Right in the middle of the French Quarter, the historic Dauphine Orleans Hotel welcomes its visitors in a warm and familiar atmosphere. As soon as guests check in, they get a drink ticket for the hotel’s bar, May Bailey. It’s classy and elegant, but the bar was once a bordello, part of the red light district. With easy access to the French Quarter and close to local adventures, this is the perfect stay in New Orleans.
The French and Creole flavor fusion at the Broussard’s will make your taste buds beg for more. Located in the French Quarter, the beautiful and historic building opens its doors to foodies eager to taste executive chef’s Guy Reinbolt File Gumbo Broussard or Gulf Shrimp Jean Lafitte.
Ever since the 1960s, jazz has been one of New Orleans’ trademarks. It doesn’t take a connoisseur to appreciate good jazz. One of the most intimate places where both tourists and locals enjoy acoustic jazz concerts is Preservation Hall. Others prefer to listen to some of the city’s best musicians at the Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz House in the Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans.
Tourists who want to get a feel for celebrity life can upgrade their bus tickets and take a detour to the Garden District to admire Sandra Bullock’s or Archie Manning’s homes. If you want to end the tour on a high note, drink a toast to the city with a glass of martini at the Commanders Palace. For a good table, reservations are recommended.
To get the inside scoop on how parade floats are created, visit Mardi Gras World. The tour offers a unique and authentic experience all year round. Ever since 1947, Blaine Kern Studios is the place where parade floats are built for parades all over the world.
After a busy day strolling the streets of New Orleans, find ultimate relaxation at the Carousel Bar & Lounge. There’s nothing like some soft, soulful jazz music and a raspberry truffeltini enjoyed in one of the 25 seats on a colorful carousel.
Early birds can catch the 9:30 a.m. swamp tour and enjoy the morning aboard an airboat while zipping through Louisiana swampland. There’s nothing like the view of an alligator to get you started in the morning. The airboat returns to land around 1:30 p.m., leaving visitors plenty of time to enjoy the city buzz.
Visitors looking for souvenirs recommend stopping by Laura’s Candies. The city’s oldest candy store is full of locally made sweets such as Creole pralines.
For a complete New Orleans experience, locals and tourists like Café Du Monde. The place is famous for its sugar-coated beignets. During peak hours, the place is full, but it’s definitely worth the wait. For $5 you can enjoy sipping from a cup of tasty coffee while indulging freely in the basket of beignets.
Get your blood pumping at City Park, a 60-acre forest with plenty of outdoor space for a walk or a jog in one of the country’s oldest urban parks. There’s also a carousel, sculpture park and botanical garden for visitors to enjoy. Some of the world’s largest and oldest live oaks can be found here — one of them approaching 800 years old.
