Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

Mardi Gras may be but a bead-sodden memory of a few days past, but are we stopping with the parades? Of course not. We never stop parading! (At least, sometimes it feels that way.)

As St. Patrick’s Day presents us with a slew of activities over the weekend, here are some of the best. And remember, there’s also going to be an always-impressive act — the annual gathering of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes on Super Sunday on March 19, 2023, by A.L. Davis Park (Washington and LaSalle streets).

The Irish Channel Parade

This is THE New Orleans Paddy’s Day parade. On Saturday, March 11, 2023, the parade will start at 1:30 p.m. on the corner of Napoleon Ave. and Tchoupitoulas St. Float riders typically toss all things green, including the edible kind (cabbage), and try to bestow kisses upon the spectators.

Block parties

On the same Saturday, there are two big parties kicking off mere blocks from each other at the border of the Lower Garden District and the Irish Channel. One blowout goes off at Tracey’s at 2604 Magazine St. (11 a.m. till), and the other at Parasol’s at Third and Constance streets (10 a.m. – 8 p.m.). Expect much green beer, green tutus, and green jello shots — you get the idea.

The annual Irish Channel block party will be held on Friday, March 17, 2023, starting at 1:00 p.m. This block party is located at Annunciation Square on the 1500 block of Chippewa. There will be Irish music, food, drinks, and dancers.

Downtown Irish Club Parade

If you prefer staying downriver on Paddy’s Day, the Downtown Irish Club Parade rolls from Piety and Burgundy in the Bywater into the French Quarter at 7 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17, 2023.

Finn McCool’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party

Or head to Mid-City for Finn McCool’s always awesome St. Patrick’s Day block party. The fun starts at 10 a.m. and lasts into the night, with the Wee Parade, live music, and crawfish. There’s also Irish karaoke till about 1 a.m., which will either be terrible or grand and likely a bit of both. Trust us, it’s just as debauched as the other celebrations around town.

If you’re visiting New Orleans this spring, take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

 

 

 

Things to Do in New Orleans in March

With March upon us, expect a good slate of early spring activities in the Crescent City. Also, the weather is warmer — hopefully just pleasantly warmer — the kind of spring sunshine that equals t-shirts and jeans, if not shorts.

Mainly, we consider this time of year an awesome window when the Carnival wraps up (or, depending on the year, is over) and the festival season is yet to begin. This is that rare time when the city settles for a very slight breather between its biggest parties and festivals, although it still means there’s a ton of stuff to do. Here are the highlights.

Mardi Gras

Start date: January 6. End date: Changes annually.

First up is one of the best parties in the world! The Carnival season, which kicks off on January 6 (Twelfth Night/Epiphany), will culminate as usual on Mardi Gras Day (this year it fell on February 2023, but some years it happens in March). By the time March rolls around, there have already been dozens of parades in New Orleans, but the weekend leading up to Fat Tuesday is especially packed.

Check out the parade schedule that will roll in March and through Fat Tuesday in the city of New Orleans. There are typically three to five parades daily/nightly, and not just in the French Quarter and Uptown but in other parts of town. Among the most popular parades are the super-krewes of Endymion, rolling in Mid-City on Saturday before Fat Tuesday, and Bacchus, happening Uptown on Sunday.

There are walking parades, balls, block parties, and much more. Don’t miss the annual Greasing of the Poles at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Friday and the Lundi Gras Festival at the Woldenberg Park on Monday. This is the greatest six days of the year to be in New Orleans, hands down, and if you happen to be here — well, all we can say is lucky you, and soak it in.

Wednesday at the Square

Every Wednesday, March 15 – May 17, 2023

Unwind with a cold beverage on any given Wednesday at the Square, a free concert music series held in the spring in Lafayette Park (located one block off of Poydras Street, between St. Charles Avenue and Camp Street) every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m., in the heart of the Central Business District. From March through May, these outdoor concerts feature a variety of jazz, rock, swam pop, brass, Latin rhythms, and more.

Bring a chair or a blanket, or head to the front of the stage to partake in some dancing. You can bring your dog, and there are vendor booths surrounding the park where you can buy food and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (no outside food or beverages, please).

St. Patrick’s Day

Friday, March 17, 2023

It often comes as a surprise to first-time visitors to New Orleans that this city has a deep Irish heritage, which traces back to its history as a Catholic port of call that was one of the main entry points for the USA. There’s an entire neighborhood in this town called the Irish Channel, plus a plethora of fantastic pubs that eschew cheesy emerald-green Irish stereotypes for rough-hewn hospitality (Finn McCool’s and Erin Rose come to mind).

As such, there are plenty of Irish in this town, and thus, the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day is an important one for the city of New Orleans. Numerous parades kick off, including the Irish Channel parade (on Saturday, March 11, 2023), where float riders pass cabbages to the screaming crowds. The Downtown Irish Club Parade rolls on Friday, March 17, 2023, from the Bywater to the French Quarter, making several pit stops on its way to Bourbon Street.

How much you enjoy all of the above is linked to your tolerance for public drinking and green beer. St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans is not quite as kid-friendly as the Carnival — you’ll still see families, but these parades are more aimed at adults.

Super Sunday

Sunday, March 19, 2023

The annual gathering of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes is perhaps the most open means of accessing this unique element of New Orleans backstreet culture. If you are lucky you might see the Indians out and about on St. Joseph’s Day (which coincides with Super Sunday this year), and the tribes will be out in larger numbers on Super Sunday, which usually falls on the third Sunday of March.

While the Mardi Gras Indians have their set routes and parade areas, no one event packs the tribes into one public space like Super Sunday. In this case, said public spaces are A.L. Davis Park, at the corner of Washington and LaSalle streets; and Bayou St. John in Mid-City, at the intersection of Orleans and Moss streets, on the bayou’s banks and the Orleans Street bridge. The Indian procession usually leaves the gathering spot around 1 p.m. The free festivities typically begin at noon at A.L. David Park.

We can’t stress this enough: Be respectful if you go. Take pictures at a distance, and don’t get in the way of marching Indians or their friends, family and attached bands. Super Sunday has been overrun with spectators these days, so please do your part to enjoy this amazing cultural event responsibly.

Some background: The Mardi Gras Indians are the most vibrant, visible and conversely mysterious expressions of African American New Orleans culture. To distill them into an extremely simplistic sentence: Mardi Gras Indians are black New Orleanians who dress up (or in local lingo, ”mask”) as stylized Native Americans. They take to the streets in fantastic costumes made of beads, feathers and sequins that cost thousands of dollars, weigh hundreds of pounds, and require hundreds of days of painstaking labor; no element of costume creation is automated. On Mardi Gras Day, Super Sunday, St. Joseph’s Day, and a select few other special occasions, the “chiefs” and their tribes parade through the city, chanting, shouting and challenging each other to determine who is “the prettiest.”

There’s a ton more background on this fascinating subject at the Backstreet Cultural Museum in the historic Tremé neighborhood.

Tennessee Williams Literary Festival

Wednesday-Sunday, March 22-26, 2023

Writers have always been drawn to New Orleans. Few cities in America (or the world, really), can match this town for its atmosphere, sense of place, or penchant for fun and pathos (all good elements of a writing life).

