New Orleans is one of those places that I’ve always wanted to go to but had never quite got there. A place that is perceived to be ‘cool’, ‘fascinating’ and just a little bit ‘crazy’. I had the opportunity to visit a few years ago, but it was during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and not a good time, so it was the first place I put on my list to see when we decided on a trip to the States. And boy was I not disappointed!
New Orleans is absolutely amazing. Most have heard of the famous Bourbon Street, which runs straight through the middle of the French Quarter area. It’s a wide street lined with bars, jazz clubs and restaurants and it is PARTY CENTRAL (worthy of the capitals!). Here, cocktails are bought by the gallon and it’s totally fine to walk the streets – yard glass in hand – so that you can join in all the street fun and action.
Jazz musicians play in the street, there’s a Cigar Bar for you to select your cigar of choice from around the world, and cafes/restaurants offer gumbo, Cajun chicken, jambalaya, red beans and rice, amazing seafood and southern fried chicken. The beer selection is also fabulous with hundreds of different options to choose from.
Bourbon Street parties all night and when you wake up the next morning you expect to walk out into a disaster zone, but the streets are hosed out every night (the soapsuds are the tell-tale sign) and order is restored…. well until the next night anyway!
The French Quarter itself is a maze of quaint, ‘old-style’ small streets. The French style architecture is beautiful, the street-lamps stunning and the streets are home to rows of antique shops, galleries, kitchen/cooking shops, bakeries/coffee shops (make sure you try the beignets – a delicious doughnut that is unique to New Orleans), pubs and restaurants.
Just off Bourbon Street is where you’ll find the ‘real’ Jazz Clubs and Bars and they are exactly what you would expect to find. There is also a gorgeous cathedral, village square and park where you’ll find buskers, musicians and artists – all keen to include you in the party and showcase their wares and talents. It’s all very old fashioned and traditional but with a New Orleans spin.
Walk through the graveyards – which may sound strange but they are a sight to see as they bury their dead above the ground. Journey along the huge Mississippi River on a Paddle Steamer. Take a tour out to the Everglades or do a Plantation visit. There is so much to do and it’s all quite different to other areas of the States… the ‘deep south’ is definitely an adventure and a great place to explore!
A major highlight for us was to go to an NFL game – my son is a huge fan of the New Orleans Saints. The Superdome was brilliant, absolutely huge and the atmosphere was incredible. NFL games are a huge production – fireworks to introduce their star players, sassy cheerleaders and loud music.
The noise was unbelievable and the whole experience was thrilling, it’s hard not to get caught up in the atmosphere, whether you are a fan or not.
Our New Orleans experience was fantastic and certainly exceeded my expectation. If you ever get the chance you must go – you’ll have an amazing time and be given a unique insight into a fascinating part of the world, quite unlike any other
