We were looking for a place that we could visit just for a few days over the weekend and as we were planning it, New Orleans came to mind. We probably only planned this trip a month before and decided to go during Mardi Gras (2018)! Luckily, we had a friend who lived close enough and said she would meet up with us and also got us a reservation at her friend’s guest house. It’s nice not having to pay for a hotel since it can get quite expensive during a carnival.
Here are some of the things that we did while in The Big Easy:
1. Cemetery Tour
We booked this tour on Groupon and it was only $30 for up to 4 people which is pretty cheap! We toured the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (you had to have a tour to enter). The meet up location was at a voodoo themed bar which had 2-for-1 hurricane drinks. It’s about a 2 hour walking tour (a couple blocks only). It was interesting because the tombstones are very old and may look familiar to you if you watch shows like American Horror Story or The Originals. You are allowed to take as many pictures as you want. We even saw a tombstone that Nicholas Cage bought for the future.
2. Haunted Tour
We couldn’t decide which haunted tour to go on so we picked the 5-in-1 tour that focused on Ghosts, Vampires, Witches, Voodoo, and Unexplained Mysteries. The tours are only at night to add more affect to the stories. You walk a lot and in the middle of the tour, there is a break at a bar where you can buy drinks and use the restroom.
3. Swamp Tour
There were a lot of companies doing a swamp tour but we picked this place because they allowed Brea to fly her drone while the tour is happening. We had to book a “private” tour which meant we had to pay for all 6 seats on the tour. Basically, since this was a private tour we could ask the tour guide to do anything we wanted. He was very friendly and patient with us since we would ask him to stop or go slower so that the drone could get a nice shot.
Check out the final drone video here!
4. Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is definitely a must do while you’re here. The street is full of people walking around, drinking, and also some throwing beads from the second floor of bars. You can get a pretty good view and do some people watching here.
5. French Market
The French Market is a huge outdoor market place that sells a variety of things. We bought some souvenirs as well as some Mardi Gras masks and beads when we visited. There is also a Cafe Du Monde here, known for their classic beignets.
6. Nightlife
Besides Mardi Gras parades and parties, you can also visit New Orleans’ many bars and clubs. We visited the Metropolitan and saw one of our now favorite DJs!
7. Mardi Gras Parades
If you visit New Orleans during Mardi Gras, then you will most likely want to see some of the parades!
Make sure to also try King Cake. Maybe you’ll find the baby!
