Beyond Bourbon Street: A Whirlwind Week in New Orleans
New Orleans is one of the most culturally significant cities in the United States, and it's been on my must-visit list for years, inspired by some of my favorite films (Interview With the Vampire; A Streetcar Named Desire, Princess and the Frog) and L.A. friends who fell in love with it and moved there. Many visit for the revelry of Mardi Gras in February —but the beads, booze and tourists can overshadow some of the city's warmth and wonder.There are other events to plan trips around, Jazz Fest which just wrapped up, for example, but I chose to go during the French Quarter Festival, which focuses on local music and food. With virtually every major restaurant in the area participating and serving the region's signature dishes — from crawfish and po-boys (Acme Oyster House) to alligator nuggets, beignets (Café Du Monde) and jambalaya — popping in and out of this particular event makes for a multifaceted immersion and sampling of NOLA's cultural mojo, and a week I'll never forget.
Whimsical architecture blends French, Spanish and Caribbean styles, from colorful Creole townhouses to charmingly narrow 'shotgun' homes with Victorian touches. Airbnb might be your first thought for a stay, but the hospitality-driven services at area hotels make a getaway feel a bit more special. There are plenty of Vegas-y accommodations here as gambling is legal, Caesars and Boomtown being the most popular. For my trip, the One11 Hotel is a perfect choice. Just outside the French Quarter, the small boutique destination is housed in a century-old former sugar refinery and features exposed brick walls, wood beams and large steel structural bones. Melding its industrial past with its trendy present, it's got a great bar — including happy hour — and continental breakfast in the morning, plus an 8th-floor deck with scenic views of the Mississippi River.
New Orleans has always conjured exotic images and alluring activities that piqued my imagination. Voodoo, ghosts, cemeteries, swamps, the bayou, art, music, bars … all are on my to-do list. I start with historic graveyard environments — the Metairie Cemetery, where Vampire author Anne Rice is entombed inside a beautiful stained glass-adorned mausoleum, and the Greenwood Cemetery, featuring an array of historic Civil War monuments. Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau is interred in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the city's oldest, which many consider NOLA's most haunted grounds. Speaking of spooky stuff, voodoo dolls make cute souvenirs, and I snatch some great ones at the Voodoo Museum and Voodoo Authentica, which also sell other mystical merch. In the French Quarter, on Magazine Street and in the Garden District, a host of unique mom-and-pop shops and fascinating exteriors beckon from every corner. A jaunt to the Hotel Saint Vincent reveals a classic Southern Gothic environment and two thematic cocktail spaces, one red-hued and sexy, the other green, bright and friendly.
Considered the birthplace of jazz, NOLA might have more musicians per capita than anywhere in the world. For an authentic immersion into its instrumental soul, visit Preservation Hall, where local legends go to jam. In general, though, NOLA residents steer clear of Bourbon Street and go to bars on Frenchman Street. Also in the Garden District, there's Tipitina's famous for Cajun and Zydeco music as well as fais do-do dancing; and the , not far from Tulane University, which also draws a college crowd. There are also street players everywhere, including the French Market, a farmers market for locals and tourists alike with food, art and activities.A visit to the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) reflects the city's spirit as well, with an impressive showcase of international and local works, including, through Aug. 10, 'New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations,' a collection that feels very Mardi Gras-adjacent in terms of costuming and pageantry. I also recommended the on the museum grounds for a lovely and eye-grabbing statue-specked art stroll.
When the Super Bowl was at Caesars Superdome (home of the New Orleans Saints) in February, NOLA got a lot of attention, especially for its dining scene. Fanciful French eaterie Lilette is where Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift had a hot date night, so my partner and I follow suit, enjoying the white-tablecloth hotspot's succulent steaks and inviting atmosphere. The next night, the old-school scene at Brennan's in the Quarter is even more my speed. The pink-and-green-schemed restaurant is where the iconic Bananas Foster dessert was invented, and the tableside demo/history lesson is fiery fun. My favorite dining discovery, the Vampire Apothecary, makes for a fanciful lunch, delicious sandwiches and soothing tea drinks amid seductive decor like dried flowers and witchy natural furnishings. NOLA staples like spicy beet-pickled eggs are served with Vampire brand tea to wash it down.
