New Orleans: Fun things to do with limited time in the Big Easy

My girl 'Behi and her sister visited from Nigeria last September and we decided to take a road trip to New Orleans since neither of us had been there before. Having just returned from a work trip, and with another two weeks away, a short road trip was perfect for me while allowing my friends maximize their vacation thrills across multiple states.With Mardi Gras going on this week, I feel like it's perfect time to revisit my trip to give you an idea of what it's like without the biggest cultural festival in the area.

Road trip!!!

Too often, we get caught up in the glitz and glam of flying to foreign destinations, forgetting about our tourist dens in the U.S. People speak enviously about my travel choices and I remind them that I'm just as interested in foreign travel as I am with domestic spots. So whenever I have little to no time, I try to explore cities within the U.S. In fact, I have my eyes on a few in the near future, and implore you to consider road trips as a more affordable option to getting to that exciting destination.

Whew! Now that that's out of the way, let's get back to what I got up to in New Orleans. We had two days to explore as much as we could in this eccentric city, which is clearly still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Two days is nowhere nearly enough to capture the entire spirit of the city. So right away I can point out a few things I would've loved to do, but couldn't. We didn't have enough time to visit the Lower Ninth Ward and other communities that were severely affected by the hurricane. Nor was there time to inquire about a Habitat for Humanity building effort, which I've always wanted to do since the opportunity to volunteer to help build a house became available. One other thing I'd love to do is be a part of the Essence Music Festival. Music lovers should love the city during 4th of July weekend as festival shuts down the entire city with an incredible roster of R&B and soul artistes.

The things I did, well, they weren't any unique or one-of-a-kind activities, but are generally regarded as must-dos when you are in that region. So if you only have a short amount of time, here are a few things you can do to get you closer to capturing the complete New Orleans experience.

Indulge in authentic Cajun cuisine: New Orleanians love to dine on hearty meals, usually a mix of several food items and with a ton of flaming spices. Gumbo, Jambalaya, you'll hardly find a restaurant menu that doesn't include these. But what I couldn't get enough of was the crawfish platter, which we sampled at Saints and Sinners on Bourbon Street. We were attracted to this restaurant after we spotted a chef boiling the crawfish right in the front of the restaurant. Throw in sweet corn on the cob, potatoes and some andouille sausage and we were ordering seconds. On another outing, we dined at Cochon, which isn't entirely Cajun style dining. However, I was able to order fried alligator as an appetizer, another first for me.

The spicy crawfish platter at Saints and Sinners

Sign up for a swamp tour: Sadly, I can't remember what our tour was called especially since our tour guide was really funny. We stumbled upon this company after we hitched an Uber ride with a man whose brother-in-law runs the tour. He gave each of us a $10 discount, which, at $45, was the cheapest we could find. You're hardly going to spot anything besides alligators, but what makes the tour interesting is the history lesson you receive. The swamps are actually private property, leased by the government, which drills the area for oil. This extremely valuable land has been owned by the same family for decades, enriching their future generations for many more to come. What I wanted to know was where I could meet any single member of this family (*Wink.*) It was also interesting playing with a baby gator, and learning about why gators love marshmallows.

Walk around Jackson Square: Get your portrait drawn by a street artist or score some local arts and craft. Or stop by the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, more commonly known as the St. Louis Cathedral. And if you're not into any of these things, you can always go across the street toward the Mississippi River to pose for pictures atop a stairway with the Cathedral in the backdrop. Having your picture taken here is as synonymous to New Orleans as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. Almost! But truth be told, it's a great place to take pictures in front of one of the most recognized buildings in New Orleans, and one of the oldest cathedrals in the U.S. As a bonus, consider walking from your hotel (if you're located downtown) toward the square, passing through the historic French Quarters. The path my girls and I chose took us past the Museum of Death, which I might have checked out if it wasn't closed.

The historic St. Louis Cathedral

Visit French Market: I'm typically not a shopper during vacations or leisure trips, but I always stop to buy at least a fridge magnet as a memento. I figured the French market was as good a place. I loved it because it attracts both shoppers and foodies. You can find pretty much any cuisine that's unique to New Orleans. I actually bought two pairs of sunglasses for $10. They were unbranded knock offs, but I didn't care. They looked glam on me, and I get tons of compliments on them. Hats, clothes, beachwear, shirts, feathered masks, you'll find it all in this market. 

With my girls at the French market

Bourbon Street (of course!): Let's imagine you're only in NoLa for a few hours (how is this even possible?) and only have time for one thing. Head straight to Bourbon Street. I figured this area would only be popping during holidays and festive occasions like Mardi Gras, but on a Tuesday night it was pretty crazy. I can only imagine what the real deal feels like. Every tradition you come to expect on Bourbon street was on display on that ordinary Tuesday. People strolling back and forth, cups in hands, ready for alcohol refills. Check. Loud music banging through bars. Yep! People throwing beads from hotel rooms overlooking the street. You bet! Street performers entertaining for tips. You name it. We even witnessed a local high school band come through as I learned is customary in these parts (thanks Treme!)

 

With so many of these things so close to each other (only the swamp tour takes you outside walking distance from downtown,) you can accomplish a lot in just two days. Just expect to leave with the feeling that you HAVE to return. I know I will!