48 hours in . . . New Orleans, an insider guide to the Big Easy
Much more than Mardi Gras
New Orleans’s reputation as a party town, thanks largely to the annual celebration of Mardi Gras, looms large. Bourbon Street, plastic beads and bawdy revellers sum up many people’s image of the city. As anyone who has been here knows, though, this is only a tiny part of life here. Its historical influences are celebrated daily: this American city is also part European, part Caribbean and part African. Music, food and culture here developed like nowhere else in the United States, and gave us jazz, Cajun and Creole cuisine and publicly celebrated traditions that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. Add to this one of America’s most historic and evocative neighbourhoods in the shape of the French Quarter and a liberal attitude to living and entertaining, and you have a city that’s primed to seduce its many visitors, even when it’s not Mardi Gras season.
Eat
The cosy allure of seafood-centric restaurant Seaworthy (630 Carondalet Street; 00 1 504 930 3071) is now an option for a terrific new brunch service. Acclaimed chef Justin Koslowsky serves up twists such as a crab cake homage to eggs Benedict, shrimp-stuffed peppers and Andouille breakfast sandwiches. Saturdays and Sundays only.
The opening of the stylish new airport terminal at Louis Armstrong Airport (1, Terminal Drive; 00 1 504 464 0831) wouldn’t usually be a cause for such excitement but the food and drinks offering is a substantial improvement on the old building. Arrive early for your flight and enjoy outlets from local favourites such as Mopho, Leah Chase, cocktail bar Cure and gelateria Angelo Brocato.
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Drink
Carnaval Lounge (2227 St Claude Avenue; 00 1 504 265 8855) is a new bar on the St Claude entertainment corridor, replacing the old Siberia Lounge. It’s newly revamped, and has a mix of live Latin music, burlesque, comedy and drag, along with a new, casual Brazilian kitchen offering street food to go with your caipirinha.
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Stay
The hotel landscape has been changed by the opening of Maison de la Luz (546 Carondalet Street; 00 1 504 814 7720). A high-end boutique offering from the Ace Hotel Group, the 67-room property is set out like the grand townhouse of a world traveller, with eclectic design details and a wonderfully baroque bar with secret doorways.
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Day one
MORNING
Make an early start to take in the main halls of the National World War II Museum (945 Magazine Street; 00 1 504 528 1944), a world-class facility that portrays the enormity of the events that took place, as well as sharing touching and poignant personal stories. As you enter, be sure to book a ticket for the cinematic presentation Beyond All Boundaries, a visually splendid 4-D movie that explores America’s role in the conflict.
There are several small art galleries as you leave the museum and wander around the Warehouse District – stop in at a few, such as the Arthur Roger Gallery (432 Julia Street; 00 1 504 522 1999) and Octavia Art Gallery (454 Julia Street; 00 1 504 309 4249), as you head for lunch at Cochon (930 Tchoupitoulas Street; 00 1 504 588 2123). Chef Donald Link’s exploration of meat preparation is something to behold (there are some equally tasty vegetarian options as well). The pork cheek and andouille jamablaya really is a glorious celebration of local flavours.
AFTERNOON
Suitably fed, you can make your leisurely way back to the French Quarter, perhaps taking in a few of the antique shops on Royal Street. The most famous ones are like mini museums - check out MS Rau (630 Royal Street; 00 1 888 711 8084) or James H Cohen and Sons (437 Royal Street; 00 1 504 522 3305).
Now head to the Mississippi River to take a cruise on the Steamboat Natchez (00 1 504 586 8777). As well as feeling like you’re stepping back in time, there are some great views looking back at the city skyline and the commentary brings the city’s colourful history to life.
Back on dry land, it seems churlish not to take an early evening drink. The city’s official cocktail is the rye-whiskey based Sazerac, and what better place to try one than the Sazerac Bar (130 Roosevelt Way; 00 1 504 648 1200) at The Roosevelt hotel? It’s an elegant and civilised bar with historic murals, and a history of its own that the bartenders are happy to regale you with as they mix the bar’s signature drink.
LATE
You can even order a cocktail to go and sip it as you walk back into the heart of the French Quarter to chase down some traditional New Orleans jazz.
The best place to experience it is at Preservation Hall (726 St Peter Street; 00 1 504 522 2841), a casual venue where some of the city’s most revered jazz musicians play five shows per evening. Get there around 30 minutes before the start of the show as it’s first come, first served. You can always order another drink from a nearby bar while you wait.
The music bug is sure to get you, but refuel at Cane and Table (1113 Decatur Street; 00 1 504 581 1112), where the Cuban-inspired menu is matched by fantastic tropical cocktails. The beef empanadas and ropa vieja, along with a classic daiquiri, will set you up for a night exploring the jazz clubs of nearby Frenchmen Street.
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Day two
MORNING
Death may be a morbid subject for most, but in New Orleans, there’s a different relationship to it – see the city’s traditions of jazz funerals and second line parades. This is also reflected in its cemeteries – its landscape means that tombs must be built above ground, and so they have become elaborate monuments to the city’s history in their own right. Book a morning tour with French Quarter Phantoms (00 1 504 666 8300) of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, which dates back to 1833, and get to know its famous residents and which movies it has featured in.
Since you’re in the Garden District it makes sense to have lunch at Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Avenue; 00 1 504 899 8221), a true institution of New Orleans dining. They serve classic Creole cuisine, and the turtle soup and pecan-crusted gulf fish are talked about in hushed tones. Another great feature of their lunch menu are the 25 cent Martinis, which, yes, do cost just 25 cents (19p) at lunchtime.
