Road Trip Recap (pt. 2): New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is notorious for its parties, live music and Creole food, and we certainly got a taste of all three while passing through there on our road trip. There was live music in every bar and on every street corner in the French Quarter, and po’ boys seem to be their equivalent of NYC pizza. All in all, there’s a real liveliness and charm to the city.

Love all the painted shutters!

To sample the local gumbo and po’ boys - must-haves in NOLA - we visited Liuzza’s by the Track, a casual cafe/bar where locals grab lunch and everyone seems to know each other (needless to say, I stuck out like a sore thumb with my giant camera). Their gumbo - spicy, full of shrimp and sliced andouille sausage - hit the spot. Next, I had the shrimp po’ boy, while Rene had the catfish. We ordered both “dressed,” meaning with lettuce, tomatoes and plenty of mayo. Along with vinegary Louisiana hot sauce, these were the epitome of seafood sandwich greatness.

Beignets - New Orleans’ most famous treat - were on the agenda, too. For under $3 at the famous Cafe du Monde, one order of beignets gets you three squares of chewy deep-fried dough heavily dusted with powdered sugar. Thankfully, we stopped there late on a rainy evening and were served right away; the following afternoon, there was a huge line of people along the street, waiting for what seemed like an hour. I have to note though, for a place that’s so popular, it was sort of a mess. The beignets were great, but the experience of being in the cafe, not so much. I recommend getting your beignets to go.

If you’re ever looking for a little nature getaway in NOLA, check out Jean Lafitte National Park. Located about a 20-minute drive out of the city center, it’s composed of a few miles of trails, all on a narrow boardwalk above marshes. You’ll spot snakes, interesting birds and even gators if you’re lucky.

Yikes…

Stay tuned for more Road Trip Recaps!