They have a motto in New Orleans: Laissez les bons temps rouler. And while it may sound more Del Boy than Tennessee Williams, this snippet of Louisiana French fits the Big Easy like a glove. There’s an alluring looseness to the city, a wholehearted embrace of life in all its beautiful sloppiness. You can see it in the flamboyant Mardi Gras parades that take over the city each year. You can taste it in the gumbo and jambalaya, one-pot dishes that let piquant flavours dance together before collapsing into a delicious heap. And you can hear it in the live music bars of Frenchmen Street and the Garden District, where exceptional jazz musicians come together to create a special kind of magic.
Bar-lined Bourbon Street in the French Quarter grabs a lot of attention and it’s very much the drunken uncle at the party: chaotic, a bit lairy, but also lots of fun. Don’t get stuck there, though. To the northwest, Tremé is full of colourful cottages and Creole food, while to the south the Garden District swells with grand mansions and elegant restaurants. And beyond the city limits lies the bayou, where Cajun culture lives on and alligators patrol the swamps.
48 hours in New Orleans — at a glance
Day one
• Morning: Vue Orleans
• Eat at: Johnny’s Po-Boys
• Afternoon: French Quarter
• Drink at: Cane and Table
• Evening: Preservation Hall
• Eat at: GW Fins
Day two
• Morning: Garden District
• Eat at: Stein’s Market and Deli
• Afternoon: Swamp tour
• Drink at: Bar Tonique
• Evening: Louis Armstrong Park
• Eat at: Dooky Chase
What to see and do
● Get the lie of the land and knockout views from the 34th-storey observation deck at Vue Orleans, from where you can watch the Mississippi River curl around the French Quarter and Algiers Point before disappearing towards the ocean. The venue also serves as a city museum, with slick interactive exhibits taking you through events that have shaped the city, such as the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (from £23; vueorleans.com).
● The focal point for tourism in the city, much of the French Quarter was actually built when the Spanish were in charge; hence the wrought-iron balconies and rear-facing courtyards. Set aside a few hours to wander the Gallic-ish grid, popping into the shops and galleries on Royal Street and pausing every ten yards to watch street musicians. Pick up souvenirs at the French Market by the river then get into the swing of things at the excellent Jazz Museum on Esplanade Avenue (£9; nolajazzmuseum.org).
● There are several 45-minute performances a day at Preservation Hall, a charmingly dilapidated, atmospheric little hall where you perch on pews or stand at the back to listen to superlative trad jazz. Tickets always sell out fast, so book ahead and arrive early to get a good spot (£20; preservationhall.com).
● You could spend the whole morning riding the stellar streetcars around the city if you so desire, but nobody will blanch if you jump off in the Garden District. This historic neighbourhood is full of beautifully preserved buildings, especially along St Charles Avenue, while there’s great shopping on Magazine Street. Take a walking tour with New Orleans Secrets if you prefer not to rely on the directions of strangers (from £30; nosecretstours.com).
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● There are plenty of companies offering swamp tours, but Dr Wagner’s eco-conscious Honey Island operation is one of the best. They will collect you from your hotel and put you with a knowledgeable guide for a two-hour small-boat tour to learn about the bayou and spot things that go snap (£50 with transfers; honeyislandswamp.com).
● At Louis Armstrong Park, named after the local bugle boy done good, stroll past the lake, pay your respects at the Satchmo statue then take a moment at Congo Square. It was here in the 18th century that enslaved Africans would gather to sing, dance, play music and effectively lay the foundations for jazz.
Where to eat and drink
Johnny’s Po-Boys
Po-boys are really just filled baguettes, but never say that to a local: just nod and agree they’re a culinary marvel. To be fair, this little hole in the wall on St Louis Street does have some cracking baps, stuffing them with fried oysters, “voodoo” shrimp, soft shell crab and alligator sausage. Get a half portion and pair it with a cup of seafood gumbo for a bayou-tiful lunch (mains from £5; @johnnyspoboys).
Cane and Table
Some claim the Big Easy is the northernmost Caribbean city, which is good enough reason to get stuck into the rum cocktails at this cool Havana-style spot on Decatur Street. The mixologists here are a cut above, so order a classic daiquiri and repair to the shady back yard, which comes into its own on a hot day (cocktails from £10; @caneandtable)
GW Fins
Avoid blowing all your money on Bourbon Street, by blowing it all here first. This is an exquisite, adventurous seafood restaurant that will single-handedly justify you packing that smart outfit. Order the lobster dumplings as you walk through the door, look at the menu, then order more lobster dumplings (mains from £22; gwfins.com).
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Stein’s Market and Deli
Stein’s on Magazine Street is the place to go for showstopper sandwiches, soups and salads. As well as classics such as corned beef on rye and prosciutto with mozzarella and pesto, this cool, casual joint also does a mean take on a city favourite, the muffaletta, piling mortadella, provolone and tapenade into chewy ciabatta (mains from £7; steinsdeli.com).
Bar Tonique
On the border of the French Quarter and Tremé, Bar Tonique is a groovy little bar that must have spent hours trying to look like it’s just got out of bed. It also serves some of the best cocktails in town at incredibly reasonable prices. If you haven’t tried a sazerac yet, this is the place to do so (cocktails from £5; bartonique.com).
Dooky Chase
Something soulful to end the day with: a neighbourhood restaurant in Tremé that once served as a meeting place for civil rights activists and has been dishing up top-drawer crawfish étouffée, fried chicken and praline bread pudding to presidents and pop stars since the Forties. Surely they’re full by now (mains from £13; dookychaserestaurants.com).
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Where to stay
Grand Victorian
A gloriously old-fashioned home
A tranquil base in the Garden District, the eight-room Grand Victorian has a gorgeous green clapboard exterior and an interior furnished with tasteful period pieces. There’s a streetcar stop right outside, allowing you easy access to the French Quarter, and the restaurants and shops of Magazine Street are ten minutes’ stroll away (B&B doubles from £120; gvbb.com).
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Hôtel Peter and Paul
A praiseworthy Marigny marvel
This collection of buildings in the boho Marigny neighbourhood used to house a church, a rectory, a convent and a school. Now they are filled with 71 sophisticated, antique-filled rooms and a very cool restaurant and bar, the Elysian. The fabulous jazz bars of Frenchmen Street are just around the corner (room-only doubles from £131; ash.world).
Hyatt Centric French Quarter
Your Bourbon Street base
You’re in the thick of it at this welcoming 254-room former department store on Iberville Street. There’s a decent gym and a pleasant courtyard pool, while the main bar and restaurant provide welcome respite from the party outside. For supreme people-watching, ask for a room with a balcony over Bourbon Street. If peace is your priority, do the opposite (B&B doubles from £160; hyatt.com).
Getting there and around
British Airways flies direct from Heathrow to New Orleans from £587 return. You don’t need a car in New Orleans, as the French Quarter is easy to walk, Ubers are plentiful and there are streetcars linking other parts of town. A Jazzy Pass, with unlimited rides on buses, streetcars and ferries costs £2 a day.
Visit responsibly
Extend your stay in Louisiana by making the 1hr 20min bus ride north to historic Baton Rouge, the state capital (£17; greyhound.com), or the 2hr 25min ride to Lafayette in the heart of Cajun Country (£21).
Mike Atkins was a guest of New Orleans (neworleans.com) and Wexas Travel (wexas.com)
