New Orleans Travel: Dining, Hotels, Events & Lgbtq+ Scene

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The ever-changing dining scene has observed the opening of several significant eateries. Among the latest restaurants gathering appreciation in New Orleans is Junebug (junebugnola.com), which debuted in early 2025 in the Stockroom District in the previous recording studio of producer Cosimo Matassa. That music heritage is reflected in the design, which includes music tools, while French and Creole impacts are showcased on the food selection.

New Culinary Hotspots in New Orleans

Fresh options in the French Quarter consist of Patula (instagram.com/patulanola), a yard coffee shop on Royal Road that’s suitable for early morning breads and afternoon salads and sandwiches. For innovative Japanese/Peruvian recipes, Nikkei Iza kaya (nikkeiizakaya.com) is the new hotspot, with Nori tacos, Peruvian causa, and various other specials offered in a laid-back setting situated in the Broadside songs place. Celebrating Asian taste is Koru (instagram.com/koru_nola), a sushi bar on Publication Street that specializes in meals like dressed nigiri; customers get to view the cooks function.

New is Here Today (heretodaynola.co), which is run by the exact same people behind prosperous favored Coquette (coquettenola.com). Seafood lovers, at the same time, might want to examine out Maria’s Oyster & Red wine Bar (mariasoysterbar.com), where Gulf Coastline catches are the primary attraction, consisting of oysters, snapper ceviche, and shrimp escabeche.

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World War II Museum New Exhibits

Among the city’s biggest attractions, the National The Second World War Gallery (nationalww2museum.org), is especially good at establishing brand-new displays that record different facets of the battle and its impacts on the globe. In 2025, the museum began on a brand-new event pavilion and additionally received a residential or commercial property contribution that will certainly allow it to broaden its seven-acre school also further. During my latest see, I donated my papa’s collection of The second world war documents and artefacts, however also if you don’t have a personal connection there’s great deals to see. Among the current momentary displays is “On American Shores: The Aleutian Islands Campaign,” which goes through January 11, 2026.

New Orleans Hotels: Hyatt & More

Hyatt, meanwhile, has actually broadened its presence in the Large Easy with the current addition of 2 existing hotels to its portfolio: Maison Métier (hyatt.com), which is now part of the Unbound Collection, and The Barnett (hyatt.com), which took on the JdV by Hyatt brand name after shedding its previous identity as an Ace Hotel.

Among the city’s newest tourist attractions is Vue Orleans (vueorleans.com), a monitoring deck located in the same skyscraper as the Four Seasons Hotel. I delighted in the multimedia background and culture discussions, as well as the spectacular, sky-high view of the city from the outdoor observation deck. Nearby, the Audubon Fish tank (audubonnatureinstitute.org/aquarium) and the Audubon Insectarium (audubonnatureinstitute.org/insectarium) combined spaces less than two years back, using visitors accessibility to both tourist attractions with simply one ticket.

Top nightlife areas consist of Lafitte’s (lafittes.com), which is billed as the oldest continually running gay bar in the United States, the Bourbon Pub Ceremony (bourbonpub.com), which holds drag programs, go-go guys and dance, and Oz New Orleans (ozneworleans.com), a lively queer dancing club that hosts regular occasions including karaoke, drag programs, and a Thursday night “strip off” contest. The Edge Pocket (cornerpocket.net), at the same time, hosts danc ing people in their undergarments almost every night, while in the Marigny community, The Phoenix Bar (phoenixbarnola.com) is a Southerly Decadence Parade relaxed location to mingle and probably check out the dark upstairs bar.

Bringing an abundant cultural and historic vibe to the city’s resort scene is the Dew Drop Inn (dewdropinnnola.com), which first opened in 1939 as a hair salon and dining establishment that offered participants of the Black area throughout segregation. Found in the Central City area, it’s been born-again as a 17-room hotel that also organizes real-time music efficiencies.

