The French Quarter is known for its night life, architecture, art, and food. Walking through the streets during the day it is quite quiet, especially as you get further away from Jackson Square and Cafe Du Monde. Although that may also be due to the time of year I visited. I enjoyed watching as artists set up their work in Jackson Square while eating beignets in the park. I spent the first half of the last day of my trip in New Orleans waiting for my flight. Shoutout to my friend Sav who was willing to wake up extra early to drive me to the bus station in Baton Rouge so I could head down to the city.

I hopped of the bus at Canal Street, and made my way towards the French Quarter along the river. As I had caught the early commuter bus to New Orleans, the streets were filled with people on there way to work, and those people who enjoy getting up early and going for a run (both activities which I do not enjoy.) I waited for places such as Cafe Du Monde to open by enjoying my time walking around. While I’ll be writing a separate Louisiana food post, here’s a tip: you have to pay in cash at Cafe Du Monde.

A large amount of my time in the French Quarter was spent wandering through the streets, looking at the details on the buildings, listening to live music, and enjoying the sun. Make sure to stop at Jackson Square and appreciate St. Louis Cathedral, walk over to the French Market, and stop at Aunt Sally’s for pralines. During my first trip to New Orleans we took a haunted ghost tour of the area, although as it was back in 2009 or so, I don’t remember much. A guided tour though can be a great way to get a feel for the area and to learn about the buildings in more detail.

If you have time, I have also heard fantastic things about the World War II Museum. Perhaps on my next trip I’ll have to go!