Exploring The French Quater In New Orleans, Louisiana

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French Quater In New Orleans

I was instantly taken to a different era and fell in love with New Orleans when we arrived at the French Quarter.

This Louisiana city’s amazing architecture, tiny, winding alleyways, elaborate balconies, and quaint gas lighting all serve to highlight its rich and distinctive history and culture.

Jackson Square

Jackson Square, the French Quarter’s cultural hub, is where we began our day. With the St. Louis Cathedral serving as the background, the statue of General Andrew Jackson mounted on his horse gazes over the Mississippi River. It’s really quite beautiful. Music fills the area from end to end. We heard another group on the next corner as we paused to listen to a group of musicians, even on a weekday morning. We strolled around the area, taking in the vibrant ambiance created by the local artisans who were selling their creations.

The St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square

Café du Monde and French Market

We quickly crossed the street to the well-known Café du Monde, where we enjoyed some delicious beignets and a fantastic café au lait. These fried doughnut-shaped cakes may have scattered powdered sugar all over me, but the smooth coffee made up for it. We strolled a short distance downstream to witness the famed French Market, a six-block stretch of merchants offering a wide range of goods including apparel, food, books, candies, and more.

The famous coffee and beignets at Café du Monde

Free Woman Holding White Ceramic Mug Looking at Her Cellphone Stock Photo

Napoleon House and Other Food Stops

Though there are a lot of culinary options in New Orleans, I will always associate this trip with my first muffaletta. We proceeded to the Napoleon House Bar and Café, and I was really impressed by the outside courtyard and interesting historical décor in addition to the muffaletta, jambalaya and gumbo. While the Bananas Foster dessert is a New Orleans staple and great all throughout the city, the seafood at Bourbon House is equally delicious. Naturally, you must sample the delightful Hurricane drink, a typical New Orleans beverage.

A muffaletta, one of Louisiana’s favorite sandwiches

Shopping and Dancing

Before my trips, like many others, all I had heard about was Bourbon Street, but I soon realized how much I loved Royal Street. We browsed amazing housewares stores, antiques shops, and galleries showcasing both local and international art for hours. There was a different musician playing on every block, making for a peaceful and charming shopping experience.

Since I couldn’t leave New Orleans without seeing a music club, we drove to Frenchmen Street as dusk was falling, which is a street or two outside the official French Quarter. There were tons of jazz clubs and music halls to pick from, and we had a blast dancing at the Spotted Cat. It was a Monday, and the sign outside the entrance stated that the music started at 4 p.m. and would continue until 2 a.m. What a fantastic city.