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Last spring, my husband and I took a driving trip to New Orleans. Having been together for a couple years by that point, we had traveled together quite a bit by plane, but we had never taken a long driving trip together. As we planned out the details of our trip (poring over every review on TripAdvisor) in the weeks leading up to our departure to New Orleans, I had vivid flashbacks to those long, driving trips with the family throughout my childhood. One of my sisters screaming in the backseat while my other sisters fought over something trivial, dad trying to overcome their shrieking by ramping up the volume of his “Gypsy Kings” music, and my mom yelling at dad to “TURN IT DOWN!” Ah, I can still hear the cacophony. Strong memories, but all in all, they’re some of the best I’ve got.
Needless to say, I didn’t know what to expect with a driving trip since it had been a few years. Luckily, I’m happy to report that the drive was nothing short of pleasant. As we approached eastern Texas and crossed the border to Louisiana, the scenery changes were drastic. The stretches of dry farmland transformed into lush, green scenery that starkly and beautifully contrasted with the previous views only mere hours before. As we made our way from the western part of the state, through Lafayette, and then towards New Orleans, the wildlife and vegetation only continued to flourish. Before we arrived in New Orleans though, we stopped at Avery Island first to visit the Tabasco plant. Being a lover of Tabasco (and Bloody Mary’s), I had always wanted to learn more about this amazing condiment.
Avery Island is a truly magical place. Surrounded by water with looming trees that drip Spanish moss, and lined with endless rows of pepper plants, it was like stepping into Mother Nature’s playground. We spent the morning touring the plant and learning the process of how Tabasco is made. As fascinating as it was to learn more about Tabasco and how it’s made, it was the history of the McIlhenny Family that was truly alluring. For those of you that are interested to learn more, I would advise checking out this link to learn about the long, rich history of this family.
After checking out the Tabasco plant, we decided to explore Jungle Gardens and Bird City just a few hundred meters down the road. Located on the Bayou Petite Anse, Jungle Gardens is over 170 acres of semitropical garden that hosts a wealth of botanical gardens and wildlife. The history of Jungle Gardens is fascinating, and definitely worth checking out. While we were there, we saw hundreds of nesting egrets in Bird City, and several alligators lazily bathing in the marshes. A driving tour, you can roam the gardens yourself, park, and explore on foot, as well. Even for the lukewarm nature lover, it would be hard to not be enraptured with this smaller version of paradise.
After spending a half- day at Avery Island, we hopped back in the car for the final two hours to New Orleans. As we pulled into New Orleans around dinnertime on our first night there, we were overwhelmed by the vibrancy of the city. I can clearly remember putting the windows down as we waited at a traffic light to listen to the live jazz band playing outside, the delicious smell of fragrant, spicy Cajun food wafting through the car and overwhelming our senses.
We had decided to book our accommodations through TripAdvisor at The French Market Inn. Located in the French Quarter, it’s in the perfect spot for walking to some of the most popular sites, like Jackson Square. Plus, being recently wed, we didn’t want to break our banks just yet and luckily we didn’t have to with this hotel. As the valet took our car and we rolled our bags inside, we were warmly welcomed by the front desk associate, who had our bags brought up as he quickly and efficiently checked us in. Having read enough reviews, we had requested an interior room away from the poolside of the building (I’m a light sleeper). The room was not the most spacious, but it was tastefully decorated with sophisticated furnishings and high ceilings: a plus for my husband and I as we are both quite tall. And the best part was (thankfully), the bed. Ah, we both slept peacefully on that pillowtop bed and woke up beautifully refreshed. Even now as we talk about returning to New Orleans in the next few months, the comfy bed is one of our best memories.
We actually didn’t spend our first day in New Orleans in New Orleans. Hopping back in the car, we drove about an hour west of New Orleans to visit several plantations. While we visited more than one, I’ll go into detail about our favorite plantation we visited: Oak Alley.
Oak Alley has been many things in its over 200 years of rich history: a cattle ranch, a sugar plantation, an abandoned investment property, to name a few. These chapters are all captured in the historical tour that you can take of the house and property, led by expert guides in antebellum era costumes. Perhaps the most awe-striking and mysterious feature of the plantation home, however, is the alley of knotted and gnarled oak trees (hence the name) lining the front path to the mansion. Planted by an unknown Frenchman well over a hundred years before the mansion was even built, the astounding trees are evenly planted exactly 80 feet apart, and create a canopied tunnel leading to the river in one way, and to the mansion the other way. A little eerie, and yet heavy with unspoken history, the alley of Oaks is a wondrous and fascinating view to behold.
Back in New Orleans later that evening, my husband and I decided to venture out and explore a bit more of the French Quarter. If you like to people watch, look no further than Bourbon street. This is party central, with festivities starting nightly around dinnertime (although it always seems like a party there). From nightclubs to high-end restaurants, to cigar shops and pubs, on and around Bourbon is bustling with all kinds of activity.
The next highlight of our trip was the historical river cruise down the Mississippi. After a long debate, we settled on the Creole Queen as our paddleboat of choice, and opted for the morning river cruise. As we sailed through New Orleans, our costumed guide took us on a journey through the rich history of the city, where we learned more about the history of the French Quarter, the Louisiana Purchase, the Battle of New Orleans, and how Hurricane Katrina changed the city forever. Sitting on the paddleboat as we drifted down the Mississippi, listening and learning about New Orleans’s remarkable history, while enjoying a delicious Cajun lunch, the experience was completely immersive, and one I would definitely recommend to any visitor.
The highlights of New Orleans are many, but the ones I’ve shared with you here were the most valuable and time worthy during our long weekend trip to the Big Easy. New Orleans is easily one of the most vibrant cities I’ve ever visited in the states, with a rich and colorful history that still seems to breathe life into the city.
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