerful, outside, large and small, your, shabby, dank, swift, old, young, large, important. You need 3 days in New Orleans to get the feel of the place and see everything that’s important.

The MOST important parts of NEW ORLEANS

GARDEN DISTRICT

Uptown and the Garden District are known for their variety of historic homes, from colorful row houses to Classic Revival mansions and charming cottages shadowed by live-oak trees.

1. The most affluent area I’ve ever seen in America . Sandra bullock, John Goodman have homes here. Benjamin button was filmed here.
2. Henry Howard, one of the most famous Louisiana Architect has a hotel – beautiful interior, not over the top. Contemporary, jazz details and a 1857 built.

MAGAZINE STREET

There may be no better way to get a feel for New Orleans than to spend a day walking the six-mile length of Magazine Street.

1 Lafayette Cemetery- the oldest in Louisiana. 6 ft down is water. Bury the dead on top of the ground, extra spooky and eery

2. Commanders Palace- A must eat place.

3. boutique stores and stunning houses

FRENCH QUARTER 

It is also commonly called the Vieux Carré – a term meaning “Old Square” in French, and coined around the 1890s when the Quarter was evolving into a tourist destination. The French Quarter is located on the banks of the Mississippi River where New Orleans was established by the French in 1718. Nola was founded here. The French Quarter is known for its traditional-style hotels, such as the Bourbon Orleans, Hotel Monteleone (family-owned), Royal Sonesta, the Astor, and the Omni Royal Orleans. The Hotel St. Pierre is a small hotel also consisting of historic French Quarter houses, with a courtyard patio.

BOURBON STREET

For many New Orleans visitors, Bourbon Street embodies the life of a party town. The street is lit by neon lights, throbbing with music and decorated by beads and balconies. Bourbon Street (French: Rue Bourbon, Spanish: Calle de Borbón) is a historic street in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Extending thirteen blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, Bourbon Street is famous for its many bars. Be careful, watch your steps and it’s nothing like you’ve ever seen.

Where to Stay/ 3 days in NEW ORLEANS

If you want to experience the NOLA feel, French Quarter. The French Quarter is the city’s oldest and best-known neighborhood.

Uptown/Garden District. This area of the city – encompassing several smaller, residential neighborhoods upriver from the French Quarter – includes the St. …

Central Business District. …

Mid-City.

 AirBnb places to stay – https://www.thewanderlustwithin.com/best-new-orleans-airbnb/

We stayed at Henry Howard in Garden District. It has a great character.

Best Hotel: Maison de la Luz
Boutique Hotel: Audubon Cottage
Cheap Hotel: Lookout Inn
Family Hotel: The Roosevelt
Best Hotel Pool: Windsor Court
French Quarter Hotel: Monteleone
Near Airport: Holiday Inn

Bars/Pubs to visit in NOLA

1. Lafittes Blacksmith Shop – the oldest pub in the USA, Voodoo Diaquiri is a must
2. Rum house
3. Bar – Old Absinthe Bars – old and so unique
4. Hotel Monteleone – Drinks – their carousel bar is very popular ( get early at 6) – MUST
5. Pat o briens – best fully strong drinks
6. The Spotted Cat

Places to Eat:

Food in New Orleans is quite reasonable. I am from San Francisco where the food is the most expensive, so I found it quite cheap and the cocktails were not crazy pricey either. If you plan your trip well, have your breakfast in the hotel or airbnb you are staying, 3 days in New Orleans will set you back $250 plus your cocktails for one person.

1. Cafe Beignet – “Been here “ 😉 (lighter bigger and better)
2. Cafe Dumonde – before 8.30 am.. (cash only) – french quarter – next to Jackson square .. Coffee is a must
3. Commanders palace $$$ – Notable spot for refined Creole fare & an elegant jazz brunch in a chandelier-hung space since 1880. Make a reservation. It’s a must visit  on every magazine – dress code – upscale – Bread pudding soufflé (best) life changing food
4. Willa Jean $$- Retro-chic café operation offering Southern menus, baked goods, coffee, tea & cocktails.
5. Arnauds – Classic upscale restaurant & lounge featuring Creole cuisine, cocktails & Dixieland jazz since 1918.
6. Cafe Amelie $$$- Romantic spot for elegant contemporary Louisiana fare, plus a lush courtyard with a fountain.
7. Central groceries $- Small Italian market selling specialty foods & muffuletta sandwiches, which its founder invented. 
8. Mister B’s Bistro $$$- Special-occasion spot serving modern, seasonal Louisiana fare in a refined, wood-paneled space.
9. DAT DOg $– Creative dogs and chill Chewbacca vibes
10. Orleans grapevine wine bistro $$$- Intimate bar serves French cuisine & wine by the glass, bottle or flight, plus courtyard seating. Try their goat cheese salad.. ((chef’s kisses)
11. Brennens $$$- Fine-dining landmark famed for Creole cuisine, posh breakfasts and bananas Foster for dessert. Their bananas foster (death row desserts)
12. Fudgery – Sweet shop for handmade fudge, caramel apples, chocolate-covered strawberries, toffee & other candy.
13. Restaurant Revolution $$$$- Swanky hotel restaurant with an extensive menu of Creole fare, plus a 10,000-bottle wine cellar. It is a restaurant for special occasions. 
14. Shaya $$$- Israeli Restaurant. Their pita was the best I’ve had. Stylish, bustling eatery with a patio offering modern Israeli cuisine, beer & cocktails.
15. CAVAN – American coastal fare & Southern small plates served in a two-story Victorian with outdoor seating.
16. Port of call $$- Hefty burgers, loaded baked potatoes, cocktails & a jukebox draw lines at this 50-year-old dive.
17. Mojo -Colorful coffeehouse with a bohemian vibe is a stop for espresso drinks, pre made snacks & WiFi. in garden district
18. Sucre $$- Exquisite mint-green jewel box of a space serving chocolates, macarons & gelato. One of the BEST macarons I’ve tried. 

