Published by Mind, Money & Adventures

New Orleans has a way of making a short trip feel surprisingly full. During our three-day visit, we experienced a little bit of everything the city is known for—fresh Gulf seafood, jazz, historic neighborhoods, colorful art, fascinating museums, and beautiful views along the Mississippi River.

Maybe it’s the sound of jazz drifting through historic streets. Maybe it’s the aroma of butter-soaked oysters fresh off the grill. Or perhaps it’s the city’s remarkable ability to preserve over 300 years of history while remaining lively, colorful, and unmistakably unique.

When we planned our trip from Texas, we weren’t looking for a packed vacation where we’d rush from one attraction to another. We wanted a slower journey—good food, beautiful views, fascinating history, and enough free time to simply enjoy being there.

If that sounds like your kind of vacation too, this itinerary is for you.

New Orleans Has a Spooky Side, Too 👻

Before we get into our itinerary, there’s something you should know about New Orleans: this city has a seriously spooky side.

Beyond the jazz clubs, colorful streets, and incredible seafood, New Orleans is famous for its haunted history, mysterious legends, historic cemeteries, ghost stories, and centuries-old buildings with tales of unexplained happenings.

The city’s unusual relationship with death is partly connected to its history and geography. Because New Orleans sits near sea level and has historically dealt with flooding and a high water table, traditional underground burials weren’t practical. Instead, many people were buried in above-ground tombs, creating the distinctive cemetery landscapes that New Orleans is famous for.

But the stories don’t stop at the cemeteries.

Walk through the French Quarter at night and you’ll find plenty of legends involving ghosts, haunted hotels, mysterious deaths, vampires, voodoo traditions, and supposedly supernatural encounters. Some stories are based on documented historical events, while others have become part of the city’s folklore after being passed down through generations.

One of the most famous figures connected to New Orleans’ darker history is Marie Laveau, the legendary Voodoo practitioner who lived in the 19th century. Her name has become deeply intertwined with New Orleans folklore, although many stories about her life have been mixed with legend over the years.

If you’re someone who loves ghost stories, paranormal history, haunted places, or anything a little creepy, you could easily add a ghost or cemetery tour to this itinerary.

We didn’t include a dedicated ghost tour in our own trip because we were focusing on food, history, art, and a more relaxing pace. But honestly, New Orleans’ spooky side makes me want to come back for a completely different kind of adventure.

So, if your ideal vacation includes a little mystery, history, and goosebumps, don’t overlook this side of New Orleans.

After all, in a city this old, every beautiful building seems to have a story—and some of those stories are a little darker than others. 👻

Before We Even Arrived…

Our adventure began with a short 1½-hour American Airlines flight from Texas to New Orleans. Although our flight was delayed by about 35 minutes, we had intentionally arrived at the airport 2½ hours early, giving us plenty of time to relax at the Capital One Lounge.

I have visited several airport lounges over the years, but this one continues to impress me. Instead of large buffet trays, many hot dishes are individually plated, keeping everything fresh and organized. The standout dish was the barbecue beef brisket with potatoes—it was honestly one of the best meals I’ve ever had in an airport lounge.

Another feature we appreciated was the selection of grab-and-go snacks and beverages that we could bring onto the plane. Small details like this make traveling much more enjoyable.

Since our flight was delayed, I even spent 20 minutes in the relaxation room. Combined with the lounge’s shower facilities, nursing room, and multi-faith room, it transformed an inconvenient delay into a surprisingly peaceful start to our vacation.

After landing at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, however, we encountered our first challenge. Finding ground transportation wasn’t as straightforward as we expected because the signage wasn’t particularly clear. We later learned that public buses into downtown are convenient and affordable, but we missed them entirely and ended up taking an Uber after spending several minutes searching for the pickup area.

Travel Tip: If you’re visiting New Orleans for the first time, research your transportation options before arriving. It will save both time and money.

Our Hotel: Hilton New Orleans Riverside

We stayed at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside because of its excellent location along the Mississippi River.

Unfortunately, our check-in experience wasn’t ideal.

