NOLA & the Gulf Coast in October

I wasn’t sure this trip would happen. Louisana and the Gulf Coast were hit once again with a devastating hurricane at the end of August 2021. We were prepared to wait until the area had more time to recover from Hurricane Ida but I joined a NOLA Travel Tips Facebook group and I read several messages from tour guides that said “The city is open and we need tourism and support.” Hurricane Ida’s damage was visibly minimal during our trip, but Hurricane Katrina’s damage from 2005 was visible as we drove along the Gulf Coast on day 3 – and is something I will never forget.

How did you fall in love with New Orleans? At once, madly. Sometimes I think it was predestined.

Andrei Codrescu

The unpredictable October weather in New Orleans equaled 80+ degree days and 70+ degree nights during our stay. The rescheduled 2020 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was supposed to take place during this weekend but was postponed again due to COVID. Oak Alley Plantation tours were closed due to Hurricane Ida damage and cemetery tours were also affected.

New Orleans is definitely a walkable city with several transportation options. We opted to rent a car because we wanted to cross off MS and AL but otherwise, we would have saved money and skipped the car rental. My daughters weren’t sure of what to expect in New Orleans but when I told them about the dolphin encounter I booked at Ocean Adventures Marine Park in MS, that was definitely a big plus for this vacation. I found this experience and more great advice on a Facebook group called Free Tours by Foot – New Orleans.

It is difficult for me to summarize my favorite experiences during this trip. I fell in love with the fascinating history and culture in New Orleans – and the food. I don’t think there’s any other city that has embraced its history and culture the way that NOLA has. I collected many great recommendations for restaurants and was disappointed that we didn’t get to try most of them for lack of time. We agreed that we just needed one more day to experience all of the other things we wanted to do – but hopefully, it’s not the last time we visit this unique city.

4-Day Itinerary With Kids

Day	To	From	Mode	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Trip Notes
1 Thurs.	MSY Airport | Bienville House – New Orleans (French Quarter)	Dulles Airport	United Airlines	6:30PM	9:00PM	Amazing location with the most beautiful pool – we would stay here again! Great shopping choices are located within an easy walk.
	Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 Tiki Bar and Restaurant, New Orleans	Our hotel Room	Walk	9:15PM	9:20PM	This is the restaurant attached to our hotel. We were hungry and didn’t want to venture out too far. The Polynesian food menu was limited and not exactly what we were hoping for. Definitely more of a cocktail spot.
2 Fri.	Cafe Du Monde, St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square area, Southern Candy Makers – Main store	Hotel	Walk	8:00AM	8:10AM	This is a must. Cafe Du Monde and its world-famous beignets are a 1/2 mile from Hotel Bienville and are located central to St. Louis Cathedral, one of NOLA’s most recognizable landmarks. The city is famous for praline candy which we had never tried before. We tried a variety of flavors and they were all delicious!
	The National World War II Museum, New Orleans	Cafe Du Monde	Walk	9:30AM	10:00AM	This is a must-do (even with kids) and plan for at least 2 hours. It was a bit of a hike from the hotel. There is a Hop On Hop Off bus option that looks like a better choice. My daughters were the youngest visitors that day but they loved the museum and learned so much. Don’t skip the Tom Hanks 4-D movie at the end. It was Disney quality!
	Lunch at Jeri Nims Soda Shop at the WWII Museum, New Orleans	WWII Museum	Walk	12:00PM	12:05PM	Located across the street, this cafe had a retro feel with a sandwich-style menu and sweet treats to go.
	Bourbon Street/VooDoo Museum, New Orleans	WWII Museum	Walk	12:30PM	1:15PM	What I knew of voodoo was from television until this trip. The VooDoo Museum is small but informative and admission was a good price. We decided to walk Bourbon St. during the day with kids. Still loud, but not quite as rowdy!
	Our Hotel	Bourbon St	Walk	2:00PM	2:15PM	October in NOLA is great weather for an outdoor pool!
	Creole Queen Jazz Dinner Cruise, New Orleans	Our Hotel	Rental Car	5:00PM	5:30PM	We opted to include the creole and cajun buffet dinner with our jazz cruise tickets and were so glad we did. The food was great and we got to sample a variety of foods that NOLA is famous for. The jazz band and dancing were wonderful. This paddle-wheeler boat is a great way to see the cityscape at night.
3 Sat.	Ocean Adventures Marine Park Dolphin Interaction – Gulfport, MS		Rental Car	8:00AM	9:15AM	This is another must-do. Not only was it more affordable than any cruise excursion, but the girls were also in the water with the dolphins for 30 mins doing a variety of tricks! We stayed for a great show afterward.
	Lunch at T.P. Crockmiers – Mobile, AL		Rental Car	11:00AM	12:00PM	Outdoor seating – your typical bar and grill place. Great for people watching! The drive along Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf is a somber realization filled with boarded-up houses and roofs of just how devastating hurricanes are to this delicate area.
	Self-guided Garden District tour – New Orleans		Rental Car	1:00PM	3:00PM	A must-do! I did some Googling ahead of time and found the homes of several celebrities, all located relatively close to one another. Don’t miss Sandra Bullock’s Victorian mansion!
	Dinner at Evangeline– across from our hotel		Walk	6:00PM	6:05PM	Great service. The waiter gave the girls beads and they didn’t understand why. Don’t skip the alligator bites!
	Adults-only Ghost Tour at Bloody Mary’s, New Orleans		Walk	7:30PM	8:00AM	I’m not sure I would have booked this tour knowing the building’s history. I won’t spoil it but this tour is highly rated. It was ok – despite not having any paranormal encounters, we did enjoy the history at the end and felt like real ghost hunters at the end of the tour.
4 Sun.	Breakfast at The Ruby Slipper – New Orleans	Hotel	Walk	8:00AM	8:05AM	A must-do and probably one of our favorite breakfasts ever. Because it was our last meal, Tim and I ordered a mimosa flight and I’m still thinking about the Bananas Foster french toast. The meaning behind the name is a great story with ties to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
	MSY Airport / Home	The Ruby Slipper	Rental Car	11:00AM	2:30PM	The drive to the airport is an easy drive with a nice view of the Saints Caesardome.