Well howdy again y’all! I wanted to share some tips and info on New Orleans since we just were there! I just love finding good pictures spots and places to eat! And all things travel!
I’m also always concerned with safety and the experience! And when asked about if New Orleans is family friendly I think it can be but also I think it’s important parents are aware of what is present there. Now I don’t claim to be an expert in New Orleans. I’ve only been twice! So I’ll share based on experience and research I’ve done.
We stayed at Hilton New Orleans Riverside. I thought that area and location was perfect. Felt safe and family friendly for New Orleans. There is no free breakfast but they do have places to eat in the hotel, and they do have a paid fitness center. The two pools, location, and view were great though! You can get a city view or river view. We loved how it was attached to the Outlet Mall on the riverwalk. It has a Cafe Du Monde with the beignets just as good as the original place in French quarter! We loved that shopping mall too!
(Pictured: Riverside Hilton Pool, view from our room, and nearby Cafe Du Monde Beignets)
We were walking distance to French Quarter as well which was so nice since parking seems to all be paid in that area. But also note that most the hotels I researched near this area you pay for parking at the hotel anyway. It was an easy walk though to and from, and felt safe. Lots of sight seeing with the gorgeous historic streets and trolley cars.
French quarter is also beautiful truly and so historic. We prepared ourselves by watching Disney’s Princess and the Frog and loved seeing it in person with grandma and uncle Sean. We loved relaxing at and letting JJ run at Jackson square and that was pretty clean and taken care of. A great photo spot there in front with the carriages.
The only thing I want to say is just like any big city, it can be dirty. But aside from that due to Mardi Gras and parties, the streets are flooded with what happens when hundreds if not thousands of people drink and get wild. So you can imagine that sometimes they don’t smell the best. Not trying to offend anyone but just speaking the truth. Also, one street I would NOT recommend as a family is Bourbon street. It’s a famous street and historic. Music, shops, restaurants, etc. Like many other streets in French quarter so your not missing anything. But after our experience there and doing research after we did come across many people on drugs or with severe mental health issues that were impacting how they carried themselves. And a disturbing scene I would not want a child to see and it was like 11 a.m. so that’s why I do not recommend that for families and share this experience so that others don’t have to. But of course do what you feel but be cautious. I wish I would have done more research before we went on that street so that was also my fault too.
Regardless, I loved seeing the French Quarter. There’s so many other beautiful streets, buildings, restaurants, and shops. We tried Cafe Du Monde the first day for breakfast and their beignets are so delicious. (Tip- there are two lines, one street side and one on the other side of the restaurant where the line is shorter often) this place gets packed! They only took cash at the French Market location just so you know.
We also ate at another highly recommended and popular location “The Court of Two Sisters.” They are open breakfast through lunch and are a buffet with live jazz music. We loved their food! They have some authentic Louisiana cooking! Definitely recommend to make a reservation and also look into reservations for any other restaurant your wanting to go just in case.
Some other restaurants I was recommended and need to go back to try in New Orleans:
The LaBranche House
Creole House Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Domenica (recommended by a friend)
Loretta's Authentic Pralines (an Instagram friend @cueponilife recommend her beignets)
Galliano Restaurant
Some other places to sight see:
Shops of the Colonnade
Lalaurie Mansion
St Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square
St Charles Avenue (we loved seeing the beautiful historic homes)
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Preservation Hall
The National WWII Museum
The Cabildo
St Peter and Royal Street for a picture
New Orleans is also known for Voodoo, ghost tours, and their unique cemeteries. So there are tours and sightseeing if interested in that. They also have a hop on and off bus! As well as river boat rides, gator adventures, and tours to see the plantations. We actually did see the Haumas house (plantation) one day. It was so beautiful and historic. The grounds are so well kept and the tour was wonderful. I can definitely do another blog post on that. I truly love history.
I love how historic New Orleans is. And there is so much more we could have done but we only had a few days. I hope to in the future! Let me know if you have any other recommendations!
Anyways, like always I’m happy to share any tips or info that I know. Happy to hear recommendations. I’m always a message away! Hope you have a great visit if you do go or can save this for a future visit!
Cheers and Love,
Victoria (Tori)
Great info!! Thanks for sharing 💕