Insider Tips: The Best of New Orleans

When we expanded our USA destinations, we knew one thing for certain: we needed New Orleans. Nestled along the bends of the Mississippi River, the Crescent City is like nowhere else on earth. It was built by Choctaw hunters and Creole cooks, French grande dames and Spanish pirates, sugar barons and godfathers of jazz. At any turn you could believe you’re in a Caribbean capitol, an Andalusian alley or a West African market. From the hauntingly beautiful strains of music that drift through the air to the tantalizing scent of beignets wafting from street corners, the city is a sensory masterpiece. Join us on a journey through our top spots to laissez les bon temps rouler!

Best for: Live Music

Music follows you wherever you go in New Orleans. First line bands lead wedding parties down the street, almost every bar on Bourbon Street has a live band, and famous venues like Tipitinas draw both stars and up-and-comers. But true music lovers head to Frenchmen Street for a long string of authentic jazz joints. Clubs like Snug Harbor, The Spotted Cat, and Café Negril draw some of the finest jazz musicians in the world.

Bonus Tip: Frenchmen Art & Books is an excellent independently owned bookstore featuring local authors and artists. Pick up a tasty vampire novel, secure a spot at one of the intimate clubs and wait for an incredible performance to begin.

Best for: A Courtyard Cocktail

Certainly there is no shortage of either courtyards or cocktails in New Orleans. But Peychaud’s in the Hotel Maison De Ville is the standard and the classic. The entrance was once the residence of Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole apothecary from the (then) French colony of Haiti. Peychaud prescribed and dispensed his patented herbal bitters, Peychaud’s Bitters, which would later become the main ingredient to the famous and official cocktail of New Orleans – the Sazerac. A visit to Peychaud’s is one of the stops on our cocktail walking tour, which also includes visits to New Orleans icons like the Court of Two Sisters and Pirates Alley Café & Olde Absinthe House.

Unlike most cities in the USA, there are no open alcohol restrictions in New Orleans. You can take a cocktail to-go and enjoy sipping and strolling at the same time.

Best for: Off the Beaten Path

If you like street art, authentic cuisine and independent shops, don’t miss the up-and-coming Bywater neighborhood. Start at Elizabeth’s for incredible praline bacon and a house-made Bloody Mary, explore artist Brandan “Bmike” Odums 3,200 meter art studio then take a turn through Crescent Park to see the sunset over the New Orleans skyline. Street art and murals throughout the neighborhood showcase the history, characters and flavor of the city.

Best for: Seafood

Claiming one establishment has the best shrimp is a good way to start a fight with a New Orleans local. But Mr. B’s Bistro is a near-perfect experience from soup to nuts….with some incredible shrimp along the way. Nestled in the heart of the French Quarter, the establishment has been dishing up classic Creole and Cajun dishes since 1979. It’s known for the Mint Juleps, Gumbo Ya Ya, Creole Bread Pudding with Irish whiskey sauce, and especially the barbequed shrimp with Worcestershire-spiked black pepper and butter sauce. Tie on your paper bib and get ready to get messy because you won’t want to stop until the last shrimp is shelled and every drop of sauce is soaked up with the house-made French bread. What makes the experience even more special is the incredible warmth and professionalism of the waitstaff: they are truly the embodiment of southern hospitality.

Bonus Tip: The Carousel Bar is just across the street from Mr. B’s. It’s a bit gimmicky, but a fun photo op to sip a Sazerac while the vintage carousel slowly rotates.

Best for: Riverboat Adventure

Don’t miss an evening cruising the second-longest river in North America. Mississippi River steamboats played a significant role in the history of New Orleans and it’s development as an economic hub. Today you can enjoy a dinner cruise on the steamboat NATCHEZ, watching the sun set over the skyline as you sip a cocktail and listen to the Dukes of Dixieland Jazz trio. Traditional dishes including gumbo and jambalaya are served at the dinner seating. During the two-hour river cruise you can explore the engine room, soak in the skyline views and appreciate the scale and power of the mighty Mississippi.

Best for: Art Lovers

The New Orleans Museum of Art has an incredible collection, but the hidden gem is the adjacent Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Located in City Park, the museum itself makes for a fun morning, but be sure to leave time to wander the free, 11-acre garden right next door. Oversized sculptures, murals and interactive exhibits make for great photo opportunities and an excuse to explore City Park outside of busy events and festivals.

Best for: The Chills

There’s no shortage of ghost tours and tales in New Orleans. Taking a tour can feel a little more silly than supernatural, so we recommend a visit to the The Séance Lounge at Muriel’s Jackson Square instead. The restaurant’s building dates back to the 1700’s, although the original structure was burned in the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788. A man named Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan purchased it and restored it into his dream home…before losing it in a poker game. Jourdan was so distraught at losing his home that he committed suicide in the second floor lounge.

Today the restaurant staff routinely report seeing a glimmer of light in the lounge, along with items being mysteriously moved between shifts and glasses inexplicably breaking at the bar. In keeping with tradition, the staff always keep a table reserved for Jourdan, set with wine and bread. Restaurant guests are welcome to bring a drink into the lounge and pay their respects to Mr. Jourdan and enjoy the decadent decor.

New Orleans is a destination unto itself, but many of our guests make it part of a holiday exploring the American South. Music lovers can explore Nashville and Memphis along with New Orleans for a trip through the birthplaces of country, soul and jazz. Or you can combine a few days of cuisine and culture in NOLA with a classic beach holiday in Miami, Florida. Explore our itineraries for multi centre holidays USA, and you’ll understand why this country of dazzling natural wonders and a melting pot of cultures should be on your travel bucket list.

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