I finally took my first solo trip and spent a weekend in the French Quarter, New Orleans. I’ve always been drawn to the French Quarter because of its own unique culture. It’s one of the few real melting pots here in the U.S. I’ve heard so much about New Orleans over the years … the music, the food, the whole atmosphere. The magic. So when that light bulb went off and said you should take a solo trip to New Orleans, I went for it.

It was my birthday and I wanted to do two things – (1) go on my first solo trip (Belfast was just a day trip so it doesn’t count) (2) to a place I’ve never been but always wanted to go. Hello New Orleans!

Folks don’t usually think of New Orleans as a place to travel solo, especially for a woman. Safety is always a concern, and New Orleans is apparently ranked as one of the most dangerous places in the U.S. But I have to say, I felt completely safe during my solo trip. Everyone I met was warm and friendly.  I made sure I stayed alert at all times and didn’t venture into any lonely areas by myself.

Many people also only think of New Orleans as a destination for group trips, where folks usually drink, party, and hang out with friends. It’s true, New Orleans with its restaurants and nightlife is perfect for group trips. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Girls Trip”, you’ll know exactly what I mean. But the truth is, New Orleans is so much more. The French Quarter alone has so many layers you can make it any type of trip you want.

I didn’t want to go to New Orleans to party (I can do that right here in Atlanta). I wanted to go to New Orleans and visit the French Quarter because of its layers of history, and culture. My wanderlust has always told me I had to fully experience the French Quarter. The perfect trip for me would be to spend some time getting to know the French Quarter on my own. So I finally made my solo trip happen.

Getting There

Southwest had cheap flights to New Orleans so I booked with my Rapid Rewards points. The only out-of-pocket cost for my airline ticket was $11 (tax). The flight from Atlanta to New Orleans is about an hour and a half, which made it perfect for a quick weekend trip.

Tip: Once you arrive at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, look for the Airport Shuttle desks in the ground transportation area. The shuttles are $44 round trip. The airport shuttle is a convenient and cheaper option to get to your hotel, especially if you are staying in the French Quarter. The hotels on the French Quarter do not provide transfers to and from the airport and Uber and/or taxis will cost you a pretty penny.

Please don’t rent a car if you are staying in the French Quarter. Parking and traffic seemed like such a headache. It’s so easy to walk everywhere if you are staying in the right place.

Where to Stay

Hotels in the French Quarter are pricey, but I was lucky enough to find a great deal for the Wyndham – French Quarter hotel on Royal Street. The Wyndham – French Quarter is in the perfect location, walking distance to pretty much all of my must-sees! The rooms were comfortable and clean, and I felt very safe staying there as a solo traveler. The front desk receptionists and the concierge were very helpful. There’s also a grocery store across the street if you need to grab a few things. I’ll definitely stay at the Wyndham – French Quarter again.

I forgot to take a photo of The Wyndham, but here’s a photo of their indoor pool (which I discovered the night before I left).

There are a ton of other hotel options in the French Quarter as well. The key is to stay somewhere central enough so you can get around easily. If it works with your budget, the Westin on Canal Street is a great location. I’ve heard good things about the W New Orleans – French Quarter. If you are in the mood to splurge, the Hotel Monteleone is a popular option. It’s also located on Royal Street, literally a hop, skip, and a jump from the Wyndham. Hotel Monteleone has a carousel bar and is said to be haunted, if you’re into that sort of thing.

What to Do

What should first time visitors do in New Orleans? My three days in New Orleans gives a pretty good overview:

DAY 1
I flew in early Saturday morning, went straight to my hotel, checked in and got situated. The first thing I had to do was find something to eat. The hotel staff recommended Deanie’s, a seafood restaurant on Iberville Street, just a short walk away. I had the flounder stuffed with crab meat and served with potatoes. Delicious. After eating I decided I would use this first day to explore the French Quarter and get to know the place on my own.

I started with none other than Jackson Square, a quick ten minute walk from my hotel. As I walked to Jackson Square, I couldn’t help but think how perfect the French Quarter was for a solo trip. It’s set up on a grid so everything is easy to find. If you get lost you can easily figure it out, especially if you have a map (or google). The Spanish colonial architecture along with the hustle and bustle of the streets, filled with rhythmic jazz in the background made it even more perfect.

