I’ve wanted to visit New Orleans since I was a kid walking through Disneyland’s New Orleans Square, pretending I knew what beignets and jazz were all about. I used to dream of what the real French Quarter might be like. Somehow, it took me decades to get there—but, the Big Easy was worth the wait.
New Orleans swept us off our feet with its charm, history, and hospitality. The city felt alive in a way that’s hard to explain—music on every corner, the scent of powdered sugar drifting from a nearby café, the occasional ghost story whispered on a street that seems frozen in time. Here’s how we spent our long weekend as first-timers soaking up the magic.
Day 1: French Quarter First Impressions
We eased into the trip after a restful night in the heavenly beds at The Westin with a walk to get coffee from French Truck. This local spot claims their New Orleans iced coffee to be “semi-world famous”. And for good reason, it’s a trendy, bright spot, with a smooth iced latte that makes you feel like you’ve made a great morning decision. Then we went for brunch at Fleur de Lis, fueling up with an eggs benedict (Get the eggs benedict — it’s on a biscuit) and veggie omelet with grits (I loved!).
We wandered through the iconic French Quarter, visited Jackson Square, admired St. Louis Cathedral, and caught street performers that instantly set the tone: New Orleans moves to the rhythm of live jazz, always. We made the required pilgrimage to Café du Monde—bring cash!—for beignets that lived up to the hype.
After a power nap and a room service dinner (which we never do but our hotel came with a daily food credit!) we leaned into the city’s legendary spooky side with a walking ghost tour. Equal parts eerie and educational. A perfectly intro to NOLA’s magical spirit ✨ before going to Frenchman Street to catch some more good vibes from the buzzy jazz bars and a delicious late night bite from Dat Dog.
Day 2: Where the pouring rain meets the past at the WWII Museum
We woke up to the pouring rain as we looked out our window at the mighty and muddy Mississippi river. But we geared up, umbrellas in hand, to walk over to the Central Business District — aka CBD (not the kind you’re thinking of)— for coffee from Mammoth Coffee Co and the most delicious brunch at Bearcat Baked. The sandwiches on homemade biscuits were so good, we went back a second day.
That rainy afternoon, we spent hours at the National WWII Museum, and honestly, I can’t recommend it enough. It was moving, immersive, and comprehensive of all aspects of the world at that time. History lovers, give yourself time here. We were there for about 5 hours but, you could really spend an entire day and break for lunch. My favorite was the room with the planes. I was really into the Apple TV Series Masters of the Air, so seeing the planes like in that show’s 100th bomb squad was impressive.
We walked off the weight of the WWII museum with a scenic ride on the St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District, where the Lafayette Cemetery and those dreamy historic homes made it feel like we were on a movie set. After a quick snack at Epanola, a you guessed it empanada place (if you read our Peru blog you know we love an empanada) we made our way back to the heart of the city. Strolling on Bourbon Street on our way to a cozy classic dinner at the Gumbo Shop for a feast of shrimp and orka gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and the best pecan pie I’ve ever had.
Day 3: Swamps, Plantations & Fried Chicken
We started with French Truck (again—yes, it’s good and has a lot of locations), then headed out for an unforgettable combo of Louisiana nature and history. A swamp tour gave us a peek at gators and moss-draped trees in the bayou straight from a fairy tale (if you’re also thinking The Princess and The Frog, SAME 😉).
This was followed by a visit to Oak Alley Plantation, where beauty and heavy history live side by side. The pecan praline ice cream there? A must. The visit is somewhat short, but our driver took us past other sugar plantations on the way, telling us the process of sugar mills, and the history of America’s south. It’s one thing to read it in history books, it’s another thing to stand in the haunting grounds.
Back in town, we had our Southern comfort moment with a casual dinner at Joey K’s in the Garden District. The fried chicken was as good as promised. We walked it off to head back towards our hotel on Canal Street, letting the sights and sounds sink in.
Day 4: Biscuits, Farewells & One Last Muffuletta
Our final day started with one more stop at Mammoth for Henri and a return visit to Bearcat Baked (because when you find a good biscuit, you go back). We did a self-guided walking tour of the Garden District, admiring the architecture one last time.
We wandered into local shops on Magazine Street for last-minute souvenirs and popped back into the WWII Museum gift shop, so Henri could get a shirt. For our last bite in the city, we had lunch at Napoleon House, where the muffuletta was salty, savory, and totally satisfying. We said goodbye to the French Quarter.
Then we grabbed our bags and headed to the airport, sad to leave but so grateful to have finally experienced the real New Orleans.
Final Thoughts
New Orleans is a place that doesn’t just welcome you—it pulls you in with music, flavor, and soul. We felt the kindness of strangers, the weight of history, and the joy of spontaneous street jazz all in one weekend. If you’ve been meaning to go, take this as your sign. New Orleans is calling.
