One City, Three Ways: New Orleans, Louisiana

The Big Easy has plenty of round-the-clock fun to offer for gastronomes, culture connoisseurs, and history buffs

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The French Quarter

Courtesy Visit New Orleans

The lower Mississippi Delta city of New Orleans is unlike any other. Founded by French colonists in 1718, it fell under Spanish rule for a time, then French again before being purchased by the U.S. and becoming a thriving economic hub due to slave laborers from Africa. All of this, plus hundreds of years of traditions from the original Native American inhabitants, led to a unique, rich blend of cultures, languages, architecture, and customs that birthed distinctive Creole cuisine, soulful jazz music, iconic festivals, and a vibrant nightlife you won’t experience anywhere else.

Mardi Gras is only the beginning of many lively celebrations dished up in the Big Easy. Don’t be surprised to see a colorful second line parade saunter by on a Sunday afternoon, with its requisite dancing, joyful horn tunes, and trademark parasols. Get ready to immerse yourself in all aspects of the city’s unique history as you feast on food that’ll nourish your body and your soul and raise a glass to round-the-clock fun.

GASTRONOME

A beignet and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde

Photo by Paul Broussard

Delight
It’s not a visit to the Big Easy without a stop by a Café du Monde, open 24 hours a day, every day (except Christmas). Wash down the powdered sugar–loaded beignets with a steamy café au lait—a quintessential New Orleans pairing.

Muffuletta and a Pim’s Cup at the Napoleon House

Photo by Zack Smith

Sip & Snack
Originally built in 1797 as the residence of then-mayor Nicholas Girod, the Napoleon House earned its name after it was offered as refuge (but never accepted) for Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile. A restaurant since 1914, it’s the place to go for a muffuletta and a Pimm’s Cup, as it was the first place in the country to serve the refreshing cocktail.

Caviar at Jewel of the South

Photo by Zack Smith

Indulge
The reinvented Jewel of the South has racked up some serious accolades since opening in 2019, most recently earning the 2024 James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar. Treat yourself with a foie gras parfait, several types of caviar, and a Brandy Crusta—a strong, sugar-lined cocktail that was first made at its 1850s namesake.

Po’ boy at Parkway Bakery & Tavern

Courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

Grab Lunch
Open since 1911, Parkway Bakery & Tavern is a must-stop for a Crescent City classic: the po’ boy. Enjoy one stuffed with crispy Gulf shrimp or oysters, or try the James Brown, made with slow-cooked beef, fried shrimp, melted cheese, and spicy mayo—all served on freshly toasted French bread.

Savor
Dooky Chase’s, an iconic Creole restaurant and former meeting place of civil rights activists, originated as a lotto ticket shop and bar, but it really took off when the late “Queen of Creole Cooking” Leah Chase transformed it into a rare-at-the-time, Black-owned fine dining experience. Order the gumbo that helped it earn its place in history.

CULTURE CONNOISSEUR

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

Courtesy Visit New Orleans

Wander
Built in 1789, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the city’s oldest graveyard, filled with thousands of above-ground vaults on just one square block. Notable graves in this “City of the Dead” include Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau and Homer Plessy of the landmark “separate but equal” Plessy vs. Ferguson case.

Crawfish exhibit at JAMNOLA

Photo by Ask Amber

Snap a Pic
The essence of New Orleans culture shines at JAMNOLA, which features 17 mesmerizing art exhibits highlighting food (think enormous, photo-worthy crawfish statues), music (from interactive virtual cymbals to colorful vinyl records sculpted into flowers), and Mardi Gras (don’t miss the outlandish costume displays and trash-to-treasure art).

Preservation Hall

Photo by Zack Smith

Catch a Show
Let the trombone transport you as you tap and clap your way through an intimate acoustic show at Preservation Hall, which hosts concerts nearly every day of the year performed by a collective of more than 50 local professional musicians. The pure joy from both the performers and audience is palpable.

St. Charles Streetcar

Photo by Paul Broussard

Stroll
Hop on the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar and ride over to the Garden District, where a blend of architectural styles—including Greek Revival, Gothic, and Swiss chalet—make up this beautiful residential area. See the Buckner Mansion from American Horror Story and the homes of celebrities including Sandra Bullock and John Goodman.

New Orleans Museum of Art

Photo by Zack Smith

Admire
Nearly 50,000 pieces of art—including a remarkable collection of European and American works from Degas, Monet, Pollock, and others—comprise the New Orleans Museum of Art. While you’re there, check out the 11-acre Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden to see dozens of incredible works amid a gorgeous natural setting.

HISTORY BUFF

Boukman Punch at Celestine

Photo by Rush Jagoe

Stay
Just steps from Bourbon Street is the new 10-room Celestine boutique hotel situated in a 1791 building. The moody, emerald-green downstairs bar with its adjoining lush courtyard is named for one of the home’s former residents, Creole apothecary Antoine Amédée Peychaud, creator of the iconic bitters brand.

National WWII Museum

Courtesy of the Louisiana Department of Tourism

Learn
Visit the National WWII Museum to hear firsthand oral histories from veterans, feel the action come alive in the 4D film experience narrated by Tom Hanks, and immerse yourself in 360-degree displays of American soldiers’ experience.

St. Louis Cathedral

Courtesy Visit New Orleans

Explore
Book a two-hour French Quarter History Tour to get acquainted with the city’s most famous neighborhood. Highlights include the French Market (the country’s oldest open-air market), Jackson Square’s stunning St. Louis Cathedral, and Pirate’s Alley, said to be a legendary dueling spot.

The Sazerac House

Courtesy of Visit New Orleans

Drink In
Take a complimentary tour of the Sazerac House, a three-story attraction that walks visitors through the history and traditions of the city’s official cocktail. Enjoy drink samples as you navigate interactive exhibits, then go behind the scenes of the on-site distillery producing Sazerac Rye.

Drink Up
One of New Orleans’ oldest structures and thought to be the longest continually operating bar in the U.S., Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar is rumored to have been the base of smuggling operations in the late 18th century. Now it’s home to a piano bar and strong drinks—and maybe even spirits of another kind.

This article appears in the Winter 2025 issue of Southbound.

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