When we found out my husband’s national convention was going to be in New Orleans we were excited— a perfect place for us to get away. The universe sometimes has plans for us and New Orleans became an awesome place for all three of us to adventure. Thanks to some great insights from friends in the Big Easy, we made our trip family friendly.
Getting Around
The first thing I wanted to wrap my head around was how to get around New Orleans. We could always drive, but the parking lots were pricey, and I’m not a great parallel parker.
New Orleans Streetcars – An easy way to get around New Orleans, the streetcar was a great recommendation. With four main lines, you can get to almost all of your destinations, sometimes involving a little bit of a walk. If you pick up a Visitor’s Guide, they feature day excursions based on what neighborhood you want to explore. The app was great because I could pay for our all-day passes and keep an eye on the route so I would know when our stop was coming up.
Mom Tip: Always pull the cord, even if you can see people waiting to get on at your stop.
Algiers Point Ferry – Another transportation first for us was a ferry ride. Using the same app we used for the streetcar, we got tickets to take us to Algiers Point for a delicious pizza dinner at Nighthawk Napoletana.
Mom Tip: if you don’t want to look like a tourist, sit inside on the lower level. Never fear, the cityscape is just as impressive from there.
Breakfast
Molly’s Rise and Shine – No need to bring entertainment for the kiddos, we played eye-spy the whole time we were here. The walls are covered with toys and decor from generations past, including my own childhood. I second-guessed ordering the breakfast sandwich with banana peppers, but I look forward to having it again!
Cafe du Monde – If you don’t go here for beignets, have you even been to New Orleans? Tables are first come first serve. We went early in the morning to beat the crowd. The frozen cafe au lait is perfect for a hot day. After you have your fill of pillows of joy, take a stroll through Jackson Square and the French Quarter. We searched out the buildings used for the exterior shots of NCIS: New Orleans, featuring St. Louis’ own Scott Bakula.
The Sites
Mardi Gras World – I will go out on a limb and say this was our kid’s favorite thing to do. Every few steps revealed some new cartoon character, music icon, or animal crafted perfectly for a parade float. We also got to see where the floats are crafted and learned about the process. It was so interesting.
Mom Tip: Give your kiddo a camera. They can capture shots of all of their favorites. Take backup pics behind them in the rare instance that the SD card goes missing.
The National WWII Museum – This museum is impressive and immersive. My words won’t do it justice. Due to travel fatigue, we didn’t experience as much as we would’ve liked. The US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center with its four levels of catwalks to see the planes from above was the highlight for me. Josh overcame his fear of heights to enjoy it with me. It is pricey, but if you can spend a few hours there, totally worth it.
Mom Tip: Go early in the day to increase your chances of seeing more before everyone gets tired.
Louisiana Children’s Museum – This museum was a perfect place to spend a morning to get some energy out. The outdoor playspace had Josh running laps – and I even raced him on the stepping stone water feature. Acorn Cafe offers healthy and delicious food options.
Mom Tip: The New Orleans Museum of Art’s Sculpture Garden is across the street if you want to explore more.
Audobon Nature Institute – The Insectarium portion of this museum was well done and we learned a lot about bugs. For us, the rest of the experiences, the butterfly room, and the aquarium didn’t compare to the great offerings we have here in St. Louis.
For the Bookworm
Garden District Bookshop – It’s not a trip until we find an independent bookstore. The Garden District Bookshop has all of the local authors and books about New Orleans you would need. There’s also an entire bookshelf of Anne Rice books, a few even signed. Make sure to pet their beautiful silver lab as you peruse the shelves. Speaking of Anne Rice, take a detour to check out some of the houses she owned in New Orleans, not far from the bookshop.
The Eats
New Orleans is so full of amazing food options, that it was hard to narrow down where to eat! Our list of places to hit next time is longer than when we arrived. So here are our top four.
Brennan’s – My husband makes a mean Bananas Foster, so we wanted to compare it to the original and it did not disappoint. What also didn’t disappoint, this is probably the nicest restaurant we’ve taken Josh to and he was not out of place. I don’t think I have ever witnessed a cleaner plate, there was little to no trace of the white pasta by the time he was done. If I’m honest, we all won clean plate awards that night.
Couchon Butcher – Close to the convention center, this was a perfect lunch stop. I went with the duck pastrami sliders, and Josh had the Key Lime Pie for dessert. There was a full butcher shop if you wanted to take anything home.
Taqueria La Lucha – We spotted this restaurant from Couchon Butcher and didn’t think we would have time for a full dinner before our adventure at Mardi Gras World so we made it a dinner stop. The mushroom taco was probably one of the best I have ever had, and you can never go wrong with a margarita. Cheese quesadilla was the selection for Josh.
Dat Dog – This restaurant was highly recommended as a place to eat with kids. Josh didn’t go with a kid’s version of a hot dog, but no one left disappointed. Plus, the atmosphere inside was a lot of fun.
Things for next time include either a haunted history or cemetery tour, a swamp excursion, and so much more food. The Visitor’s Guide was instrumental in our successful trip. You can order one in advance or pick one up when you arrive.
Mom Tip: Turn your visit to New Orleans into a road trip and make Vicksburg, Mississippi a detour. Vicksburg has history (Vicksburg National Military Park and Old Courthouse Museum), shopping (Lorelei Books) and even more great food (Bohemia Cafe and Bakery, Key City Brewery, and Walnut Hills).
Laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!
