NEW ORLEANS
DISCOVER MY BACHELORETTE WEEKEND ITINERARY
In March 2018, I spent a weekend with my girls celebrating our friend Allie's forthcoming wedding. Here's our itinerary with my recommendations:
Friday
Dinner at the AirBnB
After my bestie picked me up at the airport, we headed to our AirBnB, or as we called it, "The Cat House." We chose a large home that fit all of us comfortably in
MidCity. However, if this is your first time in New Orleans or
you do not have a car, I would suggest trying to find a place in
the French Quarter or the Treme area. These have good access
to street cars and are central to most of your tourist attractions.
Recommendation: Go for it! Splitting a cozy AirBnB is perfect
for a Bachelorette party. There were 11 of us, so we made a ton
of dips and lasagnas and cupcakes so we could snack
throughout the weekend.
Drinks at Bacchanal
This is without a doubt one of the
coolest spots in New Orleans. It resides in a neighborhood called Bywater, so you'll have to uber over there if you can't drive or don't want to. The idea for this place is simple: wine store up front, massive backyard out back. You pick our your bottle or bottles of wine from the store and then head to the patio and grab a table. Drink as much as you want. Note: There are some beer options available for purchase as well, but no liquor. The patio, just like everywhere in New Orleans, is fabulous. There was a live jazz band and we had a blast. We took this time to play a few Bachelorette games. I was in charge of this part of the weekend of course, and I made sure we had some fun (not cliche or annoying) Bach games to play.
Recommendation: Go for it! Whether you're a local wanting a cool night out, or you're just in town for a couple days, this is a perfect, authentic New Orleanian spot.
Saturday
We started our morning at Trinity Restaurant in the Quarter for a fun, performance-based brunch. This was fantastic. Not only was the food amazing, the place is
gorgeous and the entertainment, on point. Nothing shows
off funky Nola like sipping on a Bloody Mary and dancing
with some queens.
Recommendation: Go for it! Get ready to woo.
Drag Brunch at Trinity
After our long brunch, we popped around the Quarter for a while and shopped at The French Market. All of us on the trip had grown up in the area so we were very familiar, but this is a great activity for all. The French Market is a historical shopping area right along Decatur. Buy some locally-made jewelry or an artisan crafted memento.
Recommendation: Go for it! This area is cute and the shopping is fun.
Shopping Around the French Market
Pole Dancing Class
At 3pm, we headed to our pole dancing class. This was entertaining, but really more of a workout class than a fun time with the girls. I think our instructor didn't like us all that much; we are a chatty bunch--but hey! We came to have fun. I think we would have opted for another activity if given the choice, or at least a different instructor.
Recommendation: Skip it. Pole dancing is hard.
Lingerie Shower
We went back to the Cat House to ice our aching muscles and for our surprise Lingerie Shower for the bride! We grabbed some dinner while Allie opened presents, and it was a blast.
Recommendation: Go for it! It was nice to get back to the house and have some chill time before a big night of going out. And depending on your bride, a lingerie shower can be a lot of fun.
Burlesque Show at Gravier Social House
The bride dressed in white and her bridesmaids wore black and we were out on the town. First stop, burlesque show. This. was. so. fun. I, personally, love burlesque shows. It's perfect for a Bachelorette party because it's raunchy without being gross. It's much more of a performance with dancing--which my entire group loves. We were the third bach party in attendance, but other than that. This place was great. The show was fun, the venue was cool, and we had an all-in-all great time. Recommendation: Go for it!
We walked over to Bourbon street for some bar hopping and dancing. A couple of places we went: Razzoo Bar and Patio & The Swamp, and some more that I could not remember. There are so many great spots to go out on Bourbon, you can walk in anywhere and I'll bet you'll have a good time. One of the aspects of this city that makes it so unique are the humungous bars with really extensive patios. It may look like a simple bar from the street, but almost all of them have intricate inside and outside sections. If you're new to New Orleans you have to check out: Pat O's, Jean Lafitte's, and Kat's Meow if you're feeling karaoke.
Recommendation: Go for it!
Out on Bourbon
After our feet were sore from dancing, we walked over to Cafe Du Monde for some late night snacks. The legendary bakery is open 24/7, and you're less likely to wait in a line when it's 2am. Also, if you visit during the day... yes, it's worth it to wait for a table. They're that good. And they are better than other beignet places in the city, so don't be fooled. Stick with the one and only Cafe du Monde. Recommendation: Go for it! It's the highlight of every Nola visit I make.
Late Night Beignets at Cafe Du Monde
Sunday
Brunch at Wayfare
We said goodbye to the Cat House and a smaller group of us went to Wayfare for brunch and a much needed Bloody Mary. They had excellent food (I can't remember what I had), but I remember the Bloody Mary being delicious. Recommendation: Eh, if you have time. There are so many good food spots in the city, don't go out of your way to come to this place. But, if you're nearby, go for it!