The Tennessee Williams Literary Festival celebrates this city’s love affair with the written word, as well as writers’ love affair with New Orleans. Notable authors will be in attendance, hosting seminars, workshops and lectures. Plus, this being the Tennessee Williams Festival, there is, of course, a “Stella” and “Stanley” contest, which involves folks screaming out the iconic scene from A Streetcar Named Desire to appreciative crowds on Jackson Square.

Note that on March 24-26, 2023, the city will also host the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival, an alternative literary event that celebrates LGBTQIA+ authors. The three-day festival will include panel discussions, master classes, and a fair amount of networking opportunities between authors, editors and publishers.

Hogs for the Cause

Friday-Saturday, March 31 – April 1, 2023

In late spring, the hot scent of BBQ will once again mix with the twang of electric guitars at the UNO Lakefront Arena. Hogs for the Cause is an annual celebration of whole hog roasts and local music (with some national acts in the lineup as well). The event began modestly in 2009 at The Fly at Audubon Park with maybe 200 people, and has now expanded into a massively popular regular on the city’s culinary and music calendar.

Hogs for the Cause brings awareness to pediatric brain cancer, and the founders have — at least in this city — pioneered the idea of turning a hog roast into a charity event. The goal was to have a good time for a purpose — the more you drink and eat, the more you help.

Congo Square Rhythms Festival/Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival

Saturday-Sunday, March 25-26, 2023

The musical heritage of New Orleans follows a line that can be traced all the way back to Africa, where the black diaspora begins. The music of that continent evolved here and in the Caribbean, influenced by Europe and indigenous music, into the forms and traditions that are the core of today’s New Orleans sound.

This vital legacy is celebrated in Armstrong Park, on the grounds of Congo Square, where local slaves were once permitted to practice the musical traditions of Africa and the Caribbean. Congo Square Rhythms Festival (combined in recent years with the Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival) is a celebration of global and local music, and offers both amazing food and a fantastic lineup of music.

Presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the festival features Mardi Gras Indians, African dance, brass bands, soul-funk, as well as indigenous music of Honduras, and highlife from West Africa. The large art market and a Soul Food Court complete the experience.

Don’t miss one of the fest’s highlights, the Mardi Gras Indian “battle” — when the tribes gather in the center of the square, plus the festival’s largest to date assemblage of New Orleans-based African dance troupes (they typically perform on Sunday).

Take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today, and happy spring!

Things to Do in New Orleans in February

Mardi Gras comes relatively early this year (February 21, 2023), and there is a steady stream of events and entertainment leading up to it. February is not only packed with Carnival-related festivities though — let’s not forget Valentine’s Day — plus there are a few low-key local annual events you might enjoy. Here are some highlights and suggestions to make sure you make the most of this short but event-packed month.

Go See the Mardi Gras Parades

One of the best parties in the world is here! The Carnival season always kicks off on January 6, known as Twelfth Night or the Epiphany, with three parades, and will culminate as usual on Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday). In the days leading up to it, dozens of parades roll in February in the French Quarter, Marigny, Bywater, and Uptown.

Do consider venturing outside the city too, if you can, as parts of the metro New Orleans, like Metairie, Covington, Slidell, and the West Bank have some of the most fascinating, fun parades of the Carnival season. You can’t catch them all, but you can try! Check the full parade schedule to get the rundown of the Carnival festivities that, depending on the Fat Tuesday date, can spill into March.

Eat King Cake

For those who aren’t aware, King Cake is a traditional cake typically served during Mardi Gras festivities. It’s socially acceptable to stuff your face with it anytime between January 6, when the Carnival season starts, and Ash Wednesday. Also, per tradition, whoever finds a plastic baby in their slice has to throw the next party, or at least buy the next King Cake.

King Cake comes with many fillings although the traditionalists insist on the old-school rendition without any. It also comes in the Carnival colors of purple, gold and green, but then again you might see the “Who Dat?” versions in black and gold during the football season, honoring the Saints.

King Cake has its own annual festival, and New Orleanians tend to have strong opinions about who makes the best King Cake in the city. One thing is for sure: Everywhere you go during Mardi Gras, from a grocery store to a parade party to a dive bar, King Cake will be there for the taking.

Take in the Art at First Saturdays

Head downtown to the Arts District to discover some of the city’s best galleries during this free event. First Saturday gallery openings are held every first Saturday of the month, down and around Julia Street, 6-9 PM. Member galleries open their doors and might be also serving free refreshments.

Celebrate Vietnamese New Year at Tet Fest

Tet Fest is held over a weekend at the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church at 14011 Dwyer Blvd. in New Orleans East. It’s a free celebration of the Vietnamese New Year with live music, traditional dance performances, fireworks, kid-friendly activities, and an amazing variety of authentic Vietnamese food. The date changes annually, falling anywhere between mid-January and late February.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day in One of the Most Romantic Cities

To be fair, this is a worldwide holiday. But Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) in New Orleans — with her wrought-iron balconies, historical buildings, and the possibility of music on every corner — is a special kind of unique. Check out our suggestions on the romantic things to do in the French Quarter for some ideas.

Explore the French Quarter

Whether you’re here with your sweetheart to celebrate Valentine’s Day or visiting with family or friends (or alone) for any other reason, Carnival season is one of the best times to explore the French Quarter. The spirit of revelry permeates the streets, and there are parades and block parties to stumble upon. Not to mention that many of the French Quarter’s facades, porches and balconies are decked in dazzling decorations, sporting purple, green and gold.

Plus, the winter temps are usually mild here, and pleasant enough to stroll down Royal Street to visit the galleries and the antique shops, for example. You can also take in a brass band performance at Jackson Square; visit the French Market to get a po-boy and some oysters; or scarf down some beignets at Cafe du Monde. Take a tour, or just walk around and stare.

No matter when you visit and with whom, take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

 

 

 

New Year’s Eve in New Orleans: What to Do and Where to Stay

It should come as no surprise that New Orleans does New Year’s Eve quite well. Both the city and the holiday are closely tied to the celebration, public revelry, and good fellowship. But many visitors may not expect how possible it is to have an intimate, (relatively) quiet New Year’s Eve in New Orleans. Of course, there are big celebrations within the French Quarter, but even in that storied neighborhood, a night out on December 31 can be both as raucous and as chill as you please.

Note that in New Orleans, the evening of the 31 is not a guaranteed chiller. While there have been New Year’s Eves in New Orleans characterized by heavy coats and cold winds off of the Mississippi, there is a chance the weather will be temperate, and even a little muggy. The point is: Bring cold-weather clothes but don’t be surprised if you won’t need them.

Here are some of our picks for what to do on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans.

Dick Clark Rockin’ New Year’s Eve 

Every year, Dick Clark Rockin’ New Year’s Eve production hosts its official Central Time Zone party in New Orleans near the historic Jax Brewery starting at 9 p.m. The show is coordinated with parties in New York and Los Angeles, and features a musical lineup and special guests. The fleur-de-lis drop at Jax Brewery is live-cast.

Jackson Square

This is the big, obvious New Year’s activity in New Orleans — our version of the Times Square ball drop (although the actual ball drop is a fleur-de-lis drop, and that event has a party all of its own, see above). Jackson Square is a historic and iconic meeting space of the city of New Orleans, and is always a linchpin for local events.

Every year, admission to the square is free, although you’ll want to show up early in the evening if you don’t want to be crowded to the edge of the square (depending on your crowd tolerance, the latter scenario may not be such a bad thing). Within Jackson Square, there are live music and general milling about. The end-of-the-year countdown culminates in the fleur-de-lis drop, followed by fireworks over the Mississippi.

