Travel: New Orleans

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.

IMG_20150719_200920 20150721_195502

Keeping cool20150721_193152

Bacchanal

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The Joint20150721_152545

WWII Museum20150721_102409

Merchant20150720_173058

Best burger I’ve ever had! The Company Burger20150720_103758

Mojo Coffeehouse is awesome. Except for the bathroom.20150719_131407

HiVolt20150718_183108

My ‘I’m sitting next to Aisha Tyler!’ face, at Herbsaint

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Fats Dominoe’s house20150718_111140

Lower Ninth bike tour20150718_105245 20150717_181728 20150717_170322

Popup restaurant20150717_092502

 

A friend and his partner wrote this lovely write up after their NOLA trip.