As I got closer, I started to hear some drumming. The beats were full of rhythm and got louder as I kept walking. Yep, I’m almost there. And just like that I was right in the midst of Jackson Square, where a group of little boys were drumming on buckets.

As I looked around, I saw various pieces of artwork displayed on the iron fence surrounding the park. There were also tables of vendors, selling artwork and souvenirs, and even more tables with psychics offering tarot card readings. Ahhh the magic of the French Quarter.

There was some sort of show going on … not exactly sure what, but I just remember some guy yelling into a mike and a crowd of people yelling back. The bucket drums had stopped and all of a sudden everything seemed so chaotic. To my right was Jackson Square Park, which looked peaceful enough. But to my left was St. Louis Cathedral (another must-see). I found it a little ironic that the Cathedral was right in front of all the craziness and chaos, with the shows, psychics and tarot card readings. But there it was. So I went in.

St. Louis Cathedral
St. Louis Cathedral a famous landmark in New Orleans, was built in the 1720s. The Cathedral is absolutely beautiful, and like most churches, even more stunning inside than out. The Cathedral burned down during the Great New Orleans Fire in 1788 and was rebuilt in 1850.

As I entered the Cathedral, I felt a wave of tranquility. It was indeed the calmness amidst all the chaos. I sat for a while and admired the stained-glass windows and the altar. The Church was so peaceful I couldn’t help but stay a bit to say a little prayer. I then headed back outside, and walked towards Jackson Square Park.

Jackson Square Park
Jackson Square Park is another famous landmark in New Orleans.  The park is named after Andrew Jackson, hence the Jackson Memorial statue in the middle. You can’t miss the beautiful fountain in the front of the park. There’s a wonderful view of St. Louis Cathedral from Jackson Square. In fact, Jackson Square is also surrounded by other historical buildings such as the Presbytere, the Cabildo, and the Pontalba Apartments.

I strolled around Jackson Square to admire the artwork from the local artists, then sat in the park for a while to take in the beautiful atmosphere.

I eventually made my way to the other side of the park, and exited to find horse carriage tours. You can’t miss the Mississippi River across the street. Also across the street, to my left, was the famous Cafe du Monde.

Café du Monde
I made my way towards Café du Monde (look for the green awning) with my mouth watering for my first beignet. Then I noticed it … the line! It literally wrapped around the entire café. I’m not a line person, so I decided to go inside the café and see what my options were.

Good thing I did! Apparently, you can just take a seat and a waiter will serve you. But there were no seats. As luck would have it, a really nice sever asked me if he could help and I told him I just wanted a few beignets. They put my order in, so yay – no line.

Café du Monde is cash only. One order of beignets is $3.75. I could’ve just ordered one, but my eyes were greater than my stomach. Needless to say, I was all beigneted out.

But the beignets were not the highlight of my first Cafe du Monde experience.  Little did I know, that as I waited for the waiter to come back with my order of beignets I was in for a treat … a second line!

My First Second Line

No, I don’t mean I joined another line to get more food. I mean a Second Line … as in a group of people dancing behind a brass band parade (the band is the first line). It’s quite a tradition in New Orleans and a major must-do was to dance behind or at least see one! I was expecting this to be a bit tricky because how would I know when and where to find a second line? Well that Saturday turned out to be my lucky day!

There was a wedding and the bride and groom had their wedding party in the second line (the brass band and the bride and groom were the first line). I was so excited, but didn’t get the best shot. Didn’t matter, the music and experience itself was amazing!

Mississippi River
After leaving Cafe du Monde, I walked towards the Mississipi River and sat on one of the benches to eat my beignets. I then walked along the waterfront and saw the famous Steamboat Natchez. I decided right then and there that I would go on a Steamboat Natchez tour before I left New Orleans that weekend.

Another Second Line

While heading back to my hotel, I saw another second line. This one was not for a wedding, it was just a small group of people having fun, led by the Jaywalkers Second Line Band.