At Caesars New Orleans, I valued the eye-catching, bright layout and appropriately Roman-influenced décor touches, while the Nobu Hotel Caesars New Orleans attracted me in with its darker, sleek tones and more high end facilities. Top nightlife places consist of Lafitte’s (lafittes.com), which is billed as the oldest continuously running gay bar in the United States, the Bourbon Pub Parade (bourbonpub.com), which hosts drag programs, go-go people and dance, and Oz New Orleans (ozneworleans.com), a lively queer dance club that hosts weekly events including karaoke, drag programs, and a Thursday night “strip off” competition. Hotels that phase queer-friendly happenings consist of the Virgin Hotels New Orleans (virginhotels.com/new-orleans), which organizes DJ events during Southern Decadence at The Swimming pool Club as well as a burlesque drag breakfast in the Commons Club, the resort’s hip restaurant and bar.

I’ve touched down on its historical streets many times and always uncover something new. Throughout my most recent see, I checked out two of the city’s newest properties: Caesars New Orleans (caesars.com/caesars-new-orleans/hotel) and the Nobu Hotel Caesars New Orleans (caesars.com/nobu-new-orleans). While they’re located in the same new-build tower that’s attached to the Caesars New Orleans gambling enterprise facility (which itself is a rebrand of the previous Harrah’s center), each resort supplies a distinct flavor developed to interest various kinds of vacationers.

Other resorts showing off refreshed looks consist of Resort Monteleone (hotelmonteleone.com), a French Quarter favorite that has refurbished its Iberville Tower section, and Le Pavillon (lepavillon.com), which lately resumed after a $19 million renovation and has signed up with Marriott’s Tribute Profile.

I also delighted in spending time at an additional impressive hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans (ritzcarlton.com), which is located in a beautiful structure that dates to 1908 and as soon as housed among the city’s top high-end chain store. The residential or commercial property lately completed a comprehensive renovation that consisted of a $15 million refresh of its Maison Orleans Club Level.

Additionally preferred on the LGBTQ+ calendar is New Orleans Pride (neworleanspride.org), which takes place in June and functions events consisting of a neighborhood celebration, satisfaction parade, and great deals of events. While 2026 information hadn’t been revealed as of press time, the previous 3 years have also consisted of a New Orleans Habitat for Human ity Satisfaction Build, permitting participants to develop homes to help local family members.

Make certain to inspect timetables and make travel plans way in breakthrough if you want to participate in Mardi Gras events, particularly if you’re aiming to attend any that take place more detailed to the actual Mardi Gras day (which takes place next on February 17, 2026; days change yearly).

One of the largest krewes, Orpheus (kreweoforpheus.com), organizes one of the season’s most interesting Mardi Gras ceremonies. There’s nothing like riding a huge float and tossing beads and various other goodies to the groups and then commemorating at a grand celebration with big-name performers (one of the 2025 Orpheus “emperors” was Bianca Del Rio, a sign of just how inclusive this krewe is).

Cuisine has actually always been just one of the greatest draws in New Orleans, thanks to the city’s rich and varied traditions that incorporate aspects of Cajun, Creole, African, Caribbean, French and various other societies.

Food has always been one of the largest attracts New Orleans, many thanks to the city’s diverse and abundant practices that include components of Cajun, Creole, African, Caribbean, French and various other cultures.

Mardi Gras and Queer Celebrations

My preferred experience at the Ritz-Carlton was a blissful Voodoo Ritual therapy in the Ritz-Carlton Health club; it’s a massage treatment enhanced with evocative candles and songs inspired by the Huge Easy. Gauging some 25,000 square feet, the medical spa is billed as the biggest hotel day spa in New Orleans and provides whole lots of additional experiences.

During my most current check out, I checked right into two of the city’s most recent residential properties: Caesars New Orleans (caesars.com/caesars-new-orleans/hotel) and the Nobu Resort Caesars New Orleans (caesars.com/nobu-new-orleans). While they’re positioned in the very same new-build tower that’s connected to the Caesars New Orleans gambling establishment complex (which itself is a rebrand of the former Harrah’s facility), each hotel supplies an unique flavor made to appeal to various types of vacationers.

