Ready to party? Take a stroll down Bourbon Street with a Hurricane in hand. Stop at Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo to learn about the city's spiritual heritage before venturing to the Old Absinthe House for a drink made from, well, Absinthe. Finish with a purple drink at Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmiths Shop, the oldest bar in America (but beware of its haunted bathrooms!)
If Bourbon Street isn't your style, hop on the St. Charles street car and head to the Garden District. Adorned with Magnolia trees, gorgeous mansions and cute shops, you can stroll for blocks in this less-crowded but no less charming section of the city. While there, be sure to check out family-friendly Miel Brewery & Taproom or take a history tour of one of the country's oldest cemeteries, Layfayette Cemetery #1.
Enjoy a beignet and café au lait at the iconic Café Du Monde, built in 1862. If you have the taste for it, opt for a chicory coffee- this drink became popular during the Civil War due to a coffee shortage in the city. Pro tip: don't wear black because there is powdered sugar ev.ery.where!
If jazz is your jam, head to Preservation Hall for one of their nightly shows. Ticket prices start at $20. If you can't make a show, fear not, the music music scene is virtually unavoidable in New Orleans! Venture into any local bar or stroll along Magazine Street for some live tunes.
The Pharmacy Museum is not only our wedding venue, but also a functioning museum. This mid-19th Century apothecary shop is the home of America's first licensed pharmacist. Inside you'll find hand-blown apothecary bottles filled with crude drugs, "gris-gris" potions used by Voodoo practitioners and rare patent medicines. Outside in the courtyard you'll find a historic herb garden used for curating plant-based medicines. Reservations are required.
Local guides offer a variety of name-your-own-price tours such as neighborhood-specific tours, ghost tours, cemetery tours, food/drink tours and everything in between! Most are about 2 hours long and you can hop off the route at any point you'd like. Reservations are required.