After seeing my second Second Line for the day, I went back to my hotel to recharge and regroup. I rested up for a bit, and after searching and signing up for some walking tours for the next day, I decided it was time to head to Bourbon Street.

Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is one of those places that you need to visit if you’re a tourist in New Orleans. I was a tourist, so yeah, I went. It wasn’t as crazy as some people made it out to be. There were people dancing in the streets, playing drums and music (which I absolutely love), and a few shows here and there. It kind of felt like a huge college party.

The interesting thing about Bourbon Street, is that there were folks there from all walks of life, old, young, and super young. I even saw a few babies in strollers. After walking around for a while, I decided that I’d had my fill and started heading back to grab some dinner. Then I heard it again, the brass … the music.

Another Second Line (no wait, the same one)
It was the second line I had seen earlier when I was heading back to my hotel .. the Jaywalkers Second Line Band. But it was different now … a lot bigger. It was one huge party and they were dancing on Bourbon Street.

Apparently anyone could join in on the fun … sooooooo … I joined and danced for the first time in a second line … on Bourbon Street. It was so much fun! If you’re ever in New Orleans, try to experience a second line the same way. I can’t think of any other way to really experience the culture.

That second line on Bourbon street definitely made my evening. On my way back, I stopped by a café to hear a live band playing some jazz. That’s one thing I love about the French Quarter, the streets were always full of jazz. There was music everywhere!

I finished the night at Mr. B’s Bistro for a quick dinner. It was a full day so I walked back to my hotel, showered, and then crashed.

DAY 2

I loved the French Quarter so much that I decided it would be worth doing a walking tour to learn more about its history. I had done a quick search the night before and found Free Tours by Foot. After signing up for the French Quarter tour in the morning, I noticed there was a Garden District tour in the afternoon, so I signed up for that as well (reservations are required). Walking tours are awesome, especially when traveling solo.

My French Quarter Walking Tour

I met our tour group in front of the Andrew Jackson Memorial Statue. Sean was our tour guide and he was awesome! He’s a French Quarter native and was knowledgeable and informative in terms of the history of the French Quarter and New Orleans, which left me with a better understanding of the city.

We learned a ton about the French Quarter … including the difference between Creoles (the originals – Spanish, French, and African) and Cajuns (Arcadia, Canada); the fact that Native Americans never lived there (probably because it’s below sea level and they knew better); the Louisiana purchase; Jean and Pierre Lafitte; and the history behind the French Quarter’s buildings and architecture.

The architecture in the French Quarter is primarily Spanish. You don’t see much French Colonial style buildings, even though the French were the first settlers. This is because of the Great New Orleans Fire, that burnt most of the buildings in the French Quarter in 1794 (there was also a Great New Orleans Fire in 1788). The Spanish owned New Orleans at that time, so the houses were rebuilt using Spanish-styled architecture.

We of course saw a lot of what I saw the day before, starting inside Jackson Square Park and around Jackson Square, heading towards St. Louis Cathedral, through Pirate’s Alley. We also saw parts I hadn’t seen as we walked around the residential areas of the French Quarter. Funny enough the residential buildings of the French Quarter reminded me of Trinidad. There are many buildings in Trinidad, which are similarly styled, probably because Trinidad also has a heavy creole cultural influence.

Our tour ended in front of the French Market. Sean was an amazing tour guide, who gave our group a bunch of recommendations (things to do, where to go and eat etc.) I highly recommend this tour and would definitely do another tour with Sean again.

For lunch, I had my first Mufuletta at Alberto’s in the French Market (recommended by Sean). The Mufuletta is an Italian-styled sandwich with salami, ham, mortadella, swiss cheese, and olive salad. It comes in different sizes and although served cold, you can get it toasted. It was absolutely delicious.

My Garden District Walking Tour

After lunch, it was time to go to the Garden District for my 2:00 p.m. walking tour. I headed down Bourbon Street towards the corner of Canal Street and Carondelet to catch bus No. 12, which took me to the St. Charles street car.

The street car then took me to the Garden District. It was a bit of a process, but I was able to see quite a bit of the city, including the Central Business District. Make sure you have the exact change – $1.25. I got off at the stop on Washington Street and walked towards Lafayette Cemetery. Our tour group met in front of the Cemetery (Washington Street and Prytoria).

