New Orleans is home to some amazing cajun and creole cuisine, and also has a great cocktail scene!

We have soo many food recommendations! Click here for our google maps lists of recommendations: NOLA food

- Gumbo

- Jambalaya

- Beignets (where: Cafe du Monde)

- Po'boy (where: Parkway Tavern or Liuzza's)

- Pralines (where: Leah's Pralines)

- Charbroiled or chargrilled oysters (where: Luke, Drago's, most places) - I promise you, even if you don't like raw oysters you will like these!

- Barbecue shrimp (where: Mr. B's) - NOTE: This is not just shrimp on a barbecue. It's a New Orleans specialty in a yummy sauce!

- Muffuletta (Where: Central Grocery, Cochon Butcher, Napoleon house)

- Not listed: Crawfish, scott's favorite, because it won't be in season :(

- Drinks: Hurricane, sazerac, french 75, bloody mary, absinthe drinks, hand grenades and daiquiris on bourbon street (lol), ramos gin fizz

The live music and jazz is one of the things that makes New Orleans so special and made us fall in love with the city. There's truly nowhere like it. If you do one thing here, don't miss out on the music!

Click here for our google maps list: NOLA music + nightlife

We both absolutely love and highly recommend this show for some authentic, historic New Orleans jazz. It's a timed, ticketed show in a tiny historic building called Preservation Hall. We recommend buying tickets in advance at preservationhall.com.

Frenchmen Street is Scott's favorite place to go out! It's much smaller and a little more low-key than Bourbon Street.

- The Spotted Cat - Scott's favorite jazz club (classic jazz)

- Blue Nile - true New Orleans jazz (big brass band jazz)

- 30/90 - has fun live music (pop/jazzy pop) and a club upstairs

We love Bourbon Street! Just walk around with your drink and hop in and out of bars. It can be a lot and is not for everyone - but is worth it to walk down at least once!

- Fritzel's - Scott likes this jazz club on Bourbon.

- Take a swamp tour - this is not in the city proper, but most tours will include a bus ride from the city to the swamp. You ride a boat and see alligators, wild pigs, etc. We used the company Cajun Encounters and liked it! Be prepared to get splashed a tiny bit.

- Take a ghost tour - New Orleans has a lot of haunted history! (We used the company voodoo bone lady tours and loved it.)

- The National WWII Museum - an amazing and huge museum, be prepared to spend a good few hours here because it's so big. Highly highly recommend.

- Walk down Royal Street and visit the art shops and random shops!

- Jackson square - Walk around the square, see street art, go inside St. Louis Cathedral, and you can also visit the little museums there (The Presbytere has Hurricane Katrina and Mardi Gras exhibits; The Cabildo has Louisiana/NOLA history).

- Go to the garden district and walk around and look at the mansions. (You can also find a walking tour or a self-guided walking tour.)

- Take a tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

- Since it will be around Halloween, go see the skeleton house!