For the Kids

If you’re traveling with young children and have made the reasonable conclusion that popping bottles of Moët at midnight and a child’s sleep cycle don’t mix well — but also don’t want your kids to completely miss New Year’s Eve fun — consider some of the family-friendly annual events in the Crescent City.

You could take your kids to Zoo Year’s Eve at the Audubon Zoo, which “parties” from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with a soda toast, costumed characters, and of course, the Audubon’s wildlife menagerie (the event is included in the price of admission).

Or you could head to the Louisiana Children’s Museum for their annual New Year’s Eve Kids’ Countdown to Noon, which lasts from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. That party typically includes noisemakers, paper bag hats, and music, all set against the backdrop of the Louisiana Children’s Museum’s considerable range of kid-friendly displays and exhibits, appropriate for children aged from 1-12.

Balcony Bashes

If you’re looking for a more traditional night of French Quarter-style partying, be on the lookout for balcony bashes at area bars — located all up and down the (in)famous Bourbon Street nightlife strip.

A balcony bash is pretty much that — you’ll pay a cover and be allowed to plant yourself on a wrought-iron balcony overlooking the street below. Some bashes feature all-inclusive tickets that get you extras like an open bar and food. Either way, much bead tossing subsequently ensues.

With that said, a different take on the balcony bash is a French Quarter New Year’s Eve house party. Seeing as such houses usually have balconies that afford at least a decent view of the river, this is a good chance to see the fireworks while avoiding crowds. Of course, getting yourself into a house party is all based on your charm and who you know.

Allstate Sugar Bowl Parade

Need something to do during the day? Since 1935, the Sugar Bowl has been played in New Orleans, and while that event has since become the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the New Year’s Eve Parade associated with the game continues in more or less the same vein. The extravaganza is done Mardi Gras-style, so expect big floats, marching bands, plenty of throws (trinkets tossed to spectators), and a general overload of glitz and pageantry.

The parade begins at the “bottom” of the Quarter, where it meets Faubourg Marigny, at the intersection of Elysian Fields Avenue and Decatur Street, at 2 p.m. The parade proceeds into the French Quarter and rolls past some of that neighborhood’s most iconic landmarks, including the French Market and Jackson Square. At approximately 3 p.m. the parade passes the WDSU stage at the Allstate Fan Fest on Decatur Street inside the Jax Brewery parking lot, where all performers do a two-minute show. The parade ends at Canal St.

Riverboat Cruises

Want the best view of the fireworks? Local riverboats like Paddlewheeler Creole Queen and Steamboat Natchez offer an opportunity to ring in the new year with river cruises that include champagne toasts, live music, a dinner buffet, and party favors.

LGBTQIA+ Parties

The French Quarter includes some of the oldest gay bars in the country, and a slew of venues in the lower portions of Bourbon Street, starting at around the 800 block, will be throwing New Year’s Eve parties. Expect DJs, dancers (of the go-go variety), and drag cabaret. If that kind of thumping nightlife experience isn’t your thing, consider an evening at one of the city’s more laid-back bars, like Mag’s 940 (940 Elysian Fields Avenue), The Friendly Bar (2301 Chartres Street) and Big Daddy’s (2513 Royal Street) — all friendly spots that will certainly be celebrating, but perhaps minus the laser show and speakers.

Crescent Park

The Crescent Park is a public green space that has become a favorite spot for watching events take place on the river. Positioned as it is along the Mississippi, the park offers fantastic views of the water, which means you’ve got a clear vantage point onto the annual firework show. Usually, the park closes after dark, but on New Year’s Eve it will stay open to the public till 1 a.m. There are three entrances to the space in Bywater and Faubourg Marigny, and both of those neighborhoods are thick with venues to celebrate in after the last firework pops off.

Where to Sleep

We’ve given you plenty of options on how to spend New Year’s Eve in New Orleans, but let’s face it: Once the confetti has been thrown, the champagne uncorked and the noisemakers put away, you need a place to sleep (and possibly sleep in, depending on how much fun you’ve had). With that said, you want to pick the right hotel — one that has a mix of easy accessibility and cozy amenities.

If you’re celebrating near Jackson Square, consider a room at the Place d’Armes Hotel. Want to be near the action on Bourbon Street? Try Hotel St. Marie. Or position yourself near the river at the historic French Market Inn.

 

Year at a Glance in New Orleans

In New Orleans, we honor just about every local food there is (and some drinks) with a festival, not to mention the packed party schedule that never lets up, from the Carnival to Super Sunday to the Saints football season. In other words, the Crescent City’s dance card is pretty much always full, even when the heat and humidity descend on the city in late spring and till mid-fall. Here are just a few highlights of all that’s going on in New Orleans year-round.

Spring

March 1 – May 31

Lovely weather and endless festivals continue this time of year with Wednesday at the Square; the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival (don’t miss the “Stella!” shouting contest); the Mid-City’s own Bayou Boogaloo, held on the picturesque banks of Bayou St. John; the Freret Street Festival that’s getting bigger every year; and, of course, the two heavy hitters and the reason so many visitors come to New Orleans in the spring – the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest.

The March festival marathon continues with NOLA on Tap Beer Fest at Lafreniere Park (March 18, 2023), the largest fundraiser for the Louisiana SPCA and the largest beer fest in the area, with more than 400 beer offerings from local and national breweries and homebrewers.

St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are subject to more celebration, with multiple parades and parties. Finally, the Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday is a treasured tradition dating back to the 19th century and held on the Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day, which gets its own unique celebration across the Catholic churches and even private homes in the city with the beautifully appointed altars (the Italian-Sicilian contribution to New Orleans’ rich cultural tapestry).

Summer

June 1 – August 31

Want to cross an iconic New Orleans restaurant off your bucket list? There’s no time like Restaurant Week New Orleans (June 19-25, 2023), during which dozens of participating restaurants, from the James Beard luminaries to the new hotspots to the Creole grand dames offer set course menus at a deep discount. Also in June (June 7-11, 2023), is another culinary fest, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, and the popular Louisiana Cajun Zydeco Festival, held at Louis Armstrong Park.

Summers here can be pretty hot and humid, but, still, the best restaurants and bars in town celebrate Tales of the Cocktail in July, and COOLinary New Orleans with prix fixe menus in August. You can also browse the galleries on the White Linen Night (or its cheeky cousin, the Dirty Linen Night).

The city comes to life for the Satchmo SummerFest and a slew of events over the Fourth of July and the Labor Day weekends, like Go 4th on the River, and the ESSENCE Festival at the Superdome. The French Market Creole Tomato Festival is one of the smaller fests to enjoy, and Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans, except the bulls are the Big Easy Rollergirls. Finally, the Red Dress Run is a two-mile dash — that’s right — in a red dress for a charity.

Fall

September 1 – November 30

Cooler temps and the seemingly endless slew of food, drink, and music festivals are on tap in the fall in New Orleans, starting over the Labor Day weekend with the massive and fabulous Southern Decadence, a popular festival that celebrates LGBTQIA+ with block parties, shows, and a parade.

September fun continues with the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, with performers from all over the world competing for the title of “Queen of Burlesque.” The Beignet Festival is also held in late September, at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds.

October begins with the ever-expanding National Fried Chicken Festival at the Lakefront. Also, New Orleans throws its version of Oktoberfest over the three weekends at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City, to celebrate the city’s rich German history, followed by one of the best-attended art events in the city, Art for Art’s Sake.

