NOLA | 3-Day New Orleans Trip: Honest Reviews đĽđŠđˇ
Thereâs a famous local saying here: âLaissez le bon temps roulerâ â Let the good times roll. And thatâs exactly what this trip was all about. đŚ Dragoâs Seafood Restaurant â Highly Recommended âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ â Their Charbroiled Oysters are absolute stars! The charred, smoky flavor lingers on your palate all dayâyouâll keep craving that grilled goodness long after the meal. â Lobster Marco đ§ââď¸: Even if youâre not a fan of creamy dishes (like me!), youâll be pleasantly surprised. The richness is perfectly balanced, never overpowering the sweet, tender lobster meat. đŠ CafĂŠ Du Monde â Recommended âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ â The iconic Beignets? Hereâs our take: đ§ââď¸: Crispy on the outside, fluffy insideâlike a sweet, powdered-sugar-dusted churro, but lighter! đ§ââď¸: Tastes just like Wuhanâs âcrispy dumplingsâ âa fun cross-cultural flavor match! â Donât miss the Frozen CafĂŠ Au Lait: Itâs like a mocha Frappuccino, slightly sweet and so refreshingâperfect for beating the heat. â Heads up: The restaurant is semi-outdoor, so it gets really hot. But the street jazz musicians playing nearby? They turn the sweat into part of the vibeâyouâll barely notice the heat with that music in the air đś. đ¤šââď¸ Wandering Bourbon & Royal Streets â These two streets are NOLAâs heart for people-watching and window-shopping! â đ§ââď¸: We stopped by Kezic Galleryâwow, the vintage pieces there are stunning, but way out of our budget. Their âVintage 329â collection has rare (second-hand) Chanel and Dior accessories, but most styles are too fancy for everyday wearâgreat for admiring, though! đš Sazerac House â Recommended âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ â Pro tip: Book your spot a few hours in advanceâwalk-ins often have to wait! â The highlight is the 3-drink tasting flight: You get to try Sazerac cocktails made with Whisky, Rum, and Gin. Each has a unique mix of bitter, sweet, and sour notesâperfect for figuring out your favorite base spirit. â Thereâs a massive wall lined with bottles of alcoholâitâs the photo op spot here. Snap a pic with it, and your feed will thank you đ¸. đş Preservation Hall â Recommended âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ â This is a legendary spot for classic jazzâno frills, just pure music. We booked tickets a week early and still only got standing roomâso book as soon as you can! â Fair warning: No air conditioning. It gets warm and cozy (read: sweaty), but once the band starts playing, youâll forget all about it. The musicians love interacting with the crowdâthey even called out audience members for impromptu sing-alongs. The energy here is unbeatable! đś Mahogany Jazz Hall â Highly Recommended âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ â This was our favorite spot of the entire trip! The live jazz here is next-levelâwe listened to two different bands and stayed for nearly 3 hours (we didnât want to leave!). â Only downside: The drinks arenât great. But who cares when the music is this good? Grab a beer, sit back, and let the jazz wrap around youâpure magic â¨. âď¸ Cafe Beignet â Stop by if youâre nearby âď¸âď¸âď¸ â Compared to CafĂŠ Du Monde, this spot is way quieterâand it has air conditioning (a huge win on a hot NOLA day!). â The Beignets here are thicker and more dense. Our thoughts: đ§ââď¸: Love the calm vibe, and the beignets are satisfying if you want something heartier. đ§ââď¸: Honestly, not much different from other beignetsâand they donât have the Frozen CafĂŠ Au Lait, which was a bummer. đŞ The National WWII Museum â Highly Recommended âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ â This museum is a must-visitâdonât skip it! The 4D show âBeyond All Boundariesâ is incredible: the 4D effects (wind, vibrations) make you feel like youâre right in the middle of history. â Warning: There are multiple exhibition halls, and 2.5 hours is nowhere near enough to see everything. Plan to spend at least 4 hours hereâyouâll want to take your time reading, watching, and absorbing all the stories. đŚ Big EZ Seafood and Oyster â Not Recommended âď¸âď¸ â We booked a table in advance, and there were plenty of seats for lunchâno wait, which was nice. But thatâs where the positives end. â The shrimp and crab were fresh, but not as fresh as the ones we had at Hot N Cajun. Also, the menu doesnât have any 2-person combosâyou have to order everything a la carte, which was inconvenient. Overall, it fell way below our expectations đ. At the end of the day, NOLA isnât just about checking off spotsâitâs about embracing Joie de vivre (the joy of living). Itâs sipping a cold drink while jazz plays, eating beignets covered in sugar, and letting the cityâs laid-back energy wrap around you. Thatâs the real magic of this place đšđĽ. #NewOrleans #NOLATravelGuide #100WaystoExploreaCity #USATravel