A (Brief) Guide to The Big Easy: Incomparable New Orleans

Let’s take a look at some of the things you might want to see and do. (Two disclaimers. First — Mardi Gras is a scene all its own, when the city is jam-packed, access to local icons becomes more challenging and a different set of experiences await, from endless parades to all-day revelry; the recommendations here are less applicable to that unique time of year. On the other hand, if you’ve always dreamed of experiencing one of the greatest celebrations in the U.S., we can get you there — with reserve grandstand seats for the parades! Second disclaimer: Debate is endless over what constitutes “the best” this or the “most authentic” that, particularly when it comes to food, so take any mentions here as representative rather than prescriptive; with a little research, it’s really hard to go wrong.)

The History

Given that New Orleans is over 300 years old, there’s plenty of history to explore, beginning with the French Quarter — the oldest part of the city — where you’ll find brightly colored, wrought-iron-balconied buildings, some dating back to the mid-1800s, along with sites like Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, believed to have been built between 1722 and 1732. (It operates as a bar today.)

Nearby Jackson Square, where the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803, is home to the iconic St. Louis Cathedral, not to mention dozens of open-air artists displaying their work along the square’s decorative fence. Several blocks to the northwest, St. Louis Cemetery was established in 1789 and is unusual in that all of the tombs — many strikingly elaborate — are above-ground due to the high water table and risk of flooding.

Among the city’s many excellent museums, the New Orleans Jazz Museum not only chronicles the history of the art form, but hosts hundreds of performances every year. The New Orleans Museum of Art boasts both an exceptional collection of American and French art (including works by Degas, Miro, Picasso and others) and one of the top 10 sculpture gardens in the U.S. Mardi Gras World, which sounds a bit touristy, is actually a fascinating place where floats from past Mardi Gras parades are stored and new ones are being built for the next year’s celebration. The National World War II Museum is remarkable, and quite moving. There are museums of voodoo, pharmacy and Mardi Gras costumes, too, among many others.

Transportation

New Orleans is a great walking city, with tree-lined neighborhoods, boutique shopping streets and entertainment districts that all reward a leisurely stroll. But New Orleans also has a number of less — well, pedestrian — transportation options that are experiences in and of themselves. Best known are the street cars that ply the neighborhoods of the city. Don’t miss the St. Charles Line, the oldest continually operating line in the world, running since the 1830s. The iconic green cars, with their wooden benches and brass fittings, take you from downtown up through the Garden District, with its stunning antebellum mansions.

You can also explore NOLA from horse-drawn carriages that will transport you around much of the French Quarter, pedi-cabs that clatter through the streets, and steamships and other boats that ply the Mississippi.

The Food

it’s hard to say which is more of a challenge: figuring out what to eat in New Orleans, or deciding where to eat it. The list of signature foods is endlessly tempting, and there’s a staggering array of celebrated places serving them.

Let’s start with the foods themselves …

Cajun and Creole specialties like jambalaya, gumbo and étouffée are hallmarks of local cuisine. Generally shellfish-based, these savory, spicy stews are often derived from closely guarded family recipes handed down over generations, upon which many a restaurant’s reputation has been made. Note that Creole and Cajun styles are distinct, the former having originated in New Orleans and the latter in the rural Acadian region. As just one example of the differences, Creole gumbo tends to have tomatoes in it; Cajun, never.

Seafood figures prominently in other dishes, too. Some are simple but sublime, like crawfish boils and raw bars. Others are more refined, like shrimp remoulade and oysters Rockefeller, the former popularized by Arnaud’s and the latter invented at Antoine’s, the two restaurants being among New Orleans’ most venerable.

Seafood also makes its way into New Orleans’ favorite casual food, the po’ boy, a type of sub sandwich featuring fried shellfish (or roast beef or any number of other proteins) on crusty, locally baked bread. People are passionate about their po’ boys, and asking who makes the best one is an invitation to an argument. (So let’s just say Johnny’s on St. Louis Street; order yours “dressed.”)

Muffulettas are another New Orleans sandwich creation. The hearty combination of meats, cheeses and olive salad was invented at Central Grocery, now reopened after a three-year post-hurricane hiatus. The historic Napoleon House also makes an exceptional version.

As for sweets, beignets are a must-have in the Big Easy. These pillowy pockets of fried dough dusted in powdered sugar, paired with a cup of coffee, are a favorite of visitors and locals alike, most famously at the Café du Monde, but also at numerous other places in the city. Pralines are simply everywhere, the pecan confection having been invented in New Orleans in the 19th century. Continuing the “invented here” theme, Bananas Foster is still served in its original home, Brennan’s restaurant, where the flaming dish is prepared tableside.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t add to this brief list of signature New Orleans dishes the observation that in recent years, the city has become even more of a cultural melting pot, with new cuisines ranging from Vietnamese to Ethiopian enriching the dining scene, along with inventive fusion offerings like Japanese/Cajun and Indian/Creole!