October is pretty heavy on food festivals as well: the National Fried Chicken Festival at the Lakefront, Mac n’ Cheese Fest and Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival (sometimes on the same day), plus the Tremé Fall Festival and the New Orleans Film Festival, which is one of the largest film festivals in the South and is the longest-running one festival of its kind in the state.

New Orleans does Halloween like no other city, so if you’re lucky to be visiting around that time, consider any of the balls, costume parties, parade, haunted tours, and a huge block party on Frenchmen Street! The kid-friendly parade called Krewe of Boo rolls through the French Quarter, courtesy of Kern Studios, and there are many more Halloween activities around the city happening in the couple weeks leading up to Halloween.

November brings more food festivals — the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival and Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival (now merged with the Congo Square Rhythms Festival).

Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds Race Course is a long-standing New Orleans tradition of turning out at the track on Thanksgiving Day to watch the opening-day races while sporting cocktails and fabulous hats. Next, there’s Bayou Classic, a fan fest, a parade, the battle of the bands, and, of course, the big game at the Superdome between Southern University and Grambling State University.

The beloved Celebration in the Oaks kicks off the holiday season with a dazzling holiday lights festival scattered throughout the 25 acres of the City Park, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.

Winter

December 1 – February 28

There’s a whole slew of events that accompany Christmastime in the Crescent City, from bonfires on the Algiers levies to concerts at St. Louis Cathedral to the family-friendly NOLA Christmasfest to Reveillon menus at some of the city’s classic Creole restaurants. The streetcars are decked with wreaths, and the city is alight with the holiday sparkle, including at the annual LUNA Fête that brings large-scale light and sound installations to the Convention Center.

The New Year’s Eve celebrations in New Orleans include the Dick Clark Rockin’ New Year’s Eve at the historic Jax Brewery in the French Quarter, with a fleur-de-lis drop at midnight to the countdown on Jackson Square, quite a few balcony parties on and around Bourbon Street, and the fireworks over the Mississippi River.

The first day of the carnival season known as Twelfth Night, or the Epiphany, kicks off every year with three parades — Phunny Phorty Phellows ride the streetcar from Uptown to Canal Street and back, plus the walking Krewe of Joan of Arc in the French Quarter, and the Société Des Champs Elysée. Mardi Gras season culminates every year on Fat Tuesday anytime between February 3 and March 9. There’s not enough room to describe one of the great spectacles in the world, but keep up with the parade schedule to at least get started on how to do Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

As you can see, we have a lot going on all year round! No matter when you visit, take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

 

Top 10 Reasons to Stay at French Market Inn in the New Orleans French Quarter

The French Quarter is the crown jewel of New Orleans, steeped in history and bursting with attractions that draw hordes of visitors year-round. Finding the perfect place to stay is the first step of your journey, and the French Market Inn has everything you need to make your vacation truly memorable.

1. An Affordable Oasis in the Bustling Heart of the Quarter

French Market Inn offers a unique New Orleans feel that is both beautiful and authentic. Originally an 18th-century French Creole bakery, French Market Inn has a timeless ambiance that provides a lovely oasis from all the round-the-clock attractions just outside your door.

We’re also one of the Quarter’s best bargains. With special offers, weekday rates, and seasonal savings, you can always snag one of our lovely guest rooms for a great price.

Beautifully-appointed balcony rooms with street views overlooking the French Quarter are perfect for romantic getaways, while more petite guest rooms are just right for brief business trips. We also offer terrific group rates for large parties that occupy 10 or more guest rooms.

Planning a New Orleans destination wedding? French Market Inn rolls out the red carpet for guests who want to host their wedding party in a unique French Quarter hotel with a charming swimming pool in our central courtyard. We also offer valet parking, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour concierge service that ensures you won’t miss a thing when you’re staying at French Market Inn!

2. Location, Location, Location

When you visit New Orleans, you don’t want to make a long trek to all the fabulous places you’ve read about. At French Market Inn, located on the historic waterfront strip of Decatur Street, most of the Quarter’s top attractions are just minutes away by foot.

In nearby Jackson Square, a bustling hub of New Orleans street artists and colorfully-garbed fortune-tellers ply their trades in front of the stately St. Louis Cathedral. Woldenberg Park, the site of many free festivals, is just across the way on the banks of the Mississippi. And you can easily stroll down Decatur to the famous Cafe du Monde and dip sugar-dusted beignets into chicory-laced coffee before browsing the colorful wares at the French Market.

Also close at hand: the adult playgrounds of Bourbon Street and Harrah’s Casino New Orleans, along with family-friendly attractions like the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.

If walking around the Quarter isn’t quite your speed, you can opt for a pedicab, which is a fun way to navigate through the streets, or take a romantic mule-driven carriage ride. In a hurry? Taxis abound, and an Uber or Lyft is as close as the app on your phone.

3. You’re Surrounded by Live Music

New Orleans dances to the beat of live music all over town. But here in the Quarter, the music practically oozes out of the streets, from the crowd-pleasing cover bands on Bourbon Street to the solo sax player crooning on the corner.

Just steps from French Market Inn, you’ll find something for every musical taste and mood, whether you’re looking to rock out hard, dial it down for a romantic evening, or soak up New Orleans’ storied Dixieland musical past.

House of Blues presents great rock and blues acts touring acts and lets the good times roll New Orleans style, while The Bombay Club showcases some of the best jazz in town if not the country. And you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy hoisting a Guinness while enjoying the folksy live music at Kerry Irish Pub.

Looking for some razzle-dazzle? One Eyed Jack’s hosts everything from top touring bands to flashy burlesque shows, while the Fillmore New Orleans, inside Harrah’s Casino, presents national headliners.

For traditional New Orleans jazz, stroll down to Palm Court Jazz Cafe on the other end of Decatur, where some of the city’s greatest musical legends take the stage several nights a week. Then cross Esplanade to the live-music mecca of Frenchmen Street, which is lined with clubs and restaurants where the music starts early and continues through the wee hours.

4. Front Row Seat for French Quarter Fest

While you’ll find great music in the Quarter on any given day, you’ll be at the epicenter of the city’s live music universe in mid-April, when the French Quarter Festival rolls around, if you’re staying at French Market Inn.

The largest free musical event in the South, French Quarter Fest takes over the entire Quarter with over 20 stages of live music and has become the city’s biggest magnet for out-of-town visitors. A four-day celebration of music, culture and food, it features hundreds of musical acts in genres including traditional and contemporary jazz, rhythm and blues, Cajun and zydeco, New Orleans funk, classical, swing, rock, and international sounds from all over the globe.

Many of the Fest’s biggest acts play right across from French Market Inn at Woldenberg Park, and other smaller stages are a just stone’s throw away. Dozens of different food stalls help Fest-goers eat their way from one end of the Quarter to the other, feasting on spicy Creole and Cajun dishes before they burn up all those calories dancing to hot local bands.

The best part? When you need a break from all that action, you can pop over for a swim at French Market Inn, emerge refreshed, and hit the streets once again to let the good times roll!

5. Brimming With Festivals All Year Round

Spring is peak festival season in New Orleans. Right on the heels of Quarter Fest comes the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the city’s other marquee music event, followed by Bayou Boogaloo, held along the picturesque banks of Bayou St. John.