Vegetarian/Vegan Options Restaurants:

1. Cafe Amelie $$$- Everything on the menu that we tasted was fresh and absolutely delicious.
2. Willie Jean $$$- There were a few vegetarians options, that I thoroughly enjoyed.
3. Seed $$- A full on vegan place, their spin on comfort food was commendable. Fresh and OH SO GOOD!
4. Carmo $$- Innovative, vegan-friendly fare with tropical influences in a cozy spot with an open kitchen. There’s live jazz after 7 p.m.
5. The daily beet for breakfast $$- A modern health-centric cafe serving seasonal cold-pressed juices, smoothies, grain bowls & toasts.
6. Max well $$- Health-conscious cafe dishing up inventive vegetarian fare including soups, salads & bowls.
7. Bearcat cafe – Breezy daytime cafe with an eclectic comfort food menu, plus artisanal coffee & bottled teas.

Food that you must try in NOLA

• Gumbo. Locals would argue that gumbo is almost its own food group. …
• Crawfish Etouffee. One of the best reasons to visit New Orleans is Crawfish Ettouffee. …
• Jambalaya. …
• Red Beans and Rice. …
• The New Orleans Muffaletta. …
• Beignets. …
• Po-Boys. …
• Bananas Foster.
• Bread pudding

 

Places or tours to go:

1. Swam tour  – gators – Cajunswampexperiences.com or Cajunencounters.com
2. Plantations tour – Try taking the double plantation tour or  – Oakalley plantation  – two story shotgun house , shoot a shotgun from one end to another. So beautiful yet so dark, so many horrific things happened here.  Oakalleyplantationtour.com.  Jackson square – Oldest part of New Orleans – Mississippi rIver . Ton of performers and have a few dollars to tip. Beautiful park, the church is the backdrop.
3. National World War II museum – best museum in the world. Massive museum .
4. Voodoo museum – best small museum in America – history of voodoo culture. Real good to get your facts straight
5. Ghost tour – frenchquarterphantomghost tour.com and get to know the history of NO 
6. La larie mansion – American horror story
7. Jazz Play House – it’s a fancy shmancy room in royal sonesta on bourbon – 8pm-12 pm – enter free
8. Jackson square oldest cathedral in US – near French quarter
9. CITY PARK – contemporary art museum ( biggest in city park in US)
10. Jazz Preservation hall – Jazz club , must visit
11. The Crematory

Shopping

1. Funky monkey – vintage meets Buffalo
2. Magazine antique mall
3. Hemline – free people type of shop
4. UAL – consignment . Designer on mark down
5. MEYER the hatter – the oldest hat shops in US
6. French market – food or souvenirs
7. Nola Mix Records for some local jazz records

What to wear

During Summers when it’s humid and hot- light and airy dresses, shorts. Keep it simple. Statement earrings and fedora and glasses. Jean shorts and blousy tops.

3 day ITINERARY in NEW ORLEANS

1st day

Walk garden district, get the feel for the city. Stroll around Bourbon street, French quarters, just walk around. Check out the voodoo store,  see that road, have beignets at café beignet, shop for hats, vintage stuff.

Dress up and get out for drinks at 6 at Hotel Montelione. Dinner in Café Amelie at 7.30. Go to Jazz play house which is 6 min away. Or get dinner early and sit in the carousel bar in Hotel Montelione and get the feel of bourbon street which is crowded even at midnight.

2nd day

Wake up early, go to the bayou tour and Oak alley plantation tour. That will be about 4 hours. While coming back, they can drop you in French Quarters. Walk a bit and go for a drink at the Absinthe house, stroll around the shops, see some cemeteries that’s close to the French Quarters. Go back to your room, rest a bit, dress up lightly casual, go for drinks at 5 p.m  @ Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar and go for early dinner at any place. WE walked 30 min for early dinner at CARMO or SEED at 6.30-7.30. After dinner, we walked to French street for our voodoo tour. After the voodoo tour, yet again, strolled down Bourbon street.

3rd day

Go to see the World War11 museum at 10 a.m. From there go for lunch or brunch on Magazine Street. Go brunch at Commanders palace. After brunch, stroll for a couple of hours walk on magazine street, checkout some fun shops, have a dessert at Sucre. You can get back to the room, relax a bit. Get dressed up for your last day in NO, go for drinks at Brennans and dinner elsewhere.  Dat dog for dinner would be nice too. Wrap it up with Jazz Preservation hall.

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Have a SAFE and Fun Trip! Enjoy! If you like this 3 days in New Orleans plan, make sure to pin and share. Also let me know if you did visit any of the places we recommended. 

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