ITS JUST A BUNCH OF HOCUS POCUS

📍 New Orleans, Louisiana | ✈️ 3 Days, 2 Nights | 🗓️ January | 💃 spooky weekend away

DAY ONE

I got some pretty great news at work—I was promoted to Senior, received a pay raise, and a nice bonus! Obviously, that called for a celebration, and we decided there was no better excuse for a weekend getaway. And honestly... what better place to celebrate and party than New Orleans?! 🍹⚜️🎉

Although New Orleans is an easy 5–6 hour road trip from Houston, I hate being in the car. So, despite being totally drivable, we decided to fly for this trip, tehehe. We left Houston after work on Friday and caught a 5:30 PM flight out of Hobby Airport. Just 45 minutes later, we had landed in New Orleans, and by 7:45 PM, we were already in an Uber heading into the French Quarter.

Of course, this trip was in January, so with our luck, it happened to be the one weekend of the year when the South decided to experience freezing temperatures. Because of the freezing weather, our original hotel's heating system apparently froze and stopped working. I'm still not entirely sure how that happened... but hey, things happen! Fortunately, the hotel moved us to their sister property right down the street, so we weren't too upset about it. The new hotel had the coolest spooky vibe. It was historic and definitely a little haunted—which, let's be honest, is pretty much part of the New Orleans experience. 👻

First up was some street-corner pizza—because honestly, it doesn't matter where you get it as long as you're eating it on a street corner on Bourbon Street. From there, we bounced around some fun little bars that we honestly don't even remember the names of. We drank, listened to live music, and had the perfect first night celebrating in New Orleans!

Hotel: Lamothe House | Boutique Hotels NOLA | French Quarter Guest Houses

DAY TWO

The BUSY day…

Every time I go to New Orleans, breakfast at Ruby Slipper is a MUST! There are multiple locations, but this time we went to the one on Canal Street. I got the Bayou Shrimp Bennie and a mimosa (obvi), while Nick went with the biscuits and gravy!

From there, we had to go pay our respects to the dead. 😂 We did the St. Louis Cemetery Walking Tour, which I do every time I visit NOLA. I swear I learn something new every single time! At $29 per person, I definitely think it's worth it. They also offer a nighttime tour, which is officially on my list for next time because... spooky vibes. 👻

Next was something I've wanted to do FOREVER: the Carousel Bar! And yes, it's an actual carousel that spins while you drink. It's inside the Hotel Monteleone, and if you're not staying there, I recommend getting there early if you want a seat. We arrived at 10:45 AM and still didn't get two seats when they opened at 11! Thankfully we snagged one seat for cute pics. We stayed for about an hour, and let me tell you... walking out after spinning in circles for an hour while drinking is definitely a little trippy. Tehehe.

We needed food STAT, so we walked over to one of my favorite restaurants, Sun Chong! It’s an Asian-Cajun fusion restaurant. Definitely one of my NOLA favorites! TIP: Get the gumbo dumplings and chicken wings. The first time we went a few years ago, our bartender told us that when Taylor Swift is in town, she’ll rent out the entire restaurant! So if it’s Taylor Swift approved, it MUST be good. 😉 With our bellies full, we headed over to Pat O’Brien’s for an original Hurricane. When in New Orleans, right?! Fun fact: If you stay until dusk, they choose someone from the crowd to light the water fountain (pictured below behind us kissing) on fire!

Last but not least, we did a VIP Jazz Tour—my third time doing this exact tour because I love it so much! We met our host at Dragon’s Den for a free drink while learning a little New Orleans history. From there, we visited 3–4 different bars with live jazz music. Since it’s a VIP tour, they have sections reserved for the group, and select drinks are included. It’s such a great way to experience the best live jazz in New Orleans while being accompanied by a local who knows the city and shares fun history along the way.

Brunch: Brunch Locations - Ruby Slipper & Ruby Sunshine

Tour: The Official St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 To ur | New Orleans Cemetery

Carousel Bar: Experiences | Hotel Monteleone

Lunch: Sun Chong

Best Hurricane ever: New Orleans Bars – Pat O'Brien's

Jazz Tour: Frenchmen Street VIP Live Music Pub Crawl · ★4.93

DAY THREE

We were heading home today, but not before squeezing in a little more fun! Our hotel let us keep our bags behind the desk since we didn’t have to leave until around 5 PM, which gave us plenty of time to explore.

Of course, we had to start the day with coffee and beignets at Café Du Monde! ☕️ From there, we explored the Garden District. We rode the streetcar, which was so much fun—you just tap your phone and pay through the Le Pass app!

For lunch, we went to Turkey and the Wolf for a homemade sandwich from your childhood (my second time there), and it was delicious and just as cute as always. Get the bologna sammie, you won’t regret it…. We spent the afternoon checking out the beautiful mansions, including Lafayette Cemetery, and walking around the Garden District for a few hours before taking the streetcar back to the hotel, grabbing our bags, and heading to the airport.

As always, we had the best time in New Orleans! Until next time, NOLA! ⚜️❤️

Beignets: Find a Location • Cafe Du Monde New Orleans

Lunch: Turkey and The Wolf – turkeyandthew olf

Garden District: Top 10 Garden District Highlights in New Orleans