In May of 2025, I visited New Orleans for the first time on a weekend trip with my parents. While New Orleans is well-known for partying on Bourbon Street, there is so much more to this city. Read ahead to find out what we got up to and of course, what I recommend!
Day 1: Arrival & Hotel Check-In
Our flight arrived in New Orleans on Thursday evening. We flew Breeze Airways direct from XNA and stayed at the Hyatt Centric in the French Quarter, which could not be more conveniently located. Since we got in late this night it was straight to bed to rest up for the next day!
Day 2: Whitney Plantation
Once we had picked up our rental car, we drove to get food at a brunch restaurant called Bearcat CBD. I had the crab scramble with potatoes and bacon and it was fantastic. The outdoor patio here is gorgeous and had enough shade to keep us cool in the humidity!
After brunch we drove about an hour to the Whitney Plantation in Edgard, Louisiana. I first heard about this location through Clint Smith’s book, How the Word is Passed. The Whitney Plantation is one of the only plantation museums that is truly dedicated to telling the story of slavery with the candor it requires.
Tickets are $25 per person and include a tour guide. The guides are extremely knowledgeable and are truly happy to answer any questions visitors might have. You are able to explore the estate and hear stories about the impact of slavery on the property as well as the impact it had across the nation.
I could not speak more highly of this tour – if you are anywhere near New Orleans and are able to pay Whitney Plantation a visit, I absolutely recommend it. Getting an Uber back to New Orleans is not extremely reliable, so the plantation recommends that you drive yourself if possible.
This night, we got dinner at Zesty Creole and took a stroll around the French Quarter. Since this is New Orleans, I had to get a shrimp poboy and I was not disappointed! We also got beginets and coffee at the iconic Cafe Du Monde to end the night.
Day 3: Jazz Fest Fun
The next day we had the BEST brunch at Willa Jean. I had a pimento cheese biscuit sandwich, and it was phenomenal. Our entire spread was great, and the atmosphere in this restaurant was superb.
After brunch, we went to Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits. It’s a gorgeous wine bar with a huge outdoor space and an indoor upstairs space. There was a jazz band performing while we were there, so we ordered some wine and enjoyed the live music!
We happened to be in New Orleans during Jazz Fest weekend, so we walked around the French Quarter after the wine bar, checked out all the fun street performers, and enjoyed the sights during the day.
This night we had dinner at GW Fins. It’s a nicer seafood restaurant that’s also very conveniently located in the French Quarter. After dinner we went out for drinks and to check out the live music scene on Frenchman’s Street. We really enjoyed Favela Chic and Blue Nile, but we heard that the Spotted Cat is also highly recommended!
Day 4: Goodbye, NOLA!
The next morning, we had brunch at the Ruby Slipper, which has several locations around town. We walked around the French Quarter one last time and stopped into the Carousel Bar to have a peek at it. After that, it was time to grab our stuff and head back to the airport.
This was my first time in New Orleans, and I definitely enjoyed myself! I think it’s the perfect weekend destination, and I would love to go back again sometime.
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