Bourbon Street: New Orleans, LA

There are some places you visit… and then there are places you experience.

New Orleans is absolutely the second.

From the moment we landed, everything felt alive—the music, the food, the streets, even the air. It’s the kind of city where plans matter, but the in-between moments end up being just as memorable.

This trip gave us the perfect mix of everything: iconic New Orleans food, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, unexpected favorite spots, and a birthday celebration that honestly couldn’t have been better if we tried to plan it that way.

We landed in New Orleans in the afternoon and headed straight to our hotel on Canal Street. After a day of traveling, we didn’t go far for dinner.

Hotel:

555 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

We dropped our bags and headed straight next door to Creole House Restaurant & Oyster Bar for dinner. When in New Orleans, you have to try something a little adventurous and taste the local cuisine, we ordered fried alligator.

It felt like the most appropriate way to kick off the trip—leaning straight into the local cuisine. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and surprisingly mild, it ended up being such a fun and memorable first meal.

There’s something about trying something new on your first night that instantly shifts you into “we’re really here” mode—and that’s exactly what this did.

Day Two: Eating Our Way Through the French Quarter

New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter with Small-Group Option

Address:

600 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130, USA

If you want to understand New Orleans, you start with the food.

We did a walking food tour through the French Quarter, and it ended up being one of the best ways to experience the city. Instead of committing to one restaurant, we got to try a little bit of everything—and each stop felt like its own mini experience.

We began at Dory's, where we were introduced to beignets and calas. The beignets were exactly what you imagine—pillowy, warm, and completely covered in powdered sugar—but the calas were something new. Slightly denser and subtly sweet, they felt like a more traditional, lesser-known counterpart.

From there, we made our way to the French Market for muffuletta, which is one of those sandwiches that immediately stands out. The combination of meats, cheese, and olive salad gives it this bold, salty flavor that’s completely different from anything else.

Next stop: Market Cafe for po’ boys. These were overstuffed, and exactly what you want after walking around all morning. There’s no elegant way to eat one—and that’s part of the experience.

At Creole Cookery, we had jambalaya, which felt like the definition of comfort food. Warm, seasoned, and full of depth, it’s one of those dishes that instantly tastes like New Orleans.

We ended the tour at Royal Praline Company, and honestly, it was the perfect finale. The pralines were rich, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth sweet—the kind of dessert you don’t need a lot of, but will absolutely remember.

By the end of the tour, we were completely full… but also already thinking about what we wanted to eat next.

Day Three: Swimming with the Gators

We started the morning at Café Fleur De Lis, which felt like a calm reset after a full day of eating and walking.

Address:

301 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

But the real highlight of the day came later: the swamp tour.

Large Airboat Swamp Tour with Transportation from New Orleans Barataria Preserve

We did a large airboat tour through the Barataria Preserve, and it ended up being one of the most exciting experiences of the trip. We hopped on an airboat and headed deep into the swamp, where everything instantly felt quieter, wilder, and completely different from the city. Surrounded by cypress trees and open water, it felt like stepping into another world.

And yes—there were alligators.

Seeing them up close was surreal. At one point, the guides even fed them marshmallows (which they apparently love), and watching them come right up to the boat was both exciting and slightly terrifying.

Between the speed of the airboat, the wildlife, and just being out in nature, this was one of those experiences that you don’t forget.

That night, we shifted into something more elevated with dinner at Commander's Palace.

This was one of those meals where everything felt intentional—the service, the presentation, the pacing. The crème brûlée was perfectly done, and the bread pudding was a standout favorite for my dad. It felt like a true dining experience rather than just a meal.

Address:

1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Day Four: Coffee & Classic Beignets

By this point, beignets had officially become part of our routine.

We started the morning at Cafe Beignet, sitting outside with coffee and powdered sugar-covered everything. It’s simple, but it’s one of those moments that just feels right in New Orleans.

We spent the midday wandering, walking, and working off that morning's breakfast.

Later, we made the classic stop at Cafe Du Monde.

Address:

800 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Yes, it’s busy. Yes, it’s touristy. And yes—it’s absolutely worth it.

In the evening, we did a haunted history carriage tour through the French Quarter, and it added a completely different layer to the trip. Hearing stories about the city’s darker past while riding through its historic streets made everything feel just a little more mysterious.

We ended the night with dinner at Red Fish Grill, which was the perfect way to wind down after a full day.

Day Five: Brunch, Our Favorite Find & Live Music

We started the day with brunch at Ruby Slipper Cafe, which is exactly what you want from a New Orleans brunch—comforting, flavorful, and filling.

Address:

204 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130

But the real standout of the day—and honestly the entire trip—was a place we weren’t even planning to go: Coterie NOLA

Address:

135 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130

This ended up being our favorite food spot of the entire trip.

We had grilled alligator, a Cajun sampler with gumbo, étouffée, and jambalaya, plus other dishes that all felt distinctly New Orleans. Every single thing we tried was incredible. It’s one of those places where nothing disappoints, and you leave already planning what you’d order next time.

That night, we did a pub crawl on Frenchmen Street, stopping at places like Cafe Negril, Favela Chic, d.b.a., and Blue Nile.

This felt completely different from Bourbon Street. It was less chaotic and more focused on the music—and every stop had its own unique sound and energy. It felt authentic, immersive, and honestly like one of the most “New Orleans” experiences of the trip.

Day Six: Birthday's, Bourbon, Brennan’s, and Bourbon Street

Saturday was Daniel’s birthday, so this day already felt special from the start.

We began with the Sazerac House Tour and Tasting. This was such a fun experience and a great change of pace from just restaurant hopping. The tasting flight, the displays, the barrel room, and the cocktail history all made it feel like more than just a quick stop. It was interactive, informative, and a really fun way to spend part of the day.

For dinner, we went to Brennan’s.

If you are going to Brennan’s, you absolutely have to get Bananas Foster. You have to. This is where the dessert was invented, and incredible does not even begin to describe it.

Truthfully, Daniel is not a fan of dessert. In fact, the only desserts the man eats are chocolate chip cookies, deep fried Oreos, and a beignet or two. Otherwise, he does not have much of a sweet tooth. Although, he did eat the cotton candy the restaurant brought out for him.

After dinner, we headed to Bourbon Street. It was loud, bright, chaotic, and exactly the kind of over-the-top birthday ending the night needed. We had oversized drinks and soaked up the energy of the street, but one of the funniest parts of the night was the Shark Attack drink. The bartender made a whole show out of it, acting like a lifeguard, blowing whistles, shouting for everyone to get out of the water, and turning the drink red. It was ridiculous, dramatic, and honestly perfect for Bourbon Street.

Day Seven: Heading Home

The last day was just our flight home.

By then, we were tired, full, and already talking about favorite stops from the week. New Orleans gave us such a good mix of food, history, nightlife, and fun little moments in between. It was one of those trips that somehow felt full without feeling rushed.

This trip to New Orleans had everything I wanted it to have. We got the classic staples like beignets, muffuletta, po’ boys, jambalaya, pralines, and Bananas Foster, but we also had some standout experiences that made the trip feel more personal, like the swamp tour, the haunted carriage ride, the Frenchmen Street pub crawl, and finding Coterie NOLA by accident.

If I had to narrow down a few highlights, I would say the French Quarter food tour was one of the best ways to start the trip, the swamp tour was one of the coolest experiences, Commander’s Palace and Brennan’s were both worth it, and Coterie NOLA ended up being my favorite casual food stop of the whole week.

New Orleans really is one of those cities that knows how to give you a full experience. You go for the food, but you end up leaving with stories too.

*Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything listed above!

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