It’s hard not to have a good time in Nola, a city that a local friend described to us as “bawdy and brassy, but never tacky,” oozing an intoxicating combination of “elegance and decadence.” For New Orleans is unlike any other city in the U.S., it just feels foreign and exotic, reflecting its rich history of Caribbean, French and Spanish influences. Many come for the legendary music scene and to eat and drink; in fact, you could spend weeks without getting to visit all the restaurants and try their iconic dishes. From a fabulous tour guide to our favorite music joints here’s Daytripper's guide to the city often referred to as The Big Easy.

The Best Hotels: The last few years have seen an emergence of new and renovated hotels, something the city was in real need of. Nola's Grand Dame, the Windsor Court was looking tired on our last visit, but now fresh off a fifteen million dollar renovation, we’d be game for a revisit. The recently refurbished The Roosevelt is also one of the city’s more luxurious options. We hear good things about the Nopsi Hotel, located just a few blocks from the Quarter. Then there’s the Ace, bringing its trademark hip style to a historic 1928 Art Deco building in the Warehouse District. We found the rooms’ dark and stark, but the lobby scene, rooftop bar, various restaurants, and in house coffee shop are a homerun. A new spot, The Eliza Jane, is a few blocks from the Ace with a European flair featuring bold décor and architectural details throughout its various cozy lounges and courtyards. Nearby the industrial Old No. 77 Foundry Hotel features work by local artists and is home to one of Nola’s best restaurants Compere Lapin. Looking for a romantic setting? Don’t let the location in the French Quarter scare you. Soniat House is a hidden oasis, a small boutique hotel with 31 rooms spread across several historic townhouses on a quiet street on the edge of the Quarter. For those wanting to stay in the Garden District, look no further than the Pontchartrain or boutique Henry Howard Hotel. 

New and Noteworthy Stay: All the press and photographs of the brand new Maison de la Luz have us drooling to stay here next time we’re in town. Intimate and elegant, the 67-room guesthouse is a new luxury brand from Atelier Ace, the agency behind the Ace Hotels. Located directly across the street from its sibling in a renovated 1908 building, Maison de la Luz is poised to set a new standard in Nola for luxury and style. To see more of the hotel, click here for a recent spread in Architectural Digest. 

DAY ONE

The Best Breakfast: Start your day in the Central Business District at Willa Jean. Go for acclaimed pastry chef Kelly Field’s croissants, biscuits, and griddle banana bread or order the savory pimento cheese platter, shrimp and grits or stellar BBQ Shrimp Toast.  

The Best Tour-Walking History: There’s a lot more to the French Quarter than just Bourbon Street. Book an extremely engaging, entertaining and informative tour with Frank Currie and learn a whole lot about the history of the Quarter and the city of New Orleans. We met at Jackson Square, the historic park and a popular Big Easy attraction, where on a nice day you could be tempted to spend the afternoon watching the array of street performers, amateur and professional. (You may even wind up in an impromptu second line!) Then we were off, wandering the streets with Frank, stopping at Nola landmarks such as the LaLaurie House, considered one of the most haunted houses in New Orleans, caught up in the fascinating stories and legends at each stop. We walked through Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar, dating back to the 1700’s, where we vowed to come back later for a cocktail. Our tour ended at the Napoleon House, a landmark restaurant for over 200 years, oozing with old fashion atmosphere. We sat on the back patio sipping their signature Pimms cocktail. (According to Frank they have a pretty good muffuletta.) To organize a tour call Frank at 504 881-6015 or send him an email at fccurrie@gmail.com. Frank can customize a tour for you—some ideas include a Cocktail Tour, Literary, or Haunted New Orleans tour.  

Where to Eat Lunch: Dine right in the Quarter at one of the classic, old grand dames of the city: Galatoire's, (our favorite) Brennans or Antoine’s for gumbo, oysters Rockefeller, etouffee, and remoulade. This is old school Creole fine dining at its best, and people are smartly dressed--check the dress code in advance when you make your reservation as jackets for men may be required.  Another over the top meal can be had at R’evolution (777 Bienville St /(504) 553-2277) a John Folse, fine dining establishment also in the Quarter. 

Wander: After lunch you may want to explore the Quarter on your own, checking out the atmospheric art and antique galleries on Royal Street.  Don't miss a stop at Faulkner House Books, a literary landmark housed in the former home of William Faulkner.  

The Best Art Museum: The New Orleans Museum of Art, NOMA, is a wonderful fine arts museum in the lush City Park. Leave some time to explore the fantastic Besthoff Sculpture Garden; the 5-acre landscaped area is home to a world-class collection of 50 modern and contemporary sculptures.  

The Best Cocktails: This is New Orleans; don’t think of going to dinner without an aperitif first. In the Quarter hit Cane and Table, The Hermes Bar at Antoine’s, or The Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel, for the granddaddy of New Orleans libations. Sylvain, a casual gastropub meets Southern bistro has everyone talking about their killer cocktails, another great place to try a Sazerac. You might just stay for dinner. In the hip Bywater neighborhood, you can spend a whole afternoon in the garden courtyard of wine shop Bacchanal listening to live music, making a meal from the seasonal menu of small plates, all while enjoying cocktails or a glass of wine.  Nearby in the Marigny neighborhood, at the new and trendy Hotel Peter and Paul, enjoy more libations at The Elysian, the hotels cocktail bar housed in what used to be the rectory of this former convent.  

