To say New Orleans is our favorite city to travel to as a family would be an understatement. We absolutely love visiting and try to explore new-to-us areas every time we visit. ⁠ ⁠

When Explore Louisiana invited us to visit for a trip, we jumped at the chance. Sean, Tom, and I decided to make the trip all about embracing the city’s jazz culture, mixed with restaurants we haven’t been to before, newly discovered shops, neighborhoods we haven’t explored, and more. ⁠ ⁠

I have so much to share so you can plan a fun-filled four-day visit to New Orleans. I will spread it out over three posts, so check back tomorrow to ensure you don’t miss a thing. Enjoy! – Erin

Day One:

Arrive in town and head straight to a local po’boy spot. We love Domilise’s, but Parkway is another crowd favorite. Afterward, grab a sno ball! It’s like a snow cone, but the ice is shaved so close that it’s almost velvety. We tried Chance in Hell during this visit but have loved Hansen’s and Williams Plum Street on past visits.

Down the block from Chance in Hell, pop into Studio Be Gallery.

Next, head to the New Orleans Jazz Museum. It’s a smaller museum, so you can get through it in an hour or two, but it’s a well-curated collection all about the history of jazz in New Orleans. We’ve been to the museum several times and love it so much! We’ve seen a new exhibit each time, and this time, we caught a free concert in their performance hall. You can visit these concerts even without a museum ticket.

Wander around Frenchman Street, just a block from the museum, and pop into Louisiana Music Factory. We love this record store; it has a fantastic collection across genres.

Where to Stay

It’s almost time to check into our hotel and get ready for our dinner reservations. There are so many amazing hotels and restaurants in New Orleans that all the fantastic options are overwhelming. We tend to stay at the same hotel each time because I’m a points nerd, but here are my dream hotels:

Pro tip: Since we can’t stay at all of these hotels at once, I love visiting their restaurants, bars, and coffee shops when we can. It always feels a bit elevated, and I get to experience a bit of the hotel’s design.

Rounding out day one, we opted for dinner at Pêche. We ordered a bunch of small plates and shared everything. It was incredible and so fresh! I look forward to visiting again and trying all the new plates. Afterward, we walked a few blocks to the Ace Hotel for family photo booth pictures. We have made this a family tradition every time we go to New Orleans, and it’s one of my favorite things to do.

Check back tomorrow for day two of our jazzy visit to New Orleans. – Erin Austen Abbott

*** Visit Explore Louisiana to discover more places throughout the state for a music genre-based trip itinerary that fits you and your musical taste. ⁠ ⁠ Each itinerary highlights the musical genre most associated with that area. These locations will include restaurants, dance halls, museums, outdoor activities, and more. You can pick from cajun, country, blues, and jazz (as we did), add your own spots, or follow the itinerary already created.