When we booked the hotel, breakfast appeared to be included in our reservation. Upon arrival, we were told it had been an advertising mistake. Instead of offering a satisfactory solution, we were encouraged several times to upgrade our room for an additional $35 per person per day to receive breakfast.

While mistakes happen, I believe customer service is measured by how those mistakes are handled. I hope the hotel reviews this issue to avoid disappointing future guests.

Thankfully, the location quickly made up for our rough first impression. The hotel sits within walking distance of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Riverwalk Outlet, the Mississippi River, and many excellent restaurants.

Our first dinner at Drago’s Seafood Restaurant immediately reminded us why New Orleans is famous for seafood. Their legendary charbroiled oysters, first created here in 1993, were buttery, smoky, and absolutely unforgettable. Paired with a comforting bowl of crawfish étouffée, it was the perfect introduction to Louisiana cuisine.

Day 1 – Art, History & A Sunset on the Mississippi

Breakfast at Ruby Slipper

Our first full day began at Ruby Slipper, one of Louisiana’s most beloved brunch restaurants.

Interestingly, Ruby Slipper was born after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. What started as a neighborhood café serving locals recovering from one of the city’s darkest chapters eventually became one of New Orleans’ most popular breakfast destinations.

I ordered the Gulf Shrimp Omelet with creamy Southern grits.

The shrimp tasted incredibly fresh, the eggs were perfectly fluffy, and the buttery grits were rich without feeling too heavy. It was an excellent reminder that seafood isn’t just reserved for lunch and dinner in New Orleans.

⭐ My Rating: 9/10

JAMNOLA – New Orleans Through Art

Our next stop was JAMNOLA, short for Joy, Art & Music – New Orleans.

Unlike traditional museums, JAMNOLA celebrates the city’s culture through immersive art installations created by local artists. Every room highlights something uniquely New Orleans—from jazz and Mardi Gras to local cuisine and neighborhood traditions.

Although the attraction isn’t very large, we spent about an hour exploring every room and taking photos.

If you’re looking for colorful Instagram photos or traveling with children, this attraction is well worth adding to your itinerary.

⭐ Time Needed: 1 hour

⭐ Photography Score: 10/10

Café du Monde – A Tradition Since 1862

No first visit to New Orleans is complete without stopping at Café du Monde.

Established in 1862, this legendary open-air café has served generations of locals and visitors through wars, economic changes, hurricanes, and countless Mardi Gras celebrations.

Their menu remains beautifully simple but you have to pay cash for your orders at French Quarter location.

Beignets.

Coffee.

That’s it.

We ordered the classic trio of warm beignets alongside a café au lait.

Watching powdered sugar fly everywhere while people laughed and took photos almost felt like a New Orleans tradition in itself.

One small downside during our visit was the restroom, which unfortunately wasn’t very clean and had an unpleasant smell. Fortunately, the food itself more than made up for it.

⭐ Worth Visiting? Absolutely.

Napoleon House – A Restaurant with Royal History

Only a short walk away sits one of the city’s most fascinating buildings.

Napoleon House was originally intended to become the residence of Napoleon Bonaparte after his exile from the island of St. Helena. Although Napoleon died before ever arriving in New Orleans, the historic building remained and eventually became one of the city’s most iconic restaurants.

The atmosphere alone makes it worth visiting.

We ordered the famous Muffuletta and Creole Jambalaya.

Both dishes exceeded our expectations.

The Muffuletta was generously layered with meats, cheese, and olive salad, while the jambalaya was rich, smoky, and packed with authentic Creole flavors.

Sometimes historic restaurants survive because of their history.

Napoleon House survives because both its history and food are exceptional.

⭐ Food Rating: 9.5/10

Our Grocery Tradition

This may sound unusual…

Every time we travel, we stop at a local grocery store. This trip we stopped at French Quarter to buy fresh fruit.

After enjoying restaurant meals all day, having apples, berries, oranges, or grapes in our hotel room helps us stay energized and balanced.

It’s one of those little travel habits we’ve developed over the years, and we never skip it.

Healthy travel doesn’t mean avoiding good food—it simply means finding balance.

