Things To Do

French Quarter Fest

New Orleans' biggest free music festival is happening the same weekend as the wedding (April 13-16). Unlike Jazz Fest, this festival actually has a lot of jazz, among other Louisiana-grown genres. Also unlike Jazz Fest, it's FREE. Music stages are located at Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Bienville Triangle, Preservation Hall, the French Market, St. Mary’s at the Ursuline Convent, and New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Mint, but it will be obvious where you need to go once you set foot in the French Quarter.

Giant Puppet Fest

New Orleans' biggest puppet festival is also happening the same weekend as the wedding (April 13-17). "This festival is a 5 day celebration of the mysterious, ancient, and wildly varying art form of Puppetry. The Giant Puppet Fest hosts local, national, and international artists with kid friendly and adult only performances from daytime ’til late across multiple venues." We are so bummed we'll be too busy getting married to attend most of these puppet shows, because the line-up looks great this year. We highly recommend you peruse their event calendar as we don't have enough space here to summarize all the intriguing performances.

Southern Food and Beverage Museum & Museum of the American Cocktail

Neighborhood: CENTRAL CITY The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is a non-profit museum based in New Orleans, Louisiana with a mission to explore the culinary history of the American Southern states, to explain the roots of Southern food and drinks. Their exhibits focus on every aspect of food in the South, from the cultural traditions to the basic recipes and communities formed through food.

Louisiana Children's Museum

Neighborhood: MID CITY Located in City Park, which is also home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Sculpture Garden, and the Botanical Garden. If you're coming from our house you can take the #27 bus directly there. If you're coming from the French Quarter you'll need to take the red Canal Street Streetcar and then walk a few blocks.

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

Neighborhood: FRENCH QUARTER The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is housed in the 1823 Creole townhouse and apothecary of. Louis J. Dufilho, Jr., America's first licensed pharmacist. The museum’s collection documents and illustrates the history of medicine during the 19th century, and they always have some new exhibit going on. Absolutely worth a visit.

The Historic New Orleans Collection

Neighborhood: FRENCH QUARTER The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) is a museum, research center, and publisher dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. Certainly one of the more reliable sources of historical information about New Orleans. They always have interesting exhibits and it's right in the middle of the French Quarter. Admission is free, but they do require you to book your spot in advance: https://my.hnoc.org/overview/8134?promo=VISIT

Free Tours By Foot

A walking tour company that our friends work for! Covers many different areas of the city, so take your pick.

Dr. Bob's Folk Art

Neighborhood: BYWATER If you can't make it across the lake, you can still see some(slightly less insane) folk art at Dr. Bob's in the Bywater. You might recognize his "Be Nice or Leave" signs around town, but he does a lot more than that. Always a colorful visit, and a good place to find more interesting souvenirs.

The Bywater Museum of Unnatural History

Neighborhood: BYWATER A museum of oddities, dioramas, and taxidermy, housing works from many artists and crafters. Located in the attic of the Aquarium Gallery N Studio. Open Sundays 3 to 5. Open to display any diorama or other oddity for permanent or temporary exhibit. Available for appointments and groups. Insta: @bywater_museum_of_unnat_hist Email: bywatermuseumofunnaturalhist@gmail.com Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-bywater-museum-of-unnatural-history

The Music Box Village

Neighborhood: BYWATER The Music Box is an incredible collection of art structures and "musical architecture." It's also a performance space. We honestly considered having our wedding here, but preferred the customization and price of our own backyard.

Barataria Preserve

National Park located in the middle of the wetlands, about half an hour from New Orleans on the other side of the river. It has wooden trails that make it very easy to traverse (the Park Rangers also dutifully clear away the golden silk spiders) but you'll still see plenty of wildlife. The cypress groves are particularly beautiful.

Abita Mystery House / UCM Museum

Located an hour away from our house across Lake Pontchartrain. If you can get your hands on a car, we highly recommend this bizarre junk art museum across the lake. The creator, John Preble, is almost always behind the counter. Admission is $5 and John waives that fee if you're an artist.

Whitney Plantation

About an hour's drive from New Orleans, Whitney Plantation Museum is the only museum in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the lives of enslaved people. During your visit, you will learn about the history of slavery on a southern Louisiana sugarcane plantation. A serious but important look at the history of slavery in Louisiana.

The AllWays Lounge & Cabaret

NeighborhoodL MARIGNY Theater and bar where you can see plays, burlesque shows & indie music concerts.

Frenchmen Street

Neighborhood: MARIGNY We're including the whole street rather than specific venue because it's easier. Lots of music venues and bar all clustered together.

Neutral Ground Coffeehouse

Neighborhood: UPTOWN A strange and beautiful place. A volunteer run coffeehouse/all-ages music venue that opens at 7 PM every night. You don't go there for the coffee, or really even the music. You go there for the utterly fantastical walls covered in decades of art and found objects. For every nook and cranny that looks like if Maurice Sendack designed a haunted house. For ordering a bowl of goldfish crackers off the menu. The genie's bottle-type sitting area. The donated board games. The random conversations with random weirdos. The live music, whether amateurish and awkward or truly good. You frankly never know. It could be packed full of lively people or you might be the only one there besides a volunteer barista and a mediocre banjo player. There's nothing like it!

Z'otz Cafe

Neighborhood: CARROLLTON It's pretty far uptown, but if you like delightfully creepy art installations in your coffeeshops then it's definitely worth the long Streetcar ride. The entire little stretch of Oak Street where Z'otz is located is worth a visit, as there are many good restaurants and shops there. On the Saint Charles Ave streetcar line.

