An Epic Girls Trip | A Travel Guide for New Orleans, Louisiana

Last month my college girlfriends and I packed up our bags and headed off to the Crescent City for a much-needed vacation. We spent months planning this girls trip: where were we going to go, what were we going to do and how much time should we spend. Eventually we landed on the idea of New Orleans and it was the best decision we could have ever made.

It’s hard not to fall in love with New Orleans. This city is full of art, history, culture and music – and definitely is a place to party.  This year marked the 300^th anniversary of the city and with Christmas around the corner we picked the perfect time to check this place out.

Where We Stayed

Drury Inn & Suites New Orleans
For a couple of college girls on a budget, this hotel was absolutely fantastic and my go-to recommendation for families and friends visiting the area. This hotel is situated in the Warehouse District and is centrally located in the middle of the city. The French Quarter, the Garden District and the Riverwalk are all within walking distance of the hotel. Or you can step right outside and take a streetcar uptown. The hotel offers a variety of amenities including free breakfast, free drinks (3 per person over 21 years old) and free small dinner. The suite was quite comfortable and modern for the five of us and the staff was extremely friendly and helpful.

What to Eat

Café Du Monde
This is the most iconic café in all of New Orleans. Beignets are a warm, fried and sweet classic treat and paired with a café au lait it is divine. Their hot chocolate is a perfect blend of sweet and creamy. They have multiple locations with their original location in the French Quarter.
Café Beignet
This is another popular café for beignets and a rival to Café Du Monde. Frankly, both places have amazing quality and taste. I suggest hit up both cafes to see which one you would prefer because you can’t have too many beignets!

The Ruby Slipper Café
This chain restaurant is the ideal brunch spot for brunch classics and southern comfort food. It instantly feels inviting and homely and is incredibly popular with tourists and locals.

Chinese Moon Wok Restaurant
The hole – in – the – wall restaurants always surprise me with how amazing their food and services are and China Moon Wok was no different. This small establishment may not look like much but they serve tasty Asian food at a reasonable price and excellent portions.

What to Do

Walk around the French Quarter

The French Quarter has so much to offer with its Spanish and French architecture, art galleries and boutique shops. Check out the local street artists and musicians that fill Jackson Square with liveliness and entertainment. Stop by the iconic St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Better yet take a tour with Free Tours by Foot – this tour will provide you with the history of the French Quarter as well as a local’s perspective on the best places New Orleans has to offer. The tour lasts about two hours and although it is free, it is customary to give a tip based on what you believe the tour was worth.

Garden District

Skip the Uber and take the inexpensive and fun St. Charles streetcar uptown to the Garden District. Check out the Garden District Houses, the most prestigious neighborhood with homes having a price tag in the millions or Lafayette Cemetery to take photos of beautifully aged tombs. We even found Sandra Bullock’s house! Visit Magazine Street to eat and shop with blocks of clothing stores, restaurants, bars and boutiques.

Riverboat Cruise
The Steamboat Natchez is New Orleans’ last authentic steamboat and a perfect way to see the Mississippi. There was a jazz band on board and you can even go inside the steam engine room. The narration pointed out key historic sites along the way and the crew were extremely helpful.
WWII Museum
The National World War II Museum tells a comprehensive and detailed story of the American experience. It is an in-depth tour that immerses the visitor with short film, interactive displays, aircraft displays and so much more. There’s a unique program called Dog Tag that assigns each visitor to an individual who served and allows the visitor to track their movements and contribution to the war. It is an eye-opening experience that everyone who visits New Orleans must see.

Nightlife

New Orleans is a giant party at any time of the day! Whether you hit Bourbon Street or Frenchman Street, you are going to have an experience of a lifetime. Some other famous spots to hit up is the ever-famous Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone and Bacchanal – a bar, restaurant, liquor store and jazz venue rolled into one. And don’t be afraid to check out the local, smaller spots.