But festivals are going on all year round, many of which are within walking distance or a just short cab or bike ride away from French Market Inn.

The Quarter rolls into summer with the French Market’s two-day Creole Tomato Festival, and the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival, all free and within easy walking distance. Ditto the spectacular dueling-barges fireworks display over the Mississippi River that marks Independence Day in New Orleans with Go 4th on the River and ESSENCE Fest.

July also brings Tales of the Cocktail, a lively six-day festival packed with tastings, seminars, and special events that includes spirited pub crawls; and the Running of the Bulls, where the Big Easy Rollergirls don horns and chase their human quarry through the Quarter while wielding plastic bats. (For more summertime fun, see “Great Place for a Summer Getaway,” reason #6).

Other Quarter-based festivals throughout the year include the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, where March goes out like a lion with the raucous Stella & Stanley Shouting Contest. Krewe of Boo marks Halloween in the Quarter with a spooky kid-friendly float parade. And come Christmas, the Quarter decks itself for the holidays with caroling in Jackson Square, Reveillon dinners, and the famous fleur-de-lis drop near Jax Brewery on New Year’s Eve.

Then, boom, it’s Carnival time! Mardi Gras season kicks off every year on January 6 with three Twelfth Night parades, including a lovely Krewe de Jeanne d’Arc procession on horseback and foot that winds its way through the Quarter.

And that’s just for openers. Whatever time of year you visit, there’s always something happening right outside the doors of the French Market Inn.

6. Great Place for a Summer Getaway

Summer used to be the sleepy season in New Orleans. Not anymore. The Quarter becomes a lively hive of activity in the dog days of summer when the temperatures go up and the rates go down at French Market Inn. And the best month of all to score great deals is August.

August kicks off its first weekend with two simultaneous festivals. Music lovers make a beeline for Satchmo SummerFest, held at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint, which celebrates the music and legend of Louis Armstrong, while see-and-be-scene art mavens don their best summer whites and throng to the Julia Street galleries on White Linen Night.

On the second Saturday of August, guys and gals alike hit the streets in their prettiest ruby frocks for the Red Dress Run, where they act silly and get giddy for good causes. Then they regroup for free libations at the Royal Street galleries during Dirty Linen Night, White Linen’s cheeky cousin.

Throughout August, foodies can graze on gourmet cuisine at the city’s top restaurants during COOLinary New Orleans. The prix fixe multiple-course dinner, brunch and lunch menus are very reasonable.

Come Labor Day weekend, it’s all hands on deck for the 24/7 Southern Decadence when anything and everything goes. This massive four-day festival celebrates LGBTQIA+ culture and attracts participants from all over the world. Most activities are centered in and around the Quarter and include two parades with fabulous costumes, many of them quite scanty.

7. Dreamy Romantic Getaway for Couples

New Orleans is one of the most romantic cities in the world. And you’ve got a head start on a dreamy vacation if you’re staying at French Market Inn, where brocade curtains frame the windows of charming rooms decorated in classic Quarter style.

While it may be tempting to ensconce yourselves amid the cushions on your comfy bed, a whole world of romance beckons from the streets just outside your door. The best part? You still have that lovely room to come back to when you’re ready to call it a night.

You know what they say about oysters, right? Jumpstart your romantic evening with a dozen or two freshly shucked oysters at the Bourbon House, just a short walk from the hotel, then stroll over to a candlelit dinner at Antoine’s or Arnaud’s. Both old-school Creole restaurants are housed in historic buildings in the heart of the Quarter and serve classic French dishes like Chateaubriand. More in the mood for nouveau cuisine? Head for Bayona, chef Susan Spicer’s flagship restaurant, which serves beautifully plated dishes in a lovely atmospheric setting.

After dinner, keep the magic going with a carriage ride through the Quarter. Book a ride in one of the many mule-drawn carriages parked in front of Jackson Square; they’re steered by savvy local drivers who can help you find the perfect romantic backdrop if you’re looking to pop the question or renew your vows.

Cap off your fairy tale date in one of the swanky curtained private booths at The Bombay Club, where you can sip Bombay’s signature martinis or other classic cocktails while listening to the cool jazz stylings of some of the city’s top artists. Then end your night on a high note in your lovely French Market Inn room, and pop that champagne you have chilling on ice.

8. Plenty of Family-Friendly Fun

New Orleans has its share of adult attractions, but it’s also one of the kid-friendliest cities in the country. You’ll find a wealth of G-rated fun in and around the Quarter near the French Market Inn.

Get to know the neighborhood with a teacher-led French Quarter Kids Tour. Younger kids can go ghost-hunting on the popular Spooky Tour, where mischievous spirits come out to play, while their bolder older siblings can take a chilling Twilight Tour or learn about old New Orleans on the Creole Kids Living History Tour. Families can also book customized private tours.

For a crash course in New Orleans jazz, take the whole family to one of the early shows at Preservation Hall, where master New Orleans musicians raise the roof for an all-ages audience. Come early to grab a good seat on the benches (though many kids prefer the floor). And be sure to feed your brood first; there’s no food or beverage service.

Jackson Square, just a hop, skip and a jump from French Market Inn, offers a passing parade of only-in-New-Orleans colorful characters. Directly across from the square, steps leading up to the Mississippi Riverwalk serve as an ad hoc stage for clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and other crowd-pleasing artists, whose free antics are sure to delight the kids for hours.

For a more structured family outing, visit the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, where kids can bug out with creepy crawlies, walk through a flutter of iridescent wings in the enchanting butterfly garden, get to know the locals at Boudreaux’s bait shop, and crunch down on some tasty bugs in the cafeteria.

That’s a full afternoon’s entertainment, so save the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas for another day. There, kids can watch penguins and sea otters at play, get up close and personal with magical jellyfish, and even reach out and touch a stingray (yikes!).

Between the free street performers and the fabulous ticketed entertainment, neither you nor the kids will ever be bored during your French Market Inn stay.

9. Near Iconic and Trendy Bars & Restaurants

The French Quarter is home to some of the best restaurants in the country, if not the world, beginning with the Creole grand dames: Arnaud’s, Antoine’s, and Galatoire’s. You’ll also find casual eateries like the no-frills Coop’s Place, just down the street on Decatur, which offers excellent versions of local favorites like seafood gumbo and shrimp remoulade at affordable prices.

Like the city itself, Quarter restaurants continue to evolve, and Susan Spicer’s Bayona was just the first in a series of hotspots experimenting with the less classical fare. Some standouts include the aptly-named Jewel of the South.

Many of the world’s classic cocktails were invented in New Orleans. Napoleon House, just up the block from French Market Inn, first whipped up the Pimm’s Cup, a gin-based aperitif, in the 1940s. Like most iconic New Orleans drinks, it’s also widely available at other Quarter bars, and the best time to sample local spirits is at happy hour.

Home of the award-winning French 75, Arnaud’s French 75 serves discounted signature cocktails on Friday afternoon, paired with light bar fare like shrimp egg rolls. And Kingfish keeps it classic during daily happy hours when it offers iconic cocktails like the Sazerac, Vieux Carre, and Mint Julep with heartier bar food like gumbo.

Throughout your stay, you can eat and drink your way around the Quarter if you take judicious breaks at PJ’s Coffee, French Market Inn’s on-site caffeine purveyor. Grab a go-cup of joe and relax poolside to refresh yourself for the next round of indulgence.