Undergrowth Coffee

Neighborhood: The map says "EAST RIVERSIDE" but no one actually calls it that because cardinal directions don't work here. Would usually call it Touro or Uptown. A good option of you want to stay Uptown, closer to our house. Right on the Magazine Street bus line.

Levee Baking Co.

Neighborhood: IRISH CHANNEL Excellent baked goods and coffee really close to our house. They sell out fast so it's good to catch them early.

Urban Roast

Neighborhood: IRISH CHANNEL Coffee and tea located next to a garden center (the garden center has many chickens, goats, pigs, rabbits, and cats to pet). A very close walk from our house! Great tea menu.

Whatever Coffee/Stein's Deli

Neighborhood: LOWER GARDEN DISTRICT Pop-up coffeeshop located inside Stein's deli. We recommend getting something from both! It's also a ten minute walk from our house and also right on the Magazine Street bus line.

The Rabbit’s Foot

Neighborhood: LOWER GARDEN DISTRICT Wonderful rabbit-themed cafe! Huge, beautifully decorated space with good coffee/tea and food.

Mammoth Espresso

Neighborhood: CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT High quality espresso and tea. They're really serious about tea.

Fourth Wall (Coffeeshop & Bar)

Neighborhood: CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT A gorgeous hidden gem in the CBD that serves coffee every day and wine/cocktails Thurs-Sat. The building feels like a turn-of-the-century french bohemian salon and includes a courtyard where you might find live music or a food pop up.

Lowpoint

Neighborhood: ST CLAUDE If you find yourself waaay downtown in the Upper Ninth Ward, definitely check out this coffeeshop. Amazing coffee and tea, and an overgrown luscious outside.

Columns

Neighborhood: MILAN The Columns is a bar, coffeeshop, and schmancy hotel in one. It's also where they filmed the 1978 movie Pretty Baby, fun fact. Gorgeous old Italianate architecture with stunning decor and really good drinks (both alcoholic and caffeinated). Not far from our house. On the Saint Charles Ave streetcar line.

Bouligny Tavern

Neighborhood: "EAST RIVERSIDE" Similar vibe to the Columns but much smaller. Serves food until midnight Mon-Wed and until 1 AM Thurs-Sat.

Pete's Out In the Cold

Neighborhood: IRISH CHANNEL Neighborhood divebar a block from our house. Don't go there looking for craft cocktails but you can get a beer or a whiskey soda.

Miel Brewery & Taproom

Neighborhood: IRISH CHANNEL Four blocks from our house. The beer they brew is so good that even Eden orders it, and she doesn't like beer. They also sometimes have pop-up food.

Nola Brewing and Pizza Co.

Neighborhood: IRISH CHANNEL Local brewery with a pizza restaurant attached. Down the street from our house.

Urban South Brewery

Neighborhood: LOWER GARDEN DISTRICT Kid-Friendly local brewery and taproom. If you walk along Tchoupitoulas Street you can hit quite a few local breweries. Close to Barrel Proof.

Frankie & Johnny's

Neighborhood: The map says "WEST RIVERSIDE" but again no one would ever say that. It's just Uptown. A solid choice if you're looking for a one-stop-shop of New Orleans cuisine.

Hansen's Sno-Bliz

Neighborhood: "WEST RIVERSIDE" (Uptown) The wedding takes place during sno-ball season and we highly recommend you try one. And if you're going to try one you should try the best. Do a combo of two flavors and don't order a size you can't finish before it melts.

Piccola Gelateria

Neighborhood: "WEST RIVERSIDE" (Uptown) Fantastic spot for classic gelato with many dairy-free options. The dairy-free dark chocolate gelato is particularly rich and delicious.

Lucy Boone Ice Cream

Neighborhood: MILAN Excellent ice cream parlor run by one of Eden's childhood friends (or rather, the annoying little brother of one of her childhood friends) and his wife. The ice cream is REALLY good with lots of unique flavors.

Zee's Pizzeria

Neighborhood: MILAN Great pizza right next to Lucy Boone.

Barracuda

Neighborhood: "EAST RIVERSIDE" Great food and margaritas with a huge dog-friendly courtyard. Also Aaron works there. But it really is an excellent choice for a delicious cheap meal.

Shawarma On The Go

Neighborhood: "EAST RIVERSIDE" Located inside a Jetgo gas station. Delicious shawarma, falafel sandwiches, gyros, burgers, seafood platters, fries, salad, hummus, you name it. Within walking distance of our house.

Atchafalaya

Neighborhood: IRISH CHANNEL A few blocks from our house. You can get high-end creole food at the restaurant or just get cocktails at the bar. They also do brunch.

Miss Shirley's

Neighborhood: GARDEN DISTRICT Excellent dumplings just a few blocks from our house. We recommend the shrimp snow pea leaf dumplings, the fried stuffed eggplant, and the salt and pepper tofu but honestly you can't go wrong.

Molly's Rise and Shine

Neighborhood: LOWER GARDEN DISTRICT

Dragonfly Cafe

Turkey and the Wolf

Neighborhood: LOWER GARDEN DISTRICT

Maypop

Neighborhood: CBD/WAREHOUSE DISTRICT Southern Asian fusion.

Verti Marte

Neighborhood: FRENCH QUARTER If you're looking for poboys in the French Quarter, do not be led astray. Go here first.

GW Fins

Neighborhood: FRENCH QUARTER Pricey but extremely delicious fishes.

Sweet Soulfood

Neighborhood: BAYOU ST. JOHN Delicious and affordable vegan soulfood.

McHardy's Chicken & Fixin'

Neighborhood: SEVENTH WARD, but it's only a few blocks from Vegan Soulfood. McHardy's serves straightforward delish fried chicken with lots of sides.

Pizza Delicious

Neighborhood: BYWATER