Back in 2016, I had the pleasure of attending my friend’s wedding in Mandeville, Louisiana, which is in close proximity to New Orleans. Due to my work schedule, the trip to the area only lasted for 2 days. Thankfully, my mother and sister traveled with me and we were able to explore the downtown area of New Orleans the day after the wedding. It rained during most of the day, but that did not stop us from exploring as much as we could. We weren’t able to do much, but here are some of the highlights of our trip:
- Drive-Thru Daiquiri Shops
One of my favorite things about being in this area was the fact that there were drive thru daiquiri shops. You literally drive up as if you’re placing a fast food order, get your daiquiri, and off you go! That’s so convenient, right? I had a daiquiri that was Hurricane flavored. It was really good and they did not hold back with the alcohol!
- Admiring Architecture
Thanks to Pinterest, taking a streetcar through the Garden District was recommended. For about an hour, we rode the streetcar through the area and admired the beautiful architecture of the buildings and homes. We had a rental car, and also cruised through the French Quarter where we were in awe of the scenery, even on a rainy day. I’ve always admired balconies and French-style homes, so it was rewarding to see a variety of them.
- Beignets at Cafe Du Monde
Going to Cafe du Monde was a must-do while we were in New Orleans. Since we went during a busy time, we had a fairly long wait to sit down (remember, it was raining and we did not want to take our food to go). The wait was well worth it because the beignets were delicious. It was our first time eating them, and to me they taste like really good doughnuts with powdered sugar one top.
- Gumbo
I can’t recall the name of the place that we ordered the gumbo from, but it was so delicious! My gumbo contained the normal ingredients that you would expect (shrimp, sausage, crab) and I haven’t had anything better than it since then!
- Bourbon Street
I found Bourbon Street to be the most lively. There were plenty of souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs along the street. We only went a few blocks down due to the rain, but we luckily ran into a small band along the sidewalk playing “When the Saints go Marching In” (I’ll post the video on my Instagram page @braidsandairplanes_).
I absolutely love the culture and food of New Orleans and I hope to return there in the near future. Due to the pandemic, my friends and I had plans to attend the yearly Essence Festival before it was cancelled. Traveling to the city during Mardi Gras would also be a plus!
Braids and Airplanes 