My first visit to New Orleans was spent during the lively week of Mardi Gras. I ate powdered beignets, watched beads get flung from balconies, saw 12 foot alligators, and danced to brassy tubas in the streets of NOLA. I was traveling to the historic city for my work wife and dear friend Jaia’s wedding. I would be reuniting with a group of coworkers from Facebook (now known as Meta), who I hadn’t seen in 2 years since the pandemic forced remote work.
I traveled from SFO on March 4th and stayed through Monday March 7th. Finding a direct flight was a bit more limited than I had anticipated, so book ahead of time if you’re like me and prefer a nonstop ✈️ As I got settled in my seat at the back of the plane, I was delighted to see my coworker Jenna in the same row, who was also attending the wedding. About 4 hours later, we landed to our destination, where Jenna’s fiancé Jonathan kindly greeted us with Chick-fil-a. We scarfed down our nuggets with honey mustard while I awaited Sarah, my roomie for the trip, to arrive.
The Hotel
Jaia reserved a hotel block at Aloft Downtown New Orleans. Prime for its walking distance to the French Quarter, we avoided having to order Ubers and walked to nearly every destination. We surprisingly found ourselves staying on the 13th floor, which often doesn’t exist in hotels 👻 Appropriate for one of the most haunted cities in America! We experienced the omen when sparks started flying from the outlet as I was curling my hair 😳
The Itinerary
Canal Street
Our hotel was just around the corner from Canal Street, a major thoroughfare in the city. Historically, it served as the dividing line between the colonial-era city and the newer American sector (thanks Google for the fun fact here!) Canal Street has plenty of gift shops to purchase souvenirs.
Justine
Located at the entrance of the French Quarter, the festive interior made for the perfect brunch spot. Me, Sarah, Shannon, and her boyfriend Tyler ordered French toast, breakfast combos, and croissants while we caught up on all things life.
Hotel Pool
Following brunch, the girls made our way to the rooftop pool of our hotel, where we enjoyed the city skyscraper. About 30 minutes later, the wind really picked up. We headed back to our rooms and started getting ready for the wedding.
Capital on Baronne
The wedding venue was right across the street from our hotel, making it super convenient! We were greeted with grand chandeliers as we got seated for the ceremony.
Watching Jaia walk down the aisle by her dad made us all so emotional 🥺 she was the most beautiful bride! Hearing her and Chris’ vows and watching her marry the love of her life was nothing short of magical ❤️
Dinner and dancing took place right after. We enjoyed an open bar, the dance floor, and a photo booth with some props 📸
While we were on the dance floor, a band of jazz players came storming into the Capital on Baronne. Jaia and Chris were handed Mr. and Mrs. Umbrellas while the guests were given handkerchiefs to swing in the air. We moved the party outside and paraded down the street to live music. A white horse came to send off the newly weds in a carriage. A fairytale happily ever after ✨💖
Bourbon Street
Following the wedding, the Metamates headed to Bourbon Street to continue our lively Saturday night. Given it was the week of Mardi Gras, Bourbon Street was extra full of visitors. While walking through the crowd, I saw yellow boa constrictors wrapped around several people’s necks, 🐍 and witnessed people on balconies selectively throwing beaded necklaces to those down below.
French Quarter
Our Sunday was spent exploring the historical sites of New Orleans. Sarah, Daniel, and I started with walking through the French Quarter, full of rows of colorful buildings.
Batture Bistro and Bar
For brunch, we ate fig-jam croissant breakfast sandwiches. For splitting the bill, I recommended my boyfriend Trevor’s app - quicksplit.app 🤑 it made it so easy to enjoy our meals without having to put any thought into dividing the tab.
Woldenberg Riverfront Park
Following our brunch, we were greeted with pelting rain drops. As quickly as the rain came, it went away within a few minutes. We made our way towards the Mississippi River. Before the park entrance are train tracks. The longest train we’ve ever seen crossed the tracks for 15 minutes. We patiently waited until it passed, getting a kick at how long it was! 🚂
Once we made it to the other side, we were greeted with a steamboat perched on the Mississippi River. We walked along the pavement, enjoying the view.
Jackson Square
After a short walk, Jackson Square was to our left. It is considered a national historic landmark, so be sure to walk through it! You’ll see plenty of palm readers and crafts.
Horse Carriage Tour
At Jackson Square, there are plenty of horse carriages that serve as an opportunity to see the city in a unique way. Our host pointed out the historic sites and explained the history behind it. The tour was around 35 minutes and cost $25 per person. Cash or credit card was accepted and we did not have a reservation prior.
Enjoying the breeze while taking in the historic sites from our carriage 🐴 this activity was totally worth it!
The architecture of New Orleans is very distinctive. This colorful building caught my eye along the tour, as it has several balcony stories with hanging plants and patterned iron railings.
Café Du Monde
After the tour, we walked the corner to the globally renowned cafe, serving famous beignets. This is a must do stop while you are in New Orleans! The menu is very short and simple. We ordered one serving of the beignets and shared the powdered sweetness, as a street performer played his saxophone.
Frenchmen Street
A historic district well known for live music, this street is sure to provide excellent entertainment. Although I didn’t get the chance to sit inside for a show, we walked past musicians playing jazz inside of a bar. There was a large audience enjoying the tunes 🎷
Voodoo
New Orleans is considered one of the most haunted cities in America. There are plenty of tours to satisfy your spooky cravings, such as ghost tours, voodoo museums, and even the museum of death. Given our time crunch, we’ll have to save the scary activities for the next visit 💀
Saint John
We met up with Shannon and Tyler for our final evening in NOLA. This dinner outing was one of the select times we had to order an Uber. About a 10 minute drive, the food here was absolutely incredible. The Caesar salad is an absolute must order. The best I’ve ever had! We ordered burgers, pork chops, and steak. The ambience was on the finer dining side.
Bayou Swamp Tour
I was determined to leave New Orleans having seen alligators. We booked our tour through Bayou Swamp Tours the evening before. This company is great because they have options for shuttle services to pick up and drop off straight from your hotel. There are several types of boats to select from, but we picked the covered pontoon. The tour with shuttle service cost about $92 a person.
We sat in the back of the pontoon, closest to our tour guide who steered the boat and provided history on the bayou. He also pointed out all of the alligators and got our boat as close as possible. We spotted 12 foot male gators, as well as smaller sized ones along the way. There was no shortage during the tour! 🐊
Being directly on the bayou, we also saw traditional Louisiana trees with very delicate looking moss hanging down. This specific cove was incorporated into the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog. Not photographed - the several gators down below!
Ruby Slipper
Following the memorable tour, we arrived back to our hotel and were on the quest for brunch before heading to the airport. We originally opted for a place right across the street from us, but came to find it was closed. It started down-pouring 🌧 Under a canopy, we found an alternative place that was a 6 minute walk away. On our walk, we passed a movie set and film crew. When we arrived, we came to find it packed on a Monday. A sign we had found a popular breakfast place.
My time spent in New Orleans was full of vibrant culture, live music, historical sites, and alligators. However, the best part of my trip was getting to experience it with my friends. I got to witness Jaia marry the love of her life and celebrated her forever. I experienced Bourbon Street during the week of Mardi Gras, saw one of the oldest bars in America (established in 1775), and rode in a carriage. New Orleans has a lively spirit that makes this city so special and memorable.