20251011_132640Strolling the French Quarter (October 2025)

New Orleans had been on my bucket list for the longest time, and I had the opportunity to visit on an extended, three-day weekend last October. Although I only had a short stay in town, it was a lot of fun to explore not only the many historic architecture, but also discover its multi-blend of French, Creole, and American cultures. As the city’s slogan states, “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll)!

Long before the arrival of the French, New Orleans was originally the land of the Choctaw people, who called the area “Bulbancha.” This part of present-day Louisiana was a major trading post for indigenous tribes in and all over the region until the French arrived in the 1690s to initially farm the land. However, it wasn’t until 1718 that New Orleans was officially established, named after Phillip II, Duke of Orléans, and became the capital of French Louisiana (aka “New France”).

New Orleans changed hands between France and Spain throughout the 18th century until the onset of the 19th century, when the United States acquired French Louisiana through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Soon, New Orleans grew exponentially, with the influx of Haitian immigrants following the Haitian Revolution and the slave trade from West Africa. The city soon became the third-largest in the country, as well as a melting pot of different cultures, especially in the Francophone world.

The city continued developing into the 20th century and became a tourist draw in the 1970s and 1980s. There was also a second wave of tourism in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, following rebuilding efforts that ended up drawing even more visitors than ever before, especially during Mardi Gras in February each year. Today, it has become a popular weekend destination to party, drink, listen to jazz music, and overall have a good old time.

I had an early flight to New Orleans leaving at 7h00, so it was a 4h00 wake-up call to get ready and head to the airport. The flight departed on time, and it was a quiet, uneventful three-and-a-half-hour ride over. Soon enough, we landed at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at 12h30 local time– just before landing, I caught a glimpse of the incredibly-green swamp land that makes this part of the US so distinct. I would be visiting the swamp during my time in Louisiana, and I found it quite beautiful!

20251011_103437Aerial views of the swamp

Just right outside the airport are taxis at fixed price ($35 USD) to the French Quarter, so I grabbed a ride where I would spend the afternoon in before I could check into my hotel. The French Quarter is a historic part of New Orleans, its narrow streets lined with elegant, cast-iron buildings and packed with restaurants and jazz bars for a lively time. I found the architecture lovely, vibrant and overall a great vibe.

20251011_144101Architecture of the French Quarter

By the time I arrived in New Orleans, it was already close to 14h00. I hadn’t had lunch yet, but I didn’t want to eat a heavy meal, as I had early-dinner reservations at 17h00. That said, I walked into a random bar to grab some oysters, a local delicacy– considering that the city is located right on the Gulf of Mexico, there’s lots of seafood to be had. I ordered two types of oysters: raw and char-grilled, and both were fabulous. If you like briny, punchy flavors, oysters are the right dish for you!

20251011_134454Char-grilled oysters with garlic butter and cheese


20251011_140410Raw oysters

Even though I visited in October, it was still 81°F/27°C and humid– after all, it’s still The South! Despite the heat, I continued my visit of New Orleans: I stopped by a small yarn store to grab a skein for my partner and then spent time wandering the French Quarter, coming across street performances playing jazz and classic tunes. Some tourists were even dancing to the beat! Very animated, very fun.

Right in the heart of the French Quarter is Saint Louis Cathedral, pristine white and majestic. Unfortunately, it was closed that afternoon for a wedding, but I was able to go in later during my stay (more on it later). Any case, I strolled down the busy Bourbon Street, already packed with rowdy and drunk people, and gradually made my way to the hotel to check in. My hotel was located just on the border of the French Quarter, actually housed inside of an old train station-turned-museum. The rooms were reasonably-sized, and while simple, it was a comfortable stay.

20251011_144744Saint Louis Cathedral


20251011_145536Bourbon Street

I got settled into my room and freshened up a bit before I headed right back out, catching an Uber over to the restaurant for my dinner reservations at Cochon. It was fancy and trendy, but it served traditional Creole food with a modern flair. I’d booked for an early dinner at 17h00, but I was surprised to see so many patrons already inside.

Any case, I ordered a selection of small plates, including fried alligator bites to start– given that alligators are native to the Deep South, I wanted to give it a try. I found the taste quite interesting: it resembled chicken, but tougher and dry– not sure it was my favorite, but I’m glad I got to sample it!

20251011_171918Fried alligator

In addition, I also ordered rabbit and dumplings, another Southern comfort classic, as my main. Again, I don’t know if I really liked it, as I found the stew quite heavy in cream and the rabbit pieces small and lacking in flavor. However, the star of the meal was the banana pudding for dessert, which was rich, creamy, and soft. Overall, the meal was okay– not my favorite, but a great way to try out a famous restaurant and Southern/Creole cooking.

