Since the cruise was leaving from the port in New Orleans, we decided to drive down the day before the ship left and experience New Orleans life for a day. We headed out at 5 on Friday morning and got to New Orleans around lunch time.
We booked a room at InterContinental New Orleans through Groupon. The hotel was located about two blocks from the French Quarter, so we were in walking distance of just about everything we could possibly want to see. The room was very, VERY nice and cozy! Our total for the room was right at $150, so split three ways, it wasn't too bad of a deal.
After getting ready, we headed out to explore. We took off toward the French Quarter and stopped at all the cute little shops along the way! There is a Lush Cosmetics right on Royal street and all three of us were in handmade cosmetic heaven!
We stopped at Gumbo Shop for a late lunch/early dinner. Now, I have never had cajun food before this trip, so I wasn't too sure about it but I was determined to try something new so I ordered the Creole Combination Platter. It included Shrimp Creole, Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etouffee...DELICIOUS! The restaurant was so cute and the service was outstanding! If you are looking for a quick place to grab some lunch while visiting NOLA, I highly recommend trying Gumbo Shop.
We made our way to the French Quarter after lunch and I absolutely loved it! The buildings were beautiful and as soon as we got there, we could hear the live jazz music playing on the street. I felt like I was walking into a movie scene. The artwork that filled the street was so unique and beautiful! And there were palm readers every where you turned (We didn't get our palms read...even though I really wanted to. Emily said it was of the devil and wouldn't let me.)! It was everything I had hoped it would be!
For dessert, we stopped by Cafe du Monde to try the beignets and they did not disappoint! The cafe itself was very crowded, but to get the full experience we found a table and sat down right in the middle of the chaos and enjoyed our delicious deep fried donuts.
After dessert we made our way back to the hotel and crashed for the night. For breakfast the next morning, we walked down to Cafe Beignet and devoured a delicious belgian waffle and, of course, some more beignets. The cafe was super crowded but we lucked up and got a seat inside.
When we got off the ship, we came back to Cafe Beignet for lunch. A friend had told us to try the muffalettas, so we did and it was so good! This time, we sat in the little seating area right outside the cafe. While we were eating our yummy lunch, we also got some free entertainment. A man was playing and singing right outside the gate. Again, I felt like I was in a movie. It was so cool.
New Orleans is definitely one of my favorite cities. Since we were only there for one day, I know that we did not get to experience the entirety of NOLA so I definitely plan to return for a longer amount of time. If you have been to New Orleans, what are some of your favorite things to do? What are some of your favorite places to eat?
When we got off the ship, we came back to Cafe Beignet for lunch. A friend had told us to try the muffalettas, so we did and it was so good! This time, we sat in the little seating area right outside the cafe. While we were eating our yummy lunch, we also got some free entertainment. A man was playing and singing right outside the gate. Again, I felt like I was in a movie. It was so cool.
New Orleans is definitely one of my favorite cities. Since we were only there for one day, I know that we did not get to experience the entirety of NOLA so I definitely plan to return for a longer amount of time. If you have been to New Orleans, what are some of your favorite things to do? What are some of your favorite places to eat?
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