Every once in a while, we travel to destinations other than Atlantic City. We tend to visit cities that have similar qualities, most notably, a vibrant food and beverage scene. This summer, we took our second New Orleans vacation. Many things had changed in the 7 years since we had been there, but much remained the same. After our adventure, we developed an Escape Plan for the best things to do in New Orleans in 3 days. Our guide strikes a balance between trying new things and revisiting old favorites, enjoying upscale establishments as well as dives, and venturing off the beaten path while still taking in popular tourist attractions. We’ll take you to the best restaurants in New Orleans, recommend must-try dishes and classic New Orleans cocktails, and so much more. This is your 72 hour New Orleans itinerary.
Traveling to New Orleans for Off-season Hotel Deals
There is no shortage of deals to be found on New Orleans summer travel. Reason being: it is hot, and it is humid, and oppressively so. Two blocks from the French Quarter in the historic business district, International House Hotel was offering deep discounts on suites during our travel dates. While we prefer a boutique hotel over a chain, they come at a premium, and it’s not always in our budget. Excited at this opportunity, we booked a King Terrace room at the reduced rate, and ended up receiving a penthouse suite upon check-in. They were by far the nicest accommodations we have ever experienced. Our room had one and a half baths, a walk-in closet, a dining table, sectional sofa, two televisions, the terrace we wanted, and, the proverbial cherry on top: a piano.
Staying at The International House Hotel New Orleans
Before opening as The International House Hotel on 1988, the 12 story building began as a bank in the early 1900s before being reincarnated as a World Trade Center in the 1940s. The hotel offers bike rentals, complimentary water and coffee, an art gallery, and complimentary copies of the Wall Street Journal. Perhaps our favorite feature was the beautiful lobby bar, Loa. In the voodoo faith, “loa” are divine spirits (get it?) that act as intermediaries between humans and a higher god. We love a subtle play on words almost as much as we loved the thoughtful cocktail menu and friendly service here. Abigail, the bar’s creative director, served us most evenings, as we made Loa our nightly pre-dinner drink spot. She developed the menu to reflect New Orleans as a port city, drawing on Caribbean, Spanish, French, Italian, Cuban, and African influences.
We’ve been to a lot of cocktail bars and we’ve never had drinks even remotely similar to what is offered at Loa.
Examples given: Mona on the Bayou, a vodka drink mixed with Lebanese tea, rose and orange flower water, citrus, and pine nuts, and Anjin Old Fashioned, a Japanese spin on the classic with mezcal and stirred with sushi rice. Start here with one of the aforementioned cocktails, or go full Escape Plan with a shot of Branca Menta to prep your tummy for the boatloads of rich, creole cuisine that awaits you at dinner.
Dinner with a View from the Best Balcony in New Orleans
On your first night in town, you’ll head to the Lower Garden District for dinner at Gris-Gris.
The portions are very generous, and we definitely over-ordered. Two people can share a couple of appetizers and one entree, or a single appetizer and a pair of entrees. The chicken gizzard grillades are quintessentially New Orleans. Slow braised with caramelized peppers and onions in a brown gravy, the gizzards are served over grits. This starter is rich and hearty, and could satisfy most appetites without an additional course. A more moderately sized appetizer, the oyster BLT is one of the most perfect bites we’ve had in any city. Fried oysters and smoked pork belly have a similar crispy yet creamy texture that are complemented beautifully by tomato jam and arugula. While not creole cuisine, the sugarcane seared duck alongside sweet potato and pecan casserole is a must-have. We did not have room for dessert, but we did enjoy a Maetresse of Magazine on the balcony. The sazerac rye, hoodoo chicory, and praline liquor is both strong and sweet, as ideal an ending to a meal as possible, without a traditional dessert. We visited in late June, and had a stunning view of a simultaneous sunset and distant lightning storm. It’s no wonder Gris-Gris was voted best balcony by New Orleans Magazine.
Post-dinner Drinks
A quarter mile walk separates you from your next destination, Paradise Lounge at Hotel St Vincent, where you’ll have a nightcap. The building was once an orphanage, and, like many New Orleans hotels, is said to be haunted by the giggling ghosts of children who succumbed to yellow fever within its walls. You’d never guess the property’s storied past from your seat at the bar in the Paradise Lounge. The space is reminiscent of a south Florida lanai: bright, airy, flooded with sunshine. The St Vincent spritz, a grapefruit rosemary aperol spritz, and Strega Smash, a spritz featuring a trio of rums, pineapple, and lime, lend to the tropical atmosphere. If you’re an espresso martini fan, they make a great one that sets itself apart from the classic with crème de cacao and frangelico, along with intelligentsia espresso.