20251011_173152Rabbit and dumplings


20251011_175316Banana pudding

That concluded my first afternoon in town: I’ll recap more of my adventures in New Orleans soon! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

50 thoughts on “Destination: New Orleans, Louisiana (Getting Oysters, Strolling the French Quarter, & Trying Fried Alligator– PART 1)”

  1. Wonderful Rebecca, I’d love to visit New Orleans one day especially the French Quarter. I’ve eaten crocodile dumplings in Australia so expect that alligator will be very similar. I quite liked rabbit stew when I was in Belgium as it’s a main stay on menus there. Never seen it on menus or eat it in the UK though.

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    1. I’m sure crocodile dumplings taste similar to alligator! There were lots of unique dishes to try in NOLA, and I’m glad to have tried many of them! More of my time in town to come soon 😊

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  2. I have fond memories of visiting New Orleans too, especially wandering through the French Quarter and enjoying its distinctive architecture and lively atmosphere. The combination of French, Creole, and American influences makes the city fascinating. Your oysters and fried alligator look so good

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    1. NOLA cuisine is a fascinating blend of different cultures, and it’s a delicious one! I enjoyed the oysters as my first meal, and the fried alligator, while an acquired taste, was worth a try. Glad you have good memories of NOLA, and more of my time there to come soon!

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  5. New Orleans is one of the parts of the U.S. I most want to see, thanks to the food- and culture-related documentaries that I’ve watched about it. The architecture, the landscape, the food, everything about this city looks so interesting to explore.

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    1. NOLA is certainly nothing I’d seen before in the US! With a blend of French, Creole/Cajun, and American cultures, it offers so much to do and see for a weekend getaway. More adventures coming soon!

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  6. What an amazing and flavorful adventure in New Orleans! Strolling through the historic French Quarter and trying out local delicacies like fresh oysters and fried alligator sounds like a trip to remember. Reading travel diaries like this always inspires us to explore new places and appreciate different cultures. Thank you for sharing such a fun start to your journey!

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  9. This was such a wonderful travelogue, Rebecca! I really appreciated how you wove the history from Bulbancha to the Louisiana Purchase into your walkthrough of the French Quarter—those cast-iron balconies and street jazz performances give the city such a distinct soul.

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  10. We visited New Orleans back in September 2016, so 10 years ago now, wow time has flown. This was before I was posting on a blog and when we were both working full time.
    We also stayed on the edge of the French Quarter which was lovely.
    We had a whole week there but tbh felt that this was too long so a long weekend was probably quite nice.
    Bourbon Street was our biggest disappointment. The architecture was lovely but the street itself we found dirty and smelly and whilst we looked forward to hearing jazz bands we found most of the music on this particular street was anything but jazz.
    I will look forward to hearing more about your visit.

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    1. I agree: Bourbon Street was kind of a let-down, as it was super crowded and way too loud. It was overwhelming, as well as a pain, weaving between obnoxious, drunk tourists. I wouldn’t say Bourbon Street is the main draw of NOLA, as there are so many other smaller, quieter streets around it to enjoy the beauty of the city!

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  11. Wow, a whole culinary tour in just your first few hours! I’d be curious to try alligator, but I’m not sure I could stomach rabbit and I definitely couldn’t do the oysters. I’ll just have to live vicariously on this one, ha! Looking forward to reading more about your time in New Orleans. I’ve never visited, but it’s certainly on my list.

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  13. I tried fried alligator once (outside of NOLA) and I thought it was a chewy version of chicken. I don’t get the hype, but like you, I’m glad to have sampled it. I enjoy visiting churches when I travel, so I liked your photo of the Saint Louis Cathedral. Looking forward to reading more about your trip!

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  18. I love all the colourful buildings in the French Quarter. I agree that the swamp looks rather picturesque from above. Certainly a different landscape to anything I’ve seen before! Look forward to reading more about your time in New Orleans 🙂

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  20. The architecture is so distinctive, and I’ll be interested to read about your time exploring the swampland too. That banana pudding does look tasty, but the alligator and rabbit sounds very heavy and rich! Look forward to seeing more of the city 🙂

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    1. NOLA is gorgeous! Lots of vibrant architecture and diverse food. Wasn’t a huge fan of the alligator and rabbit, but the banana pudding was the highlight! More of NOLA to come soon!

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    1. You’re welcome! Alligator and rabbit are certainly animals you don’t commonly hear about eating, but when in the South…more of my NOLA adventures to come soon!

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  22. An interesting first day in NOLA! I’d try alligator if given the chance; we don’t have alligators in Jamaica but we have crocodiles which are a protected species (i.e. not able to be consumed, at least not legally). I imagine they’d taste similar. I’ve also never had rabbit, sorry to hear the dishes were underwhelming but you’d never know until you try 🙂 That’s the beauty of trying new things. Thanks for sharing!!

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    1. Yes, lots of interesting dishes to try while in NOLA! Alligators and crocodiles are similar to each other, and I assume they would taste similar, too. NOLA is nothing short of flavorful and diverse cuisine!

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