AFTERNOON
You’ll probably want to walk off that lunch (and those cocktails), so head for City Park (1 Palm Drive), New Orleans’s largest green space. There’s a lush botanical garden, or if you’re feeling energetic and competitive, a mini-golf course. If you left room for dessert after lunch, you can also pick up a New Orleans sno-ball (flavoured shaved ice) at the stand between the Great Lawn and City Putt.
The other main reason to visit City Park is that it’s home to the New Orleans Museum of Art (1 Collins Diboll Circle; 00 1 504 568 4100), the city’s biggest and best art museum. The 40,000-piece collection spans American and world art from the 16th century to the present day and the building itself is a striking neo-classical design that dates back to 1911. Take in the wonderful Faberge gallery and the Native American art, before walking around the neighbouring Besthoff Sculpture Garden, which has works by George Segal and Henry Moore, among many others.
LATE
Head back downtown for the evening, forgoing the French Quarter for the fashionable Bywater neighbourhood. Try your luck at having dinner at N7 (1117 Montagut Street), a semi-secret restaurant that eschews reservations. Early diners should easily get a table, and it’s an almost cinematically rustic setting for some impressive European and Asian cuisine, such as steamed mussels in a sake broth.
If it’s too busy, a good back up is nearby Bachannal Fine Wine and Spirits (600 Poland Avenue; 001 504 948 9111), where you can also just enjoy a great bottle of wine in their charming backyard. Tapas and cheese plates are readily available, but many people just find a table, order a bottle or two and settle in for a night enjoying the jazz or modern folk music that plays nightly on their stage.
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Luxury Living
New Orleans’s ultimate Grande Dame, The Roosevelt, is a 504-room masterpiece, which first opened as the Grunewald Hotel in 1893. While the gilt, mirrors and crystal chandeliers the size of motor cars are very Gilded Age, the hotel has Art Deco elements too, most notably in the wall-sized mural, curved walnut counter and vintage light fittings of the splendid Sazerac Bar.
Double rooms from $239 (￡167). 130 Roosevelt Way; 00 1 504 648 1200
Boutique Beauty
There’s a feeling of imminent enchantment as you step through a nondescript door into Audubon Cottages. Expect to see red brick and abundant foliage competing for space around the bijoux pool. Various gates lead off this central space and into private courtyards of their own, hidden by walls and trees that elevate the promise of exclusivity even further.
Double rooms from $299 (￡229). 509 Dauphine Street; 00 1 504 586 1516
Budget Bolthole
The Inn on St. Ann is the kind of historic property that the French Quarter does best: an intimate building not drastically changed in 200 years and exuding the traditional aesthetics that this neighbourhood is absolutely marinated in. Inside, the upscale Creole Cottage feel is undeniable, with antiques and chandeliers evoking memories of a former resident, the society voodoo priestess Marie Laveau.
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Given that New Orleans and Louisiana have gastronomic traditions going back hundreds of years, it makes sense to take some of those flavours home with you. Almost every gift shop in the French Quarter will sell a variety of Cajun and Creole spices, chicory coffee and beignet mix that can go in your carry-on luggage.
Mardi Gras season generally lasts about four weeks, and the city gets busier and hotel rooms get more expensive the closer it gets to Fat Tuesday. The exact dates depend on when Easter falls that year, but it’s generally in late February or early March. In May, July and October, three large music festivals (Jazz Fest, Essence Fest and Voodoo Fest respectively) take over the city for long weekends. The summer months (June-September) are usually hot and humid, and the city is quiet, with cheap hotel rooms. Winters don’t tend to last long, and spring and autumn are very pleasant.
Essential information
Tourist board information: New Orleans and Company, 2020 St Charles Street, 001 800 672 6124, neworleans.com
Emergency fire and ambulance: 911
Emergency police: 911
Local laws and etiquette
Tipping culture: 15-20 per cent in restaurants; $1 (approx. 80p) per drink in bars
Public transport: Patchy bus services, but the streetcar lines run more efficiently (norta.com)
Taxis: United Taxis are the largest and most reliable company. Around $36 (￡28) from the airport to downtown.
Etiquette when self-driving: Regular US driving rules, you can turn right at a red traffic light provided there is no oncoming traffic and no contradictory sign.
Greetings: Handshakes, cheek kiss, hug. Regular western customs.
Any atypical laws: Drinking on the street (from plastic cups) is perfectly legal. Public urination is heavily punished.
Public displays of affection: No restrictions within reason.
LGBT+ travel: Very liberal, especially in the French Quarter where most of the gay bars are located.
General points of safety: Take taxis at night, especially into residential neighbourhoods. Keep to main streets when walking. Don’t display obvious signs that you’re a tourist (camera, Mardi Gras beads out of season, etc.)
The basics
Flight time (from UK): Nine hours
Currency: US dollar ($)
International dialling code: 001
Author bio
Paul Oswell is a travel writer and moved to New Orleans twelve years ago to save money on attending multiple festivals there every year. When he’s not planning his Mardi Gras costumes, he’s eating out around the Marigny and the Bywater or trying to find a great crawfish boil.
Telegraph Travel's best hotels, cruises, tours and holidays in New Orleans, tried, tested and recommended by our New Orleans experts.
