Planning a trip can be difficult but I love to create an itinerary with must-see attractions as well as some lesser known ones, so I feel like I experienced the entire city and surrounding area. Check out my guide to New Orleans to see my favorite attractions!
New Orleans is the perfect destination for a long weekend and so much can be seen in just 72 hours. Here is my 3-day New Orleans Itinerary.
Table of Contents
Day One
After arriving late afternoon, I checked into my accommodations in the French Quarter. I recommend staying at the Hotel St. Marie. It is a gorgeous French Quarter style building lined with wrought iron balconies and is budget friendly.
I started in the French Quarter and walked around the French Market Place ultimately making my way to Café du Monde. There service window is amazing if you don’t want to wait to be served so I ordered some tasty beignets and a coffee. From there, I walked down Decatur Street and explored Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral. A beautiful view of Jackson Square can be seen from across the way at Washington Artillery Park.
Right behind Jackson Square is my favorite restaurant in New Orleans, the Gumbo Shop. It is a quintessential Cajun and Creole restaurant. Their alligator sausage, red rice and beans, and Jambalaya are amazing!
After dinner I walked up to Bourbon Street and experienced the nightlife. Pat O’Brien’s is a must for a Hurricane while daiquiris can be found at Fat Tuesday. Bars and clubs line Bourbon Street at night so live music can be heard from anywhere.
Day Two
Today was the day I was going to drive outside of town to see the rest of Louisiana. After eating a quick breakfast, I rented a car and drove out along Great River Road to where the plantations are located in the city of Vacherie. There are many tour buses that will take you out to the plantations for the day if renting a car is not preferred. I spent half the day touring a plantation, with my favorites being Oak Alley Plantation and Laura Plantation.
After my plantation tour, I grabbed a quick drive-thru lunch and drove back toward New Orleans to visit the Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve. I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering around the Barataria Preserve which consists of multiple trails along walking paths and boardwalks. A Visitor Center and restrooms are available at the beginning of the Palmetto Trail. From there I walked the Bayou Coquille Trail to the Marsh Overlook Trail and saw alligators only a few feet away.
Back in New Orleans, I had an early dinner at El Gato Negro in the French Quarter. It’s a quaint and tasty Mexican restaurant. If Mexican food doesn’t sound good, Coop’s Place is a favorite among the locals for their Jambalaya and Deanie’s Seafood for their seafood!
After dinner, I went on a haunted night tour. I chose the Voodoo Bone Lady’s “Ultimate 5-in-1 Haunted Tour Experience”. It was a fun tour and our guide gave us amazing facts about the history of New Orleans. The tour lasted from 5pm-7pm so I still had time to continue exploring after.
Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop was right around the corner, so I popped in for a drink. This is one of the oldest bars around (since the 1700s) and is definitely a tourist attraction. Their frozen drinks are deadly so beware! Afterward, I continued down Bourbon Street to take in the music.
Day Three
I decided to sleep in and have an early lunch at Napoleon House in the French Quarter. This restaurant was amazing! The house was actually intended to be the residence of Napoleon after his exile from France, except he never made it. This restaurant has Creole staples like Muffulettas and Po’ boys and their selection of Pimm’s Cups was amazing and delicious.
After lunch, I walked down Royal Street until it changed to St. Charles Street. I paid my $2, jumped on the St. Charles Streetcar, and rode the streetcar through the Garden District. I got off at Washington Avenue and walked down to the Lafayette Cemetery. This cemetery was both eerie and beautiful. Afterward, I walked to Magazine Street which is filled with shops, restaurants and pubs. After exploring some stores, I stopped by Tracey’s, a low-key Irish pub, for a pint of beer.
I hopped on the St. Charles Streetcar and rode back to Canal Street to had dinner at the Crescent City Brewhouse. This restaurant is a typical American brew house and I enjoyed a burger with fries.
After dinner I stumbled upon this amazing speak-easy jazz bar called 21st Amendment. They had a live jazz band playing with fun prohibition style cocktails. My favorite cocktail was the Frenchy which is a take on the classic French 75 cocktail. Early the next morning, I drove to the airport to catch a plane home!
Until next time,
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