New Orleans: The Ultimate Fun-Filled Travel Guide 🤡

1. French Quarter City Walk ❗ The closer you get to Bourbon Street, the more chaotic it gets. There are also quite a few homeless people on Canal Street, while Decatur Street is a much better option. ‼️ Evening visits are not highly recommended. At night, the French Quarter closes off roads, so you’ll have to walk through some dark alleys to get to an area where you can hail a taxi—which feels unsafe. Recommended photo spots: 📍 Jackson Square: The fountain and church are beautiful. For a full view of the square, head to the platform across the street—it’s the perfect spot! 📍 The LaBranche House: Known as the most beautiful building in the French Quarter 🔥 📍 Cafe Beignet (Bourbon Street): Its small courtyard is quite charming for photos. 2. Swamp Tour I booked the Cajun Pride Swamp Tour. We chose to see alligators in the morning and visit the oak plantation in the afternoon, with round-trip transportation from the city center included. The highlight? You get to hold a baby alligator ‼️ Remember to keep your hands relaxed—just cradle it gently, don’t squeeze. If you grip too tight, the alligator will get antsy and move around more. In winter, we spotted around a dozen alligators, plus wild boars, raccoons, and turtles 🐢. 3. Oak Alley Plantation 📍 Oak Alley Plantation A beautiful Southern plantation, famous for its oak tree avenue—perfect for photos 📸. Tickets are required for the indoor guided tour, and photography is not allowed inside. However, the balcony on the second floor is an excellent spot for taking photos of the exterior. Outside, there are also exhibits about the lives of enslaved people, offering great insight into that period of history. 4. The National WWII Museum 📍 The National WWII Museum A unique feature here: each visitor draws a card with a real person’s identity from WWII. Then, you board a "time train" and follow that person’s journey through the ups and downs of the war. I loved how it weaves individual stories into history—it’s incredibly immersive 👍. 5. Audubon Aquarium 📍 Audubon Aquarium A newly opened aquarium on the Mississippi River that still doesn’t have much coverage. The biggest surprise? Spotting a white alligator 🐊! Staff will guide you to touch stingrays—super fun! There’s also a Mayan-style archway corridor, which is great for photos. If you have extra time, here are more activities to consider: 📍 Preservation Hall: A go-to for jazz lovers, but you’ll actually find plenty of jazz performances on the streets and in restaurants too. 📍 French Quarter: Carriage tours, cemetery tours, and the Voodoo Museum. 📍 Mississippi River cruise: Enjoy a buffet while listening to jazz. 📍 Garden District: Admire grand mansions and browse vintage shops on Magazine Street. 📍 City Park: Features statues, a botanical garden, and an art museum—slightly outside the city center. Personally, 3-4 days is enough to explore New Orleans. The best time to visit is March to June—that’s crawfish season! Due to word limits, I’ll cover food and hotels in my next post—there are so many amazing eats to recommend! #USATravelGuide #NewOrleans #NOLATravel #USCityWalkGuide