10. Near Shopping Meccas Big & Small

When it comes to nearby shopping options, French Market Inn guests hit the jackpot. There are three major malls a stone’s throw away, and you don’t have to venture far to explore cool boutiques and souvenir shops full of New Orleans mementos.

The renovated Jax Brewery, a multi-story historic landmark packed with stores and restaurants, is only a block from French Market Inn. Across the street, you’ll find H&M, Urban Outfitters, Vans, and Sephora, all right next to one another. Hunting for discounts on major brands? Hit the Riverwalk outlet mall, which boasts the Mississippi River as its front yard.

Looking to live large? Walk down Canal toward the river to the Shops at Canal Place. The city’s premier retail emporium is home to luxury labels like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, and Lulu Lemon as well as famed local jeweler Mignon Faget and exquisite artisanal handcrafts from the Louisiana Craft Guild.

Pick up unique, affordably priced local art and souvenirs at the French Market, or SecondLine Arts & Antiques on the Esplanade end of Decatur. For glam vintage-inspired clothing, shoes and accessories, hit Trashy Diva and Dollz & Dames.

Whatever your taste or price range, you’ll find something you covet near French Market Inn. Ready, set, shop!

Best Rate Guarantee

The French Market Inn, a historic New Orleans hotel, invites you to take advantage of super-discounted weekday rates. Receive even deeper discounts when you prepay in advance. If you find lower rates on your French Market Inn Hotel room(s) at the time of booking, we will match the rate.

We also invite you to take advantage of exclusive seasonal savings on our rooms. Check your available dates and book a true New Orleans experience online, or speak with one of our friendly reservation agents at (888) 626-2725. We’d love to have you, and we hope you have a great visit!

French Market Inn’s Ultimate Guide to the French Quarter

The French Market Inn is located on the bustling Decatur Street, in the center of the French Quarter of New Orleans and within six blocks of renowned New Orleans attractions like Jackson Square, the French Market, Aquarium of the Americas, Bourbon Street, and Harrah’s New Orleans Casino.

Not sure which room to choose? Or what to do around the hotel? Read on!

Choosing the perfect room at the French Market Inn

The historic French Market Inn is renowned for its meandering garden and stone-paved courtyard. Its antique brick facade opens onto a lobby adorned with period paintings, chandeliers, and columns. There are seven room types, with either a king or a queen bed, and we also have rooms with two queen beds.

The one-bedroom rooms are ideal for solo travelers, couples, or besties who don’t mind sharing a bed. The rooms with two queen beds are well suited for families, friend trips, girl trips, and any small groups that are OK with sharing a room.

Minimalists will love the petite room, it’s well-appointed and offers great value. If you treasure your privacy and are sensitive to noise, the windowless interior room also offers great value and all the peace and quiet you need.

Our beautiful deluxe room offers a little more space than the petite room, and a street or courtyard view (great for people-watching!). The balcony room features a balcony that faces the busy Decatur Street and is perfect for people who want the full French Quarter experience.

Getting around

The French Market Inn places you within walking distance of numerous New Orleans attractions, restaurants, art galleries, museums, and more. You will be able to browse through famous New Orleans art galleries and antique shops, grab a delicious beignet at Cafe Du Monde, and shop at the Riverwalk Mall and French Market in just minutes when you stay at the French Market Inn.

So what’s on Decatur Street? The 14 blocks of the French Quarter part of Decatur Street is a waterfront strip that in the past has hosted the kinds of businesses a port would have, becoming a bohemian haven with a vibrant goth and punk scene in the 80s.

Some places, like Cafe du Monde, Central Grocery and Tujague’s remained to this day; others are long gone. Today, the street is as vibrant as ever even though the punk clubs and dive bars had been replaced by restaurants that cater to tourists, and bars and clubs that have more traditional jazz bands.

You will also find a lot of zydeco-blasting souvenir shops lining the street, a few funky bars, and lots of shopping (from national chains like Sephora to unique local artist co-ops and vintage stores).

If walking around the French Quarter isn’t quite your speed, you can opt for a pedicab, which is an easy way to navigate through the French Quarter and surrounding areas. If it’s a nice day out, why not do some sightseeing and burn off all that delicious Creole food at the same time? From bike tours to paddlesports, there are many ways to explore New Orleans while you stay active.

Other transportation options include streetcars, buses, cabs, Uber and Lyft, and even a ferry that goes to Algiers on the West Bank. One of the most versatile and easy options for visitors to the city is the City Sightseeing New Orleans Hop-On, Hop-Off double-decker bus tour. It’s a nice way to travel from the French Quarter to the Garden District and Magazine Street shopping district, and the price includes two- or three-tour packages. The buses come to each stop every 30 minutes, allowing you to travel and sightsee throughout New Orleans at your own pace.

Where to eat

Starting earlier in the day, from the iconic Creole grand dames to contemporary wonders helmed by award-winning chefs, you can easily find tasty renditions of the New Orleans and southern staples on many local brunch menus.

Got a New Orleans food bucket list? Gumbo, jambalaya, po-boys, crawfish étouffée — all sorts of deliciousness await within walking distance from the hotel — including excellent, fresh local seafood.

Whether you prefer to be guided through a narrated tour by a savvy local or explore on your own, there are some very interesting culinary and cocktail tours available in the French Quarter and nearby, plus cooking demos and classes if you want to take it to another level.

Is there a better place to indulge your sweet tooth than New Orleans? We think not. With its French and Spanish roots, and its rich Creole and Cajun cuisines, the Crescent City is not a place to count calories. From Doberge cake to Bananas Foster there is an abundance of confections that will satisfy even the most discerning dessert lover. Learn more about our top picks for the best spots to get dessert in the Quarter, from the iconic beignets to southern staples like pralines and bread pudding.

The French Quarter knows no meaning of the last call, being open for business 24/7, and that includes quite a few restaurants. So when the late-night cravings hit, you have plenty of choices within walking distance from the French Market Inn, from the wallet-friendly takeout-only Verti Marte to the chic Justine. (Read here about a few of our favorite spots where you can eat after 9 p.m. in the French Quarter.)

What to do

The world is your oyster when it comes to exploring the many attractions of the French Quarter. Being over 300 years old, the Quarter is packed with historic buildings and museums. Just walking around gawking at the many architectural gems (The wrought iron! The balconies and courtyards!) can take hours.

Whether you’re here on a girls trip, business trip, a romantic couple’s adventure, a family visit with the kids in tow, on the budget, or only a short visit, there’s lots to do and explore on any given day, 24/7. Theater, live music, excitement for all ages on the magnificent Mississippi River — it’s all within walking distance from the hotel.

Where to shop

You’re in luck when it comes to shopping options near French Market Inn, as there are three malls nearby, and the area is packed with boutiques (try Chartres St. near Canal) and souvenir shops (head down Decatur toward Esplanade when you leave the hotel). For unique, well-priced local art and souvenirs, try the French Market. The French Market’s Shops at the Colonnade is a strip of shops also worth a visit if you’re shopping for souvenirs or local specialties.

Also, why not stock up on edible souvenirs before you head home? You can buy pralines, hot sauces, Zapp’s special edition chips, beignet mix, chicory coffee, and many more of your favorites near the hotel.

The best time of the year to visit

So, when should you visit? It really depends on your stamina and tolerance for the heat, because we’ve got something going on all year round. In New Orleans, we honor just about every local food there is (and some drinks) with a festival, not to mention the packed party schedule that never lets up, from the Carnival to Super Sunday to the Saints football season.