Also deserving of note, though I couldn't fit them in this time: Deanie's Seafood in the Quarter for crawfish; , which nurtured chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse and is renowned for its weekend Jazz Brunch and 25-cent martinis on certain weekdays; Antoine's, founded in 1840, the oldest restaurant in the city; and Algiers Central Market, home of the muffaletta, an Italian sandwich made with round sesame seed bread, cured meats, provolone and mozzarella and a tangy olive salad spread.New Orleans allows drinking in public, and you'll see a lot of it on Bourbon Street via plastic drinking vessels, often from Pat O'Brien's, which created the notorious Hurricane. (Cannabis, though, is still illegal.) But beyond touristy takeout sippers, a bar tour is a must, whether you're looking for dive vibes or award-winning mixology.
Jewel of the South, which won the James Beard Foundation's award for best bar program, is aptly named, while Latitude 29, makes the tastiest tiki drinks in town, as created by the king of tropical cocktails — Beachbum Berry. For down-and-dirty atmosphere, locals love , a dark hovel with a heavy metal soundtrack, with live music and campy themes nightly, and , a gritty and gregarious hangout with a free jukebox that rocks, which is where I end the whirlwind week.It all goes by far too fast, and I still feel like I'm under the city's spell, which is likely to pull me back sooner than later. In the meantime, here are a few more Big Easy bullet points to note for your next trip, below.
- Get an up-close and personal look at the local swamps and gators! - Like San Francisco's cable cars, they're an exciting and organic way to travel around the city. (The St. Charles line is the one featured in A Streetcar Named Desire). - Family fun with botanical gardens, rides and more.The National WWII Museum - Everything you ever wanted to see and learn about World War II in one mind-blowing, multi-building facility. - The creamiest sno-cones you'll ever get a brain freeze from, and where all the locals go. Prepare to wait in a long line.Drive-Thru Daiquiris- There are plenty of walk-up outlets, but for a cold buzz in your car, roll though a drive-thru. A version of this story appeared in the May Travel issue of Los Angeles magazine, on stands now.
See the photo gallery below for images of everything mentioned above and much more. (Photos 1-14 by Lina Lecaro; photo 15-37 courtesy Visit New Orleans.
View the 37 images of this gallery on the original article
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
38 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
27 Space-Saving Travel Products For Over-Packers
A wheeled carry-on bag so small that most airlines (yes, even the super strict local ones) will count it as a personal item since it can fit under an airplane seat. No need to carry the weight of all your important items on your shoulders; you can wheel them through airport security without having to pay those checked bag prices. Or a durable, waterproof travel backpack to fit as many items as you can possibly jam-pack into it while still being able to slide it under the seat in front of you. It's able to zip open completely — yes, like a suitcase — so you can find whatever you need! It has a USB charging port, plenty of pockets, a compartment just for wet items, and another for shoes. A digital luggage scale so you're not zipping open your bulky suitcase right there on the floor of the airport's check-in counter and trying to stuff three different coats into your son's backpack. Bring this puppy wherever the adventure takes you, and never have to worry about paying those exorbitant oversized baggage fees again! A travel wallet that can hold all of your cards, money, and travel documents. It's thin enough to slip into the tiniest of pouches, and this RFID-blocking case can help protect your sensitive information as you catch that last-minute red-eye flight back to your hometown. A set of packing cubes for smushing down any bulky articles of clothing into the perfect size to slide comfortably into your carry-on — no vacuum suctioning required. Or some vacuum storage bags so you can pack three times the clothes without needing to spend that extra moolah on baggage fees. And there's no need for an actual vacuum since these bags come with a pump that will suck out all of the air and keep your clothes as compressed as possible. A waterproof Kindle to carry an entire library worth of books so you're always entertained during that eight-hour flight, while chillin' poolside, or during some downtime in the Airbnb while you're waiting for your chronically late friends to finish getting ready. And not only does it carry thousands of downloaded books, but the battery life lasts up to 10 freaking weeks!!! A slim and packable Trtl neck pillow, that frankly looks almost like a scarf, you can easily adjust to give you that perfect tilt ratio that brings the ultimate comfort. Time to actually get some snoozes on the plane. 