When people talk about New Orleans, the stereotypical image of rowdy people enjoying Mardi Gras in the most playful of behaviors typically pops into mind first. True this is one facet of New Orleans culture; however, this is not the single defining illustration for this city that has captured the hearts of Americans everywhere, especially since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. New Orleans, or as the locals refer to it as “NOLA”—New Orleans, LA combined—is a city with a culture so unique that even a three day is never enough.
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My three favorite things to do whenever I’m in NOLA for a mere three days are visit the National World War II Museum, wander the Garden District and take a side trip to the 9th Ward where Hurricane Katrina had a significant and lasting impact. These three stops have led me to secure a spot for New Orleans on my list of top three US cities I want to live in someday.
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The WWII Museum in New Orleans takes you back in history, literally, with its “4-D” orientation film “Beyond all Boundaries” when you first enter. From the shaking to the sound effects, you quickly are transformed into a new state of mind that acquaints you with one of the most monumental events in history. This museum opens your heart up to the WWII era so you can live vicariously through the events that helped shape our nation.
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Your next stop in NOLA is wandering the endless blocks of the Garden District. These quarters are filled with the opulent houses you would imagine to find in a southern lifestyle magazine. I dare you to try and walk the streets of this neighborhood and not picture yourself living in one of these homes and sipping sweet tea while sitting on a verandah. It’s only natural to place yourself in this fairytale and it gives a whole new meaning to working hard in college so you can someday call this fantasy your own.
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While in the Garden District, check out Commander’s Palace and Casamento’s for decadent Creole food. Commander’s Palace is a food connoisseur’s paradise where you are treated like royalty. It’s not a coincidence why it has “palace” in its name; this place defines regal dinning on levels I didn’t know existed.Â
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Although Commander’s Palace is a pricier luxury, there are dive restaurants such as Casamento’s for the college budget crowd traveling without their parents’ wallet. Casamento’s is the greatest fried seafood on a sandwich you
will ever have! My brother and I came to the conclusion that you know the shellfish is perfectly fresh and fried when you take a bite and the fried layered-crust magically separates from the meat. Not surprisingly, we came to this conclusion while at Casamento’s because it was here we discovered perfection in every bite of our fried oyster and shrimp loafs.
Food and fun mixed with jazz make this city seem like paradise and a true calling to any college student looking for a weekend getaway with friends. Not to forget, drinking the famous hurricane cocktails at Pat O’Briens’s in the French Quarter are a staple to everyone’s NOLA visit. Be that as it may be, it’s hard not to say hurricane in any sense without automatically recalling the news-filled stories that drew our nation together only six years ago.Â
You can’t go to New Orleans and not feel the lingering effects and spirit that Hurricane Katrina left behind, particularly in the 9th Ward of the city. Spending half a day in this part of the city will move you for a lifetime. The images of untouched homes with the infamous chalked markings on doorways once used to document fatalities are still a reality as many have been left to slowly disintegrate with time. There is a blank feeling that comes over you as you stare at this land that has the ever-present aura of a war zone. The 9th Ward will bring reality to your eyes and naturally give you the gift of thankfulness for the life you live—at least it did for me.
Visiting these three stops while in New Orleans for three days will guarantee you a great time that will forever change your perspective on life. NOLA has so much to offer than just the ubiquitous Mardi Gras celebrations. Get your friends together for a long weekend road trip and experience the city that has made it to the top of my list for best cities to visit in the US while still in college.