In other words, the Crescent City’s dance card is pretty much always full, even when the heat and humidity descend on the city in late spring and till mid-fall. Come fall, the city ramps it up with Halloween and a calendar full of foodie-haven and music festivals. There’s a festival, sometimes two, going on every weekend!

No matter when you visit and with whom, take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Sightseeing and Ways to Stay Fit for Active Visitors

Photo by Carl Barcelo on Unsplash

If you plan to stay active and keep fit while you’re visiting New Orleans, the many versatile ways to explore the French Quarter and nearby areas like City Park, Bayou St. John, and the Marigny could mean anything from kayaking along Bayou St. John to doing yoga at the Cabildo. Depending on your stamina and interests, these indoor and outdoor suggestions, below, can’t be beat if you’re looking for a self-powered, self-guided adventure throughout the city or just need to squeeze in a quick workout while on the road.

Bike tours and rentals

New Orleans is getting more bike-friendly with recently repaved roads, new dedicated and shared bike lanes, and increased bike safety awareness. Whether you’d prefer to strike out on your own or be guided in a group, the local nonprofit and bike safety advocate Bike Easy has a city bike map to help you navigate. Plus, no hills! If you do just want to rent a bike and be on your own, we recommend Blue Bikes, an inexpensive rideshare option that came to New Orleans relatively recently.

Most tour companies that offer guided bike tours will also let you rent a bike for several hours and up to several days, and most of the time helmet, bike lock, maps, and “concierge support” are included in the rental fee.

Crescent City Bike Tours offers several bike tours that focus on New Orleans history. There are nighttime tours, seasonal tours, and tours in French. You can also rent a bike for half a day, the whole day, and up to a week.

Free Wheelin’ Bike Tours last three hours on average, and cover about 10 miles each. The Creole & Crescent tour includes the French Quarter and the Marigny; the Beyond the Bourbon Street tour takes you through the Marigny and the Bywater. The company also has rentals for both kid and adult cruisers (multi-day rental fees vary; please check the website).

Nation Tours offers Segway tours. There are several time slots throughout the day, and you can book a New Orleans Experience tour, the Historic French Quarter tour, or a Haunted History tour.

Drop-in exercise classes

Exercise surrounded by opulence at the New Orleans Athletic Club on N. Rampart Street on the edge of the Quarter. Established in 1872, the club has seen quite a few famous people, from Tennessee Williams and Huey Long to the contemporary Hollywood celebrities who film here. As one of the oldest athletic clubs in America, NOAC boasts a pool, sauna, steam room, a well-stocked library, spa, coffee stations, and even a bar. A daily drop-in includes access to group exercise classes, or come as a member’s guest. Bring your ID and hotel room key to register.

Downtown Fitness Center has locations at the New Orleans Healing Center in Bywater and on the third floor at the Shops at Canal Place in the French Quarter. Visitor passes are for one, two, or three days; classes include Zumba, yoga, pole fitness, and aerobics.

Yoga

“For residents and travelers at all levels of practice,” Yoga at the Cabildo classes are held at the historic Cabildo on Jackson Square on Saturdays at 9 a.m. History meets fitness in a sun-filled gallery inside a 1700s Spanish colonial building, now housing an excellent museum.

Wild Lotus Yoga is located Uptown. It offers sliding-scale community classes like family yoga, alignment, and yoga for new moms. Swan River Yoga is popular among the locals and offers restorative, beginner, and prenatal classes at its Mid-City location on Canal Street (ask about a single-class drop-in rate). 

Paddlesports

The two-hour bayou tour by Kayak-iti-Yat is a good fit for first-time kayakers to explore Bayou St. John with not too much athletic commitment. It focuses on history, community and architecture; and, even though the tour will take you through residential areas, you’ll get to spot some wildlife like birds and turtles.

Massey’s rentals include canoes and kayaks, both solo and tandem. You can rent one for a few hours to take out on the bayou, or for a weeklong fishing expedition out of town. If you need a kid kayak, Bayou Paddlesports offers those along with adult ones.

Finally, the New Orleans City Park offers good deals for bike and boat rentals, morning to sunset, weather permitting. Since personal boats are not allowed in the City Park’s historic bayous and lagoons, your best bet is to rent. The four miles of the Park’s bike paths can take you from Bayou St. John to Lake Pontchartrain, plus there are additional trails around the lake and on festival grounds.

Book a stay at our historic French Quarter boutique hotel, right in the epicenter of all of the action!

Best Bread Pudding in the French Quarter and Nearby

Double chocolate bread pudding at Red Fish Grill. Image courtesy of Red Fish Grill on Facebook

Although bread pudding is not a New Orleans (or even American) invention, it’s offered at many restaurants in the French Quarter and nearby, both the fine-dining and casual establishments. With a steady supply of French bread and no shortage of creativity, the New Orleans chefs have been concocting variations of the dessert ranging from traditional to new interpretations.

Most local chefs keep the bread pudding bread-based and sweet. Others may add their own twists to the sauce. You may also come across the savory versions, with cheese, chicken or Andouille sausage. One interpretation served in restaurants like Muriel’s and NOLA is pain perdu (the “lost bread”), a Creole cross between French toast and traditional bread pudding.

Since there’s no “right” way to make bread pudding, New Orleans’ own unique versions are worth exploring. Here are our recommendations for the best bread pudding in the French Quarter and nearby.

The Traditionals

Gumbo Shop

This French Quarter casual eatery offers lots of other Cajun staples beyond its three types of gumbo and has a lovely courtyard. The bread pudding here is the traditional version, served warm, with whiskey sauce. Try it a la carte, or as part of the prix fixe Creole dinner.

Mother’s Restaurant

This legendary eatery is located outside the French Quarter on Poydras Street in CBD. Mother’s has a casual, cafeteria-style approach and had been around since 1938, becoming a famous hangout for the working crowd. The “Ferdi Special,” a baked ham and roast beef po-boy, was named after a loyal patron, and the Creole-style “Jerry’s Jambalaya” belongs to chef Jerry Amato, who had ruled Mother’s in the late 80s. The bread pudding is the traditional version, with brandy sauce.

Oceana Grill

The casual French Quarter eatery at the corner of Bourbon and Conti Streets is a solid choice for Creole and Louisiana fare like crab cakes, po-boys and gumbo. It’s open late and has a lovely courtyard. Oceana’s traditional bread pudding is served with the restaurant’s own praline and rum sauce and a whirl of whipped cream on top.

The Original Pierre Maspero’s

With its huge, always-open windows, this casual Cajun restaurant on the corner of St. Louis and Chartres Streets is a prime spot for people-watching. The building that houses the restaurant is one of the oldest in the French Quarter, dating back to 1788. Legend has it Andrew Jackson met with the Lafitte brothers here when it was a coffee house, to figure out the plan for the Battle of New Orleans. The traditional bread pudding here consistently gets rave reviews.

Tujague’s

The iconic gem on Decatur Street hardly needs an introduction. The second oldest restaurant in the city, it was founded in 1856 and has since been offering traditional, fixed-price Creole menus to many a president and celebrity. Its famous bar takes credit for inventing the Grasshopper cocktail, and the restaurant may or may not take credit for creating brunch. Tujague’s white chocolate bread pudding is served with Maker’s Mark caramel sauce.

