7-Day Thanksgiving Guide to Orlando & New Orleans

The 3 days in New Orleans after Orlando were relaxed yet full of surprises! From river views and unique food to swamp/plantation visits and jazz—here’s a "chill itinerary" with real experiences and hidden highlights～🥳 ⭐️ Day 5: First Encounter with NOLA · River Views & Novel Tastes ✈️ Morning: Arrive in New Orleans via an early flight, first stop at the outlet mall for a "light browse" The outlet itself has little worth buying, but the highlight is that it’s right next to the Mississippi River! After browsing, you can go to the riverbank to feel the breeze and enjoy the views—sunlight on the river is super comforting, and every casual photo is a healing scene～ 🍴 Noon: Drago’s Seafood Restaurant (inside the Hilton near the outlet) A hidden gem of a seafood spot! Must-order Original Charbroiled Oysters—each bite is packed with garlic and cheese flavor, surprisingly tasting like Chinese-style barbecue, so fresh it’s amazing; We tried Gator Tacos—the taco shell is crispy and the filling is well-seasoned, but since it was our first time eating alligator meat, we had a bit of a "mental block" and couldn’t finish it; We also ordered shrimp and pork rice casserole—the rice soaks up the umami from the seafood and meat, pairing perfectly with the oysters to cut through richness～ 🌃 Evening: French Quarter check-in + Urban Outfitter shopping spree The French Quarter was crowded at night and a bit chaotic, so we took a few photos of the iconic buildings and left quickly; big shoutout to Urban Outfitter nearby! It’s spacious with tons of styles—many delicate small clothes and accessories, affordable and perfect for Asian girls’ body types. We couldn’t stop browsing, and even stumbled upon products from Florasis (Hua Zhi Xiao) and Kaleidoscope, which felt super familiar～ ⭐️ Day 6: Swamp Adventure · Plantation Photos · Jazz Surprise 🐊 Morning: Wetland park eco-tour (booked via Viator) We took a swamp boat into the wetlands with a guide and got super lucky! We saw 3-4 wild alligators (big and small, incredibly up close), plus groups of raccoons and wild boars. The captain’s commentary was fun and professional; Bonus! At the end of the tour, the captain brought out a baby alligator for everyone to touch—its soft texture was amazing, and it instantly made the trip worth it～ 🌳 Afternoon: "Photo Marathon" at Oak Alley Plantation The century-old oak tree alley at the plantation is perfect for photos! Lush green branches weave into a natural arcade, and the red brick path with the white plantation building—wearing light-colored clothes, every casual shot is a vintage blockbuster～ We spent over 3 hours taking photos here, wanting to post every single one on Moments! 🎷 Evening: Jazz at Preservation Hall The tour bus dropped us right in the French Quarter, just in time for the jazz show! We bought standing tickets, but surprisingly it wasn’t crowded, and we got a free upgrade to front-row extra seats—such good luck! Even though I don’t know much about jazz, the 1-hour immersive performance had an amazing vibe—the musicians improvised and interacted energetically. The moment I swayed to the rhythm, I fully understood the jazz soul of NOLA—such a great experience～ ⭐️ Day 7: Crawfish Feast · Farewell & Return 📦 Morning: Pack luggage slowly, no rush at all We’d walked a lot in the previous days, so the last day was all about "slow pace." After packing, we even had time to have a coffee at the hotel and recap the trip—no early morning rush at all～ 🍴 Noon: Big EZ Seafood (near the airport, recommended on Xiaohongshu) The final seafood feast was incredible! Highly recommend the crawfish—so fresh every one had roe, chewy texture, and the flavor we chose (following Xiaohongshu) was super tasty. The two of us ate until we needed a "break" to finish, and it was huge portions at a great price; Warning: The crab we ordered was just okay, and it was so spicy it felt like our mouths were on fire—spice-sensitive friends, be careful! ✈️ Afternoon: Head straight to the airport after eating—perfect ending～ #ThanksgivingTravel #USATravel #NewOrleans #NOLA #InternationalStudentsUS #StudentLife