The Best Places For Dinner:  Chef Donald Link helms two of Nola’s top restaurants, both in the Warehouse District. Peche, seafood-centric and always buzzy makes for a fun night out, but we prefer the traditional Cajun Southern dishes at Cochon, housed in a casual, rustic old warehouse. We still can’t stop thinking of the wood-fired oysters with chili garlic butter, one of our best bites in New Orleans! (Cochon Butcher, around the corner is the place for killer sandwiches.) But if we only had one dinner we are heading to Compere Lapin where every bite from acclaimed top chef Nina Compton was better than the next. Compton is from St. Lucia so expect West Indian flavors, there’s no gumbo in sight, but you won’t miss it once you try her Hamachi with guava and papaya, seafood pepper pot and the curried goat with sweet potato gnocchi. We were a table of 8, and we all agreed it might have been our best meal of the year.

Iconic New Orleans: There’s going to be a line at Café du Monde, it’s a given no matter what time of the day, but it’s worth the wait for the most delicious beignets and chicory coffee. A must for first time visitors (Open 24/7.) 

DAY TWO

The Best Morning Bites: Made from scratch donuts and small batch coffee at District Donuts and Sliders on Magazine Street in the Lower Garden District will keep you going until brunch. (Their chicken slider on a biscuit is worth coming back for later in the day.) Next-door Stein’s Deli is the place for NY Style bagels with bacon, egg and cheese. Add to end of best morning bites –Continue down Magazine Street to the kitschy, retro, and oh so cute Molly’s Rise and Shine from the team behind Turkey and the Wolf. Like its sister establishment, the food is creative comfort food, try an order of collard green grits or the sweet potato burrito. 

The Best things to Do in The Garden District:  Spend the afternoon wandering the streets and viewing the antebellum era houses in this historic neighborhood. Make sure to stop at the Lafayette Cemetery, the oldest of the city-operated cemeteries with above ground tombs. (Save our Cemeteries offers tours; click here to see the schedule.) Commander’s Palace is across from the cemetery, one of Nola’s most famous restaurants; all dressed up in its distinct bright blue. Commander’s has a fantastic Sunday jazz brunch, where you must try their legendary turtle soup followed by pecan-crusted gulf fish. 

The Best Places To Shop: Spend some time walking and shopping the 6-mile stretch along Magazine Street, a charming street that is the heart of the Uptown District. Find your own favorites or check out some of ours such as Passages and Perch for antiques and home furnishings and Hazelnut for unique gift items and home-wares. For high-end women’s designer clothes stop at Mimi’s, Weinstein’s or Sosusu.  Pied Nu and Pilot and Powell specialize in younger, more casual designs. Marion Cage has built up a following for her line of jewelry and tabletop accessories. Be ready to smile upon entering Ashley Longshore’s Gallery, a playful and thought-provoking temple of pop art. Whether you like her work or not, you can’t deny that Longshore sure has a lot of personality and her shop is well worth a visit. If you have more time, head to Freda in the CBD next door to the Ace Hotel. Like its sister store in Marfa, Texas everything is well curated with a bohemian vibe.  You’ll find things here you won't see anywhere else including accessories by local designers.

The Best Brunch/Lunch:  We love La Petite Grocery, Top Chef Justin Devillier’s acclaimed restaurant on Magazine Street. Order at least one of the addictive blue crab beignets for the table, followed by perhaps fettuccine with crawfish, gulf shrimp and grits or the signature turtle bolognese. Judging by the number of burgers going by that is also a good option. Perfect for a long, leisurely boozy brunch, though Petite Grocery is pretty perfect anytime. One of our favorite spots in New Orleans. 

The Best Sandwiches: Looking for a quick bite we found sandwich heaven at hipster Turkey and the Wolf in the slightly off the grid Irish Channel Neighborhood. (Not far from the Garden District or the CBD.) Bon Appetit Magazine named it as their best restaurant of the year, yes, a sandwich shop, but one bite of the collard green melt and you’ll too be licking your fingers and singing their praises. Oh and yes, order the fried bologna as well. (Cochon Butcher is a close second, with everything from a Cubano to a spiced Moroccan lamb to duck pastrami sliders, located right behind Cochon, and close to the WW II Museum.)

The Best Way to Spend The Afternoon: Even if you’re not a history buff, don’t miss a few hours at the WW II Museum, an interactive, immersive experience with exhibits displayed throughout three large pavilions giving audiences a close up look at the Second World War. Don’t think of skipping the movie Beyond all Boundaries, a 4 D moving, cinematic experience narrated by Tom Hanks that left us wishing we had brought some tissues. Afterwards travel the Road to Berlin and Road to Tokyo exploring the lead up to WWII, its battles and catastrophic losses. A must visit when in New Orleans--we can’t recommend it highly enough—Go!

The Best For Dinner: Head to white table clothed Clancy's for classic Creole cuisine, make sure to save room for their famous lemon icebox pie. You might question us for sending you for hummus and tabbouleh in New Orleans, but the modern Israeli food served at Saba is the talk of the town. Start with an array of mezes before moving on more substantial entrees such as harissa chicken or market roasted fish. (Note: Chef Alon Shaya made his name at Shaya, though it still bears his name he is no longer affiliated with the restaurant.) The homemade pita bread served hot out of the pizza oven is worth the visit alone. It was a flavor explosion at Maypop, Chef Michael Gulotta’s restaurant in the CBD where South East Asia fuses with New Orleans. One trusted foodie friend speaks highly of Herbsaint, Meauxbar, Paladar 511 and Brigtsens all on our list for next time. 

New Orleans Musts: You can’t leave New Orleans without having at least one po’ boy, the traditional submarine sandwich of Louisiana, usually made with roast beef or fried seafood. Mahoney’s and Parkway Bakery and Tavern are well known, but we always head to Domilise’s Po-Boy and Bar, family owned and operated for close to 100 years. Slightly off the beaten track, not far from the Garden District, you’ll know you’ve arrived by the line out the door.  Everything is fried to order; we recommend the half-and-half, one side fried oysters, the other shrimp.