By Land and SeaNew Orleans has been on our wish list for several years, but for one reason or another it just never worked out. Fast-forward to 2026 – the year we finally made it to the Big Easy. This trip was booked only after several other options we were throwing around just fit the bill.
We were looking for a relatively inexpensive and easy getaway for just a few days. After lots of comparison, we finally found an option on Expedia that worked with our schedules and desired price-point. A few clicks and we were on our way!
Trip Type:
Food, Sightseeing, and Cityscape
Destination(s) Visted:
New Orleans, Louisiana
Where We Stayed:
The Crowne Plaza French QTR – Astor
Favorite Memory:
New Orleans is such a fun and vibrant city. It truly feels different than many of the other US cities we have visited. We really enjoyed our impromptu riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River aboard the Steamboat Natchez. It was the perfect way to see parts of the city and surrounding area that we may have missed, and it gave us a break from the rain for the day. We also really enjoyed the history and how many businesses repurposed old historic buildings into bustling and kitschy hot spots. Some memorable items to note:
- Laffite’s -A former blacksmith shop and the oldest bar in the United States
- Trying absinthe for the first time – at Old Absinthe House
- Our first time seeing the Mighty Mississippi
Would We Go Back:
Yes! But not any time soon… We really enjoyed the city – it was very different from many of our other travels and a nice break in the routine. However, we also covered quite a bit of ground while there and we did many of the touristy things including:
- Ample time spent on Bourbon Street
- A stroll through the French Market
- A visit to the waterfront
- Exploring Frenchman Street
- An attempted yet unsuccessful visit to one of the historic cemetaries
- A cruise up the Mississippi River
- Visiting the National WWII Museum
- Eating and drinking
- Sightseeing
- Pool time
Cramming all that into a 4.5 day trip packed a punch, and we feel we had a great experience in New Orleans. The only thing we would do differently upon return is a swamp tour. We wanted to go on one, but the rainy weather wasn’t conducive to it. While we really enjoyed this city, we aren’t in a rush to go back. It’s a fun spot but not any place that is high on our list to visit frequently.
That said, whenever it is we return again, we will not be staying at the same hotel. For those reasons, we also aren’t including this on our list of hotel recommendations. Choosing this hotel (and flying basic economy) allowed us to keep the price pretty cheap on this trip but… you get what you pay for! It’s not that the hotel was bad per say, but it really didn’t meet a lot of our expectations/standards. It is a great location on the corner of Canal and Bourbon Streets though.
We were both so glad our little trip to New Orleans worked out. This was my first visit to the city and state and brought my “states visited” to 38/50!
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Thanks for visiting By Land and Sea!
Would you recommend a similar 4-5 day stay to explore New Orleans for 1st timers?
Absolutely! It was a great way to explore the city!