48 Hours in New Orleans

Destinations

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By Ryan Gargiulo

United Airlines Legroom Porn

Day 1: Cancun to New Orleans

My weekend trip to New Orleans began with a Thursday afternoon flight from Cancun to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

Why I have to fly from Cancun to Houston before heading to New Orleans is beyond me but that’s just the way it goes.

As soon as I landed I made a mad dash to the United Club Lounge in Terminal C knowing that I only had about an hour and a half  layover before hopping on the final leg of my flight from Houston to New Orleans.

United Club Lounge - Houston IAH

Once inside I grabbed some snacks from the complimentary snack bar, logged onto the free Wi-Fi and found myself a big comfy seat in the theatre room which included 20 or so lazyboys and a large flat panel television on the wall.

It was my first time ever stepping foot in a United Club Lounge and I have to say I was really impressed.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a ton of time to take advantage of it so I’m hoping next time around I’ll find myself with a long layover so I can take full advantage of the amenities available.

My flight from Houston to New Orleans was slightly delayed due to weather so my late evening arrival was going to be even later than I would have liked it to be.

While waiting in line to board I met an older and overly chit-chatty gentleman from New Orleans and after a few minutes of chatting with him, he offered to drop me off at my hotel once we arrived in New Orleans.

At first I was a little hesitant to catch a ride with him due to the fact that I only travel with carry-on luggage and I cannot stand when people check baggage but thankfully he was a business traveler that only flies with a carry-on. Bingo.

The flight from Houston to New Orleans was a quick one (45-50 mins). We landed, headed to airport parking to grab the car and before I knew it was at the doorstep of my hotel.

Catching a ride from the airport wasn’t only more convenient than taking a taxi but it also saved me a $33 cab ride in the process.

Fortunately, there were no issues to speak about when it came to the ride, just a really genuine guy who travels a lot for work and loves meeting new people.

I regret not swapping info with him as it would have been cool to keep in touch.

By the time I checked in and settled into the Hyatt Place New Orleans Convention Center it was nearly midnight and I was absolutely exhausted.

The next two days were about to be a whirlwind and I needed to catch some sleep in order to be prepared for what was ahead.

Day 2: Exploring New Orleans

Hyatt Place New Orleans Convention Center
My comfy room at the Hyatt Place New Orleans Convention Center

The following morning I woke up, showered and hopped on my computer to get a few things done before I got my day started.

As you can see in the photo above, I took full advantage of what I like to call the “chillax area” in my room.

This little nook was such a great spot to kick back and relax both in the morning and after a long day of exploring.

Overall, I thought the chillax area was a really nice addition to what would be a typical hotel room otherwise.

Well, other than the fact that the room was incredibly spacious and approximately twice the size of the majority of the hotels that I’ve stayed in over the course of the last few years.

New Orleans Skyline

Oh, and did I mention the views? My room was on the 8th floor (corner unit) facing west which overlooked the New Orleans skyline.

Note: Watch my latest New Orleans VLOG to see the full video walkthrough of my room.

Shopping at The Riverwalk Outlet Collection

Once I finished up some quick tasks I headed out to take a stroll through the The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk, a large plaza filled with outlet stores that is situated alongside the Mississippi River.

The Riverwalk Outlets also happen to be conveniently located just one block from the Hyatt Place.

Lunch at Cochon Butcher

After I left Riverwalk I recieved an email from @Kyle_Clements, an Instagram follower of mine who saw that I was in New Orleans.

Turns out he grew up in NOLA and thought he would reach out with some good restaurant and nightlife recommendations for me. God, I love the power of social media.

Kyle recommended that I make my way over to Cochon Butcher for lunch, so that’s exactly what I did.

Cochon Butcher

I ordered the Smoked Turkey sandwich (turkey, avocado, sprouts, tomato and basil aioli) along with a side of house chips and it was out of this world delicious. Thanks, Kyle!

Bourbon Street

After lunch I made my way over to Bourbon Street to do some people watching and catch some live music.

Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street People Watching
Live Music at Bourbon Heat in New Orleans

Later on that evening I headed back to my hotel to freshen up and relax before heading for a night out on the town.

I started my night by stopping into some of the live music bars on Frenchmen street and then ended up taking a late night stroll down to Bourbon Street before calling it a night.

Day 3: New Orleans Jazz Fest

It was officially my last day in town and I knew I had to make the best of it. I woke up early and headed downstairs to breakfast (included with your stay at the Hyatt Place) and chowed down on some pancakes and eggs.

Overall I thought the food was pretty good for a hotel buffet. Better than many I’ve had in the past.

