Visiting New Orleans was a dream I didn’t know I had and honestly, if you can make time to do it, you should. There were so many fun things to do, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with a single activity. That being said, here are my New Orleans bucket list recommendations!
Eat at Forbidden Pizza
I stumbled across Forbidden Pizza completely accidentally but I am so glad we decided to eat there. It skyrocketed to the top of my fave pizza places. I eat a lot of pizza so that’s saying something! The reviews were phenomenal and for good reason. I recommend their Forbidden Fruit pizza which is just three ingredients: bacon, mozzarella, and fig jam. Never have I gotten such a good depth of bacon on a pizza and the sweetness of the jam is absolutely perfect. I don’t think you can go wrong with any slice and if I lived in New Orleans, I would probably eat there at least once a week.
Attend a Mardi Gras Parade
Mardi Gras was never really on my bucket list. I can hang with a large crowd, but at the end of the day that’s not really my style and neither is the drinking crowd. After accidentally visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras, I’ll say that I stand corrected. It’s worth it! If you’re like me and don’t necessarily want to be there on Fat Tuesday, you can still experience the magic if you come the weeks beforehand. Whatever you choose, make sure to visit a parade. It’s one of a kind and deserves a spot your New Orleans bucket list.
Take a tour
There is no shortage of tours to take in New Orleans and the surrounding area. You should definitely find one that suits your interest. There are historical tours and haunted tours and swamp tours and I’m sure foodie tours and the like. My recommendations? Take a cemetery tour! Surprisingly, the cemeteries in New Orleans aren’t just open to the public like they are in other places. Whether that’s to decrease foot traffic out of respect or simply a money grab, I can’t say for certain, but the history and architecture are fascinating and worth it! The tour we took actually took us to the Oddfellows Cemetery, which was a treat I can’t recommend enough. Our tour guide was actually a member of the group, himself, and even has one of the spots reserved for his passing. If cemeteries aren’t your thing or you want more recommendations, I also recommend the Bad Bitches tour. It was focused on women of New Orleans and their legacies, some of which were rather uncouth, but many of which were down right badass. Feel free to reach out on socials because I think we actually took 4 our 5 tours during our stay and I’d be happy to make more recommendations!
Visit a swamp
To see the swamp, you technically have to leave the city limits to find a swamp, but with the delta nearby, there are plenty of opportunities to find a swamp. We took a swamp tour on a flat bottomed speed boat through Ragin’ Cajun tours, but there are tons of options. Some of the options we explored were a swamp tour to a plantation, large pontoons, large air boats, small air boats, and many more. Even in February which is a “colder” month, I still had the opportunity to see gators and even babies!
Explore the French Quarter
This one is a given – you must visit the French Quarter when you’re in New Orleans. It would probably be harder to avoid it, if I’m being perfectly honest, but it’s so charming. Interestingly enough, the architecture is primarily of Spanish influence but nonetheless, it’s quite a lovely place to visit. As a bonus, if you’re able to visit a patio do it. You wouldn’t know it just by walking down the streets, but the houses have yards and gardens behind them as opposed to along the street. Sometimes you can get a little sneak peak through a gate here or there and they really do look magical!
Listen to live Jazz
I think this one is inescapable, but in the best way, and one more reason it needs to make your New Orleans bucket list. New Orleans is the home of jazz and there seems to be someone performing everywhere you go. There was a live band on the steamboat Natchez that Kristen and I danced to (horribly, I might add, but so fun!). I like to imagine its year round, but with Mardi Gras in full swing there were multiple performers singing and playing instruments on every other street corner in the French Quarter. The Howlin’ Wolf was just a little ways down the way and they have live music every Friday! If you seek it, you shall find it and this one is worth finding.
Visit an oddities or voodoo shop
New Orleans is known for its voodoo just about as much as its known for Mardi Gras. Because of that, you’ll find a large variety of shops spanning from touristy trinket shops to higher quality supply shops. There are also many oddities shops and even some places dedicated to the vampire scene. If it’s not your thing, don’t fret! I do highly recommend it, though.
Buy a silly Mardi Gras outfit you love
This is something I didn’t do and while I don’t necessarily regret it, I do wish I had a funky little outfit I could say I wore during Mardi Gras. Here’s the thing – everyone is wearing purple, yellow, and green. The stores are jam packed with sequins and silly outfits. We weren’t planning on being there for Mardi Gras so we came ill-prepared to need a Mardi Gras outfit, but if I was to go again my first purchase would be a sequined letterman-style jacket and a fun skirt. It seems like even the locals have their Mardi Gras fits and so its a fun way to join in and also stand out.
Take a boat ride
Our cruise on the Steamboat Natchez was simply phenomenal. We opted for the dinner cruise where I got to try gumbo for the first time. From the live music to delicious food and wonderful ambience on the mighty Mississippi, I can’t sing their praises enough! They aren’t the only boat you can take, so whatever river boat cruise sounds like your vibe, do it. That includes riverboat, pontoon, or airboat – take the boat ride!
Buy some local art
I love supporting local and small businesses and one great way to do that is to buy some local art. I found this darling little art shop in the French Quarter that featured a variety of different artists work. There were prints and originals you could purchase, and they also had locally made trinkets. I got a really pretty rendition of the French Quarter that I can’t wait to frame. There’s also plenty of art galleries, so if you’re looking to spend some money on a really high end piece, you’ll find no shortage of options to suit your fancy!
Eat a Muffaletta
A muffaletta is a very large Italian-style sandwich invented in New Orleans, so color me surprised when not everyone knew what it was! I asked multiple people before even one person knew what I was talking about. Regardless, add this to your New Orleans bucket list because it is delicious. It features cured meats, like ham and salami, cheese, and an olive spread that is so good! I don’t typically even eat ham or salami but the combination on the sandwich is perfection. You can find them at several restaurants, but keep in mind they do vary. Because they are so large, they make a great option to share with someone (and the leftovers are great the next day, too).
What are you adding to your New Orleans bucket list? Anything I missed? Let me know so I can make sure to check it out next time! And there will be a next time.
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