how to be a tourist in new orleans

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Or as New Orleanians call it – Nawlins’

  1. Eat all of the food
  2. Go alligator-spotting on a swamp tour. You might even get to hold a baby gator
    swamp tour 42
    Cajun Pride Tours

    swamp tour 69
    PC: Shishi Chu
  3. Explore the old plantations and learn about the history. The two more popular ones are Laura Plantation and Oak Alley Plantation. Laura is the more informative tour, while Oak Alley is better for photo ops
    laura plantation 2
    Laura Plantation

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    Laura Plantation
  4. Grab a drink Bourbon Street. This is where all the bars are. You can even walk down the street with open alcohol cups. Beware: it’s loud and it’s super crowded (though if you go on a day that’s not Friday or Saturday, there’s a huge difference)
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    Bourbon Street – Saturday night

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    Bourbon Street – Sunday night
  5. Visit Jackson Square/St. Louis Cathedral
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    Jackson Square

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    St. Louis Cathedral
  6. Take a stroll around the French Quarter and admire the architecture
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    French Quarter

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  7. Sit by the Mississippi River
  8. Go on a Ghost Tour and learn about the haunted spots of New Orleans

    ghost tour 2
    Haunted alley way
  9. Have a cocktail at Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone, a bar that spins (very slowly). There’s limited seating by the bar, so it would be easier to nab a seat if there’s only 1 or 2 of you

    carousel bar 6
    Their signature drink: Vieux Carre (Bulleit Rye, Pierre Ferrand 1840, Sweet Vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura & Peychaud’s Bitters)
  10. Hop on the St. Charles streetcar to the Garden District and see all the pretty homes
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    Garden District

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    St. Charles streetcar
  11. Buy some souvenirs at the French Market

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    French Market
  12. Try some rum at the Old New Orleans Distillery

    old new orleans rum distillery (24)
    Old New Orleans Rum Distillery
  13. Listen to some jazz. Lots of bars have live music/jazz, so this shouldn’t be difficult to find
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About the author

hi! my name is melanie! i started this blog back in 2014. how to be a traveler is a collection of my travel experiences. my motto is, ‘travel, eat, drink, explore, write, repeat.‘ this blog is a tool to help me remember all the places i’ve seen, but it’s also a tool to help you plan out the places you will discover. and so that you won’t make the same mistakes i made. think of me as your very own travel guinea pig. so hopefully, you can find at least one useful tip while reading my blog. i hope you enjoy reading this as much as i enjoy writing it for you.