Beignets for Breakfast
From coffee liqueur before bed to cafe au lait for breakfast, you’ll start your second day in New Orleans at one of the most iconic eateries in the city, Cafe DuMonde. One order of beignets per person is the perfect portion. Opt for the frozen cafe au lait if you’re
traveling during the hotter, more humid months. We recommend the original location in the French Market, so you can stroll along the Mississippi River before checking out the rest of the market. On our last visit to Cafe DuMonde, we happened upon an Atlantic Ciy High School alumnus who commented on TJ’s Tony’s Baltimore Grill t-shirt. We’re always bonding with people over a shared love of Atlantic City, even 1,200 miles away.
Exploring the French Market
Vendors ourselves, we love a good market. The French Market is full of food vendors and artists, and is our favorite place to shop for souvenirs. Be sure to check it out. The souvenir shops in the French Quarter don’t offer anything unique or artisan. It won’t be surprising to learn that our favorite vendor is a father/son operation who screen prints vintage New Orleans concert flyers onto t-shirts.
Courtyard Cocktails
When strolling through the French Quarter, make a stop at The Court of Two Sisters for
some cocktails in the courtyard. Give the charm gates a quick graze as you enter. Legend has it that their charm will pass on to anyone who touches them. Familiar New Orleans staples like the sazerac and brandy milk punch have a spot on the drink menu, alongside the lesser known, but just as refreshing crescent city cooler. Pull up a chair near the fountain, take your time, and soak in the whimsy of wisteria and wishing wells in New Orleans largest outdoor courtyard.
Lunch like a Local
For lunch, you’ll take a rideshare uptown to Domilise’s Po-Boys, a little yellow house
serving sandwiches since 1918. The half and half po-boy is the way to go: half fried oysters, half fried shrimp, all dressed on a crusty long roll with as much Crystal hot sauce as your little heart desires. The fries are soft in the middle, crispy on the outside, and shaped like tiny augers. You must get a beer. A local one. In a can. A Cane Break by Parish Brewing paired perfectly with our lunch and made us forget how hot and humid it was outside.
More Hidden Gems in New Orleans
The best way to beat the oppressive summer heat is at Hansen’s Sno Bliz, a 10 minute walk from Domilise’s.
Scooping soft ice sno balls for 85 years, Hansen’s is anything but your typical warm weather treat. Flavors like cream of wedding cake and cream of root beer will have you dreaming up all kinds of combinations.
Take yours to-go and make your way to Sisters in Christ Records to sift through the vast selection of vinyl. New Orleans is full of hidden gems like this, just waiting for you to happen upon them.
Rooftop River Views
Later on, you’ll transition from hole-in-the-wall locals’ joints to upscale institutions, beginning at Hot Tin. Take the elevator to the roof of the Pontchartrain Hotel for cocktails
and an unrivaled 270 degree view of downtown New Orleans and the Mississippi River. Try a fun take on the iconic Pimm’s Cup or Sazerac, the former substituting sparkling wine instead of soda and the latter featuring duck fat washed rye. This rooftop bar is one of the most romantic spots in New Orleans. There was a private party inside, and the terrace was quite busy, yet it still felt like a well-kept secret.
Decadent Dinner
Your night of decadence continues with dinner at the pinnacle of New Orleans fine dining, Commander’s Palace. It’s been named Most Popular Restaurant in New Orleans by Zagat for 18 years, and you’ll soon understand why. If you’re lucky, you’ll be seated in the coveted Garden Room, making you feel like you’re sitting high atop the surrounding trees. While the Reveillon tasting menu is beautifully executed, you can easily order a la
carte or from Chef Meg’s three course offering, and still have a standout experience, without the sticker shock. The ambience and service match the cuisine: thoughtful, classic, and very special. The menu rotates frequently, so our only evergreen endorsement is to absolutely order the notorious bread pudding soufflé to end your meal. Be sure to have your photo taken under the famous neon sign, beside the famed blue and white striped building.
From Dinner to Dive Bar
If you want to let your hair down after a fancy night on the town, there’s no better place for a low key post-dinner drink than Verret’s Lounge. We love a good dive bar, and Verret’s is exactly that. It’s cheap, friendly, no frills, and, for an added bonus: it has slot machines. Don’t let them trick you into drinking Malort. Trust us.