Riverwalk Outlet

The Riverwalk Outlet Collection sits along the Mississippi River near the historic port that helped New Orleans become one of America’s busiest trading cities during the 1800s.

Today, the warehouses have transformed into shopping, restaurants, and entertainment.

We chose to have an early dinner at the food court.

Honestly…

The Chinese food wasn’t particularly memorable.

However, our Pomegranate Raspberry Smoothie from Häagen-Dazs completely stole the show. It tasted like fresh fruit instead of sugary syrup and was exactly what we needed on a warm Louisiana afternoon.

Sometimes dessert wins.

Steamboat NATCHEZ Sunset Cruise

This ended up being one of my favorite experiences in New Orleans.

Before airplanes and highways connected America, the Mississippi River served as the country’s most important transportation route.

Steamboats carried cotton, sugar, passengers, and supplies between cities, making New Orleans one of the wealthiest ports in North America.

Today, the Steamboat NATCHEZ keeps that legacy alive as one of the few authentic steam-powered paddlewheel boats still operating on the Mississippi.

Boarding began at 6:00 PM, giving us time to listen to live jazz before the boat departed around 7:00 PM.

The band performed classic New Orleans jazz while the city skyline slowly disappeared behind us.

Many visitors choose the dinner cruise, but it costs almost twice as much. Personally, I think the sightseeing sunset cruise offers the better value because you experience both golden hour and the city’s sparkling lights on the return journey.

One unexpected highlight was visiting the working steam engine room, boiler room where the massive engines continue powering the historic vessel.

Naturally…

We ordered another bowl of crawfish étouffée onboard.

While enjoyable, it simply couldn’t compare to the freshness we’d found at local restaurants.

⭐ Overall Experience: 8/10

Day 2 – Discovering the Soul of New Orleans

Mother’s Restaurant

Founded in 1938, Mother’s Restaurant has become one of New Orleans’ classic comfort-food institutions.

Although it’s famous for baked ham and debris po’boys, we couldn’t resist ordering another seafood favorite.

Shrimp Po’boys.

The bread was crisp, the shrimp were wonderfully fresh, and by now we had completely accepted that New Orleans simply doesn’t disappoint when it comes to seafood.

National WWII Museum

If someone asked me to recommend only one museum in New Orleans…

This would be it.

Many visitors wonder why America’s National WWII Museum is located here instead of Washington D.C.

The answer lies with Andrew Higgins, whose New Orleans company built the famous Higgins Boats that transported Allied soldiers during the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower later stated that Higgins “won the war for us.”

Today, the museum consistently ranks among the best museums in the United States.

It spans three large buildings filled with immersive exhibits, aircraft, tanks, personal stories, films, and interactive displays.

What impressed us most wasn’t just the collection—it was how well organized everything was. Staff members were everywhere, happy to answer questions and guide visitors through the exhibits.

Even after several hours, we still hadn’t seen everything.

If you love history, this attraction deserves half a day.

⭐ Must Visit: Absolutely.

Lunch at The American Sector

Located inside the museum, The American Sector was a convenient lunch stop.

We ordered the Victory Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken and the Classic American Burger.

Both meals were fresh, satisfying, and perfect before continuing another few hours of museum exploration.

Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes

When people think of New Orleans, Mardi Gras usually comes to mind first.

The celebration dates back to the early 1700s, making it one of the oldest continuously celebrated festivals in North America.

The Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes provides an excellent introduction to this famous tradition.

Although the museum itself isn’t large—you can easily finish within an hour—the opportunity to try on elaborate costumes made it much more interactive than we expected.

We had so much fun taking photos dressed in colorful Mardi Gras outfits.

Important: Weekday operating hours are limited, so check before visiting.

Relaxing at the Hotel

Instead of rushing from attraction to attraction, we spent part of the afternoon simply relaxing in our room overlooking the Mississippi River.

Vacations don’t always need to be busy.

Sometimes the best memories come from slowing down.

Pêche Seafood Grill: A Michelin-Recommended Seafood Stop

For dinner, we headed to Pêche Seafood Grill, one of New Orleans’ most acclaimed seafood restaurants. Pêche was included in the 2025 MICHELIN Guide’s New Orleans selection as a Recommended restaurant, although it did not receive a Michelin Star.

