Day By District: Garden District
Visit one of the most peaceful and beautiful districts in New Orleans – the Garden District!
8:00 AM – District Donuts
Kick off the day with a delicious breakfast at District Donuts. You can order a breakfast sandwich with egg and bacon, a breakfast bowl with meat, vegetables, egg, and grits, but either way, make sure you order one of their gourmet donuts!
9:00 AM – Newcomb Art Museum
Head to Tulane’s Newcomb Art Museum to wander the beautiful pieces on display. A number of their exhibits pay tribute to or acknowledge social and cultural concerns, and nearly everything is inspired by the rich combination of cultures and ethnic backgrounds that make up New Orleans.
10:00 AM – St Charles Streetcars
Take a ride on the St. Charles streetcar and pass by some of the beautiful, historical houses that make up the Garden District. Hop off at Washington and wander a bit to get a closer look at some houses, and even visit Lafayette Cemetary No. 1.
11:00 AM – The Shard Shop
Take a class at the Shard Shop, where you can make beautiful artwork using glass chips for a unique home decor piece. Classes run approximately an hour, and an instructor will walk you through the process so that you can focus on letting your creativity show!
12:30 PM – Cafe Reconcile
For lunch, the only place to go is Cafe Reconcile. Not only does the restaurant have amazing food – fried catfish po’boy, sesame salmon, fried eggplant in cream sauce – but they also have an excellent philosophy. At-risk youth gain on-the-job training by working at the cafe, giving them valuable life and employment skills while also keeping them away from destructive activities. Participating in the cafe’s program also opens up college and other employment options, helping them get a solid start on their future.
1:30 PM – Audubon Zoo
Spend the afternoon at the Audubon Zoo, watching the animals and enjoying the stroll through the exhibits. The Audubon Zoo is one of the premier zoos in the country, so you don’t want to miss it. You can see the grace of the big cats, the goofiness of the otters, and the regal beauty of the peacocks, all in a few hours (although you may want to visit for a longer period of time on another day).
5:00 PM – Roulaison
Take a distillery tour from Rouliason, and learn all about how rum is made. You’ll also have the chance to try a few different types of rum produced here.
6:30 PM – Upperline
Head to one of NOLA’s best restaurants for a three-course dinner. Upperline serves Southern favorites with traditional recipes, such as fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, and even Thomas Jefferson’s favorite creme brulee.
8:30 PM – Cure
Finish the day by enjoying artisan cocktails at Cure. The Infinite Sadness is their take on the classic negroni, or you can try Mellon Collie, a drink reminiscent of bourbon cherry pie.