The Ultimate Bachelorette or Girls’ Weekend in New Orleans

New Orleans is the perfect place for a bachelorette party or girls’ weekend, with top notch food, lots of live music, and a rich history. I recently planned a bachelorette party there for one of my best friends, and of course did tons of research to try to scope out the best restaurants, activities, and more. Despite meeting most of the girls for the first time on the trip, we had an absolute blast. Unfortunately for this blog, my photos from the trip are impressively bad, but I’m chalking it up to having just enjoyed the moment.

I’ve put together this guide to help you streamline planning an unforgettable bachelorette or girls’ weekend in NOLA.

Starting Your Morning Right

• Jazz Brunch at Commander’s Palace or Broussard’s: New Orleans is known for its rich culture, food, and music, and what better way to combine these than a jazz brunch. Commander’s Palace is an upscale New Orleans staple that has been operating since 1893. It’s located in the Garden District, and you will probably find it on most lists of where to eat in New Orleans. On our trip, we opted for Broussard’s, another upscale restaurant in the French District that has been around since the 1920. The food and decor was great, and the jazz band made for a truly enjoyable experience.
• Breakfast at Molly’s Rise & Shine: Located in the Garden District, Molly’s Rise & Shine was such a delight. At this restaurant, expect to wait in line to order up at the counter, but the food is worth it. From unique items like carrot yogurt (which was a fan favorite in our group), to breakfast classics (for people like me who do not get very adventurous for breakfast), this was a crowd pleaser. After breakfast, you can stroll the neighborhoods to view the beautiful mansions nearby.
• Indulge in Beignets at Cafe du Monde or Cafe Beignet: A trip to New Orleans is not complete without beignets. Cafe du Monde is famous and another restaurant that makes most lists about where to eat in NOLA. We opted for Cafe Beignet, which has multiple locations in NOLA with a more modern feel, and made me fall in love with beignets… especially with chocolate sauce.
• Drag Brunch at The Country Club: Unfortunately for our trip, we didn’t include this because the timing didn’t work out, but I’ve heard rave reviews. Reserve it early, as it books up months in advance, presumably for good reason!

Afternoon Activities

• Explore the French Quarter: Walking around the French Quarter (and more than just Bourbon Street) in New Orleans is a must, as you’ll get a glimpse into city’s rich history, culture, and architecture, from the colorful buildings and balconies to the lively music and delicious food. Be sure to walk by the famous Jackson Square. And, when on Bourbon Street, it’s almost obligatory to have a hurricane drink (though admittedly, I could only have one).
• Explore the Garden District: The picturesque Garden District is perfect for meandering around, with historic mansions, lush gardens, and large oak trees. If you are looking to do some shopping, check out Magazine Street.
• Enjoy Live Music at Bachannal Wine: This was a group favorite of the trip and I hadn’t been to any place like it before. Located in the Marigny District, you get to purchase bottles of wine and snacks in its small store and then enjoy them while listening to live music on its outdoor patio area. We enjoyed it so much, we spent an entire afternoon here. At least as of writing, Bachannal Wine is first come, first serve.
• See Some Wildlife on a Gator or Swamp Tour: This one might not be for everyone, but our group had such a great time. There are lots of options for tour operators, and after lots of research, we went with Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island Swamp Tours. We had a private boat (with a captain / gator expert), and they coordinated private transportation to and from our downtown hotel. On the tour, we went early in the “alligator season” and saw only one, but we saw tons of other types of wildlife. Despite not being a huge outdoors-y person, this really was a unique, memorable, and enjoyable experience.
• Take a Jazz Cruise on a Steamboat Down the Mississippi River: This is one we ultimately skipped for our trip, but would have included if we didn’t do the swamp tour. So, if a swamp tour just isn’t your thing, consider this nature-y alternative.

Happy Hour and Dinner

• Private Dining Happy Hour and Dinner at Arnaud’s: Arnaud’s was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip, and I cannot recommend it enough. It offers private dining where you get a room with a second-story balcony overlooking Bourbon Street all to yourself. We began our evening with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the balcony while we watched a parade go by on Bourbon Street. (I wish I could tell you how to plan the parade part, but that was just good luck.) Then, we moved inside for an amazing dinner featuring iconic New Orleans cuisine. Although it was on the pricier side, the private dining option made our experience so special and allowed us to personalize the night for the bride-to-be. We were able to set up decorations and customize the menu, which was aptly titled “Emily’s Big Easy Bachelorette.” I highly recommend contacting Arnaud’s as early as possible to book. (We booked ours months in advance.)
• Happy Hour at Hot Tin Rooftop + Dinner at Jack Rose: These are both located in the Pontchartain Hotel in the Garden District, and we loved both. First, enjoy craft cocktails with sweeping views of downtown NOLA at Hot Tin Rooftop. Then, head down to the first floor and enjoy dinner at Jack Rose. We loved the decor, food, and drinks, all of which were very instagrammable. Following our main course, we ordered a dessert that came with sparklers, and our server surprised us with chambongs, which made for a fun ending. After dinner, we stopped by the Pontchartrain’s Bayou Bar for some live music and cocktails. In short, three distinct but great experiences, all in the same building.
• Happy Hour at Peacock Room + Dinner at Herbsaint or Pêche: The Peacock Room is an upscale cocktail bar and restaurant with lavish blue decor. Although it also has food, which I can only assume is delicious, we just went for drinks, and they did not disappoint. From there, we headed to Herbsaint for dinner, which was also a big crowd pleaser, with modern decor and mouthwateringly good food. As an alternative to Herbsaint, consider checking out the popular Pêche seafood restaurant, which is owned by the same group. We didn’t choose that one primarily because some of the girls on our trip had already been there, but they had rave reviews. I’m willing to bet you can’t go wrong with either.
• Happy Hour at Carousel Bar & Lounge: This is one place we didn’t make it to, but is highly recommended by my co-blogger, Karen! She recommends going early to grab a seat at the carousel bar.

Late Night

• Dance to Live Music on Frenchman’s Street: This street is lined up with bars featuring top notch live music. Although arguably less famous than Bourbon Street, my vote would go to Frenchman’s Street. We came here after our dinner at Herbsaint, which was just a short Uber ride away.
• Check out the Bars on Bourbon Street: Despite my description above, I don’t think a bachelorette or girls trip to NOLA would be complete without going to Bourbon Street at least once. We checked out some of the bars on Bourbon Street after our happy hour and dinner at Arnaud’s.

Where to Stay

• Kimpton Hotel Fontenot: After much research and deliberation, we chose this hotel for our trip. It was stylish and made for an easy visit to the Peacock Room. The staff was also extremely accommodating, and they even surprised us with a bottle of sparkling wine in the room for the bride. We loved that it was walkable to the main parts of the French District, but was still secluded enough to be able to get some sleep once we finally went to bed at night.
• The Pontchartrain Hotel: This Garden District hotel was a very close second. I was drawn to the decor from its website photos, and after trying its on-premise restaurants (see above), I can only imagine I’d love staying there just as much.

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-Kasey