The city’s highest-profile annual event, of course, is Mardi Gras (neworleans.com). This renowned pre-Lenten tradition, similar to carnaval in some Latin American nations, is merely incredible. And it’s actually greater than just one occasion; it’s an entire season the begins in January, with a series of parades, balls, and other parties, a lot of involving the participation of Mardi Gras organizations called krewes. There’s an extremely queer angle to appreciate amidst every one of the celebrations, specifically if you partake in occasions arranged by one of the LGBTQ+ krewes. New Orleans & Firm offers a practical intro to LGBTQ+ Mardi Gras krewes and events, consisting of the krewe of Aermenius (armeinius.org), which organizes a wonderful themed round where I had a wonderful time in 2015, and the krewe of Petronius (kreweofpetronius.net), which likewise arranges a ball.

The Large Easy hosts plenty of annual occasions that attract all sort of travelers, these include Jazz Feast (nojazzfest.com/music), which takes place in April, Significance Feast (neworleans.com), which occurs in July, and Halloween (neworleans.com) in October.

Scheduling lodgings beforehand is specifically important for Southern Decadence, considering that resorts can fill up fast. Hotels that phase queer-friendly happenings consist of the Virgin Hotels New Orleans (virginhotels.com/new-orleans), which organizes DJ occasions throughout Southern Decadence at The Pool Club as well as a burlesque drag brunch in the Commons Club, the hotel’s hip restaurant and bar. For Mardi Gras, the hotel’s programming includes a Lundi Gras Bounce Breakfast, pop-up stores with neighborhood vendors, and pre-parties and after events at The Pool Club.

At Caesars New Orleans, I appreciated the attractive, bright style and properly Roman-influenced decoration touches, while the Nobu Hotel Caesars New Orleans attracted me in with its darker, smooth tones and more high end amenities. A local New Orleanian additionally encouraged us that the resort bar at Caesars/Nobu is one of the city’s ideal locations for after-work beverages, which is high praise in a city understood for the knowledge of its mixologists.

On the cultural front, the New Orleans African American Museum (noaam.org) remains to operate from its management building since press time, as the organization fundraises and works with resuming the full school.

LGBTQ+ Events and Southern Decadence

Still to come is the new, 1,000-room Omni New Orleans, which is set to open up in 2029 near the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Facility. In the meantime, you can delight in the famous Omni hospitality at the Omni Royal New Orleans (omnihotels.com) in the French Quarter.

Mark Chesnut is a New York City-based travel writer and professional photographer whose job has actually been featured in Fodor’s, The Huffington Blog Post, the Miami Herald, Orbitz and the inflight publications of American Airlines, Aeromexico and Avianca. In 2019, he won the NLGJA Quality in Travel Composing Award for his deal with ticket Publication. Creeping plant Leaves Press lately released his narrative, PLAN FOR SEPARATION: Notes on a Solitary Mommy, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Appeal of Constant Flyer Miles.

Accessible Travel in New Orleans

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Despite where site visitors stay, they might quickly take advantage of a brand-new partnership between New Orleans & Firm (neworleans.com), the city’s tourist workplace, and Wheel the Globe (wheeltheworld.com), a system designed to assist tourists with impairments to recognize obtainable hotels, restaurants, and destinations. New Orleans & Company began with 60 venues and businesses for the launch, with availability evaluations and team training available for getting involved companies.

Throughout my most recent see, I likewise found how to experience another, a little more kicked back side of Mardi Gras: the smaller-scale, however still fabulously creative and fun, ambiance of parades and balls that take area previously in the season. My trip coincided with the ceremony and sphere arranged by the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus (chewbacchus.org), which, as the name suggests, has a loose external area style that plays out in revelers’ eye catching handmade costumes.

The city’s nightlife scene heats up even much more throughout the city’s large annual events, most especially Southern Decadence (southerndecadence.com), which takes location every year over Labor Day weekend break. New Orleans & Firm (neworleans.com) has actually created an Ultimate Decadence Guide to assist travelers plan their browse through.

Key Publication has actually constantly been a resource to overview, inspire and motivate LGBTQ travelers and their good friends to find deeper, richer and much more meeting experiences in your home and around the globe with engaging story-telling online, in print, with video and through online events.