😴😴😴 A carry-on garment duffel bag you can use when you want to keep your fancy-schmancy outfit wrinkle-free. This bag is water-resistant and comes with a separate shoe compartment! You can use this as your carry-on so your all-important outfit stays safe from airport security. An amazingly compact travel stroller so you don't have to deal with your stroller getting damaged or, heavens forbid, lost when tossed around in the airport baggage claim. This is the perfect travel stroller to have once your little one is able to hold themselves up, since it can easily be compacted and can fit in the overhead compartment of a plane. Plus, you can snag this carrying case to make it even easier to carry around! A set of TSA-approved silicone travel bottles because you need to minimize the amount of space your bathroom essentials take up in your backpack. These bottles are perfect for carrying all your fave beauty products, and they fit in a leakproof bag, so you don't have to worry about getting shampoo stains on your clothing as you wheel your carry-on down the ramp. Or a waterproof toiletry bag so you can keep everything compact enough to fit in your carry-on and bring more than you ever could before. No longer will you need to shuffle through endless items trying to find your favorite perfume — this has a LOT of pockets, so you can find anything you need in a snap! A collapsible coffee cup because you don't want to spend the entire flight asking the stewardess for teensy tiny cups of water that you down in a single shot. Plus, it'll be incredibly helpful when you want to take a bottle of water onto the plane but don't have the time to buy one at the gate after spending hours waiting at the TSA line (which seemingly gets longer and longer every time you fly). A space-saving laundry bag perfect for carrying your dirty articles of clothing so your clean and not-so-clean underwear don't accidentally mix inside of your jam-packed carry-on. A travel pill organizer to keep all of your meds on hand so you're not trying to dig through your bag for different bottles. Each one has eight compartments (two large, six small) and can safely store any size pill or vitamin you need. No need to lug around large bottles in your carry-on; you can just toss in one of these little organizers instead. A mini wallet emergency kit, so you're not tryna stuff full bottles of Tylenol or large packs of makeup wipes into your already over-packed carry-on. This kit has everything you possibly need for those unforeseen emergencies — like those moments you find yourself needing a tampon, a hair tie, or even the back of an earring that's mysteriously gone missing. A small jewelry case for storing your absolute *best* of friends. This box has seven slot rolls and three rectangular compartments, so you can store anything from rings to earrings to necklaces! Don't deal with the stress of misplacing any of your favorite pieces — keep them on hand for those dress-up nights you'll be posting all over your IG story. Alleyoop's Pen Pal, so you're not lugging around a packed bag full of makeup, as this one little pen has an eyeliner, brow liner, lip liner, and a highlighter all in one. Just toss it into your fanny pack so you can do a quick touch-up while onboard the plane. A genius hanging packing cube that comes with built-in shelves, so you don't have to completely unpack when you're only making a quick weekend trip. You can just pull it out of your suitcase and hang it in your closet. A genius Toptote hat clip you can simply clip onto your personal item or carry-on so you can bring your favorite sun hat along without worrying about it getting crushed or taking up too much room. A travel umbrella so you have a way to protect yourself from any sudden torrential downpours or beaming sun rays while you're exploring the city, without it taking up precious space in your carry-on. Plus, it has an inside-out design so all the droplets of water stay trapped inside rather than getting your whole luggage wet. A shoe bag because let's face it, you're basically an IRL Carrie Bradshaw, and your luggage simply does not have enough space for all your shoes. You can slip this into your suitcase (so your flip flops won't dirty your clean clothes) or secure it on top of your luggage with the trolley pass. A three-piece luggage set so you're able to find your checked bag easily, and your set looks uniform as you waltz through the airport. It comes with a 28-inch suitcase, a 24-inch suitcase, and a carry-on 20-inch suitcase — so you can pretty much bring everything you own with you. A packing checklist perfect for making sure you don't forget your passport, the Insta-worthy outfits you've meticulously picked out, and your dozens of gadgets. Write out your list well in advance so you can make sure you're bringing the essentials only — instead of like 50 different chargers "just in case." A flying USB port because carrying four separate charging blocks takes up wayyyy too much real estate. A mini lightweight flat iron, so you're not lugging around a heavy straightener across international lines when you're well aware that you couldn't possibly survive without touching up your hair before touring the city. Plus, it is dual voltage, so you can use it in whichever corner of the world you find yourself in! A fold-up duffel because let's be honest, you're sooo gonna end up bringing back a lot more than you came with — don't you just love shopping sprees?? Pack this for your trip, folded up, and bring this duffel back on the plane filled with all your new things as your personal item.
