Updated after a recent revisit!
Sparkly and spooky and SO much seafood. New Orleans was the perfect long weekend getaway during a cold March in Chicago. Seeded in deeply troubled history, New Orleans embraces its past while shamelessly enjoying the present. With live music and oysters around every corner, the Big Easy was certainly a place I'd return to.
EXPLORE
Bottom of the Cup offers readings in the form of tarot, palm, and tea leaves. You can make a reservation, but walk-ins are accepted. This mystic little stop is a must.
French Quarter Phantoms Tour might seem cheesy, but it's one of the best ways to see the quarter, gain a little history, and get a little spooked.
City Park is the NOLA version of Central Park. Take a streetcar right to the park and enjoy a walk through the (free) sculpture garden outside the New Orleans Museum of Art, admire the enormous live oaks, and grab a beignet at Morning Call (some argue it's better than Cafe Du Monde, I plead the fifth).
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is beautiful French-style cemetery in the Garden District. Join a walking tour or just browse the endless rows of interesting headstones and mausoleum for yourself. It's worth a look, especially if you're a Double Jeopardy or Interview with the Vampire fan.
National WWII Museum might not be your first thought when visiting NOLA, but it is truly an extraordinary museum worth visiting. With extensive life-like build outs, great video pieces, and compelling personal stories, this museum is not to be missed. Perfect for a unexpectedly rainy day or to escape the humidity.
Dr. Bob's Art Gallery is a quirky junkyard-style art gallery in the Bywater neighborhood. Stop in to view colorful multi-media pieces of folk art, then keep your eye out for Dr. Bob's work in bars and restaurants all over town. Tip: walk from St. Roch Market to Bacchanal Wine, stopping at places like Dr. Bob's and the Piety Crossing and Garden along the way.
EAT
St. Roch Market is a food hall with everything from empanadas to pressed juice to local beers. Best place to post up? The Elysian Oyster Bar. Look out for Tim, he's a master shucker. If you find yourself there around breakfast, get the chicken and waffles and an order of the pecan praline bacon.
Surrey's Cafe and Juice Bar was the best brunch I had in NOLA. Get there early or be prepared to wait (you have to give a celebrity name for the list, which makes waiting a bit more fun), but once you're in be sure to order the crab omelet, shrimp and grits, and fresh juices. If you order coffee they will even give you a refill to-go, on the house. Perfect way to begin a day of strolling Magazine Street.
Commander's Palace sits right across the street from Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and is the perfect brunch experience in the Garden District. Famous for its jazz brunch, a reservation is recommended. Slurp turtle soup while the band serenades the dining room, table by table.
Cafe Maspero boasts one of the best muffaletta sandwiches around, a good stop for lunch.
Shaya is a Lebanese/Israeli restaurant in the Garden District. With it's delicious small plates and endless fluffy pita, it's the perfect break from traditional NOLA fare you might be craving. Get the hummus bowl topped with fried chicken and Tunisian spices.
Three Legged Dog is your average dive bar, but damn do they know their way around crawfish boil! Featured on Ugly Delicious, this French Quarter joint does a daily crawfish boil and for $20 you can fill a large takeout container with as many spicy little guys as you can.
DRINK
Bacchanal Wine was recommended by a local and does not disappoint. Over in the Bywater neighborhood, this wine and cheese shop opens out onto a killer garden patio complete with live music. A great Sunday-funday afternoon place, but also knows how to keep the party going well into the night.
Maison is an incredible live music spot on Frenchman Street that oozes cool and has none of the tourist-y vibes of Bourbon Street. With jazzy takes on pop hits, you won't want to leave the dance floor.
Lafitte's was built between 1722 and 1732 and is reputed to be the oldest bar in America. No electricity, but plenty of cocktails to enjoy by candlelight.
Napoleon House is another famed old haunt, named such because a former mayor of NOLA once offered the building as refuge to an exiled Napoleon Bonaparte. Their specialty is a Pimm's Cup, but also consider one of their milk punches.
The Bulldog has a great patio if you find yourself thirsty in the Garden District; they offer a wide selection of beers.
SHOP
Bevolo is a custom gas and electric lamp shop on Royal Street. Their lamps have been burning in the French Quarter for over 70 years. Stop in to ogle the very cool interiors and pop into the back workshop to see the craftsmen in action.
Earth Odyssey is a great compliment to your psychic reading. Swing by this shop for just about any type of crystal you can imagine. I snagged a pair of earrings made of blue kyanite, which promotes lucid dreaming.
Nola Mix Records is a nice little record shop with a good selection and even better value. Along the famed Magazine Street in the Garden District, which is full of shops and eateries, this place is worth popping in.
Lucy Rose has two locations in the city. This boutique has clothing and accessories, but we picked up some gilded oyster-shell ring dishes and candles.
STAY
DoubleTree by Hilton is your typical hotel, but located right at the edge of the French Quarter, you won't find a better-placed home base.