New Orleans: Le Bon Temps Roule

• Frenchman Art Market
  Support local artists by shopping for souvenirs at the Frenchman Art Market. From handmade jewelry to original art prints, you can find almost anything at this hidden gem.

• Walk down Bourbon Street and have a Daiquiri or a Hurricane.
  Walk down Bourbon in the early evening and you’ll feel the street come to life. While I don’t feel you need to spend a ton of time on Bourbon itself, it is worth a peruse for the experience and the people watching. This particular corner is at Bourbon x Bienville Streets. Pro tip: If a girl comes up to you and offers you a free drink, don’t take it. It’s a trap! However if you get yourself a New Orleans classic Hurricane, you can take it on the go because open container laws are not a thing on Bourbon.

• Ride the street car
  A great way to see the city if you’re not on a strict timeline! You can pay the $1.25 fare in cash or by downloading the New Orleans RTA app.

• Spotted Car Music Club
  Frenchman Street is where locals go to enjoy New Orleans. The Spotted Cat hosts local musicians with all size of followings. The small bar and venue has a stage in the front window so you can enjoy the music from inside or on the street.

• Botanical Garden
  Hidden away in City Park is the New Orleans Botanical Garden. It’s open and beautiful year-round, but it especially pops in the spring. Featuring a cactus greenhouse and Japanese garden, its a great spot to take a break from the bustle of the city.

• Window shop and admire the historical homes on Magazine Street
  The Garden District neighborhood is full of beautifully preserved and restored homes and unique shops. Vintage clothes and cars, contemporary home decor and great restaurants, there’s a little bit of everything on the 4.5 mile stretch of Magazine Street. A couple of my personal favorite spots are Fleurty Girl for souvenir stuff and Slow Down for the day to day.

While plenty of people focus on the live music scene, New Orleans has a vibrant food scene!

Places to eat & drink

• Cafe Beignet
  Tucked into a little corner of the French quarter, this cafe has beignets and a magical interior. Get a table in the garden and start your day with some solid people watching and delicious breakfast.

• Rosedale Restaurant
  Off the beaten path, Rosedale was brought into my life by a late friend who would describe herself as “New Orleans bred and buttered”. The restaurant is on the site of a former home where Louis Armstrong learned to play the trumpet in 1913! Plus the food is good to boot.

• French Truck Coffee
  With several locations around the city, French Truck Coffee is a staple when you’re on the go. If you really like what you ordered, you can bring home a bag of your very own house-roasted coffee beans.

• Cafe Du Monde
  Everyone knows the legendary French Quarter location, but did you know there is another location in the beautiful City Park? Skip the lines in the French Quarter and eat your beignets while sitting in a willow tree among the Spanish moss. Plus, you can watch them make your beignets fresh through the glass while you wait to order.

• Jaques Imo’s
  Warm Beer, Lousy Food, Poor Service. Not exactly the usual advertisement on a restaurant website. I can tell you personally that none of that is true. New Orleans classic dishes like crawfish etoufee, a po boy and fried green tomatoes will not disappoint.

• Jack rose
  Located in a cozy lounge on the first floor of the Pontchartrain hotel (a Fora partner!), Jack Rose is a perfect, creatively decorated spot to start your evening before heading out for live music.

• Bacchanal
  If you’re willing to make a trip over to the Bywater neighborhood, it will be worth your time. Bacchanal is what you get when you mix a wine and cheese shop, tapas restaurant, outdoor patio and live music venue. Choose your wine and cheese when you walk in, and enjoy the show. Make sure you get there early, they do not take reservations and there can be a line to get in.

• Blue Oak BBQ
  You’re in The South. You seek BBQ. Seek nothing further, you’ve found your answer. Indoor and outdoor dining is available at this casual spot.