New Orleans: My Short but Sweet Trip

If you follow my blog, you probably know I recently took a short trip to New Orleans because I found a great deal. While I posted several shorter articles detailing my day-to-day, I’m also posting a more comprehensive overview of my trip here. I won’t go into too many specifics as I’ve already posted most of them, but I do want to give you guys my thoughts on New Orleans and what I liked about it.

New Orleans is a beautiful city filled with every color imaginable. From the people that live there to the stunning murals on the side of buildings. New Orleans is a city filled with vibrancy and life. It just might not be the best destination for an early-to-bed person like me. The small glimpse of nightlife I got to see was fantastic, and it’s great for anyone looking to experience a unique city with great nightlife.

Amazing nightlife aside, the architecture and history of New Orleans are positively stunning. The galleries and balconies, the history dripping in every corner of the city, it was incredible. If you have the good fortune of visiting New Orleans, take your time to tour the cemeteries and walk along the riverfront to see the barges roll in. The French Quarter isn’t the only place you should visit during your stay.

Speaking of places to visit, you should also see the National World War II Museum. It’s highly interactive fun for the whole family. While there, make sure you catch the movie Beyond All Boundaries. It’s a good overview of America’s involvement in WWII and is both moving and gripping. 

While I didn’t have the time, you should also visit some other museums in New Orleans, such as the Museum of Death or the Voodoo Museum. They both seem like great experiences, to learn more about what we try to never think about and the vibrant history and culture of the Voodoo religion.

While in town, make sure to visit the New Orleans Museum of Art, NOMA, for short. NOMA has a stunning collection of paintings and art from all over the globe, and make sure to see the sculpture garden in the back. While the museum itself costs about thirty dollars, the sculpture garden is free for anyone visiting.

After walking around the sculpture garden and museum, you can take your time in the lovely park NOMA is located in. Scenic trees and creeks make it a perfect place to relax after a couple of hectic days of touring. Cafe Du Monde is nearby, so if you’re feeling a bit peckish, stop in for some of their world-famous coffee and beignets.

Take your time to walk around the French Quarter to tour the shopping and dining available. There’s so much in this area that it’s impossible to try and get to know everything in just the short time I had. However, I know that the best way to explore the French Quarter is to hit the pavement.

Take your time to explore the French Quarter on foot, and you’ll find yourself on a unique tour of your own. Jazz musicians, street performers, and small stands dot the streets, all of them worth your attention, in addition to the art galleries, shops, bars, and restaurants you’ll find.

A tour is a great way to explore an area, but take a haunted tour if you’re in New Orleans. It’s a great way to learn about an area’s history and get some spine-chilling local tales. And New Orleans is one of the most haunted cities in the world. The Lalaurie Mansion, the grave of Marie Laveau, vampires, this city has it all. Just keep your wits about you after the tour so you can get home without seeing one of these spectral visitors.

If you’re in New Orleans, take a tour of the cemeteries. St. Louis cemetery No. 1 does not allow visitors unless they are in a tour group. All because of Marie Laveau’s tomb. It’s a pilgrimage site for Voodoo worshipers the globe over, and you can tell from the number of Xs and offerings around the grave. If you want to see this world-renowned site, take the tour.

While I, unfortunately, didn’t see Marie Laveau’s tomb, I did take the time to learn more about Voodoo while in New Orleans. This vibrant religion was practiced by slaves and free people from New Orleans as a variant of Vuudun, an African religion. It’s a mishmash of different African cultures, Haitian Voodoo, and countless other influences, put together to create a religion that has captured the pop-culture imagination.

Visit a bookstore and pick up a book about Voodoo on your trip back home, and if you’re adventurous, visit a Voodoo store and buy some gris-gris for yourself. 

I found myself overwhelmed with places to see and things to do between the nightlife, culture, and history. Nevertheless, I am happy with what I got to visit and what I did, from taking a haunted tour to walking up and down Canal Street. If you’re thinking about visiting New Orleans yourself, I’d highly recommend it. It’s one of the most hauntingly beautiful American cities, and you should take your time to enjoy it with a more extended trip than the three days I stayed.

If you are visiting New Orleans, don’t get a rental car. If you don’t know the area very well, you’re liable to get lost in a car. Traffic is busy, and the streets are tangled. Instead, pick a hotel near the French Quarter and walk your way through the city. If you’re tired of walking, get a cab or an Uber, or take advantage of the city’s bus and streetcar systems. There was no lack of transportation, but I found that everything was well within walking distance to my hotel. 

I hope this post inspires you to plan your own trip to New Orleans. It’s beautiful, vibrant, and the food is fantastic. Everyone should visit at least once and give yourself plenty of time to explore the city of New Orleans.