New Orleans | Ultimate Guide Departing from Houston

Writing guides is so tiring—if you like this, please give it a like and save it 🥰! This is a 3-day, 2-night itinerary. I skipped the most popular Oak Alley Plantation and alligator tours, and chose to visit Houmas House, a more under-the-radar oak plantation instead. 🍞 Cafe Beignet: As a first-time visitor to New Orleans, you definitely have to try this! It’s better than Cafe du Monde, and there are more branches. If you’re worried about sweetness, you can shake off the powdered sugar—it tastes like fried dough sticks (youtiao) or fried flatbread. ☕ French Truck Coffee: A famous chain with super nice golden decor inside. The coffee is solid—nothing fancy but good. 🦐 Budsi's: A Thai restaurant my friend picked. Their crispy roast duck is amazing—so crunchy! The stir-fried noodles are way too salty, though, and the mango sticky rice is just so-so. 🍦 Sweet Saint: So good! So many flavors, and they’re not the usual ones you see everywhere. Plus, the scoops are huge—great value! 🍛 Bearcat: A popular brunch spot. We got there around 8 AM and it was already packed. The "Cat Daddy" is pretty good—the chicken is tender. There’s also a braised beef dish (forgot the name) with tons of meat, but it’s way too salty and greasy. Overall, it’s not a must-visit. ✈️ National World War II Museum: Worth going! It’s (stunning) and huge, with lots of connected exhibition halls—no need to worry about the heat outside. There are two movies here: the one about Pearl Harbor is totally worth watching, but the one about "freedom" (can’t remember the exact title) is just okay. 🦞 Hot N Cajun: Their hand-held seafood is Cajun-style but not overly salty—perfect for Chinese palates! The crawfish are small, though. The fried frog legs are delicious 😋—big and juicy. The grilled oysters are good too, with a thick layer of cheese. ☕ Espresso: It’s right across from Cafe Beignet. We went in because the decor looked nice. They also sell Dubai chocolate croissants, and the coffee is pretty good. 🥖 Cafe Du Monde: It’s the most famous one, but it’s bad. The beignets are over-fried and greasy, and the shop isn’t very clean. 📸 French Quarter: Great for photos around sunset! There are so many French-style houses. Royal Street has lots of souvenir shops, art galleries, and bars 🍷 along the way. 🌲 Houmas House: A private plantation with very few people—perfect for taking photos without crowds. There’s a main house you can tour with a guide (super photogenic, but it must be hot in summer!). There’s also a small museum at the entrance—if you’re not in a hurry, take your time browsing; it has lots of interesting stuff. Highly recommend this spot—no need to jostle with crowds, and it’s really beautiful. Finally, here’s a quick note on the itinerary: even though there’s some driving time, 3 days and 2 nights don’t feel too rushed. I recommend staying near the French Quarter—it’s easy to get around on foot or by taxi. Parking is insanely expensive 🅿️ and hard to find, so avoid driving if you can! #GlobalFoodieSquad #NewOrleansFood #NewOrleansEats #NewOrleansTravel