Skift
10 hours ago
- Skift
Viator Partnership With Airbnb Experiences? Tripadvisor CEO Talks Up the Idea
Viator has always been open to partnerships with competing platforms, but the approach may not fit with Airbnb's current strategy. Are Viator and Airbnb Experiences on a collision course? Not necessarily, according to Tripadvisor CEO Matt Goldberg, who on Thursday raised the possibility of a partnership between Tripadvisor – Viator's parent company – and the relaunched Airbnb Experiences. "There may be opportunities to partner with Airbnb," Goldberg said at a Bernstein financial conference. "They've tried this a few different times. We watch it closely. And of course, w
USA Today
14 hours ago
- USA Today
America's carousels are spinning out of existence. There's a fight to save them.
America's carousels are spinning out of existence. There's a fight to save them. Experts estimate that as many as 3,500 wooden carousels were built at the turn of the 20th century – and only 150 are left. Show Caption Hide Caption Top three travel trends for summer 2025 Airbnb shares data behind the top summer destinations and motivators for 2025. WASHINGTON – On a humid Saturday afternoon in the shadow of the Washington National Cathedral, Esme Ohlsen sat atop a colorful wooden horse and waved to her mother and grandmother as she and a dozen smiling children spun around and around. It was a moment the young girl had eagerly awaited ever since learning that the cathedral's two-day fundraising event would feature a merry-go-round. 'I like how fast it went,' the 9-year-old said over the sound of an antique Wurlitzer organ playing "The Carousel Waltz." She added, 'I wish it went up and down.' What Esme didn't know was the antique wooden carousel she rode is one of a rare group of merry-go-rounds built at the turn of the 20th century and still spinning more than 100 years later. Experts estimate that as many as 3,500 carousels were built by a handful of American companies and artisans between the 1880s and the 1930s. Today, about 150 remain and only a fraction of those are still operational. "It's pretty amazing," said Patrick Wentzel, the president of the National Carousel Association. "These rides are the only antiques that you can not only touch but throw your leg over and ride." These rotating historical artifacts are the survivors of decades of economic, social and technological upheavals that destroyed the majority of their peers, from the Great Depression and the invention of the roller coaster to an antique carousel frenzy that saw countless carousels broken apart and sold piecemeal. Faced with what appeared to be a looming extinction, nonprofits, local governments, museums and other groups stepped in to save the last of the great American carousels. These operators pay artisans and specialized mechanics top dollar to maintain and refurbish the century-old rides, all in an effort to preserve their original design and craftsmanship. Though financially burdensome, today's carousel caretakers have made it their mission to preserve what remains of the golden age of U.S. carousel production. 'It's completely financially indefensible,' said Carol Kelleher, a member of the All Hallows Guild, which maintains the carousel at the National Cathedral. 'But we want to keep it the way it was.' A brief history of carousels in the United States Merry-go-rounds originated in Europe but didn't gain popularity in the U.S. until the late 1800s when artisans from Germany and England capitalized on the country's vast, untouched forests. These carvers – many of them classically trained – hand-chiseled and painted intricate designs that often evoked memories of their homelands. Meanwhile, cities and small towns were developing parks and looking for attractions to draw crowds. Vibrant, spinning carousels became a perfect centerpiece. To meet rising demand, companies sprang up and began churning out rides – smaller versions for traveling carnivals and larger ones for town squares and amusement parks. However, the carousel boom that began at the turn of the 20th century came to an abrupt end. The rapid decline was touched off by World War l and punctuated by the Great Depression. 'Parks were closing down and no one was buying carousels anymore,' Wentzel said. 'That pretty much killed everything.' After World War II, carousels saw a modest revival as new companies began making them from cast aluminum and, later, fiberglass – the materials used in most modern carousels today. Hundreds of these easier-to-manufacture rides appeared in suburban parks across postwar America. But unlike their wooden predecessors, these lacked the craftsmanship and individuality that defined the earlier era. Collectors took notice, and by the 1970s and '80s wooden carousel animals began appearing at auctions as operators discovered they could make more money selling individual horses than maintaining entire rides. For carousel enthusiasts, this was devastating. 'Carousel figures were selling for $40,000 apiece,' Wentzel said, recalling how beloved, historic carousels were dismantled for profit. 