Come trascorrere il tuo tempo a New Orleans

Ultimo aggiornamento: 22/09/21 | 22 settembre 2021

New Orleans. NOLA. Il grande facile. Una città di molti nomi, tutti evocando il gioviale “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!” (“Lascia che i bei tempi tiri!”) Atteggiamento per cui la città è famosa.

New Orleans è pieno di cibo creolo e Cajun, jazz dal vivo, artisti di strada, storia, bella architettura e un famoso apprezzamento per tutte le tentazioni della vita. La vita nel grande Easy è vissuta bene.

Fondata nel 1718 dai francesi, New Orleans lottò a decollare a causa di conflitti continui e guerra con la popolazione indigena. Per aiutare la colonia a crescere, gli schiavi venivano spediti dall’Africa. Questo mix di culture francesi e africane ha portato alla creazione della cultura afro-crele di New Orlean-una cultura che sopravvive ancora fino ad oggi (questo è anche quando Voodoo ha iniziato a mettere radici qui).

Nel 1803, i francesi vendettero la Louisiana in America. L’immigrazione di massa in città sbocciava mentre l’economia si stava rapidamente espandendo (un’economia quindi affidava fortemente alla schiavitù).

Come grande città portuale alla bocca del Mississippi, New Orleans è sempre stata una melting pot di persone e una mecca per le persone interessanti e, a volte ruvide. Ha attratto lo strano. Getta l’influenza francese, africana e anglo del passato e hai una città davvero unica a differenza di qualsiasi altra cosa negli Stati Uniti.

Ho visitato per la prima volta durante un viaggio in tutto il paese fino al 2006. Era il post -uurricano Katrina e la città era in cattive condizioni – gli edifici erano ancora vacanti, la spazzatura era sparsa per le strade – e la città si sentiva come un fantasma città.

Anni dopo, sono tornato per il Mardi Gras. Era una città diversa. Non solo si era ripulito, ma anche molte nuove aree della città sembravano esplodere di vita. New Orleans era rinato.

Molte, molte visite più tardi e innumerevoli ore a piedi, facendo tour, ascoltando musica dal vivo e mangiando più cibo possibile, ho compilato quello che penso sia l’itinerario perfetto per aiutarti a sfruttare al meglio il tuo tempo nel grande Facile.

Highlights di itinerario di New Orleans

Giorno 1: Garden District, French Quarter, Steamboat Natchez e altro!

Giorno 2: Voodoo Tour, City Park, Frenchman Street e altro!

Giorno 3: Bayou Tour & Oak Alley Plantation

Giorno 4: Museo della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, Confederato Memorial Hall e altro!

Itinerario di New Orleans: giorno 1

Esplora il quartiere francese

Il famoso quartiere francese è dove vedrai le iconiche case in stile francese del 18 ° secolo della città e balconi in ferro battuto. L’area fu risolta dai francesi (da cui il nome) nel 1718.

Il distretto è ora un paradiso per i festaioli su Bourbon Street, gli acquirenti di antiquariato in Royal Street e i buongustai che cercano alcuni dei migliori cibi Cajun in città. Qui troverai Jackson Square, la Cattedrale di St. Louis (la più antica cattedrale del paese, risalente al 1789), bellissime case e bar che squillano il jazz di prim’ordine.

Prova il tour a piedi gratuito da Nola Tour Guy. Imparerai a conoscere la storia del quartiere e avrai accesso a una guida locale esperta che può rispondere a tutte le tue domande. Comincio ogni visita a una nuova città con un tour a piedi gratuito. Assicurati di dare la mancia alla tua guida alla fine!

Per un tour più approfondito, fai passeggiate. Sono la mia compagnia di riferimento quando si tratta di tour a piedi dettagliati che vanno oltre la guida.

Vedi il distretto di arte/magazzino
Proprio tra il quartiere francese e il Garden District, questa zona ha visto un’incredibile rivitalizzazione negli ultimi anni. I vecchi magazzini vuoti sono stati trasformati in negozi, gallerie d’arte, nuovi appartamenti e ristoranti alla moda. Attraversare le strade di ciottoli, dai un’occhiata all’arte e cammina lungo il Mississippi.

Assicurati di visitare il Mardi Gras World. È un enorme magazzino in cui sono realizzati la maggior parte dei galleggianti per il Mardi Gras. Il festival porta quasi 1,5 milioni di persone ogni anno e alcuni carri impiegano quasi un anno intero solo per costruire (è uno dei più grandi e migliori festival al mondo).

