Notably New Orleans
Curated By
AnnaMarie Jones
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USA
Louisiana
New Orleans
Arts & Culture
City Travel
Family Travel
Food & Wine
Luxury Travel
City Travel
Food & Wine
Arts & Culture
Family Travel
Curator’s statement
New Orleans is the birth place of Jazz, the Sazerac cocktail, gumbo and my Creole heritage. Although I have many relatives throughout the city and have been visiting NOLA for decades, I'm not the only one who instantly feels the warmth and welcome of New Orleanians as soon as I disembark from the plane and enter the new and modern Louis Armstrong International Airport. The Big Easy, The Crescent City, N'awlins and the Paris of the South are only a few of the city's nicknames, but It's hard to encapsulate this festive, moody and mysterious city in monikers alone. New Orleans is a multicultural mecca of festivals, internationally acclaimed and award-winning chefs & restaurants, art museums, city parks, music venues, sporting events, shopping, architecture and, allow me to reiterate, some of the world's friendliest people!
The Fora Difference
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Insider knowledge
Expert advice from people who’ve actually been there
Where to stay
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Things to do in New Orleans
There are seemingly endless fun things to do in New Orleans.
Mardi Gras needs to be experienced at least once in a lifetime. If Mardi Gras is not for you, New Orleans has plenty to choose from.
The shopping on Magazine Street is sophisticated and fun:
Julie Neill Designs: Lighting designer Julie Neill has successfully brought quintessential New Orleans lighting into homes around the nation. I identified her lighting in Chemin À La Mer at the Four Seasons!
Peony: My favorite women's and girls' boutique. It should not be missed for mom's and their little misses.
Some fun tours and attractions in New Orleans to consider:
Horse&Buggy ride through the Quarter: Each driver is knowledgeable about New Orleans' French Quarter history.
A note from AnnaMarie
Mardi Gras is a great time to visit New Orleans, and the Four Seasons is the perfect refuge from the party crowds. It's also conveniently next door to the convention center, where every parade route ends. There is a festival for everyone in New Orleans. Southern Decadence is one off the largest LGBTQ festivals in the country. And for music lovers, Jazz Fest and Quarter Fest should not be missed!
Places to eat & drink in New Orleans
Chandelier Bar: Named for the glittering and gorgeous crystal chandelier that is the centerpiece of the bar. It's the perfect spot for a classic Sazerac and a sophisticated take on the famous Hurricane. Oh, and the beignets (French donuts) might rival those of the legendary Café Du Monde.
Chemin à la Mer: For oysters and steak and a view of the Mississippi River.
Miss River: For Sunday jazz brunch and a Bloody Mary bar with all the fixin's.
(The above are all within Four Seasons.)
Shaya: Also highly recommend for the freshest Middle Eastern / Israeli food you'll ever have outside of Israel. Shaya is owned by the same executive chef as Miss River, Chef Alon Shaya.
Dooky Chase Restaurant: Serves classic Creole cuisine, perhaps the best Creole food in New Orleans. Dooky was a friend, classmate and bandmate of my late father. The restaurant as well as the Chase family are New Orleans staples.
Day trips from New Orleans
The Whitney Plantation is definitely worth a visit. It's perfect for anyone who'd like to get a firsthand account of the history and legacy of slavery in the United States and all over the world. My husband and I took our children when they were 7, 10 and 13, and we were all blown away by how much we learned and by what the days in the lives of slaves entailed.
Need to Know
Looking for more New Orleans travel tips? Also check out Fora Advisor Pamela Murphy's guide: A Love Letter to New Orleans.
Travel Advisor
AnnaMarie Jones
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This guide is part of our ongoing series on travel to New Orleans.