3 Days in New Orleans, A First-Timer's Guide

Day 1: Thursday Arrival in New Orleans!

Upon your arrival in New Orleans, check into your hotel, drop your bags off and head straight to Bacchanal! Located in the Bywater, Bacchanal boasts itself as "Nola's Backyard Party" and that's exactly what it is. Featuring hundreds of wines, craft cocktails, build-your-own cheese plates and Mediterranean tapas. Sitting in the courtyard under the string lights and listening to live music is the perfect way to set the tone for the rest of your trip. The secret about Bacchanal is definitely out, hence the benefit of going on a weeknight.

It is almost impossible to get a bad meal in New Orleans. So, once you wrap up at Bacchanal, collect your group and head to your dinner reservation at either Cochon, Pêche, Brennan's or Luke.

Stroll off your well-earned food coma with an after dinner beverage (espresso martini, anyone?). Head to Bar Tonique, a cocktail bar with curated drinks, open until 2:00am.

Day 2: French Quarter Friday!

Depending on how early you start the day, head to Felipe's Taqueria, which opens at 11:00am. It has awesome Mexican food (important to get a base) in a casual setting, and the most deliciously dangerous margaritas ever.

From there, roam around at your leisure! For example, Molly's at the Market has frozen Irish coffees and is right by the French Market, where folks can shop. You can also grab a beignet and chicory coffee at the famous Cafe Du Monde, if starting with Mexican was a little ambitious for your taste. Just be warned, it is typically very crowded and brimming with tourists.

Next, you can hop over to Bourbon Steet, a rite of passage for a first-timer. Just don't wear flip flops. Trust me. Pat O's has dueling pianos and is known for curiously strong Hurricanes. Erin Rose is also a great little dive, steps off Bourbon Street. For something a little more swanky, head to the gorgeous Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone. Doors open promptly at 11:00am, so if you want a seat on the slowly spinning carousel - which you do - get there early as people begin lining up! At the very end of Bourbon Street is Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar. This place is reported to be the oldest structure used as a bar in the country and has no electricity. It does have the famous, acclaimed "Purple Drink". Those are great to stroll with if you decide to walk to Frenchmen Street since they have the consistency of concrete.

Frenchmen Street is eclectic and buzzing! Known as the "local's Bourbon Street". It has a fantastic Art Bazaar and live music everywhere, at venues including: Blue Nile, The Maison, and Cafe Negril. You may get lucky to catch a great local band like Flow Tribe or Rebirth Brass Band (the very first show I caught when I moved to New Orleans).

All of these venues have food as well as drinks. If you need some local sustenance, grab a gourmet hot dog from Dat Dog on Frenchmen Street - they're delicious and customizable. And I don't even like hot dogs.

Day 3: Uptown Saturday!

No trip to New Orleans would be complete without brunch, and there are plenty of options to choose from. A few favorites include Ruby Slipper Cafe, which has multiple locations for your convenience. The Court of Two Sisters for a fancy buffet and live jazz, or Brennan's if you didn't make it there for dinner on the first night.

From there, visit uptown spots like Tchoup Yard. Pronounced like "chop", this is a really fun Biergarden with a lively, string-lit courtyard and features delicious food and drinks. I like their homemade crunchwrap supreme, loaded tater totchos and frosé. There are breweries nearby for beer lovers, like NOLA Brewing and Port Orleans. You'll hear a lot about where to find the BEST po-boy in New Orleans. My vote is Parasol's where the portions are large and the sandwiches are tasty and wonderfully messy. Fortunately, it's right down the street from Tchoup Yard in the Irish Channel. Magazine Street is really fun as well! Bustling with bars, restaurants and shops, it also houses fun late night spots that are alarmingly similar to dimly-lit dungeons.

Day 4: Bon Voyage to the Big Easy!

Sunday is a day of rest, and that's exactly what you'll need after the weekend you've just had! Fortunately, the New Orleans airport got a major facelift since I lived there. I would still recommend an early flight out of there when it's quieter and less crowded. That way, you have more time at home to recover and reflect on what has surely become one of your favorite cities, too.