The Decadents

Red Fish Grill

Ralph Brennan’s Red Fish Grill has been around for more than 20 years, offering a child-friendly respite in the middle of the Bourbon Street chaos. It’s known for its seafood-heavy menu and good happy hour deals on the drinks and the oysters. The well-reviewed double chocolate bread pudding is made with dark and white chocolate ganache (sauce) and chocolate almond bark. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare but it’s worth the wait.

A Category of Its Own

Antoine’s

The Pudding de Pain de Noix de Pecan is as timeless and classic as the restaurant that serves it. This French-Creole fine-dining establishment probably needs no introduction. Let’s just describe the pudding: It’s Leidenheimer French bread mixed with cinnamon, golden raisins, and pecan — topped with warm butter rum sauce. It’s also on Antoine’s famous Sunday jazz brunch menu.

Brennan’s

You probably know Brennan’s world-famous Bananas Foster dessert, but the bread pudding is something special too: It’s Leidenheimer French bread mixed with rum-soaked raisins that comes with hard sauce and buttermilk ice cream.

Muriel’s Jackson Square

The pain perdu version at Muriel’s comes with candied pecans and rum sauce (here’s the recipe). Enjoy it a la carte or as part of the prix fixe pre-theater dinner menu. Muriel’s is elegance personified and won’t steer you wrong if you want contemporary Creole cuisine. The restaurant opens up onto Jackson Square, so you can enjoy people-watching in the heart of the French Quarter.

Palace Cafe

This Brennan family-owned restaurant on the busy block of Canal Street is known for its upscale Creole bistro menu and ample sidewalk seating. The restaurant’s original white chocolate bread pudding is as unique as it is popular. The chunks of white chocolate are baked inside the bread, and the whole thing is covered with warm white chocolate ganache and shaved dark chocolate.

All of these restaurants are close to the hotel, some only blocks away from French Market Inn. Book a stay at our historic French Quarter boutique hotel, right in the epicenter of all of the action!

french quarter fall

Exploring the 19th-Century Architecture of the French Quarter

french quarter fall

Few cities in the U.S. are brimming with as much well-preserved, irresistible architecture as New Orleans. Think about it: There are 20 historic districts on the National Register in this city! We have French doors, Caribbean colors, high ceilings, wrought-iron fences, stucco exteriors, wooden shutters, hardwood floors, antique mantels, and lush tropical courtyards.

The French Quarter in particular is great for exploring as you’ll find lots of examples of Creole cottages and townhouses, plus the ubiquitous shotguns and camelbacks dating back to the 19th century. Then there are those seductive courtyards with gurgling fountains, bursting with flora, plus all the unique porches and lacy Victorian ironwork.

Below are our suggestions on how to best view the architecture of the French Quarter — either with a guided tour or by walking on your own — with a focus on historically significant 19th-century buildings. Whether you decide to go inside some of those or just admire the exterior, unveiling the city’s colorful past with these gems is as easy as taking a stroll.

Guided architecture tours

The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) offers docent-led tours of buildings and courtyards with emphasis on their architectural styles and the history of their residents. THNOC also offers free, self-guided iPod and cell phone tours (check the website for instructions). Locations include the Merieult House (533 Royal St.), the Williams Residence (718 Toulouse St.), and the Louis Adam House (722 Toulouse St.).

Explore French and Spanish Colonial and Greek Revival styles by taking a walking tour with New Orleans Architecture Tours. You’ll get to see St. Louis Cathedral, Ursuline Convent, Napoleon House, and witness four types of Creole townhouses during this tour.

Preservation Resource Center also offers guided tours. They are seasonal and have specific themes, so please check the website for tour info.

19th-Century Historically Significant Buildings of the French Quarter

With fires in 1788 and 1794, and a post-Louisiana Purchase Victorian makeover on the Quarter, only a handful of “first-generation” Creole buildings in the original French colonial style has survived. Most buildings you see today are “second-generation” Creole and Greek Revival.

The 1820s were hailed as the most thriving decade in terms of adding to the structure of the French Quarter we’re seeing today, with elements of French and Spanish colonial, and Caribbean influences. During that time, the original Spanish architecture was gradually replaced. To prevent fires, strict building codes were enforced, and a lot of brick was introduced to replace the wood.

The 1850 House

523 St. Ann St., Lower Pontalba Bldg., Jackson Sq.

Built in the late 1840s by Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba, the Lower and Upper Pontalba Buildings flank the sides of Jackson Square. The Upper Pontalba buildings at 1008 N. Peters St. house residential apartments, but you can tour the 1850 House of the Lower Pontalba buildings to get a glimpse at how the upper middle class lived in prosperous antebellum New Orleans.

Old U.S. Mint

400 Esplanade St.

Built in 1835, the Old U.S. Mint served as both a U.S. and a Confederate Mint. Now a museum, research facility and site for music festivals and performances, the building houses several exhibits, including its permanent collection. You’ll find a display of coins and stamping presses, a jazz exhibit with Louis Armstrong’s first cornet, plus historic recordings and rare film footage. Current exhibits explore the life of Louis Armstrong, showcase Southern art, and display a collection of musical instruments, including Fats Domino’s Steinway grand piano. Free admission.

Beauregard-Keyes House and Garden

1113 Chartres St.

Built by Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard in 1826, the Beauregard-Keyes House stands opposite the old Ursuline Convent, boasting a splendid garden and lavish interior. The house changed hands many times and is now owned by the Keyes Foundation, which was established by the late resident, Frances Parkinson Keyes, who has restored the house.

Gallier House

1132 Royal St.

Tour the gilded Victorian splendor of Gallier House, designed by a prominent architect, James Gallier, more than 150 years ago. The house is full of antique children’s toys, chandeliers, and period art that reflect life in New Orleans at that time.

The tour touches upon the lives of enslaved people and domestic servants who made this luxurious lifestyle possible. For the summer, portions of the house are redecorated in the “Summer Dress” tradition of protecting the furnishings from the elements and insects, to show what life was like here during the hot months — before air conditioning, fans and screens.

Hermann Grima House

820 St. Louis St.

This restored Federal mansion was built in 1831 and features the only working open-hearth kitchen in New Orleans. The interior is furnished with period pieces and historically accurate reproductions of carpets and upholstery. Both the house, adjacent outbuildings and the courtyard tell a story of what life was like for wealthy Creole families in the 1830-1860s. November through April, open-hearth cooking demonstrations are offered in the outdoor kitchen, using traditional recipes and techniques of the 19th century.

And then there’s all that romantic ironwork

Always a hit with visitors and locals alike, the intricately decorated wrought-iron balconies, gates, doors, and fences of the French Quarter are a timeless treasure. To take it all in, try walking the length of Royal or Chartres streets from Esplanade to Jackson Square.

Cornstalk Hotel

915 Royal St.

Cornstalk Hotel is one such (stunning) example of ironwork. It was built in 1816 for the first Attorney General of Louisiana, Francois Xavier-Martin, and then bought in 1834 by Dr. Joseph Secondo Biamenti. The legend goes that his wife grew homesick, so the doctor had commissioned a decorative iron fence depicting corn, abundant in her native state of Iowa. The hotel has had its share of famous visitors, including Elvis Presley, who stayed there in 1958 while filming King Creole.

All of these attractions are located in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter, short blocks from French Market Inn. Book a stay at our historic French Quarter boutique hotel, right in the epicenter of all of the action!