Hi lovely! I’m planning a trip to New Orleans and I know you spent some time there. Anything you’d particularly recommend doing? We like similar things, so I figured you’d have good ideas 💜
Oh gosh darlin’, I’m jelly - NOLA is one of my favorite places in the world and there are tons of cool thing to do! When are you going? Not sure if you’ve been there before? For the purposes of this reply, I’m assuming not, so forgive me if I’m wrong and I tell you stuff you already know.
First of all, the vibe in New Orleans is different than any other place I’ve ever been; it’s definitely a city of magick. I assume you will be staying in the French Quarter? I would recommend that if this is your first trip. Some hotels in the Quarter can be weird/sketchy, so if you need recommendations for a place to stay, let me know.
General warnings: The French Quarter is pretty safe as a rule, but if you’re just walking around, be mindful of where you are. There are areas just outside that are super sketchy. Canal Street (the trolleys run there) is fine, but if you find yourself on Esplanade or especially Rampart Street, turn around and go back because you are heading into questionable territory. And the later it gets after dark, I tend to stick pretty close to the area between Bourbon Street and the River, and after 10 or so I generally don’t go further north on Bourbon than Ursellines (and it goes without saying that someone unfamiliar with the area should not be wandering the French Quarter alone, especially at night. And super especially if they are drinking, which almost everyone is).
Purse snatchers and pick pockets abound, so always be mindful of your purse if you carry one; keep it zipped/closed up tight. Anyone who carries a wallet should put it in a front pants pocket, not the back. The Quarter has lots of street performers so be especially careful in crowds. In general: Stay aware, use your head, employ the usual safety rules and you should be fine.
Okay now that the boring part is out of the way, here’s some fun stuff to do:
Of course, ya gotta walk Bourbon Street from Canal to Ursullines after dark. It’s 11 blocks of decadence that should not be missed.
A nighttime “haunted” walking tour is an absolute must. Haunted History does the best ones, they have several different themed tours (ghosts, vampires, voodoo, etc., or combinations of tours). They are pretty hokey and EXTREMELY touristy, but soooo much fun it’s worth it.
A mule-drawn carriage tour in the evening is great, especially if you’ve been walking all day. The carriages line up on Decatur Street in front of St. Louis Cathedral, and you can get either an hour or a half-hour tour. I suggest the hour tour, since it takes you a bit outside the quarter to Frenchman’s Street and the Faubourg Marigny.
Speaking of St. Louis Cathedral, you should definitely tour it. It’s worth seeing, even if you’re a pagan like me!
Taking a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi is another relaxing way to spend a couple of hours. They usually offer a meal option, but in my experience you’d do better to save your money. There are too many incredible places to eat in NOLA to waste your money on crappy food (and if you need recommendations for restaurants, let me know.)
The Aquarium of the America’s is right there on the river and good fun if you like that kind of thing (I do.)
Shopping in the quarter is incredible, and one of my favorite things about the Quarter. There are all manner of funky shops and galleries, and I think I enjoy just talking with clerks and shop owners as much as the actual stuff I buy. I’m not sure where you’re from, but as a general rule Southerners are quite chatty, even more so in New Orleans. Some of my favorite places: * You should definitely hit the French Market on the weekend when it’s in full swing. Go there for souvenirs, rather than the Bourbon Street tourist shops - it’s basically the same stuff and you’ll save a lot of money; * Fifi Mahoney’s is so much fun if you’re into makeup and wigs and all that implies. You can also make an appointment to get your hair done or a makeover there as well; *For crystals go to the French Quarter Gem & Lapidary Shop. They are just the best. They have a wide range of gem and mineral items that range from extremely reasonably priced crystals to some pretty pricey but amazing jewelry. And even if you don’t buy anything, the staff are all great to talk to; * Hex , Erzulies and Esoterica are witchcraft supply stores I recommend.
There are a couple of voodoo museums in the quarter; I’ve been to the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum which is a storefront with the museum in the back. It was established by a high ranking voodoo priest and is said to be the real deal; they also offer walking tours, which I did and I enjoyed the experience very much. There is also Voodoo Authentica of New Orleans Cultural Center & Collection, which I haven’t visited yet - every time I’ve passed it with some time in my hands it appears closed - so I don’t know much about. (I’m not a voodoo practitioner.)
And I absolutely recommend visiting Boutique du Vampyre - it’s a tiny little shop chock full of all kinds if vampire-themed items, and its’ awesome owner - Marita Crandle - also has a YouTube channel where she talks about what’s going on with the store, and witchy/vampiric happenings in the city.
And of course, you should go to Café Du Monde for café au lait and beignets. Even if you don’t especially like chicory blended coffee and fried powdered donuts, it’s a NOLA institution. Plus it’s right across Decatur Street from Jackson Square, so it’s a good place for people-watching.
If you want to venture out of the quarter - or even the city - Cajun Encounters offers excellent swamp and plantation tours. I’ve done a couple of swamp tours, and the best are the night tours, but that may be a bit cold this time of year.
But this WOULD be a good time of year to do a night trip to the Myrtles Plantation, which is said to be among the most haunted properties in the nation. I haven’t yet made it out there myself (I think it’s a couple of hours to get out there via tour transport) but I plan to!
So that’s just a few things you can consider for your trip - sorry, I didn’t mean to write a book! Let me know if you have any other question (I’ll try to keep it shorter next time!)
Have a GREAT time on your trip and be safe! Love you sweetheart!
