New Orleans
Near French Quarter
Part of Our August 2017 Cruise Adventure: Carnival Ship – Cozumel – Progreso
For the first time ever, I visited New Orleans. My wife had been there once before for a few hours and wasn’t impressed—I wasn’t sure why. The city looks great in movies, TV shows, and articles we had read. Plus, we have a friend who visits New Orleans every year and absolutely loves it. Here’s the dirty truth—through our experiences, of course. Your mileage may vary.
We flew in from Seattle mid-afternoon in August. It was warm—around 90 degrees—but the humidity made it instantly uncomfortable. Within seconds, we were drenched in sweat. Palm trees and casinos made the city feel like Las Vegas, which was interesting, but didn’t exactly ease the discomfort.
We were only in town for the night to catch a cruise the next day, with plans to return a week later for another day before flying home. We grabbed a Lyft from the airport to the Courtyard by Marriott near the convention center. Our driver, a part-time Lyft driver and full-time real estate agent, was a fun guy with lots of recommendations for food and nightlife. We had no interest in partying that night, but we appreciated the tips.
Walking from the hotel to the French Quarter and Bourbon Street, I normally stay aware of my surroundings and remain calm in sketchy neighborhoods. Not this night. Between the humidity, the heat, and perhaps hunger, I was seriously wishing I had my sidearm. I’ve strolled through Chicago, Seattle, and Tacoma’s gang-ridden Hilltop area without concern, but Bourbon Street was a different story.
Passing Harrah’s casino, there were cop cars and a fire truck lit up with flashing lights. The closer we got to Bourbon Street, the worse the smells: vomit, stale beer, garbage, body odor…maybe even death. Honestly, I didn’t get the appeal. We hightailed it back to the hotel, stopping at a small German-style restaurant for dinner. The place looked nice, but the food and service were underwhelming. I’m fine paying premium prices for premium service and food, but this was neither.
Back at the hotel, I joked that we should expect gunshots and sirens throughout the night—and we did. Thankfully, we boarded the cruise the next morning and left the city behind for a great time in Mexico.
A week later, we returned to New Orleans. After disembarking, we picked up a rental car to explore. We quickly left the city and crossed Lake Pontchartrain on the 24-mile Causeway Bridge—the world’s longest bridge over a body of water.
On the other side, we visited Fontainebleau State Park, a 2,800-acre park on the lake. The water was surprisingly warm! The lake’s average depth is only 12–16 feet, with a maximum of 65 feet. The park has a nice pier, plenty of trails, and stunning Spanish moss hanging from the trees—it’s eerie, beautiful, and very different from Washington. We even spotted some huge spiders and checked out their webs—definitely not something you see at home!
We spent the rest of the day exploring the area before heading to the airport. On the way, we stopped for drinks, and my son literally climbed into a cooler at the convenience store to escape the heat. Even with the car A/C blasting, walking a few yards in that sticky Louisiana air was brutal.
Southern Louisiana? Not my favorite. Am I glad I went? Sure—it was an experience, especially around the lake and in the park. New Orleans itself? Not so much. I doubt I’ll be returning anytime soon.
What’s been your experience with New Orleans?