Brunch at Brennan’s
Brennan’s is one of very few locations that we repeat on every one of our New Orleans vacations. It is famous for being the birthplace of bananas foster, which you absolutely must order if you like a tableside preparation and a little bit of a production. You can find a wide variety of other New Orleans staple dishes here. If you need an eye opener after
hanging out at Verret’s too late, the bloody bull and brandy milk punch will bring you back to life. We suggest trying the turtle soup, once considered a delicacy, the rich brown almost stew-like broth is topped with sherry upon presentation. We find ourselves ordering oysters multiple times a day in New Orleans, and the oyster j’aime is one of our favorite iterations with its creole tomato gravy and cornbread crumble. For your main course, the eggs St. Charles are really unique. It’s a spin on a Benedict with crispy gulf fish instead of an English muffin, served with creamed spinach and blood orange hollandaise. Traditionalists will love the eggs Hussarde. The coffee-cured Canadian bacon and housemade English muffins set it apart from a standard Benedict.
Tour and Explore
This itinerary is mainly a New Orleans food and drink guide, since the city has its own brand of cuisine, but we carved out some time for you to explore some of the city’s unique history.
Your first stop will be the Pharmacy Museum, where you’ll take a self-guided tour of 18,000 pharmaceutical and medical objects, books, prescriptions, records, photographs, advertisements, and other historical items. You’ll be amazed how much has changed since the 18th century.
You’ll also tour the Sazerac House and its interactive exhibits, while you learn about the history of New Orleans, especially how it relates to distilling and cocktail culture. You’ll even get to sample three signature New Orleans cocktails.
Seafood Starters
Tonight’s dinner is a two-parter. First, you’ll have a mini seafood feast of crab fingers (lightly breaded crab meat, similar to a chicken finger), chargrilled oysters, and shrimp cocktail at Felix’s. Try to get a table facing Bourbon Street, so you can people watch or catch a second line passing by the restaurant window.
Al Fresco in a Bywater Backyard
Afterwards, you’ll take a scenic 15 minute drive into Bywater to get to Bacchanal Fine Wine and Spirits. This corner wine shop is also home to an upstairs bar that feels like your childhood treehouse, but with wine and cocktails. Savor a drink in the whimsical atmosphere upstairs before you create a DIY charcuterie board and discover the perfect wine to pair with it. The staff will arrange your meat and cheese selections with a generous amount of accoutrements and bring it to you in the backyard patio. Listen to live jazz and soak in the eternal summer vibes for as long as you’d like.
Final Night Farewell Drinks
Your last night in New Orleans calls for some farewell libations. Nightbloom is a newly opened cocktail bar not far from Bacchanal. We are suckers for good lighting (see: Tony’s Baltimore Grill and Angeloni’s Club Madrid) and the pink and purple neon scheme set the mood for some innovative and intimate drinks. If dive bars are more your thing, the dog-friendly Pep’s Pub has city wide specials, slot machines, and a wall covered in customer’s puppy pictures. Black Penny boasts a craft beer list that is three pages long. It’s laid back and will have you feeling like a local.
Savoring Every Minute up to the Last
Before you depart New Orleans in the evening, you can squeeze some memorable activities into your final day. Start with brunch at Tujague’s. If you like a savory brunch, the creamy shrimp crepes and crunchy boudin balls with pepper jelly are a great way to start your meal. The croque madame and chicken biscuit are perfectly prepared and hearty enough to hold you over until you check in for your flight.
Wrapping up from 33 Stories High
Your final destination, Vue Orleans, offers 360 degree views of the city from its 33rd floor observation deck. You’ll also experience several interactive exhibits that celebrate the music, food, costumes, and culture of New Orleans. There’s no better way to wrap up your vacation than this living love letter to the city.
Airport Activities
There is still some fun to be had before you’re officially out of New Orleans. The Louis Armstrong airport is one of our favorites. We stumbled upon a shop called Dirty Coast that sells niche, punny New Orleans t-shirts and other apparel. It was so cool to see something similar to our own merch, themed to a different city. We also couldn’t resist the smell of fresh beignets from the Cafe du Monde stand at the airport, and got our fix of fried dough and cafe au lait one last time before heading home to Philadelphia.
3 days and 3 nights in New Orleans is more than enough time to immerse yourself in so much of what makes the city so special. Like Atlantic City, you just need to know where to look and come armed with a solid plan. While there is certainly a place for tourist favorites, our itinerary will take you to some of the best locals spots, as well. We hope you’ll enjoy our New Orleans travel tips and you’ll return again to revisit what you loved and discover even more of what makes it such a special place.
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