New Orleans is a bustling city full of fun and exciting prospects to do. The usual cause of “date jitters” can be expelled by the amount of energy that the city puts out. With alcohol flowing around the clock and large crowds of people milling about, New Orleans is a beautiful city perfect for a date night.
If you’re traveling around the US, then an ESTA visa would be the best form of identification to keep with you as it is accepted all over the US. Since 2014, even those traveling from South America can obtain a visa such as ESTA chile to visit places like New Orleans or anywhere else.
New Orleans in one day (or not!)
If it’s your first time visiting New Orleans or you can visit the city for only a day, you will want to pack your day’s schedule with as many things to do and places to visit as possible. However, there is so much to see and do.
You may run out of energy or time before completing your list. We have come up with an itinerary of what you can do to experience New Orleans in one day. The following can be broken down into a few days if you take it at a more leisurely pace than if had only one day in New Orleans.
Get some breakfast
There is no shortage of food in New Orleans, and there are many quaint and fancy places for you to visit. Cafe Beignet is a coffee shop that has become a tradition amongst the locals. Offering a range of locally produced food such as Belgian waffles or Crawfish omelets, you can experience the taste of New Orleans food surrounded by live music entertainment.
Visit a couple of local and historic sites
New Orleans is known for its picturesque buildings and old museums that are beautiful to behold. Take this time to visit a couple of museums or old churches that are sure to take your breath away. The Cabildo is one museum that you have to see, where they even have Napoleon’s death mask on display.
Eat a light lunch
You don’t want to load up too much on lunch; else, those feelings of drowsiness will not get you through the rest of the day. Make your way to one of the local Cafes such as Carmo, which caters most of their food to vegans and vegetarians with many emphases placed on healthy food. Take part in the culture surrounding this cafe which is heavily influenced by the diversity found inside New Orleans.
Go on a tour
There is a plethora of grouped and couple tours available around the New Orleans area. From sightseeing tours and ghost tours to carriage and bike tours, take your pick of the lot and spend about an hour working off the lunch you just ate. Going around with a guide is an excellent way of finding some new spots you may want to visit later or to know more about New Orleans’s history.
Browse through Magazine Street
Magazine street is a stretch of specialty boutiques, art galleries, pubs, and eateries that are diverse as they are unique. If you have never been to New Orleans before, this experience is something that will stay with you for a long time.
Visit the French Quarter Art Walk
If you like art galleries, then this excursion is for you. Take a leisurely walk through the 30 art galleries that line French Quarter street. All the doors will be open to you free of charge, and you are likely to see many unique variations of art. It is available on the first Friday of every month. So plan your trip around these dates to enjoy this excursion.
Enjoy a few cocktails
Now it’s time to wrap up your daytime activities. Before you head out for dinner, stop by one of the many bars and cocktail joints littered across New Orleans. After 5 pm, you will be able to find many stores that have started happy hour already. The “Hurricane” cocktail is a local favorite and one you have to try to get into the New Orleans spirit.
Dinner
For your night-time meal, you can include a little history while you’re dining by visiting historic centuries-old dining establishments such as the Galatoires. You will get fantastic food coupled with an immaculately decorated building to remember the night by.
Music at the end of the night
Walking around New Orleans, you will find many varieties of music playing around you. Frenchmen Street is well-known for its variety of live music and street performers. Stop by whichever music suits your taste and enjoy the rest of the night.
Conclusion
The ESTA visa approval process can take up to 72 hours to clear, so make sure to give yourself enough time to get the approval before you embark on your journey. Once you get the ESTA visa, it is valid for two years, and you can take vacations in the US for a period not exceeding 90 days.
Once you have submitted your documentation, you can log into the ESTA checker page to see your visa status.