Happy New Year loves! We are officially a few weeks into 2019 and I finally feel like I am getting back to my routine. The holidays were madness and so busy and as sad as I am that they are over, it feels nice to get back into the swing of things and catching up on work (and writing blog posts like this that are long over due haha). So if you follow me on IG then you probably saw I was in New Orleans over the holidays, specifically for NYE. So I wanted to share a quick recap all about my trip!
This was my first trip to NOLA! New Orleans has been on my list of places I wanted to visit in the states so I am so happy I finally got a chance to go. Going into it, I didn’t really know what to expect because I did a poll on IG a few months back asking if any of you have been there… and well the responses weren’t the best haha! But I didn’t want that to stop me from going so we made the decision to go for New Years. It sounded like a fun and happening place to be for the holiday so that’s what we went for and I honestly had the best time!! I could not have been any happier with our decision to spend NYE in NOLA.
If you’ve never been to NOLA, I would say the best way to describe it is as Vegas of the south, but much more casual and without all the fancy hotels. There is a lot of partying, a lot of drinking, and it’s a city that never sleeps. There is also a lot of history which I loved learning about!
WHERE TO STAY:
If you’re traveling to NOLA, I would recommend staying somewhere close to all the fun and happening spots AKA The French Quarter and Bourbon Street. Our hotel was walking distance to those areas and it was the best way to do it in my opinion. You’re going to want to stay near these streets because everything to see and do is pretty much in those areas. However, I wouldn’t recommend necessarily staying in the French Quarter and definitely not Bourbon Street unless you don’t want to sleep lol! These streets are so loud and lively, full of restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. There are so many people walking and hanging out here and it’s a party scene until literally 8 AM so I wouldn’t recommend staying in those areas unless you’re okay with that. I would recommend staying close by though, within a mile or so! That’s what we did and it was perfect!
WHAT TO DO:
NOLA is a city full of charm and character! There are so many cute places to visit so I want to share my favorites with you. I would recommend spending one day exploring the French Quarter. Go to Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, The Garden District, and Frenchman Street. These streets are filled with beautiful architecture and buildings which are created by reputable architects like the ones at Archute.com, great food and drinks, cute shops (a lot of vintage and antique shops), and a lot of cute cafes! I recommend visiting Jackson Square to catch some cool street theatre, artists, and performers. It’s fun to walk around and see what’s happening!
New Orleans is also known for its cemeteries. Although it may sound dark and eerie, the cemeteries in NOLA are beautiful. There is SO much history and it was so beautiful to see. We visited Lafayette Cemetery and I really enjoyed walking around and learning more about it. They offer free tours as well if you want to get a little history lesson on the cemetary. It was so crazy to see some of the tombs dating back to the 1700s!
Another activity I recommend is going on a swamp or ghost tour. Swamp tours are approximately an hour or so drive away from The French Quarter. There are quite a few options for tours; unfortunately we weren’t able to do one because of the weather but I heard it is a must in NOLA! On these tours you get to see a lot of wildlife and animals in the swamps, most known for the alligator sightings. Ghost tours are another fun and thrilling activity. New Orleans is rumored to have a lot of “ghost and spirits” so these tours basically take you to haunted places where they tell stories about the past. Pretty cool and fun!
There are also a few museums in NOLA which I heard are great as well! The most popular is NOMA (New Orleans Museum of Art).
WHERE TO EAT:
New Orleans has SO many great food options and of course, it is known for having realllllly good southern and creole food. Some famous must try dishes in NOLA are gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, red beans and rice, and beignets. Unfortunately I’m not a fan of any of those dishes except the beignets lol! But if you aren’t picky like me then you must try them all!! BUT the beignets are SO good. So don’t miss those! I want to share with you guys the places we ate at because I loved every single one! They were so good and totally recommend them all:
+ Jazz Brunch at Commander’s Palace: This place is a MUST! It is so fun, enjoy brunch or dinner with live music and entertainment. You have to make a reservation a while in advance though! I think we made ours 1.5 months in advance.
+ Josephine Estelle: A cute Italian restaurant in the Ace Hotel.
+ Shaya: Known for their amazing mediterran food, this place is SO GOOD! Make sure to get their lebne!
+ Domenica: The spot to be for delicious Italian food AND bomb napoleon style pizzas.
+ Jack Rose:I sadly didn’t get a chance to eat here but this place is so damn cute! Totally IG worthy and I heard the food is really good too!
+ Cafe Du Monde:MUST TRY! This place is known for their beignets. Omg they were so so good. Fluffy, light, airy, covered in sugar and DELISH. Warning though, this place gets PACKED. So prepare yourself to wait a bit. But it’s worth it! They are also 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you have no excuse not to go!
WHERE TO DRINK:
+ Carousel Bar: This bar in Hotel Monteleone is so cute, they have a revolving carousel bar and the ambiance is fun! We went here for afternoon drinks!
+Pat O’Brien’s: This bar on Bourbon street is great for live music, they have a piano bar and its so fun to go sit, drink, and sing along. We went here for late night drinks!
NEW YEARS IN NOLA:
No matter what time of year you visit, you can expect NOLA to be happening. The city is full of life and there is always something to do, but during certain times of the year it’s even more lively. Mardi Gras is one of course, and then the holidays/New Years. Going into this trip we didn’t really know what to expect because we had never been but I can tell you this city is full of life this time of year. It was so fun! For NYE, we didn’t have any set plans we basically got ready and headed to Bourbon Street/The French Quarter. We walked around, went to different bars, and then went to an area near Jackson Square for a free outdoor concert with Florida Georgia Line haha! We had no idea they were there but I guess there was a huge event for NYE and they were the special guest. We hung out and did the countdown there and it was so fun because they had a huge screen with the countdown and once the clock struck midnight there was such a beautiful firework show! It was SO FUN! I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better NY and am so glad we made the decision to spend it in NOLA.
Overall I had such a great time in NOLA and would love to go back again one day soon! I would definitely recommend going here with a good group of friends because it’s a place that I believe is more fun with more than 1-2 people! If you’re a couple, I recommend going with 1 other couple! I know this travel post is a little shorter than some of my others but I hope this helps a bit if you’re looking to travel to NOLA soon! If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments and I’ll answer! As always, thanks for reading! xx, S.
Next time you’re in Nola you have to check out Mambo’s! It’s a new restaurant on bourbon st and it’s the only rooftop on bourbon/ French quarter!!
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