1380 Port of New Orleans PL, +1 504-361-7821, MardigrasWorld.com. Aperto ogni giorno dalle 9 alle 17:30. I tour costano $ 22 USD.

Vagare nel distretto del giardino

La mia area preferita di New Orleans, il Garden District ospita grandi e ornate dimore storiche, nonché alcuni dei ristoranti e dei bar migliori e più alla moda della città. Silenzioso e più rilassato del quartiere francese, fu sviluppato nel 1832 per i neo-ricchi americani che si stabilirono in città. I creoli francesi volevano che gli americani uscissero dal quartiere francese e, attraverso un marketing intelligente su come il Nouveau Riche potesse costruire enormi case, li convinse a trasferirsi qui.

Trascorri qualche ora a vagare per le strade, a vedere le vecchie dimore e visitando famosi cimiteri come il cimitero di Lafayette n. 1 nella parte centrale del distretto.

Cruise sul battello a vapore Natchez

Per qualcosa di un po ‘turistico (ma ancora super cool), prenota una crociera sul battello a vapore Natchez. La barca è stata lanciata nel 1975, tuttavia, è il nono battello a vapore per sopportare il nome di Natchez (uno dei suoi predecessori Took part in the most famous steamboat race in history in 1870). Today, it’s the city’s only authentic steamboat. They offer brunch and dinner cruises and host live jazz music. You’ll also get to enjoy the city’s scenic skyline as you cruise on the placid waters of the Mississippi.

400 Toulouse St, +1 800-233-2628, steamboatnatchez.com. open daily from 8am-5pm (7pm on weekends). evening jazz cruises cost $50 USD ($87 USD with dinner) while their Sunday jazz brunches start at $38 USD.

New Orleans Itinerary: Day 2

Take a Voodoo or Ghost Tour
NOLA is considered one of the most haunted cities in the country thanks to the city’s voodoo roots. new Orleans voodoo is a set of underground religious practices that came out of the African religious traditions enslaved people brought to America. Voodoo and the occult are synonymous with new Orleans. From stories of ghosts and vampires to Marie Laveau (the city’s historic and most famous voodoo practitioner), new Orleans has a certain creep factor to it.

Voodoo tours take you through the French Quarter and its cemeteries and teach you about the voodoo past of the city. Witches Brew tours and the Ghosts, Vampires, and Voodoo French Quarter tour are two of the best.

400 royal St, +1 504-454-3939, witchesbrewtours.com. They host multiples tours daily, including some only for adults. Their flagship cemetery tour lasts 90 minutes and costs $40 USD.

Visit the Voodoo Museum
This small museum is the place to learn about Voodoo. It’s a small museum that opened in 1972 and is full of all kinds of artifacts, talismans, taxidermy animals, and voodoo dolls. Not only is it full of interesting artifacts and information, but the museum can also facilitate psychic readings and other rituals for anyone so inclined.

724 Dumaine St, +1 504-680-0128, voodoomuseum.com. open daily from 10am-6pm. Admission is $10 USD.

Tour 1850 House
During the period before the Civil War, slavery made white plantation owners incredibly wealthy. They built elaborate homes to show off their wealth and some of those antebellum houses are still standing today. 1850 house is an example of what many of those townhouses looked like before the American Civil War. Located next to Jackson Square, this house/museum is run by the city and decorated like it would have been when it was in use by the city’s white slave owners. It’s the best place to get an immersive understanding of just how affluent white slave owners were in the south.

523 St Ann St, +1 504-524-9118, louisianastatemuseum.org. open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-4pm. Admission is $5 USD.

Relax in Audubon Park or new Orleans City Park

New Orleans has two stunning parks and I’d highly recommend spending an afternoon wandering around one of them. Audubon Park covers over 350 acres while City Park is a massive green space spanning over 1,300 acres (it’s one of the biggest urban parks in the country). They both have ponds, walking trails, trees, and plenty of space to relax with a book or a picnic. They’re a wonderful place to chill out when the weather gets too hot and you want to relax in the shade (or when you need to rest your feet after a long day of walking).

Listen to music on Frenchman Street

From street bands to jazz halls, new Orleans has music in its DNA. end your day listening to some of new Orleans’s incredible music on Frenchman Street. It’s famous for its collection of jazz bars, including my favorite, The spotted Cat.

You’ll also find lots of book stores, record shops, cafes, and bars in this neighborhood as well. It’s one of the most popular areas of the city after Bourbon Street.

