New Orleans Travel Guide
I wanted to go somewhere fun and haunted for Halloween, so my cousin and I decided to go to New Orleans! I have always wanted to visit because of the amazing food, architecture, music, and endless haunted locations. We didn't plan a lot for this trip, but ended up fitting in so much! Halloween was such a blast here because everyone got super into it and dressed up. We ended up spending Halloween night on Bourbon street which sounds just as crazy as you can imagine, but it was so fun! We crossed Bourbon street off of our list and definitely wanted to see the rest of New Orleans.
Where I Stayed
Maison Dupuy- My cousin and I found an amazing deal on Gilt Travel for the Maison Dupuy hotel. We decided to book this hotel because it was centrally located in the French Quarter, but not too close to Bourbon street or the craziness. It is also "supposedly" haunted which is always a plus for us. I cannot say enough amazing things about this place! The hotel has a beautiful courtyard and pool, as well as a restaurant and bar. I highly recommend upgrading to a room with a balcony!
What I Did
Ghost & Vampire Tour- My cousin and I knew we wanted to do a ghost tour of the french quarter, so we booked that ahead of time with French Quarter Phantoms. Our guide was very knowledgeable and HILARIOUS. We met the tour at The Voodoo Lounge and grabbed our BOGO Hurricane drinks that you get when you show your ticket. It was a great mix of history, spooks and jokes!
Cemetery Tour- We wanted to see St. Louis Cemetery #1 because it is claimed to be the oldest cemetery in the city. We booked a tour through French Quarter Phantoms again and were not disappointed. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and funny! At this cemetery you'll be able to see where the famous Marie Laveau rests, as well as a plot Nicholas Cage has bought for himself.
Swamp Tour- The last tour we went on was a swamp tour right outside of Slidell. We booked through our concierge and ended up going with Cajun Encounters. A bus picked us up at our hotel and we were driven to Honey Island Swamp. We went out on the swamp in a boat that holds about 20 people and we saw alligators, pigs, raccoons and more! I highly recommend all of the tours we went on!
The Garden District- I knew I wanted to get out of the French Quarter and explore more neighborhoods of New Orleans. The Garden District was high on my list because I had heard of the beautiful plantation houses, and I wanted to see the American Horror Story Coven house. We took an uber and were dropped off at the Buckner Mansion which is the AHS Coven house in the show. The mansion was even more beautiful in person! We ended up just walking the streets in this neighborhood and instantly fell in love with all of the houses. We also stopped by the Lafayette Cemetery which was fascinating and beautiful.
The Pharmacy Museum- I love going to museums and definitely wanted to visit some while I was in New Orleans. The Pharmacy Museum was a must on my list! This museum is not for the squeamish since it shows real medical equipment used back in the day. I enjoyed this museum a lot, and think it's worth the $5 to enter. The museum offers free tours at certain times which I did not do, but I still learned a lot just walking around by myself.
The Voodoo Museum- The Voodoo Museum was very enjoyable, but a lot smaller than I thought it would be. It costs $7 to enter and they have a tiny gift shop with candles and voodoo dolls. Even though it's small, I ended up learning a lot about voodoo at this museum!
What I Ate
Most of my trip involved eating and drinking which is always a successful trip in my opinion! We ate at so many fabulous restaurants, so I will share some of my favorites as well as some of my favorite bars!
Restaurants:
1. Vacherie- I loved the happy hour.
2. Horns- A lot of vegetarian and vegan options.
3. Auction House Market- A bunch of different food options and it's so pretty in there!
4. Boucherie- Really good food and drinks.
5. Faubourg Bistro- Great place for food after a night of drinking.
Bars:
1. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar- The oldest bar in Louisiana!
2. Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro- This place serves food as well, but I only tried their drinks late at night. I love the ambience here!
3. MRB- Stopped during a ghost tour because it's haunted! Yummy Hurricanes!
4. Effervescence- The BEST champagne bar!
Overall I had an amazing trip to New Orleans and would love to visit again. I loved walking around the streets and constantly hearing jazz music! If you have ever been, leave a comment down below of something you loved about New Orleans!