Hi,
I am back with stop 3 of our big adventure.... New Orleans 🎉
How we got there:
We had to fly from Memphis to New Orleans. We flew via Charlotte. The good thing about American airlines is even on their shorter internal flights you get free soft drinks, Bischoff biscuits (or cookies as the Americans call them) and pretzels. The snacking always helps to break up the journey.
Where we stayed:
The hotel was just off Bourbon Street and within walking distance to any attractions within the heart of New Orleans. The hotel does not have a bar or restaurant, but it does have a pool. Our room was lovely with plenty of space and the bathroom had a bath with overhead shower.
What we did:
Ghost Tour: We just booked this on the day at the tour booth. The tour was two hours on a small (max 20 people) air-conditioned bus and yes, the air-con was most definitely a requirement in the early October humidity lol. The tour guide was a local and he was very informative. The tour started at the French Quarter, then the Ninth District, then a cemetery and final stop was city park. We stopped at city park to get a break and of course a Cafe Du Monde, beignet.
Paddle Steamer Tour: New Orleans Steamboat Natchez Harbor Cruise with Live Music 2022 (viator.com)
I had pre-booked this tour a few days before we got to New Orleans. This tour was a two-hour cruise up and down the Mississippi. There was a jazz band which played and then the captain followed with commentary of the sights along the way and while the cruise was on the return journey the jazz band played again. This was an enjoyable and relaxing way to see some of the sites and experience jazz.
Harrahs Casino:
This casino and the New Orleans Super Dome was bought over by Ceasers Palace. The casino was only a 5 minute walk from our hotel. FYI if your under 35 you must have a passport as ID as they do not accept the UK driving licence. We got caught out with this and had to go back to the hotel for our passports, thankfully it was close. I had never been in a casino before so this was an experience. It was huge with machines and tables everywhere. Felt like we had been transported to Vegas lol. Safe to say we had no big wins so back to porridge after the holiday lol.
Bourbon Street: What can I say about the mad street that is Bourbon Street bar it is just like what you see in the movies. This street is just fun and crazy all wrapped in one. We spent a lot of time here and it is just lined with food places, bars and souvenir shops. On our last evening we were very lucky to see several street performers and a wedding parade because if you pay $300 to city hall you can get a police escort for your own parade down the street.
Street Car: On our bus tour we learned about the New Orleans Street cars and that there are two lines (red & green). The streetcar is $1.50 per person one way or $3 per person for a 24-hour pass which includes both lines and the ferry (bargain). We went on the green line as I had spied a pumpkin patch and house fully done for Halloween so of course me being me, I had to go see them both. This was actually a lovely way to see other parts of the city. We got to the Halloween house first and its front yard was covered in skeletons as celebrities or famous personalities. A lot of work went into it, and it brought people from all over to see it and was definitely worth the strop. Next stop was the pumpkin patch, which again was at someone's house. This was insane, pumpkins of all sizes with Halloween inflatables, haybales and all things autumn aesthetics. This brought another smile to my face.... what can I say this is my fav season and I love Halloween.
Where we ate:
Unfortunately, I cannot give you much information here because by this point of the holiday I had completely switched off form everything and I was just so relaxed I stopped paying attention to names and places we ate. Sorry☹️
I can however confirm that everywhere we did eat was delicious. There is a lot of pizza shops, and the pizza slices are tasty and huge.
We were in New Orleans for 3 nights / 2 1/2 days, and we covered so much. All round, my experience of New Orleans was amazing and we did love it 😄
Next stop ... Cancun, Mexico
Tara x
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