New Orleans is considered a bucket list travel destination for many. This vibrant city is home to so much to see and do. Whether you are dancing up a storm every night on Bourbon Street or you are exploring the many graveyards and ghost stories, a visit to New Orleans is always going to be memorable. Here are some of the things you need to do to ensure you can make the most out of your trip to New Orleans!
Get Around Town in Style
While not the sprawling urban jungle of Los Angeles or New York, New Orleans is still fairly sizeable. If you want to take in as much as possible in your time here, you need to make sure that you can zip around town as quickly as possible. Take advantage of New Orleans bike tours to cruise the city at a pace that best suits you.
The major advantage of bike tours is that you will get from A to B much faster than you would if you were walking around. If you are on a time crunch, this is going to be the best way for you to see as much as possible while still getting to experience the city perfectly. Take advantage of the guided speciality tours for an insight into the city that no guidebook would ever give or grab a map to direct yourself.
Choose the Right Base
When coming to New Orleans, you need to get your accommodation just right. The districts of this city all have a different vibe and you should pick the one that is right for you. If you are visiting near Mardi Gras or some other big festival, make sure you book early to avoid disappointment!
The French Quarter is the most famous area of New Orleans. It might be associated with the never-ending parties of Bourbon Street but you can easily find hotels on quiet backstreets; perfect for those who want to be in the middle of all the action.
Upriver, the Garden District is home to beautiful historic mansions and cafes galore. It offers the same dose of culture as the French Quarter with slightly less craziness. Heading the other way down the Mississippi will take you to Bywater. This bohemian neighbourhood is home to some charming bed and breakfasts and fantastic vegan options. If you are searching for a low-key jazz scene, this will be where you find it.
Don’t Forget the Food
New Orleans is home to some fantastic places to eat. You need to make sure you schedule in some food stops; you’ll work up quite the appetite. Specialty tours by bike opens up a world of culinary delights. No matter what your tastes might be, there will be something for you to dig into here.
The one dish you absolutely must try is beignets. These heavenly little pillows are coated in powdered sugar and they make the perfect breakfast or post-cycle snack. The best place to get beignets is the famous Café du Monde. You can either try to grab a seat in this hotspot or you can get a takeaway to take to one of the many parks and green spaces.
At the end of the day, nothing will fill you up like a bowl of hot gumbo. Anything can go into gumbo. Chicken, okra, seafood, peppers; you name it, there will be a gumbo recipe out there with it! For something a little spicier but still full of flavour, you need to grab some jambalaya. It is another dish where anything goes. You will find jambalaya with seafood, sausage, and many other ingredients!
Finally, if you need something to keep you going throughout the day, stop off and grab a po-boy. This is a sandwich made from the crustiest of French bread and packed with something good. You can find po-boys with beef, shrimp, or even lobster! Add in salad and a slathering of sauce or may and you have the perfect po-boy.
See Something Spooky
It’s New Orleans! Even if you find yourself hiding behind your fingers every time you watch a horror film, you have to try something spooky when you visit New Orleans. One of the easiest things to do is swing by St Louis Cemetery No. 1. This is one of the iconic vault cemeteries of New Orleans and it serves as the final resting place of some of the most well-known figures in the city’s history. From the city’s first mayor, Etienne de Boré to Marie Laveau, the Voodoo priestess, there are many famous names to discover here.
You can get a little closer to Voodoo at one of the many shops scattered throughout the city. Perhaps it is another area of the supernatural that grabs your attention? The French Quarter is rumoured to be filled with ghosts. From mysterious footsteps in hotel rooms to apparitions at windows, there is always something to discover.
Why not dip into New Orleans’ long-standing relationship with vampires? From Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire to the TV show The Originals, the city is the setting for many a tale surrounding the Children of the Night. No matter where you turn in New Orleans, there is going to be something spooky for you to indulge in.
Plan Your Visit to New Orleans Today!
New Orleans is home to so much to see and do that you might feel cheated if you are only there for a few days. It is such an amazing city since it can become whatever you need it to be. Spend your mornings peddling around one of the many bike tours and settle in for a lazy afternoon in a jazz bar. Sleep all day and rise as the sun goes down for a tour of the creepiest corners and a party on Bourbon Street that lasts all night.
No matter what, New Orleans can offer what you are looking for. Start planning your perfect trip there now!
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