I’ve been working on this for a while and wanted to share an amazing experience with everyone.
Vona has been teaching summer school for 15 years, and this was the first summer she didn’t have to work. As it turned out, the timing couldn’t have been better because it lined up perfectly with our third wedding anniversary.
Like many people, we both have full-time jobs. In addition to that, we’re also travel agents, which gives us the opportunity to travel whenever our schedules allow. Of course, working in the school district limits our travel opportunities throughout the year, so we take advantage of every chance we get.
Since Vona was finally off for the summer, I was able to take her to New Orleans for our anniversary. We had an absolutely amazing time. This was also Vona’s first visit to New Orleans. She had always wanted to go, and I was excited to experience it with her.
If you’re looking for a great destination within the United States and have never been to New Orleans, it is absolutely worth the trip. The city is overflowing with culture, history, music, and unique experiences. We wanted to do the full tourist experience, so I actually recommend visiting when there aren’t any major festivals taking place. It makes it much easier to get around and enjoy everything the city has to offer.
Arrival Day
We stayed at the Omni Hotel, located right in the heart of the French Quarter. We had a king room with a balcony overlooking Royal Street, and it was fantastic. When the staff learned we were celebrating our anniversary, they even sent a bottle of champagne to our room.
That evening, I had a few places in mind that I wanted to check out. Our first stop was the Copper Monkey, just a block away from the hotel. We enjoyed a couple of drinks and decided to try their famous peanut butter burger. Yes, peanut butter on a burger! I’m still not sure why it works, but it absolutely does. We both loved it.
As the evening went on, we stopped at several other places, including Miss Fit Toys, High Grace, and even Pat O’Brien’s—although we quickly discovered they were closed on Tuesdays. We continued exploring different bars and restaurants throughout the French Quarter. Bourbon Street was surprisingly calm and easy to navigate, which made it the perfect night to wander and explore.
Anniversary Day
The next morning, on our anniversary, we embraced our inner tourists.
A little rain early in the day changed some of our plans, but we still managed to ride the streetcar and do some sightseeing around the city. Eventually, we made our way to the Aquarium and Insectarium.
Now, Vona isn’t exactly a fan of bugs, but she was a good sport. We finally reached the butterfly garden, which ended up being one of the highlights of the day. After that, we explored the aquarium. While it’s not the largest aquarium we’ve ever visited, that hardly mattered because Vona loves aquariums.
The best part was the Gulf exhibit, where she finally got to see a sea turtle up close. Vona has been fascinated by sea turtles ever since she had a personal incounter with a sea turtle on an excursion in Playa del Carmen, but that’s a story for another day.
For dinner, we stopped at World of Oysters and, of course, we had the raw oysters, we love them. Later that evening, we found ourselves back on Bourbon Street searching for authentic New Orleans jazz. We found plenty of great music, but not exactly what we were looking for. We wanted the full brass band experience—the kind you see in movies and television—with trumpets, trombones, saxophones, drums, and enough energy to fill the street.
That night, after the rain had cleared, we took a ghost tour in a mule-drawn carriage. While it wasn’t quite as spooky as we expected, it turned into an incredible history lesson. New Orleans is a paradise for history lovers, and every corner of the city seems to have a story.
After the tour, we stopped at Café du Monde. Without telling Vona what I was planning, I brought her coffee and beignets—something she had never experienced before. If you enjoy funnel cakes, you’ll appreciate the similarities in flavor, even though they look completely different. Needless to say, she loved them.
After a long day of walking, sightseeing, and celebrating, we called it a night.
Exploring More of New Orleans
The next day, we decided to take the Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour, and I highly recommend it.
The tour covers nearly every major part of the city, including the French Quarter, Business District, Garden District, and much more. We rode the full route first to decide what areas we wanted to revisit later.
During one of the stops, we finally found what we had been searching for—a street jazz band playing exactly the kind of music we wanted to hear. We were fortunate that our stop lasted longer than usual, giving us time to enjoy several songs. Watching Vona’s face light up while listening to the music was one of my favorite moments of the trip.
Later, we visited St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. I learned far more than I expected about the unique burial traditions of New Orleans and how the cemeteries operate. We also visited the resting place of Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Another interesting sight was the large white pyramid-shaped tomb that currently sits empty but is intended to be the future resting place of actor Nicolas Cage.
As the tour continued, we passed the National WWII Museum. We intentionally skipped it this trip because we plan to return with my dad, who loves history and has always wanted to visit New Orleans. We also decided to save the paddlewheel riverboat cruise for that future trip so we could experience it together.
We did make a stop at Caesars Casino and donated a little money just so we could say we’d been there.
Food, Music, and More Memories
Our next stop was the French Market, where Vona continued trying foods she had never experienced before.
We shared a muffuletta sandwich. While she wasn’t the biggest fan—mostly because she’s not fond of olives—she gave it a fair shot. The day before, she had also tried her first Po’ Boy sandwich.
Of course, we did a little shopping as well. One tradition we have is bringing home a shot glass and refrigerator magnet from every trip we take together.
Before leaving the market area, we grabbed another snack and listened to some live music. We tried crawfish-stuffed beignets, and all I can say is wow. They were absolutely incredible.
On our walk back toward the hotel, we stopped to admire St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. The view is simply breathtaking and one of the most iconic sights in New Orleans.
Nearby is the Louisiana State Museum, which features exhibits on Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to get inside, so we planned to visit before heading home the next day.
One Last Night on Bourbon Street
That evening, we returned to Bourbon Street one last time to continue exploring and searching for more live jazz.
We finally made it into Pat O’Brien’s, where Vona tried their famous Hurricane cocktail. She wasn’t a huge fan, but we had to try one while we were there. I ended up finishing both of ours.
We found plenty of music and entertainment throughout the evening, but still never found that perfect brass band we had envisioned. Several locals recommended Frenchmen Street, but we simply ran out of time. That just gives us another reason to return.
We bounced from place to place, enjoying the atmosphere, listening to music, and soaking in everything New Orleans had to offer. Eventually, around 10 p.m., we stopped for a bite at the Hard Rock Cafe. Earlier this year, we had visited the Hard Rock Cafe in Cabo San Lucas, so it seemed fitting.
By the time we made it back to the hotel, it was after 11 p.m. We may have called it an early night by New Orleans standards, but after days of nonstop walking and sightseeing, we were exhausted.
The next morning was departure day. We debated making one last attempt to visit the Katrina exhibit, but ultimately decided against it. I was tired, and we had a long drive ahead of us.
Final Thoughts
In the end, we had the most wonderful anniversary celebration. Being able to share so many first-time experiences with Vona made the trip even more special. From sea turtles and beignets to jazz music and historic cemeteries, every day brought something new.
There is still so much we didn’t get to see, which means we’ll definitely be back.
If you’ve never been to New Orleans and are looking for a destination filled with history, culture, music, food, and unforgettable experiences, put NOLA on your list. You won’t regret it.