I spent the early afternoon shopping at the Oakwood Center Mall and when I came out to grab a taxi back into downtown a wild storm came through and it was pouring from the heavens.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen rain, wind and lightning like that before. I wasn’t really worried about my safety, but more about whether I would be able to make it to Jazz Fest later on that afternoon.

I arrived back at the hotel soaking wet and in need of a warm shower while the rain slowed down and the storm passed by.

By the time I was dressed and ready to head to Jazz Fest it was still raining and I wasn’t prepared in the least bit.

I didn’t bring a jacket, umbrella or anything I could use to cover up from being soaken wet at the festival yet I decided to wing it and hop in a taxi and head to Jazz Fest anyway.

Fifteen minutes later I arrived at the entry gates to Jazz Fest with my ticket in hand and absolutely no idea what the conditions would be like once inside.

As it turns out, the entire festival grounds had turned into one giant mud pit. I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I was to have worn flip flops versus wearing my sneakers which would have been instantly ruined on arrival. 

I walked around the grounds in search of an umbrella but at this point it had been raining for a couple hours and what do you know? They were completely sold out of umbrellas.

Pocket Aces Brass Band
Pocket Aces Brass Band

Once again I pushed on and decided to head on over to a smaller stage to watch a local New Orleans band called the Pocket Aces Brass Band. They were so much fun to watch and I enjoyed being able to watch from the front of the stage as they rocked the crowd with a mix of both originals and cover songs.

The Who - Jazz Fest
The Who

After the Pocket Aces finished up I made my way over to the main stage to watch The Who perform some of their greatest hits. All I have to say about their performance is that it was incredible, especially considering that Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend are 69 and 71 years of age and they still know how to rock. I can only hope I’m as cool as them when I reach their age.

John Legend
John Legend

The last performance I caught before heading back into town was an incredible set by John Legend.

I had always wondered what he would sound like live in concert and I have to say, I was seriously impressed.

If you’re a fan of John Legand and you ever have the chance to catch him live, don’t pass it up.

As for Jazz Fest as a whole, I highly recommend you check it out if you ever get the opportunity.

I would even go to the lengths of saying that you should try to coordinate your next trip to New Orleans when Jazz Fest is in town.

Overall, I had a really good time at Jazz Fest despite leaving there soaken wet and covered in mud.

Tip: If you decide to visit New Orleans during Jazz Fest and you’re looking for a hotel that’s conveniently located just a 15 minute ($12) cab ride away, the Hyatt Place New Orleans Convention Center is one of your best bets in town.

Packing and One Last Night Out

After yet another much needed hot shower back at the hotel, I began to pack my bags for an early morning, 7am flight back to Mexico.

The sun was setting so I decided to setup my camera and film a little bit of a time lapse. Here’s a cool photo from the process:

New Orleans Sunset

Once I finished packing I decided I’d head out to Frenchmen street one last time to sip on a few beers and catch some late night music.

I stopped into Blue Nile and caught this performance shown below. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the band but if you recognize them, feel free to leave a comment below.

Live Music at Blue Nile on Frenchmen Street

After a couple hours of listening to live music in a few different bars on Frenchmen street, I made my way back up to Bourbon for some late night shenanigans.

The partiers and revelers were out in full force and the police mounted on horseback had their hands full.

I stopped into Krazy Korner for some more live music, Saints & Sinners, and Club Bourbon Heat before calling it a night and taking a taxi back to the hotel.

Before I knew it, it was 3:30AM and time to catch my cab to the airport and head on back to Mexico. I was completely exhausted from such a whirlwind of a weekend.

Where to Stay in New Orleans

I spent three nights at the Hyatt Place New Orleans Convention Center which happened to be within walking distance of the the Mississippi River, the Riverwalk Outlet collection, Harrah’s casino (if you’re into that type of thing), Cochon Butcher (delicious gourmet deli sandwiches).

The room itself was impressive in the fact of how spacious it was. Having the little chill out area with the couch was a nice touch to the room and I’d definitely recommend this as a place to stay on your next trip to New Orleans.

Things to Do in New Orleans

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a lot of time to fully explore the city but I did wander up and down Bourbon street, Frenchmen street and even strolled along the riverfront and watched the wide variety of boats navigate their way up and down the Mississippi.

When it comes to nightlife in NOLA, you’ve got a few options. You can walk up and down Bourbon street and join in on the debauchery of just about every other tourist in town, or you can take the more local route and make your way over to the French Quarter (Frenchmen street) for a night of live music and dancing.

New Orleans Vlog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lySoJ2etI8

4 thoughts on “48 Hours in New Orleans”

  1. Aaah New Orleans, my biggest regret from living in the US for 13 years. I lived in Rhode Island, DC, and San Francisco but I never went to New Orleans. I would have loved to watch thre Meters play there. So much soul and great food in that city. :)

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