Hello Darling!
A few weeks ago, we headed our annual road trip to Florida to spend a week at the beach with my In-Law’s. This year, Hunter and I decided to break up the long drive by staying in New Orleans for a night on the way there and back. I had never been to NOLA before and was super excited to experience the city. We truly had the best time and to say I fell in love would be an understatement. So today, I am super excited to share our 48 hour stay in the French Quarter New Orleans Louisiana guide. From where we stayed, where we ate and what we did I am sharing it all!
48 Hour Stay In
The French Quarter New Orleans Louisiana
Where We Stayed
The Beautiful Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans
We LOVED this stunning hotel. Located right along the historic Canal street in New Orleans’ French Quarter this hotel offers the most luxurious, and historic experience. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with smiling faces, and the most amazing smell.
(FUN FACT: each Ritz- Carlton hotel has their own signature scent that is unique and special to that location. You can grab a candle to take home with you in the gift shop or spa.)
You enter in on street level and take the elevators up to the 3rd floor to check in. This floor is filled with the most beautiful floral arrangements, and sounds of jazz music. Around happy hour, you can find a gumbo cart with the most delicious gumbo served. We loved this feature, SO fun and yummy!
Right off of the lobby is their beautiful courtyard where you can enjoy a beignet or two. Also on this floor you can find The Davenport Lounge, named after their headliner jazz trumpeter Jeremy Davenport. You can catch this famous Grammy award winning trumpeter several nights a week playing at his namesake Davenport Lounge. We stopped by one night to enjoy some music and cocktails and it made my music loving heart soar! Whether you are staying at the hotel or not this Lounge is definitely a place to visit during your stay in NOLA.
Ritz- Carlton Club Lounge
We have had the pleasure of staying at several other Ritz-Carlton locations in the past however, this was our first time to experience staying in a club level room. To make this short- we fell in LOVE! Apart of the club level rooms, you receive full access to their club lounge. In the club lounge you can find continuous culinary offerings throughout the day- full breakfast bar in the morning, snacks throughout the afternoon/evening, and you can also find endless wine and cocktails to enjoy. With NOLA’s open container law, we were able to grab a to go cup of champagne on our way to explore the French Quarter. What a dream, right? 😉
One of the other perks of the club level is their gorgeous hard wood floored rooms, old french styled canopy beds, and the amazing bathrooms. We felt so spoiled staying here and truly enjoyed our time!
We recommend asking for a room with a view of the French Quarter. It was so fun waking up to the views each morning.
Favorite Things We Did In The French Quarter
Our favorite thing about the French Quarter was simply just walking around. We definitely had a list of places we wanted to check out however, we ended up spending most of the time expiring and popping into cute spots. There is so much to do in this historic area and such charm to experience.
Breakfast/Brunch
A trip to NOLA would not be complete without a stop into Cafe Du Mode for beignets and coffee. This was my first time visiting and it was super fun!
A historic spot that is a must see, definitely during your first stay in NOLA. They are known for their jazz brunch that includes a caju/ creole endless buffet and a 3 piece jazz band to enjoy and listen to. So fun!
Located right next to the beautiful St Louis Cathedral this spot is delicious! We enjoyed their brunch and bottomless mimosas while listening to their jazz brass band. || Note- if weather allows, I recommend sitting up on the wrap around patio up top. The best views!
Happy Hour/Cocktail
Located in the Hotel Monteleone, the Carousel bar is one of the oldest and most historic bars in NOLA. This rotating bar is filled with so much history and some of the greatest literary minds have found their creative spark at the Carousel Bar. Authors like Ernest Hemingway, Eudora Welty, and William Faulkner wove the Carousel into their stories. We stopped by for a drink and loved this spot. We did not get to sit at the actual rotating bar but enjoyed a drink at their lounge.
Dinner
This historic, pink filled restaurant was a dream! I received so many recommendations to come here and we are so glad we did! The food was delicious, the drinks were amazing and of course their famous Bananas Foster was DEVINE! || Fun fact- this is the birth place of the Bananas Foster and definitely something you have to get when you dine here.
This was truly such an amazing meal and by far one of our top spots during our trip to NOLA. Sylvain is located just a block off of Jackson Square and blends the line between restaurant and bar. Sylvain, set in a carriage house built in the late 1700s. They offer Southern bistro classics elevated to the style of refined cuisine. The energy was relaxing, the service as amazing, and the food was delicious! || Note- We recommend trying their burger, I promise you won’t regret it!
Places To See
St. Louis Cathedral
Jackson Square
The Mississippi River
Really my biggest recommendation for places to see, is simply to just walk around and explore. There are so many amazing things to see. From art galleries, street musicians, clothing boutiques, and so much more!
I hope you enjoy this fun guide. We truly had the best time exploring the beautiful city and can’t wait to return.
YOU ARE SO LOVED!
XOXO,Tay
Shop all of my NOLA looks via this blog post.
