When planning trips I rely heavily on reviews from places like Trip Advisor and travel blogs to get ideas for a trip itinerary — so in the same spirit of giving back I’d like to leave brief reviews for some of the activities and places I enjoyed most in New Orleans.

1. Day Trip: Plantation & Swamp Tour

One of the most fun parts of our trip was to actually head out of New Orleans for a day and explore the Southern countryside. We chose a day trip with Old River Road Planation Adventure that included transportation and a traditional “Cajun” style lunch. We visited the following places:

• Oak Alley Plantation
• Laura Plantation
• Swamp Tour

The first stop was the classic antebellum-style Oak Alley plantation. Visiting here, made me feel like I was a character in a scene from Gone With the Wind – the visual effect of the oak lined avenues inspired feelings of awe and appreciation for nature’s beauty! It was definitely worth a visit and gives you a taste of what the mythical “Old South” may have looked like.

A second stop was a visit to the colorful Creole plantation called Laura, which also had included a tour of original salve cabins on the property. Exploring these small one-room structures made the bleak conditions that slaves lived under come alive and gave me a small taste of this sad history.

Our third stop on the tour involved exploring a swamp filled to the brim with crocodiles! This was my first experience in a swamp and while I don’t think I’ll be back, due to the crocodile infestation, it was worth the life experience.

Overall this tour was a great excursion  and I would highly recommend a trip away from the city to explore the countryside. There are numerous companies that offer trips like this and it really comes down to shopping around and finding the best price.

2. Food : Sylvain & Café Amelie

I highly recommend both of these French Quarter restaurants as they delicious food and a vintage/romantic ambiance.

• Cafe Amelie
• Sylvain

The best part of Café Amelie is its outdoor patio garden. Unfortunately we did not eat outside since it rained the evening we visited, regardless the food was delicious and the vibe inside was intimate and romantic. I chose the Chicken and Andouille Gumbo , but did not get to take a picture of my food since the lighting in the restaurant was dim due to candlelight. You’ll just have to trust me and know that it was delicious!

Sylvain was the favorite restaurant of the trip – in fact it was such a favorite that we went twice! I enjoyed the new traditional décor and the upbeat feel of the space. On both my visits I devoured:

• Mint Mojitos
• Southern Antipasti Platter (seasonal pickles, artisan cheese, pickled farmer’s egg, country ham, house made mustard) – this was my favorite and provided for unique Southern/Cajun flavors, my favorite were the pickles!
• Roasted Pear, Smoked Onion and Arugula Salad – the flavor of the smoked onions are what made this salad especially tasty, I will try to add this in the salads I make at home
• “Chick-Syl-vain” Sandwich – a classic fried chicken sandwich, when in the South one must have fried chicken!

If you’re headed to New Orleans shoot me a message and feel free to ask any questions about these places – I am happy to give an honest answer and hope you include them in your own visit!