As for restaurants, there are sooooo many noteworthy ones, and they range from refined and historic, to contemporary and inventive, to little neighborhood joints offering swoon-worthy home cooking. What ties them together is that in each category, you’ll find places of international acclaim. There are the “big three” icons (Antoine’s, Arnaud’s and Galatoire’s), each more than a century old. Commander’s Palace, Brigtsen’s, Bayona and Cochon are among the most highly regarded restaurants in the entire U.S. James Bread Award-winning Willie Mae’s Scotch House vies for the city’s “Best Fried Chicken” title with Dooky Chase’s, an important site during the Civil Rights Movement.

Lots to consider, but at least know this about New Orleans: You won’t go hungry! (You may also leave with some new kitchen skills of your own. Many of our New Orleans programs include classes at the New Orleans School of Cooking!)

The Libations

Given that the city’s slogan is “laissez les bons temps rouler” — ”let the good times roll” — we’re obliged to at least touch on the cocktail scene. On Bourbon Street in particular, but certainly well beyond it as well, adult beverages are part of the good times. Worth calling out here are some (of many) that originated in the city itself. One of them is the sazerac, the official drink of the city since 2008, a whiskey-and-absinthe-based tipple first concocted in the 19th century. The absinthe frappe was also invented in that era, at what is now known as the Old Absinthe House. The list includes Vieux Carrés, shaken up at the Hotel Monteleone, which still serves them in its rotating, carousel-themed bar, and the rum-based Hurricane, which blew into Pat O’Brien’s in the 1940s.

The Music

It is hardly an exaggeration to say that music is simply everywhere in New Orleans.

It wafts out of virtually every lounge and bar. It’s the rare street corner in the French Quarter that doesn’t have a musician or a combo busking with horns, or drums, or guitars, or simply a capella. Impromptu performances spring up everywhere, whether it’s a visiting college marching band giving a flash performance alongside a park or a wedding parade jubilantly making its way down the street led by a drum major. While you’ll hear everything from rock to show tunes to zydeco (and even the occasional classical violin or cello performance), jazz is the real name of the game. It was invented here, and it is astonishing how much of it there is, and how accomplished the performers are. Preservation Hall is rightly famous as the standard bearer for traditional New Orleans jazz, and it’s well worth a visit. Less well-known, but a showcase for exceptional musicians, is Fritzel’s on Bourbon Street. Once you’re seated in this intimate space, you’ll find it difficult to pry yourself away. And on a larger scale, you’d be hard-pressed to find any week of the year when the city isn’t hosting multiple jazz concerts, festivals or other celebrations of sound.

You’ll even find a musician or two among our program experts! Doreen Ketchens, for instance, is the leader of the jazz band Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans, and has been called "Queen Clarinet," "The Female Louis Armstrong" and “Lady Louie” by critics who have heard her perform. Doreen's Jazz New Orleans has represented New Orleans around the world, performing in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, South America, Russia and the U.S.

More than anywhere else, New Orleans reminds you of music’s power to lift the spirits and brighten the day. People laugh and smile a lot here, and it’s due in no small part to the wonderful soundtrack that accompanies their lives.

Know If You Go

Excited to start planning your journey to the Crescent City? Here are a couple of practical things to keep in mind.

Timing Is Everything

Popular spots in New Orleans are just that — popular. If you’d like to experience less waiting and smaller crowds, a few tips:

Street cars: Charming as they are, remember that they’re for working people, too, not just visitors. Avoid morning and evening commuting hours if possible, since they can be quite busy. Also, the closer to an origin point of each line that you board, the more likely you are to get a seat.

Clubs and music spots can be frightfully busy in the later evening. But many clubs have music all day (Fritzel’s, for example), and if you go in the afternoon or early evening, they’re still delightful — just much less crowded.

Also on the subject of timing: restaurants. The best ones take reservations and fill up fast, sometimes months in advance (looking at you, Commander’s Palace). For uber-popular destinations, book as early as you possibly can. Otherwise, flexibility is your friend: Early and later seatings are more likely to be available at dinnertime, and lunch can be a good alternative at popular spots that have no evening availability.

Safety First

Like any big city, New Orleans has its share of crime. Common-sense precautions apply. Travel in pairs or groups when you can. Avoid unfamiliar areas, especially at night. Keep your valuables secure and inconspicuous.

Being a bit ramshackle is part of the charm of the city. But be aware that sidewalks and streets can be uneven, cobblestoned or paved with brick, and therefore a bit tricky to navigate at times.

Keep your eye on traffic, too, when you’re crossing streets. There’s a lot of it — cars, trucks, buses, carriages, scooters, streetcars — and some drivers treat traffic lights as mere suggestions.

Weather

It’s a mantra at Road Scholar: Dress like an onion! New Orleans is hot and humid in the summer months, and warm to pleasantly mild much of the rest of the year. But that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter an expectedly chilly evening or a scorcher of an afternoon. Layering helps you adjust on the fly: Peeling off or adding on can help you avoid uncomfortable situations.

There’s a (very) brief look at New Orleans, a city almost impossible to capture in words. Perhaps that’s best left to a food guy and a music guy.

Anthony Bourdain said: “There is no place on earth even remotely like New Orleans. Don’t even try to compare it with anywhere else.”

And Bob Dylan said, “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.”

How are those for endorsements?! Go, and laissez les bons temps rouler! Start planning your NOLA adventure with us today!