By the way, I’m not a fan of cemeteries, but the cool thing about cemeteries in New Orleans is that the graves are above the ground. This is because the city is below sea level, so digging too far down would cause the graves to be filled with water.

Our tour guide was Matthew, who was also knowledgeable and informative. He took us around the Garden District and showed us the homes of quite a few celebrities, including Anne Rice, author of Interview with a Vampire.

Honestly, I’m glad I did the tour, it was pretty cool. But it is definitely a one-time thing for me. The French Quarter was way more fascinating. Everyone is different though.

I had planned to eat dinner at Commander’s Palace because I heard it had delicious creole food, but I was quite tired after the tour and not yet hungry. So I headed back to the street car. Hopefully next time. If you have time while in the Garden District neighborhood, check out Commander’s Palace. I hear the food is amazing.

I went back to the hotel to rest and recharge because I had plans that night. By that time I was hungy, and I really wanted authentic Louisiana creole cuisine, so I decided to try one of Sean’s recommendations – the Royal House. I had the “Taste of New Orleans” which consisted of gumbo, jambalaya, and crayfish etouflee. I cleaned my plate (or bowls). It was so delicious. When you go, ask for Tina (such a sweetheart and she provides amazing customer service).

Preservation Hall

After dinner, I headed toward Preservation Hall on St. Peter’s Street. Preservation Hall hosts a live jazz band each night. Mind you, you can hear jazz on the street or in cafes, but Preservation Hall is quite an experience and is definitely worth it. Make sure you get there early because there’s always a line. They let people in batches until the room is full. The show lasts 45 minutes, then on to the next show for the next batch of people. This runs from 8:00-11:00 p.m. Also make sure you have exact change ($20).

I got in the second batch but ended up standing in the back because there were no more seats. You’re also not allowed to take photos or video during the performance, so I was able to get a shot before the band came on. All good though. Will Smith and the Preservation Band was wonderful! They performed some great jazz hits and took requests. This is something I would definitley do again.

DAY 3
It was my last day and I spent my entire morning at a time share presentation. I know, I know. Definitely not my thing. But I did get a $10 ticket for a Steamboat Natchez jazz cruise on the Mississippi River (ticket prices are usually $38), and I did say I was going to do that cruise before I left.

I didn’t get the cruise with lunch, so before heading towards the steamboat, I stopped for lunch at Oceana Grill for a Shrimp Po Boy sandwhich (which hit the spot).

The Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise is a two hour cruise with live jazz playing during the tour. The host shared quite a bit of history about the French Quarter and the Mississippi River. If you can, try to get a spot near the front or the back. Lunch is optional (you decide when you buy your ticket). This was a pretty cool experience … first time on a steamboat and first time cruising on the Mississippi River, but it’s also something I only need to do once.

I had planned to check out Frenchmen Street after the cruise to grab some dinner, but ended up calling it a day. Instead, I took a final stroll through the French Quarter on my way back to my hotel. I grabbed some Vietnamese food from 9 Roses Cafe for dinner instead. During my walking tour the day before, I was surprised to learn that there was a heavy influence of Vietnamese and Italian culture in New Orleans. Got my taste of both during my trip!

The French Quarter was quite an experience and I’ll definitely visit again. As you can see, there are a ton of things to do in New Orleans when traveling solo. I was drawn to New Orleans before, but after exploring the French Quarter on my own, I’m even more intrigued. There’s a certain authenticity that New Orleans, the French Quarter especially, has with its culture. I can’t exactly explain it, but I felt it when I was there. I loved being immersed in this unique culture, experiencing the food and the jazz, and learning about the history of the city.

Next time I visit New Orleans, I’ll hopefully make it to Frenchmen Street, the Bayou, the WWII museum, and other parts outside of the French Quarter. I also think my husband and son would enjoy the French Quarter, so perhaps they’ll come next time. New Orleans has always had a special place in my heart, even before I visited. Now it goes down as my first solo trip, so it means even more to me now. See you soon New Orleans! Can’t wait to visit again!

-New Orleans – first solo trip – November 2019