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Maybe it’s the steamy nights and the majestic trees dripping with Spanish moss. Maybe it’s the cool jazz and a round of mint juleps. Or maybe it’s the fact that this particular part of the world that still dabbles in voodoo simply knows how to cast spells on vacationing lovers.
Laissez Les bons temps rouler (Let the good times roll) is the official motto of the great place of New Orleans, Louisiana. Follow these recommendations with your significant other and it will be easy to see why.
Crescent City Is The Perfect Place To Start For A Romantic Date Idea
Mention Crescent City and the first thing that pops into most people’s minds is Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. Unless you have a high tolerance for noise, parades, and alcohol-induced chaos, however, you may want to schedule your romantic getaway for a slightly tamer season.
Even when it’s not Mardi Gras, the French Quarter has the reputation of being a party town that is always either cleaning up from the last one or getting ready for the next one.
The ordinance allowing open drinks on the street, of course, is a prime contributor to the high decibel level, as is the competition amongst the jazz, blues, and Dixieland bands with live music to lure patrons into the proliferation of nightclubs. Top it off with the carnival atmosphere of barkers enticing tourists to get their voyeuristic fill of naked women, naked men, and those who are still undecided.
New Orleans’ Gulf Coast location also gives this sinful locale a perpetually “sticky” climate that will provide the two of you with plenty of excuses to shower together.
If you both enjoy walking or a romantic stroll, you’ve come to the right destination for seeing architecture and New Orleans history that dates from the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. In the Quarter’s expansive history museum, you can even read up on how Napoleon actually toyed with the notion of Louisiana’s invitation for him to relocate when he and Josephine were exiled.
They even tried to sweeten the deal for him by nicknaming their neighborhood “Paris of the Americas” and reserving a house in his name. The city of New Orleans’ inexplicable passion for things French is evidenced in its exotic street names, its spired churches, antique shops, relaxed atmosphere, jazz clubs, street performers, delicious food, best restaurants, and its fondness for sidewalk cafes that serve French-inspired entrees and decadent desserts.
Disneyland’s New Orleans Square For A Great Experience
If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, a lot of the building facades and quaint courtyards may look familiar. Disneyland’s New Orleans Square was actually modeled after the real one, right down to the boutiques that sell reminders of the region’s early relations with swashbuckling pirates who pillaged and plundered and gypsies who practiced the black arts and sold their own line of wicked love potions.
French Quarter Is The Perfect Spot For A Great Time
Unlike Disneyland, however, a lot of the grandeur of French Quarter houses has not withstood the ravages of time. The streets of the French Quarter with their broken shutters, rusty balconies, and thick vines consuming anything in their path contribute to a spooky ambiance even in daylight hours.
Did we mention that Anne Rice, author of INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, calls this city home? Louisiana’s consistent ranking as one of the country’s poorest states is further compounded by some of the highest health and auto insurance rates. Neither condition, however, has stopped local restaurant owners from proving that this is the worst possible place to start a diet or to try to stick to one!
Jackson Square Is A Beautiful Place
Want to take a load off your feet and get a leisurely history lesson at the same time? Then plan for a carriage ride at Jackson Square. First thing every morning, you’ll see the donkeys and carriages already lined up like taxis. The drivers go to the trouble of “decorating” their patient beasts with flowered hats, sunglasses, ribbons, beads, and ponchos–all to steal attention from the competition.
As the drivers will reveal in their snappy patter, Louisiana was named in honor of King Louis XIV and was soon populated with Arcadians, Creoles (of European, West Indian, and African descent), and Cajuns (Frenchmen who had been thrown out of Nova Scotia). This international melting pot is reflected not only in the diversity of cuisine but in the variety of regional accents you’ll hear from one shop or cafe to the next.
The landscape is a study in contrasts, too: swamps in the southeast, forests in the northwest, and hills that roll through its middle. It also boasts the tallest state capitol (Baton Rouge), was the first to sign up African American officers for the Civil War, and the only state in the United States that has drive-through daiquiri shops. (Yes, really!)
When your carriage ride is over, there are plenty of open-air lunch spots to beckon you with gumbos, jambalaya, and crepes. And if you want to know what the future holds for you and your beloved, Jackson Square is where you’ll find the city’s local palm and card readers, crystal ball gazers, bone-throwers, and aura interpreters.
Mississippi River
Next stop: the mighty Mississippi! There are several options available for seeing this legendary waterway. One of them is to enjoy a dinner/cocktail cruise aboard a paddlewheel riverboat reminiscent of Mark Twain’s adventures.
Smaller rivercraft are available by day and will treat you to a demonstration of how canal locks work and take you past another novelty of this region: above-ground cemeteries! If you want to go even smaller and get more adventurous, kiosks along the harbor will sell you tickets to “gator tours”-a chance to see some massive chompers up close and personal in their native habitat.
For those of you who prefer the wild and wooly adventure of shopping, you won’t go home disappointed. Among the most fun venues to pick up a bargain or chat with artists:
Magazine Street: A 6-mile stretch of galleries, jewelry stores, and antique and collector shops.
Riverwalk: The wide expanse of sidewalk that runs parallel to the Mississippi culminates in a galleria of 150 shops and restaurants in what used to be waterfront warehouses.
French Market on Decatur: Not only a trendy place to find food but to buy inexpensive souvenirs for your kids and coworkers.Southern Mansions And Exquisite Gardens For The Most Romantic Dates
Want to take a peek at the stately Southern mansions and exquisite gardens of the Big Easy? For a mere $5 for an all-day ride, the St. Charles Streetcar will take you past breathtaking houses, Tulane and Loyola universities, the Audubon Zoo, Audubon Park, and Commander’s Palace, famous for its live jazz music and drinks.
On your return trip, make time to take a look at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and Bar. Yes, it really looks like a dive but consider this: it probably looked the same way when it opened for business in 1772.
Muriel’s Is One Of The Most Romantic Places
Seeking a romantic restaurant for a first date, a proposal, or an anniversary? Reservations are a must at Muriel’S. Located in an antebellum historic house on Jackson Square, it is as famous for its ghosts as its exotic cuisine stylishly choreographed waiters, and stellar wine list. If you’re feeling especially bold after dessert, slip upstairs to the séance room to confer with the building’s resident spirits.
Preservation Hall, Pat O’Brien’s, And The House Of Blues On A Friday Night
Love music? Preservation Hall, Pat O’Brien’s, And The House Of Blues have always been synonymous with the best New Orleans music venues of local artists. They also pack in the crowd like sardines every night but it’s always worth the wait to get inside and hear some of the greats in action.
The Court Of The Two Sisters
If you’re a Sunday brunch kind of person, bring your appetites to The Court Of The Two Sisters. With indoor and outdoor seating, a buffet that keeps changing, free-flowing champagne, and local combos playing Dixieland and Jazz, this could turn out to be your biggest meal of the entire trip.
Cafe Du Monde
Last but not least is the N’Awlins evening tradition of beignets (square, French doughnuts sprinkled with powdered sugar) and chickory coffee at the Café Du Monde, an establishment that dates from 1862. Just make sure you don’t wear dark clothes when you nibble on one as you’ll end up wearing half of it before you’re finished.
Final Thoughts:
New Orleans is a city full of charm and culture, making it the perfect place for a romantic date. Planning a romantic date can be a fun and exciting way to spend time with your partner. From taking a stroll through a historic district, visiting a park or zoo, or enjoying drinks at a scenic location, a romantic date can involve exploring the unique and memorable experiences that this great city has to offer.
