A 2 Day New Orleans Travel Guide: Where to Eat, Sleep, and Play
New Orleans is the city with jazzy nightlife and Cajun cuisine. I live in Vail, Colorado a gorgeous mountain town, where most people come to vacation and ski. I love living in Vail but sometimes you just need a change of scenery. We decided to check for cheap flights and landed on New Orleans.
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2 Day New Orleans Travel Guide – Where to Stay in New Orleans
The Courtyard by Marriot located right off of Canal Street is just a few blocks from Bourbon Street, making for a very convenient city center location. It is you standard hotel at a moderate price.
For a more upscale and authentic French experience look no further than Maison de la Luz. This polish sleek hotel is everything you could imagine with great amenities and delicious restaurants.
2 Day New Orleans Travel Guide – Friday Night
Bourbon Bandstand
Bourbon Bandstand is a well known two story bar right on Bourbon Street. The downstairs has a full bar, dance floor and a stage for live jazz music. Unfortunately, due to our world event, New Orleans cannot play any live music indoors. Upstairs was my favorite area, there is a full bar plus an outside balcony. Grab a 2 for 1 drink at the bar and find a spot on the balcony for some prime time people watching!
Old Nola Cookery
For dinner, we chose the Old Nola Cookery, located right on Bourbon Street. If you want good authentic Southern cooking, I highly recommend checking out this place. It was my first night in New Orleans and I wanted to dive in with some traditional southern dishes. I ordered the New Orleans Trio – Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage, Seafood Gumbo, and Étouffée.
2 Day New Orleans Travel Guide – Saturday
Café Beignet on Bourbon Street
After some R&R, we headed out to search for some food. Café Beignet is where we landed. The live music and charming courtyard welcomed us with open arms. We ordered the Jambalaya and a Fish Po-Boy. In my opinion, the ambiance is better than the food. Our dishes were good but nothing out of this world. I was jealous of the Beignets other patrons were munching on and knew we had to come back for an order.
Where to get the Best Beignets in New Orleans – Café Du Monde
To get the full experience of NOLA, you must visit Café Du Monde. It is located right near the French Quarter. We devoured our one order of three beignets, sipped on Café au lait, and enjoyed live jazz music.
My first time ever tasting a beignet, I thought I had been transported to some other world. The hot fried dough, covered with finely powdered sugar is simple and delectable. Café Du Monde has been established for over 150 years and has definitely perfected their craft. They only accept cash so be sure to bring at least $4 for one order.
Jackson Square
After licking the powdered sugar off our fingers, we strolled through the French Quarter Park. French Quarter is filled with artists, restaurants, and shops. The real stunner is the St. Louis Cathedral.
Palace Café
For a special night out, we headed to Palace Café, located right on Canal Street. We discovered this restaurant when walking back to our hotel. One of the best Happy Hours in Downtown New Orleans, with $5 drinks and $7 appetizers at their signature Black Duck Bar. I decided to order out of the box and order their drink special, the Dome Daiquiri. The bartender was spot on with his description; not too sweet, sour, bitter with a hint of heat from the cracked black pepper on top. I also suggest trying the Oyster Artichoke Dip. Hot melty gruyere cheese with chunky artichoke hearts topped with fried oysters was indulgent and flavorful.
Napoleon House
The best sandwich I have ever tasted lives at the Napoleon House on Chartres St. Muffuletta is an Italian sub that was immigrated to the southern states and has become a New Orleans staple. If you are not familiar with this Italian sandwich it includes ham, Genoa salami, pastrami, Swiss cheese, provolone cheese, and olive tapenade. All stacked in between two pieces of sesame Italian loaf and toasted to perfection.
The salty cured meats with the gooey melted cheese coats your lips just perfectly, then comes the hit of tang from the olive tapenade, followed with a nutty crunch from the toasted sesame bread. The ambiance matches the Sicilian sub, with brick walls and a charming courtyards. I seriously felt like I was transported to Italy.
Café Beignet on Bourbon Street
After being transported back to New Orleans, we had a serious sweet tooth and had to get some Beignets. We went back to Café Beignet, this time for beignets. Now the question is which is better for Beignets, Café Beignet on Bourbon Street or Café Du Monde? Café Beignet wins for me, their beignets are larger, fluffier, and more evenly dusted with powdered sugar. They are served to the table straight from the fryer. When you tear into them you can see the steam rising and the powder sugar melting.
Maison Bourbon
Maison Bourbon Dedicated to the Preservation of Jazz, is a hidden gem. It is located right on Bourbon Street, has a full bar and courtyard area. Since live music cannot be played indoors at this time, the band moved outside to the courtyard. We visited this bar two nights in a row and thoroughly enjoyed the live music. The live band was upbeat and played every song request that came in. There is no cover, you will just need to buy a drink from the bar.
Harrah’s New Orleans Casino
After the bars closed, we wandered over to the casino. Harrah’s is a large casino operated by Caesars. My go-to is Wheel of Fortune. I slid a crisp $20 bill in. One minute later, I was spinning the big wheel and won $150!
2 Day New Orleans Travel Guide – Sunday
Jimmy J’s Café
Our last day in New Orleans, I had to get some Shrimp and Grits, Jimmy J’s was the place. We heard there is always a line out the door for breakfast so we woke early and arrived before the crowds. Jimmy J’s is a small hidden gem serving breakfast favorites with a NOLA spin.
I knew I couldn’t leave Louisiana without eating Shrimp and Grits, so I had made my decision. It was good but very RICH, a little one-note for me. I had to order a Mimosa to cut the richness. The mimosa was top notch. Our waitress was cheery and welcoming, very fitting for the small homestyle café. This is a very affordable breakfast spot with dishes ranging between $9 and $15.
Take the New Orleans Trolley to The Garden District
If you want to see those large colonial southern homes, Garden District is the place. Take the New Orleans Streetcar to The Garden District. The trolley system is an inexpensive and easy way to maneuver the city. Costing only $1.25 one-way or $3.00 for unlimited rides all day, it is a no brainer! The Garden District is filled with gorgeous homes decorated with Mardi Gras embellishments. You will find the Lafayette Cemeteries intertwined within the area. On our next visit to New Orleans we will check out the Cemetery Night Tours.
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