Winter Quick Trip Diary: New Orleans Edition!

Guess who’s on the road again? First stop — New Orleans! ✈️✨ Day 1 Landed in New Orleans in the morning, picked up the car at the airport and drove to our Airbnb. After settling in, we took a ride to explore! 🚶‍♀️ Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, and the French Quarter are all close to each other — just get to one spot and you can easily walk between them. At Jackson Square, we visited the famous Café Du Monde (yes, we tried it — delicious! 💯). Heads up: cash only! 💵 Fun fact: They also have branches at the airport and Riverside Outlet, but rumor has it the one at Jackson Square tastes the best! Day 2 Started the day with an amazing brunch at Who Dat Coffee Cafe — so good! ☕🍳 Note about the matcha latte: it’s seriously strong and authentic! We each ordered one and ended up a little too awake that night… 😅 Next, we drove about an hour from the French Quarter to Oak Alley Plantation — absolutely beautiful! 🌳 The ticket was around $31, which includes a tour of the main house (built around the 1830s!). While browsing the gift shop, a kind elderly staff member gave each of us a handmade bead bracelet! 🧡 The world is still full of good people! The plantation itself can be explored in about 1–2 hours. In the afternoon, we headed back to the city and did a city walk from the WWII Museum all the way to Riverside Outlet by the Mississippi River. Sitting on the outdoor terrace, watching the steamboats cruise by 🛥️, felt like stepping out of 2025 — surreal and peaceful. Dinner was at the legendary Toups Meatery — said to be so good you’ll need help leaving! 😋 We ordered roasted turkey neck, cornbread, grilled pork, and seafood paella. Heads up: It’s a Cajun restaurant, so garlic is EVERYWHERE. 🧄 If you’re not a garlic fan (like me), prepare for a flavorful challenge… 😬 Day 3 Brunch at the famous Bearcat 🐱 — ordered the Crab Scramble and Rose Water Latte. Delicious food and drinks! If you order a hot drink, you might get to sip from one of their gorgeous handmade mugs (with cute little cats on them!), worth over $60. 😻 Later, we strolled through the Garden District and visited the cemetery nearby — famous for being a filming location for vampire movies and shows. ⚰️🦇 Then… hit the road for the 7-hour drive to Houston! 🚗💨 #NewOrleansFood #NewOrleansTravel #ChristmasInNOLA