An itinerary of the classic sights, sounds, and smells of the Big Easy for when you’re pressed for time.

I run at a pretty fast pace, but when I arrived in New Orleans, mid-afternoon, bright and fresh and stimulated by the colourful buildings with their wrought-iron balconies, even I looked at my list of must-dos with apprehension. Turns out you can get by on pretty little sleep if you need to, but I didn’t get anywhere close to completing my list. New Orleans has been on my bucket list of cities for years, and I knew as soon as the airport shuttle took me through the city that I would have to come back, because there was no way that my abbreviated work trip would be sufficient to fully absorb the “who dat” city (I never figured out exactly what that meant, but, as do most things in America, I’m pretty sure it has something to do with football…).

But maybe you can live my dreams to their fullest extent. Here’s the list – some I got to, some I didn’t. I had the help of three locals in putting this together, and I think it represents a good mix of food, N’awlins grit, and southern charm. Enjoy!

Restaurants

• Café du Monde – arguably the most famous place to grab a snack in the city, and a classic tourist stop. This historic cafe by the banks of the Mighty Mississippi specializes in beignets, a tasty treat of fried dough smothered in powered sugar and made slightly more elegant than a donut by its french name
• Ruby Slipper Café – a busy cafe for an excellent breakfast
• Domenica – a modern Italian restaurant for dinner and drinks. It has an amazing reputation, so you’ll probably want reservations for this one!
• Red Fish Grill – right in the heart of the French Quarter, they have all the classic N’awlins cuisine you came to the city to experience: gumbo, crawfish, alligator, jambalaya, bread pudding – you name it!
• And a few others: Winebar, Tacklebox Oyster Bar, Peche, Shaya, Saba, Herbsaint

Music

• 21st Amendment – a small, intimate bar with some amazing cocktails, this is one of the few remaining places in the French Quarter featuring that New Orleans jazz you came to see!
• Preservation Hall – a historic hall with an art gallery feel, dedicated to the preservation of insanely good jazz. A must-see.
• Frenchman street venues – Spotted Cat, Snug Harbor, The Maison – didn’t get to all of them, but all look killer!

Places

• French Quarter – Be honest. You came to New Orleans to see this specific area, and you weren’t wrong to do so. I absolutely fell in love with the colourful buildings, Spanish iron decor, colonial flags, covert voodoo shops, and the simultaneously loud and elegant vibe of these streets. Also featuring the notorious Bourbon Street (tourist central), where there’s a party going every night.
• Riverwalk – a lovely boardwalk tracing the wide banks of the famous Mississippi. So close to the French Quarter and other famous sites that you might as well pop over for a stroll and admire the sights.
• Jackson Square – a National Historic Landmark, this is where Louisiana joined the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. A cute park full of lovely statues and buildings, it is surrounded by other historic sites, and definitely worth a visit.

Activities

• WWII museum – just outside of the French Quarter near the banking district, this museum is supposed to be one of the best in the country. Only open 9-5, you should budget at least half a day for this.
• Museum of Death – embrace the voodoo-vibe and experience the unique culture of the city.
• Ghost/vampire tour – operating only at night, these walking tours take you on a jaunt through the streets to learn some of the spooky stories of the historic downtown.
• Jazz, jazz, jazz – don’t fall for that “top 40” junk playing in the most tourist-dense areas. You can hear that anywhere. Take this chance to hear the music this city does best!
• Saints Game – with the Super Dome located right beside the heart of the downtown, sports fans should check out America’s favourite pass time. Here’s the cheer you need to know: “Who dat, go Saints!”
• Wander the streets – I never got tired of the lovely old buildings and fascinating shops. Old French, Spanish, and American architecture converge to build a unique setting filled with a variety of fun cafes, cool bars, and unique, local shops in which to poke your head
• Wander the cemeteries (if you dare!) – Creole culture has unique traditions surrounding death, and this is hauntingly manifested in the massive cities of the dead – the ancient cemeteries outside the downtown. Mausoleums, dressed in faded colours, dominate here, and it’s a very strange experience walking up and down these rows of ‘houses’
• Swamp tour – my biggest regret was that I couldn’t squeeze in this one. Apparently you can ride through the swamps on a fan boat and feed marshmallows to alligators. Life achievement unlocked. Likely expensive and touristy, but badass.

Tips

• Bourbon Street, the most internet-famous section of the French Quarter, can be a little rowdy (and apparently dangerous) late at night. I’ve also been told it isn’t super cool anymore. My locals tell me that Frenchman Street is where it’s at for the moment.
• Don’t bother driving; downtown is filled with one-way streets, uneven pavement, tough parking, and tons of distracted tourist pedestrians. Save yourself the headache and don’t bother getting a car. Walk, Uber, taxi, or bus. The entire French Quarter and surrounding areas are totally walkable. In addition to the dozens of airport shuttles that will take you to any hotel, a bus from the airport is like 2 bucks.
• Stay a little outside of the French Quarter if you’d like to sleep at some point. It gets loud and stays loud. I stayed in the banking district, a 15 minute walk away, which was nice (definitely the posh portion of downtown). Would stay again.

Writing this list makes me want to book a plane ticket pronto! A beautiful, colourful, historic, and very fun city, you’ll have a blast, whether you’re into history, music, parties, or stuffing your face with fried chicken (which I recommend. They know their chicken in the south).

Ever been to the Big Easy? Tell me what you loved, and especially what you ate, in the comments below!