The restaurant has an impressive culinary history of its own. In 2014, Pêche won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America, while chef Ryan Prewitt was named Best Chef: South.

We arrived early because reservations around 7:00–9:00 PM were already fully booked. Luckily, we were able to find seats at the bar.

We ordered the Whole Grilled Fish (Sustainable Gulf Catch) and catfish. The seafood was fresh and beautifully prepared, and the restaurant’s focus on Gulf seafood really came through.

Our verdict: If you’re a seafood lover visiting New Orleans, Pêche is definitely worth considering—but make a reservation ahead of time.

⭐ Food Rating: 9.5/10

Ending the Night at Cochon

Still craving oysters…

We walked over to Cochon, another restaurant by Chef Donald Link.

Cochon celebrates authentic Cajun cooking inspired by Southern Louisiana family recipes.

We ordered grilled butter oysters and gumbo.

Once again, New Orleans delivered.

At this point, we joked that we’d probably eaten enough oysters to last until our next vacation.

Day 3 – A Relaxing Goodbye

One Last Stop at Café du Monde

Before leaving the city, we returned to Café du Monde but in Riverwalk Outlet location instead of French Quarter. This location does not require you to pay cash.

Some places deserve a second visit.

This was one of them.

Riding the Historic St. Charles Streetcar

Operating since 1835, the St. Charles Streetcar is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world.

The ride itself is inexpensive, and purchasing tickets through the Le Pass app made everything easy.

As the streetcar rolled beneath centuries-old oak trees and past elegant mansions in the Garden District, we could imagine what New Orleans looked like generations ago.

There’s no air conditioning onboard, so summer rides can become warm.

Personally, I think autumn would be the perfect season to experience this scenic route.

Lunch at Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar

Before heading to the airport, we stopped at Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar, another popular local favorite.

I ordered one last bowl of Shrimp Étouffée & Grits.

By now, it had become my favorite Louisiana comfort food.

Rich.

Creamy.

Perfectly seasoned.

And filled with fresh Gulf shrimp.

Exactly how a farewell lunch should be.

Heading Home

Unfortunately, American Airlines delayed our return flight to Texas by another two and a half hours.

This time we used our Priority Pass to access The Club Lounge at Louis Armstrong Airport.

Compared to the Capital One Lounge, it felt fairly basic. The food selection was limited, the amenities weren’t as extensive, and the lounge itself was relatively small.

It was still a comfortable place to wait, but I wouldn’t recommend arriving early just to spend extra time there.

Is New Orleans Worth Visiting?

Without hesitation…

Yes.

New Orleans offers far more than Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras.

It’s a city where French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and American cultures blend together to create something unlike anywhere else in the United States.

Whether you’re sailing along the Mississippi River on a historic steamboat, riding the world’s oldest operating streetcar, exploring one of America’s best museums, or enjoying oysters that were harvested just hours earlier, every experience tells a piece of New Orleans’ remarkable story.

Would I return?

Absolutely.

There are still countless jazz clubs to discover, neighborhoods to explore, and seafood restaurants waiting to be tasted.

One thing we noticed during our trip was how unpredictable the weather in Louisiana can be. Even in the middle of a hot summer afternoon, a sudden rain shower can roll in out of nowhere. So, if you’re visiting New Orleans during the summer, it’s a good idea to keep an umbrella or light rain jacket handy—you might go from sunshine and heat to rain in a matter of minutes!

If you’re planning your first visit, I hope this relaxing three-day itinerary helps you experience New Orleans beyond the tourist crowds—and perhaps inspires you to slow down, savor every meal, and let the city’s history unfold one street at a time.

My Overall Ratings

Experience	Rating
Food	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10)
History & Culture	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10)
Walkability	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (8.5/10)
Attractions	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9/10)
Family Friendly	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9/10)
Value for Money	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9/10)

Would I recommend New Orleans to first-time visitors? Without a doubt. Come for the history, stay for the jazz, and leave with a newfound appreciation for some of the freshest seafood in the United States.

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