Consider this your must-do guide in New Orleans
After a particularly rainy week spent in New York, we hopped on a plane down to New Orleans on a balmy spring evening and within minutes, could feel the palpable energy of this much-hyped and romanticised city. Also referred to as NOLA, or the Big Easy, you know a place that’s earned this many nicknames has got to be special, right?
Its most famous festival, Mardi Gras, sums up NOLA’s free spirit and unusual charm, but it’s just one of many events the city boasts. Put simply, don’t plan for a restful break. It’s a trip built on stamina ready for whichever dive bar, jazz club, fine dining restaurant or creole joint pulls you in next. My theory? If New Orleans were a person, they'd be an extrovert hands down. There's also so much more than just beads, festivals and feather boas, which we discovered on a trip that truly ranks one of the best on our list.
Where to stay in New Orleans
If you’re after something special that matches the city’s independent magic, then stay at Hotel Peter and Paul. The 71 guest rooms are set within a historic church, schoolhouse, rectory and convent, which honestly is as impressive as it sounds. If this is giving more spooky vibes than a luxe stay, rest assured that inside it’s a far cry from its former life, and the restoration is beyond chic. Ornate and vibrant antique furniture fills the hallways, rooms and reception; where the staff will be ready to load you up with local recommendations.
You can still sense its religious roots via hints in the décor. We slept in a four-poster bed with four metal crosses on its posts, fashionably juxtaposed with hanging gold tassels and picnic-blue gingham bedsheets. The vintage-inspired interiors are an Instagram dream. There was even a well-curated second-hand boutique shop down the hall which also sold the stylish check robes from our room. Dangerous if you’re travelling with hand luggage like us.
As for the location, it sits on the edge of the Marigny District with the lively French Quarter a short walk away, making it easy to stumble back from a night of jazz bars and dancing to a more tranquil home nestled between rows of bright, colourful houses. The area is also a far cooler neighbourhood than the adjacent French Quarter with restaurants serving natural wine, favourite dive bars set on quiet corners, and homey coffee shops to start your day. You’ll feel like a proper local here.
For breakfast, a cocktail, or, an intimate dinner you have Elysian Bar, the hotel’s sister restaurant and café that's tucked between the church and the schoolhouse. Dine on Tuna Crudo, Roasted Gulf Shrimp and house-made focaccia in their leafy sun-filled conservatory, or order a coffee to-go before a jam-packed jazz-filled itinerary.
What to do in New Orleans
Everyone will tell you to grab a beignet from NOLA institution Café du Monde but if you want to avoid a tourist hotspot, head up to their location at City Park. A great excuse to devour a bag of sugary deep-fried pastry followed by a walk around the 1300-acre public park. The grounds house many attractions, but the botanical gardens and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture garden are both peaceful green sanctuaries worth spending a leisurely afternoon stroll.
Live music is obviously a must in New Orleans. Their distinctive music scene is hard to beat. Crowned the birthplace of Jazz - yep, another nickname – means that the opportunities for catching live performances are endless. We visited during the French Quarter festival so even more than usual the city was taken over; stages lined the Mississippi River, and musicians packed into every crevice of every bar. One night we spent flitting between popular venues D.B.A and The Spotted Cat Music Club on Frenchman Street a crowd grew around a brass band playing unsolicited live jazz outside a fried chicken shop whilst we all danced in the road not remotely bothered by the oncoming cars.
The music clubs venture far out of the central French Quarter hub. Head to the offbeat Saturn Bar in the Bywater neighbourhood - a personal fave - who host an eclectic mix of alternative artists. Order one of their dirt-cheap beer + shot combos – my choice, a Modelo and Ghost tequila shot - then watch punters salsa dance from the upper mezzanine. Go ahead and join them once the tequila confidence kicks in. Further down the river, listen to live jazz and blues with the locals at another Bywater haunt, BJ’s Lounge, followed by Vaughn’s across the road. We spent a late night dancing between the two until the early hours.
Back in the heart of the French Quarter, there’s the legendary institution Preservation Hall. Book one of their afternoon slots to watch an intimate live session with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Max capacity is 100 and happily, there’s a no phones policy during the performance which only adds to the experience - then embark on a crawl of nearby watering holes. Which leads us nicely on to…
Where to eat, drink and shop in New Orleans
Take a seat in the courtyard of The Will and the Way, the self-proclaimed ‘kinda dive-y, kinda not’ bar offering a little calm away from touristy Bourbon Street just one street over, where you can order Louisiana hot chicken with corn grits and Swiss chard whilst washing it down with a Dr. Manhattan cocktail that’ll knock your socks off. No matter how far away from home, I can’t turn down a pub stop, and Irish pub Erin Rose is worth it visit for their famous Frozen Irish Coffee alone. For end-of-night munchies and a proper good sandwich, order a po'boy, a NOLA classic which you'll find in just about every local deli. We picked up ours from Verti Marte and they made it straight into our top 3 meals of the trip.
Over in the picturesque Garden District, there’s a host of notable eateries including Commander’s Palace for jazz brunch and Jack Rose serving up Cajun-Creole dishes like duck and andouille gumbo and pork cheek. Take a daytime stroll perusing the shops on Magazine Street - vintage fans should head to Blue Dream where I picked up a pair of sturdy leather lace-up western boots - and admire the striking, grand mansion houses that surround the area. Fellow sandwich fans should stop in at Turkey and the Wolf for a laidback lunch. Served on nostalgic MacDonalds plates from the 90s which they've surely been sourcing from eBay for years, this non-pretentious hole in the wall feels like a hidden gem. We ordered the collard green melt on toasted rye and smoked city ham on a French roll washed down with juicy IPA’s.
For a day spent moseying around the hip Marigny and Bywater, start with a huge breakfast at Elizabeth’s which’ll soak up the Sazeracs (NOLA's signature cocktail) you had the night before. Covered in painted murals, this buzzy brunch place serves hearty dishes like chicken and cornbread waffles, eggs Florentine topped with fried Oysters and sides of praline bacon or biscuit and gravy. Once you’ve recovered and are ready to start again, head for a late afternoon vino at Bacchanal Wine, a buzzy wine bar with a backyard decorated in fairy lights, hosting live music. Following the backyard theme, this time transported to a low-lit Parisian patioed garden, N7 Nola is a dreamy restaurant perfect for a date night. We indulged in half a dozen oysters, pan-seared Hokkaido scallops and the duck liver pâté charcuterie board at this chic spot that offer up French cuisine infused with Japanese touches.
We finished the night - and the holiday - off with a nightcap at dive bar Anna’s with a round of pool and a couple of Salty Dog cocktails. The perfect NOLA send off.
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