LaBranche House in New Orleans — LaBranche House, French Quarter

Two weeks ago, we went on a short weekend trip to New Orleans. Josh had to go there for a comedy festival, and I spontaneously decided to join him. Here I’m sharing my top travel tips and recommendations, hopefully you’ll be able to visit this wonderful city one day too!

Safety & Transportation

Since I knew Josh would only have limited time to explore the city with me, and I would also spend a lot of time at the festival, I planned a small solo sightseeing tour. I was a little nervous because I wasn’t sure how safe the city would feel as a woman traveling alone, so I decided to use Uber for most of my trips. Looking back, I think I could have easily walked a lot more and taken the streetcar, I felt very safe during the day. I only explored the city during daylight hours, as the comedy festival offered plenty to see and do in the evenings.

Unterkunft

Josh’s employer covered our accommodation, which was close to the festival and the convention centers. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans–Convention Center, a hotel I can definitely recommend.

Streetcar on Canal Street — Canal Street

Sights to See

French Quarter

Jackson Square, New Orleans — Jackson Square

On the first day, I visited the French Quarter, including the famous Bourbon Street. At night this neighborhood is known as a party hotspot, but during the day you’ll find charming boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and street performers. It’s worth walking from Canal Street, famous for its historic streetcars, all the way to the French Market, a food and souvenir hall on the northeast side of the Quarter.
Royal Street and Bourbon Street are great for browsing small shops and cafés. Make sure to try one of the beignets, a type of crispy, sugar-coated doughnut without filling. Café du Monde and Café Beignet are famous for them and definitely worth a stop.
Around Jackson Square, you can admire the diverse artwork and music of the local street artists. The LaBranche House on Royal Street is one of the most beautiful homes in the Quarter, with its classic balconies and colors. It is also worth walking the French Quarter River Walk right next to the Mississippi River.

French Market Alligators — French Market

Garden District

On the second morning, I visited the Garden District, a neighborhood full of classic Southern mansions with wide porches, beautiful columns, and enormous centuries-old trees. Prytania Street, First Street, and Coliseum Street all have many of these breathtaking homes.
In the center of the neighborhood is Lafayette Cemetery, known for its above-ground tombs. Since New Orleans is built on swampland, graves must be placed above the earth. The cemetery was unfortunately closed during my visit, which is why I have no photos.

Outside the city

Because we were only in town for the weekend and I spent a lot of time at the festival, I couldn’t visit anything else. I would have loved to do a swamp tour and see one of the classic plantations outside the city, both are definitely on my list for next time.

Discovering New Orleans Alone