Accessibility

New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong airport services many direct flights. It’s about a 30 minute cab ride from the French Quarter.
Once you’re in town you’ll want to get around town on one of the city’s iconic street cars. They’re not terribly efficient. The schedules can seem erratic. And they are often very crowded. But no trip to New Orleans is complete without riding on one.

When We Went

We went in late April for a wedding in the French Quarter.

What We Did

We were joined by our 1 year old and a set of grandparents nice enough to help babysit. We rented a multi bedroom house through airbnb in the Garden District and just on the edge of an area that is being gentrified.

Restaurants

Okay, let’s talk about beignets first. They are deep fried puffs of dough with powdered sugar on them. Of course they’re good. But unlike New Orleans other famous dish, gumbo, the beignet industry is dominated by just one establishment, Cafe Du Monde. To say its main location in the French Quarter is popular is an understatement. If you’re wandering downtown you might encounter the line before you see the building. Before you waste your precious vacation hours waiting in line check out their other location in the city park, particularly if you have kids who might enjoy the stellar playground.

District Donuts is so famous you can now find one in Las Vegas. There are multiple locations across the city, check the website to find the one closest to you. Go for the donuts, stay for the coffee.

A great breakfast option in the Garden District is The Trolley Stop Cafe. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner all day long it’s located just steps from The Saint Charles Avenue streetcar line.

Expect a long line if you’re looking for a sandwich from Cochon but it’s a good lunch spot and handy if you’re going to the city’s WWII museum.

While I’m partial to Italian subs I honestly believe that the throwback Italian deli Central Grocery & Deli in the French Quarter makes an even better sandwich.

One of our favorite meals was at Peche. Mostly serving fish we had an absolutely delicious tapas style dinner.

There are a few Mr Ed’s Oyster bars around the city. We had dinner at the one in the Garden District but it wasn’t anything too special.

The wedding afterparty was at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar on Bourbon Street. It claims to be the oldest structure used as a bar in the entire country and it certainly looks like it could be. Exposed brick, fire place, wooden beams, dark corners with flickering candles…it is a bar befitting the city’s bewitched history.

The Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel is a cool art decor throwback. If Don Draper came to New Orleans this is where he would drink.

It’s not hard to find a jazz bar on Bourbon street. We had drinks at Ticklers Bar and weren’t disappointed. If you’re really into jazz though you might want to do a little more research.