New Orleans pocket guide.
Horse-drawn carriages in front of St. Louis Cathedral (📷)
For centuries, New Orleans has maintained a magical allure that has kept the city firmly in the psyche of the global populous. Characterised by its seamless melange of cultures, New Orleans is a thriving centre of rowdy nightlife, classical French architecture, and mouth-watering Cajun and Creole cuisine.
Raucous crowds run riot on the infamous Bourbon Street, inciting a jovial and infectious atmosphere of the colloquial ‘joie-de-vivre’ . World renowned music clubs dotted across the French Quarter carry the torch for the local exports of jazz and blues.
You will dance, drink, uncover new realms of culinary pleasures and will most certainly make plenty of friends due to the omnipresence of true Southern hospitality.
🏰 Sights, Culture + Experiences.
The endearing French Quarter remains one of the most picturesque neighbourhoods on Earth. Founded in 1817 whilst Louisiana was under French occupation, the lavish mansions that define the district are distinctly colourful with opulent balconies upon which many balmy summer evenings have been enjoyed.
Despite its name and architectural roots, the area was ravaged by a succession of fires in the late 18th century whilst under Spanish occupation. The French Quarter we see today is likely to be somewhat different from its formative years, as the Spanish restored the buildings with a slight modern flair.
Exploring the French Quarter is an immersive experience. Take in the colourful eye-candy of beautiful colonial homes and magical Disney-esque splendour St. Louis Cathedral, whilst the sound of local musicians performing jazz and blues fills the air. Keep an ear out, as some street performers in town are amongst the best you are likely to encounter.
The meandering side-streets of the French Quarter behold many treasures for travellers to uncover, however, the most exhilarating action in New Orleans unfolds on its two most renowned streets.
Neon-clad Bourbon Street is often the first port-of-call for visitors to the French Quarter, due to its reputation as the beating heart of the city. True to the tales that have been spun concerning the antics that ensue here, Bourbon Street really does offer a unique and rowdy night out.
On the flip-side, party-goers on Frenchmen Street (📷) dance the night away in some of the most famous jazz clubs in the world – albeit, with no less bourbon to fuel their moves!
New Orleans is a city which retains such charm that even using its public transportation is a rewarding experience. Rustic streetcars ferry tourists and locals alike from one end of the city to the other, with an unlimited all-day access ticket available for just $3.00. These charming antiquated carriages are still in operation today, efficiently ferrying locals and travellers alike across the city.
Hop aboard the streetcar and enjoy the ride all the way to its final stop at the sprawling City Park on the outskirts of town. This urban park is a great place to take a leisurely stroll on pleasant afternoons, where you can admire the mossy oak trees, swampy waterways and local wildlife – including alligators. The park also harbours a real hidden gem in the form of the Besthoff Sculpture Garden.
Museum lovers: make sure not to miss out on the opportunity to explore one of the most revered history museums in the world. The National WWII Museum is located close to the French Quarter, and chronicles the United States contribution to the war through a staggering exhibition of preserved planes, boats, tanks and weaponry.
Located in the Bywater district, Studio Be (📷) provides its expansive industrial setting to showcase spell-binding street art of creative local artists, whilst shedding much needed light on social issues that burden the local community. Fans of art who wish to tap into the current day community of the city are advised to make the trip off the tourist circuit to this vibrant cultural hub.
🎺 NOLA really is 'all that jazz'.
As exciting as the city is during the day, after sunset the Big Easy erupts with the blistering sounds of live jazz, blues and soul seeping out from almost every bar in town. Music lovers will spend evenings in New Orleans revelling in sheer bliss and euphoria, as most bars offer music for free – with the understandable expectation of buying at least a drink or two.
For those eager to enjoy the best music scene that the city has to offer, the resounding response found on the tip-of-the-tongue of locals and tourists alike is: get yourself down to Frenchmen Street!
Here on Frenchmen Street, the best jazz clubs in the city are constantly overflowing. A premier venue for jazzy affair worth remembering, the Spotted Cat (📷) hosts live performances from exceptionally talented troupes from near and far.
Its ramshackle wooden structure only serves to add to its authenticity and charm. Considered by many to be the best jazz bar in New Orleans due to its humble setting and small size, leading to intimate performances in the company of friendly clientele.
Directly across the road, trendy hot-spot d.b.a is a new addition to the historic street, and draws a young crowd to enjoy its diverse array of performers covering genres from rock, blues and jazz with the accompaniment of a selection of craft beers on draught.
Further down the street, long-standing haunt the Blue Nile has been a bastion of diverse live music for years – the building in which it is housed was actually the first venue on the street to offer live music, sparking the eternal legacy of Frenchmen Street.
French Quarter staple Pat O'Brien's is steeped in local history, and still delivers to this day. Covertly operating during the period of alcohol prohibition in the US, patrons were required to use the password “storm's brewin'” in order to gain access to the illicit pub. Nowadays, however, the bar is famous as the birthplace of the hurricane cocktail and its atmospheric courtyard and fountain.
Nestled on the outskirts of the tourist circuit, Mimi's In the Marigny draws a crowd of regulars and savvy tourists who are interested in mingling with the local crowd. The two-storey building features ramshackle exposed brickwork and DJs spinning records on the second floor. Take the detour to stop-by this chilled out bar to shoot some pool or savour some tapas-inspired bar bites.
A quick turn off of the main drag of Bourbon St. leads you to the immortal institution of Preservation Hall (📷). True to its name, the venue has played a pivotal and unparalleled role in preserving the sanctity of traditional New Orleans jazz throughout the decades.
Nightly concerts play out from within the fabled walls of this iconic spot, welcoming guest to experience total immersion in the enchanting ritual of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in all of their glory. The venue is so revered that local hero Louis Armstrong stated that here is where “all the greats” are found, whilst the great enigmatic songwriter Tom Waits declared the venue as “sacred, hallowed ground”.
🦐 Food + Drink.
The culinary scene here in New Orleans is a point of infatuation and reverence across the globe. Arguably the most distinct and adored regional cuisine in North America, a slew of Cajun, Creole, European and American influences converge here to with its Caribbean roots to create a winning hodgepodge of dishes.
A term often coined for the local cuisine here is ‘soul food’ — a term which has been adopted worldwide to describe hearty, satisfying meals. Staple dishes you are likely to come across in soul food spots include fried chicken, macaroni cheese, peach cobbler and buttery biscuits.
A must visit spot to chow down on some ridiculously tasty fried chicken is Willie Mae’s Scotch House (📷) — a joint with chicken so good that not even its isolated location has taken it off the culinary map; even despite fierce competition from more conveniently located vendors.
🥐 Sweet tooth? Café du Monde is famed for beignets. Deep-fried choux pastry laden with heaps of powdered sugar await you.
No visit to the city is complete without savouring one of the city’s defining snacks — the po’ boy. This famous sandwich typically comprises of a hearty meat filling — anything from alligator to fried shrimp – pressed between a delicious baguette.
In the Mid-City district, Parkway Tavern is often cited as the best place in town to sample this satisfying snack the way it was meant to be; cheap and fulfilling. Far from the usual tourist path, quirky Creole café Jacques-Imo’s continues to entice a hefty crowd to dine in a vibrant and eccentric mural-adorned venue.
💤 Accommodation.
💰 Dorms from $17.00 per night.
💰 Dorms from $16.00 per night.
💰 Dorms from $19.00 per night.
💰 Rooms from $115.00 per night.