New Orleans Itinerary: Day 3

Take a Bayou Tour

Take a kayak tour around the bayou and explore the swamps filled with alligators and Spanish moss-covered trees. The bayou, a swampy section of a slow-moving river, provided early settlers with trees for homes, fish for eating, and waterways for commerce. It’s still part of the lifeblood of the region and an important part of its culture. spend your morning in this beautiful and relaxing area by getting back to nature.

Kayak tours usually cost around $60 USD and last a couple hours. Wild Louisiana tours offer guided tours that will get you out on the water and teach you about the ecosystem. They also offer rentals from $35 USD if you don’t want a tour.

437 Esplanade Avenue, +1 504-571-9975, neworleanskayakswamptours.com.

Visit Oak Alley

Over a dozen oak trees (each of them over 250 years old) line the lane leading to this antebellum plantation manor right on the Mississippi River. The home’s interior is not particularly awe-inspiring as the exterior and I found the guided tour was a little too brief (and not very detailed). However, wandering the grounds was absolutely worthwhile and the signs/placards have a lot of information on the horrible institution of slavery. It’s located an hour from the city by car. try to arrive early (or stay late) to avoid the day tours that come from new Orleans so youcan take people-free pictures.

There are other plantations nearby that, while not as pretty on the exterior, have more beautiful interiors and better historical tours:

St. Joesph Plantation – built in the 1830s, this plantation is listed on the national Register of historic Places.

Laura Plantation – one of the few plantations left with numerous complete structures (including the former slave cabins).

Houmas house Plantation – completed in 1840, Houmas house sits on 10 acres of land and has 9 surviving buildings and structures.

3645 highway 18 (Great River Road), +1 225 265-2151, oakalleyplantation.org. open daily from 9am-5pm. Admission is $25 USD. For tours that include transportation and admission to the plantation, expect to pay $50 USD per person.

New Orleans Itinerary: Day 4

The national world war II Museum

Opened in 2000, this is the largest museum dedicated to world war II in the country. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best museums in the us too — and I can see why. Its use of audio, video, artifacts, and personal stories tie the history of the war together in incredible detail. I spent over three hours here and still had more to see.

Even if you’re not a history buff like me, I highly recommend visiting. many veterans spend time here, and you can listen to first-hand accounts of the war as well as see some of their pictures. It’s sobering but incredibly insightful.

945 magazine St, +1 504-528-1944, nationalww2museum.org. open daily from 9am-5pm. Admission is $29.50 USD.

Take a Food Tour
If you want to learn more about the history and culture behind the city’s best eats, take a food tour. You’ll not only get to eat more of the best food in the city but you’ll learn how and why certain foods came to prominence. From po’boys to gumbo and everything in between, food and culture and history are inseparable from the city’s DNA. A food tour will add much more insight and nuance to your time here. doctor Gumbo tours run one of the best food tours in the city.

+1 504 473-4823, doctorgumbo.com. tours last 3 hours and cost $70 USD per person.

See the Confederate Memorial Hall Museum
This is one of the oldest museums in the state and is home to the second-largest collection of Confederate Civil war items in the world. I’m always intrigued by Civil war history museums, especially those in the South, since the memory of “Northern aggression” is still very strong down here in the deep south.

The museum contains over 5,000 historical artifacts, including the uniforms of Generals Bragg and Beauregard and personal items owned by Confederate president Jefferson Davis (including his Bible and a piece of the crown of thorns he received from the Pope). The museum highlights southern patriotism and reiterates the historic argument that the south was fighting for “honor” and “state’s rights.”

I found the absence of slavery here unsurprising given that the museum wants to pretend that wasn’t the main cause. It’s always fascinating to learn how people frame their history, even if they do so in such a biased light. despite the one-sidedness — and in fact, because of it, this museum is worth visiting.

929 Camp St, +1 504-523-4522, confederatemuseum.com. open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm. Admission is $10 USD.

Tour the Sazerac House
Opened in 2019, The Sazerac house is part bar, part museum, highlighting the importance of this local spirit and the drink named after it. It’s an immersive experience. There are several floors of interactive exhibits. You can chat with virtual bartenders about their favorite drinks and see what the French Quarter looked like in the 1800s. It’s a super detailed and fun experience. It’s one of the best experiences in the city.

101 magazine St, +1 504-910-0100, sazerachouse.com. currently closed due to COVID. check the website for updates and hours. Amission is free but booking in advance

Leave a Comment