TOP TEN THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT NEW ORLEANS

There's a feeling you get as soon as you arrive in New Orleans; suddenly you feel spontaneous, seductive and even a little mischievous. Maybe it's the way the city is put together? Historical, ornate, vibrant, elegant yet a little off-beat, built to entertain with a lacing of mystery in the air. It captures you, it pulls you in and makes you look at it for what it is. Above anything else, New Orleans is authentic and will bring that out in you as well. 

We fell in love with the Big Easy for so many reasons and we know these are some of the same things you love or will come to love when you visit as well. Here's a list of some of our favorite things about New Orleans—and while we can't guarantee that any of these places will be open during your visit, we still want to shine a light on the places and things that we love about our city. 

PEOPLE
The people of New Orleans are unlike anyone else in the world. It is a melting pot of people from all cultures, nationalities and races and has been for over 300 years. "New Orleanians" love life; they love to eat, drink, sing and dance—everyday is a celebration. You can see that oozing from the streets on any given day in the city. There are people in full costume for no reason than to just be fabulous, musicians in the street play day and night, artists sell their beautiful art and the people of the hospitality industry always make you feel like family. They are people who know hard times, but know how to make the best of it. They are strong, creative, beautiful and resilient. 

FOOD 
This is a city built on its reputation for delicious food and exceptional service. From fine dining to the little "Mom & Pop" shops, New Orleans cuisine is something to be experienced. While most cities are known for one particular type of cuisine, New Orleans has about three with a few rising stars coming up. Creole—rich and creamy, hailing to the city's French/European history. Cajun—a spicy, one-pot, rib-sticking twist off our French-Canadian ancestry. And Soul food which captures the essence of New Orleans' African-American roots, each dish telling a story and delivering history to your palate. This is also becoming a great city for Vietnamese, Asian-fusion and even some Latin cuisine. We have world-renowned chefs coming in from all corners of the planet for a chance to be part of that legendary New Orleans food experience. Some of our favorite restaurants include: GW Fins, Commander's Palace, Arnaud's, La Boca, 9 Roses and Royal House. 

DRINK 
Bars in New Orleans are so much more than just a place to get a drink. The places that have you coming back time and time again are magical vortexes that happen to include your friends, great drinks, more people to meet and bartenders that know what you want before you do. Some bars in New Orleans have been there for hundreds of years (such as Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar).  This is the birthplace of the cocktail, which is considered an art form here. This is a drinking city where you can sit in down, relax and enjoy your drinks as you socialize with other people, or you can take your drinks to go (no matter what it is) and keep on your adventure. We love Black Penny, Upper Quarter Bar, Jazz Playhouse, Fritzel's, Delachaise, Bar Tonique and so many more. Want a little taste of Nola cocktails now? Check out these cocktails you can try at home courtesy of our friends at New Orleans & Co by clicking here: New Orleans Quarantine Cocktail Recipes.

MUSIC
What's the perfect thing to round off great food & drink? Music of course—the backbone of our city!  We brought America Jazz and incorporate music into just about anything we can here.  On any given day, you can see some of the best musicians in the world playing their hearts out stage especially on Bourbon St., as well as Frenchmen St. Some of these musicians are humble in terms of their lifestyle, but pack accolades like Grammy's, movie soundtracks and close relationships with mega-stars like it's nothing at all. Whether want to sip your drinks and listen to the slow, lazy sounds of Ragtime, or you want to hear Jazz the way Louie Armstrong would have done it, or even dance to some funk, bluegrass or Zydeco, the music you hear in New Orlean is a sound all it’s own. We love listening to music at: Tipitina's, The Spotted Cat, One-Eyed Jacks, Maple Leaf and more. 

Keep scrolling for more reasons why we love New Orleans!

SIZE 
Size doesn't always count, but when you're trying to explore the city with as little time sitting in traffic as possible, being small in size can really be a benefit. New Orleans is 169 square miles of land that's filled to the brim with restaurants, clubs, shops, bars, parks and homes. It's very easy to get around whether your choice of transit is bike, streetcar, Pedi-cab, Uber or on foot. You won't be sitting in traffic for long periods of time and can easily get from one side of town to the other. 

SIGHTS 
New Orleans is stunningly beautiful. The architecture is rich in history with their the wrought-iron embellishments, grand balconies and beautiful courtyards. The narrow streets are smothered in massive oak trees that weep with Spanish Moss. In almost any part of the city, you'll see gorgeous houses over 200 years old, you can see landmarks where American history was made, businesses that still don their original painted signs and gardens—so many gorgeous gardens everywhere! It's also nice to head to the river where you can see the wide Mississippi and the historical steamboats that have been floating down it forever. 

TRADITIONS
As off-the-wall as New Orleanians can be, we take our traditions very seriously. Red beans and rice on Mondays, King Cake for Mardi Gras, Super Sunday to see the Mardi Gras Indians, hurricane parties and of course the parades and second lines. Our personal nod to New Orleans traditions is our Sexual Freedom Parade we have at Naughty N'awlins, which we use to kick off the week of events. Parades are a celebration of a person, event or place in time, we're so glad that we can host the ONLY Sexual Freedom Parade in the world right here in the city that loves its parades. 

STYLE
Places like NYC and Los Angeles get all the credit for being fashion-forward cities, but after just one trip to New Orleans, you'll soon find out that we've got our own amazing style here too and it's not based in trends or what's going on in the fashion world at all. Our knack for costuming here is completely unmatched. Depending on the occasion, you will see some of the most elaborate, original, mind-blowing costumes you've ever seen—and there's a very good chance that it was made by the very person wearing it. People create their Mardi Gras costumes all year round, we have headdress-making parties, costume shops where you can find the most interesting add-ons and supplies to help make your vision come alive. Just ask Tess—she's a master costume designer! Did you ever see her bubble wrap dress? You may know she’s prone to an accident or two at an event, so one year she made the most elaborate dress from bubble wrap. You had to be careful not to pop her when you gave her a hug, so she could remain protected. Some of our favorite costume shops include: Nikki's French Quarter Halloween Store (also an adult toy shop), Miss Claudia's, QT Pie and No Rules.

HISTORY 
If you're a history buff, you're going to love New Orleans. With a history that dates back over 300 years ago, the city plays an essential part in American history and has the scars to prove it. Situated throughout the New Orleans are places that have deep meaning to the people of the city, from Congo Square to Preservation Hall to the levees that played a huge role in the Hurricane Katrina disaster. There is history engrained in every building, every park, every part of the city. There are ton of tours you can take while you're here that will guide you through the haunted history of New Orleans, or tell you about the history of the buildings, the history of Jazz, war history and anything in between. The more you know our history, the better you will understand the city. Check out this whole list of tours from New Orleans & Co.: New Orleans History & Heritage Tours.

ART 
New Orleans is an artist's paradise and always has been. Artists such as Edgar Degas, James Michalopaulos, George Rodrigue and more. The French Quarter is home to tons of art galleries and shops where you can find some amazing pieces to remind you of your trip to the Big Easy. During the COVID-19 shutdown, most businesses and establishments put boards over their windows while they were closed, what could have looked sad and desolate, was turned into a gallery of street art by the local artists of our city. Whether you are looking for street-style art, something classic or a great piece of antique furniture to add some Nola style to your home.