'It was really tragic.' A movement to preserve what's left As antique carousels were dismantled or left to deteriorate, the National Carousel Association formed to advocate for their preservation. The group eventually found success as local governments, museums and nonprofits joined the cause, often maintaining carousels at a steep financial loss. 'We haven't sold any carousels for 20 years now,' Wentzel said. Today, these historic rides can be found in parks, playgrounds and museums across the country, though few remain fully original. Many have replaced steam engines with electric motors, swapped out pipe organs for modern sound systems and installed straps and ramps for wheelchair accessibility. Kelleher, who helps maintain the carousel at the National Cathedral, said the ride has seen several major restorations over the past 60 years, including a 1990s campaign where donors adopted and redesigned the animals. In 2021, the guild hired a company for a multi-year project to touch up all 22 of the ride's animals. 'It's a huge undertaking,' Kelleher said, noting that it costs between $6,000 and $8,000 to restore each animal. In New Philadelphia, Ohio, a 1928 carousel is the centerpiece of Tuscora Park. Like the carousel in Washington, it underwent a major renovation in the 1990s, including a new paint job and the installation of a $53,000 motor. Richard Geib, president of the nonprofit, RTY Inc., which oversees the ride, says it's well worth the money to make sure the people of New Philadelphia can enjoy the carousel as he and his family have for decades. 'I have pictures of me on that carousel with my grandparents, and now my grandkids are helping to operate it,' he said. 'It's almost like a member of our family and it's like that for a lot of people in town.' The craftsmen keeping traditional carousels alive The grassroots movement to restore and maintain antique carousels created a steady stream of work for a small group of skilled artisans. One of the leading companies in this field is Carousels and Carvings, based in Marion, Ohio. Its workers have refurbished some of the country's most beloved merry-go-rounds, including the carousel at the Washington National Cathedral. Former cabinetmaker Todd Goings, known as 'the carousel doctor,' founded the company in the 1990s as advocacy to restore antique carousels was in full steam. What started as a foray into carousel repairs turned into his life's work. Today, Goings and his 20 employees maintain dozens of carousels across the country, repainting animals, upgrading mechanical systems and performing routine maintenance. They have also begun building their own carousels from scratch inside the company's 35,000 foot warehouse in Marion. 'I can't speak for everyone, but we are busier than ever,' he said. Still, Goings has had to confront an existential threat to his business: the aging workforce of carousel craftsmen. About five years ago, he realized most of his employees were over 60 and some were well into their 70s. To secure the future of his trade, he began hiring and training what he sees as a new generation of artisans, including his son, whom he hopes will eventually take over the family business. 'The shop has a good feeling about the future now,' he said. 'We're no longer counting the years to the end.' 'Something magical' On May 3, a long line of families waited eagerly for a turn on the historic carousel outside the Washington National Cathedral, which is only operational for two days out of the year. Among the bustling crowd was 81-year-old Katherine Wardlaw, who attended the event with her family. Wardlaw said she was never able to ride carousels herself but grew to love them through her granddaughter Emily. For Emily, who was nonverbal and struggled with mobility, the carousel was the one ride she could enjoy safely. Until her death at age 25, Emily would beg to be taken to the carousel at the mall near her home in Columbia, Maryland. 'She would go round and round – she was so happy,' Wardlaw recalled. 'It was one of the few things that brought her joy, to come with granny and ride the carousel.' Others echoed the sentiment, often tying carousels to their own childhood memories. Sarah Ohlsen, who brought her son and daughter to the fundraising event at the cathedral, said she grew up riding the over-100-year-old carousel at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania. What makes the ride special, she said, is both the whimsy of the animals and its accessibility. 'Anyone can go on them,' she said. 'And it doesn't matter how old you are – people just love getting on a horse.' That enduring appeal is part of what keeps Goings and others committed to their restoration work. For them – and the countless people who've enjoyed a ride on a merry-go-round – carousels are more than mechanical novelties. 'It could seem kind of pointless – a bunch of animals going around in a circle,' Goings said. 'But when you get on, the magic comes. The lights turn on, the music plays, people laugh – and suddenly, there's something magical."
