Travel: New Orleans

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Best Friend and I spent about a week in NOLA in July 2015 (as well as time in December 2014 and June 2013). Per usual after this last trip, we got a deluge of requests for recommendations. So, here ya go! Keep in mind we’re flip-flops and jeans folks who hate shopping, would rather wander neighborhoods than museums, think riding public transit is a fun adventure, and usually choose street-cart food over Michelin restaurants. And we like 2pm naps, followed by an HGTV reno show.

Dining

Cochon Butcher
Verti Marte
Herbsaint
The Company Burger
Coquette – go to nearby NOLA Brewing for pre/post meal drinks
Juan’s Flying Burrito – go to the original location
The Joint – go to nearby Bacchanal for pre/post meal drinks
Little Bird – popup restaurant
Drago’s
Ruby Slipper

Coffeehouses

Mojo
Krewe du Brew
Merchant
District Donuts
Corner Muse
HiVolt
Cafe Luna

I have a Coffeehouse List on Yelp, which has details on many of these (as well as Portland, Maine, Nashville, and Savannah listings).

Adult Libations

Bacchanal
Barrel Proof
NOLA Brewing
Courtyard Brewery
Sazerac Bar in Roosevelt Hotel – get the white chocolate bread pudding
Bulldog
Avenue Pub

Activities

bike tour of the Lower 9th Ward
walk around the Garden District and Uptown
WWII Museum
Metairie cemetery

Lodging

While we usually stay in awesome places, and usually find Airbnb gems, most of our NOLAness has been in conference hotels. So not many lodging tips. The Hotel Pelham was fine; small and no extra amenities but did the job, especially location-wise (close to the Quarter but not in it, walkable to much). Though after staying downtown on all our trips, I think I’d like to stay in a neighborhood next time, like the Garden District or Uptown.