During our road trip to Louisiana, we obviously had to visit the city of New Orleans. Kevin’s dad insisted that we stay on Bourbon Street at the Royal Sonesta. Three generations of the Thompson family have stayed at this hotel including Kevin’s grandparents on their honeymoon. Once we arrived downtown we went out in search for some gumbo. Along the way, we found so many breathtaking historic houses and shops. After several recommendations, we decided to eat at the award-winning New Orleans Restaurant the Gumbo Shop. The gumbo was absolutely delicious and we even got to sit in this cute little courtyard area within the restaurant. After dinner, we decided to take a horse-drawn carriage for a tour of the city. The city of New Orleans has such a lush history from its iconic jazz music to its haunted houses.
Everyone kept telling us to go to Frenchman Street and so we decided to go and check it out. Along the way, we came upon some adorable markets filled with local artists. Kevin bought me the cutest purple stone necklace from one of the local vendors. Frenchmen Street was filled with local bars and live music pouring out into the street. Since we were in New Orleans we definitely wanted to hear some live jazz music. After asking around we decided to attend a jazz show at Preservation Hall. This music venue is bare bones and meant to capture the feel of early jazz shows. No cell phones or cameras are allowed during any part of the show. They want you to enjoy the beauty of jazz on interrupted. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is definitely worth your time and money while visiting New Orleans.
The next morning we visited the world famous french bakery Cafe Du Monde to grab some of their famous beignets. The powdery sugar deliciousness was amazing! Next, we hit the road to meet up with a local kayaking company called Louisiana Lost Lands Environmental Tours. Before heading out into the wetlands they taught us about the damaging effects of the oil pipelines to the wetlands and the Louisiana coastline. We drove out to a bayou and kayaked out into the middle of a swamp. Along the way, we saw birds, turtles, and baby alligators. We were so thankful for our awesome guide who took us into some very tight places and showed us around the swamp. It was an amazing experience and we were so grateful to be a part of it while also supporting an organization that is trying to protect and preserve the remaining wetlands around New Orleans.
Our Hotel: Royal Sonesta New Orleans, LA
https://www.sonesta.com/us/louisiana/new-orleans/royal-sonesta-new-orleans
Award Winning Gumbo Shop in New Orleans, LA
Live Jazz at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, LA
https://www.preservationhall.com
World Famous Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans, LA
Our Kayak Tour: Louisiana Lost Lands Environmental Tours
Check out more of our Lousiana adventures on the blog we did on Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, LA:http://kevinandannaweddings.com/2017/03/oak-alley-plantation-vacherie-louisiana