The Perfect 3-Day New Orleans Bachelorette Party Itinerary

Why New Orleans for Your Bachelorette?

New Orleans does not have an off switch. The food is rooted in centuries of Creole and Cajun tradition, the cocktail culture invented the very concept of the cocktail bar, and the live music is not a tourist attraction but a way of life that spills out of every open door on Frenchmen Street.

NOLA rewards groups who are willing to follow their noses down narrow alley streets, say yes to the second line parade that just materialized in front of them, and eat beignets at 2am without apology. It is the most atmospheric city in America for a bachelorette, and it will leave everyone in the group with a story they have never told before.

Day 1: The French Quarter Belongs to You Now

Morning

There is only one correct first morning in New Orleans. Walk to Cafe Du Monde in the French Market and order beignets and café au lait. Three beignets cost $4.25, the coffee is chicory and strong, and the powdered sugar will be on your black outfit within 30 seconds of the plate arriving. That is part of the deal. The open-air pavilion on the river is one of the most iconic settings in American food culture.

After breakfast, walk the French Quarter. St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, and the iron-lace balconies on Royal Street are all within a short stroll. Stop into Aulde Alliance Antiques on Royal Street for the experience of browsing one of the most remarkable antique collections in the country.

Afternoon

Book a group ghost and history walking tour with Haunted History Tours. The 90-minute French Quarter tour runs $25/person and is genuinely fascinating regardless of your stance on the supernatural. The history alone, covering yellow fever epidemics, voodoo culture, and the architecture of the Creole faubourgs, is worth every minute. Tours depart from St. Louis Cathedral several times daily.

Check into Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street afterward. This is a French Quarter institution that has been operating since 1886. The Carousel Bar in the lobby is a literal revolving bar and one of the great bars of the world. Rooms run $200 to $400/night and the location is perfect for walking everywhere.

Evening

Dinner at Commander's Palace in the Garden District. This is the grandmother of New Orleans fine dining: white tablecloths, impeccable Creole cooking, and a staff that has been doing this longer than most restaurants have existed. The turtle soup, the pecan-crusted Gulf fish, and the bread pudding soufflé are mandatory. Budget $90 to $130/person. Lunch here is also excellent at a lower price point if you prefer to swap meals. "Commander's Palace is one of the five most important restaurants in America," per the James Beard Foundation, and they are correct.

After dinner, take the streetcar back toward the Quarter and spend the night at the bars on Frenchmen Street in the Marigny. This is where locals go for live music. The Spotted Cat Music Club has jazz every night starting at 4pm. No cover, one drink minimum. The Snug Harbor jazz club a few doors down has ticketed shows ($20 to $35) with NOLA's best jazz acts.

Day 2: Cooking Class, Garden District, and Bourbon Street Done Right

Morning

Take a cooking class at The New Orleans Cooking Experience. The 3-hour Creole cooking class covers roux technique, gumbo, red beans, and pralines. It runs $110/person and includes the meal you cooked as lunch. "I have taken cooking classes in Paris and Tuscany, and this one was better," per a past attendee. Book at least two weeks out for group slots.

Afternoon

Walk or take the streetcar through the Garden District. The antebellum mansions along Prytania Street and St. Charles Avenue are staggering in scale and beauty. Stop at La Pharaoh's Confections for handmade pralines or at Sucre on Magazine Street for artisan chocolates and macarons.

Spend the late afternoon at the pool at Ace Hotel New Orleans on Carondelet Street. Day passes are available for $35/person and the rooftop pool has good views and a bar. It is a welcome break from the rich food and late nights and sets you up well for the evening.

Evening

Dinner at Arnaud's on Bienville Street in the French Quarter. This 1918 institution is everything New Orleans fine dining should be: grand dining rooms, serious Creole cooking, and a staff that knows how to take care of a group. The shrimp Arnaud, the duck, and the bananas Foster all deliver. Budget $75 to $110/person. Arnaud's also has a jazz brunch on Sundays that is worth substituting for dinner if your schedule allows.

Tonight is your Bourbon Street night. Go in with eyes open: it is loud, it is chaotic, and it is genuinely one of a kind. The Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's is a rite of passage ($12), and the dueling piano bar inside is exactly as fun as it sounds. The Hand Grenade from Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop on the far end of Bourbon Street is another essential. End the night at the Carousel Bar back at Hotel Monteleone.

Day 3: Slow Morning, Second Lines, and a Proper Creole Goodbye

Morning

Brunch at Dooky Chase's Restaurant on Orleans Avenue. Leah Chase was the queen of Creole cuisine for decades, and the fried chicken, red beans, and gumbo z'herbes at this legendary Treme restaurant are the real thing. Budget $25 to $40/person. Dooky Chase's is a living piece of New Orleans history and should not be skipped by any group that cares about food.

Afternoon

Attend a performance at Preservation Hall on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. Shows run three times nightly but also have afternoon matinees. Tickets are $25 for standing, $45 for reserved seating, $125 for the premium box seats. The musicians are extraordinary and the 1803 building is remarkable. This is the most direct experience of New Orleans jazz you can have anywhere.

After Preservation Hall, wander the French Quarter for one last afternoon. Pick up a bottle of Sazerac Rye from Keife and Co. bottle shop on Magazine Street as a group souvenir. Order one last round of beignets. Watch the river for a few minutes from the Moon Walk.

Evening

Final dinner at Peche Seafood Grill on Magazine Street. James Beard Award-winning chef Donald Link's wood-fired Gulf seafood restaurant is the best casual-fine dining experience in New Orleans. The whole roasted fish, the shrimp and grits, and the charred oysters are the table standards. Budget $55 to $80/person. It feels like the right ending: laid-back, deeply New Orleans, and food that makes you genuinely sad you are leaving.

Spend the final evening back on Frenchmen Street. No agenda, no reservations, just follow the music. That is the New Orleans way.

Budget Breakdown

Category	Budget	Mid-Range	Splurge
Accommodation (per person/night)	$65	$140	$280+
Food per day	$55	$100	$170+
Activities (tours/shows/class)	$30	$90	$160+
Nightlife (drinks/cover)	$40	$80	$150+
Total per person (3 days)	$450	$950	$1,700+

Pro Tips

• Book Commander's Palace at least three weeks in advance for dinner. Their lunch service has more availability and is nearly as exceptional at a lower price per person.
• Wear comfortable shoes for every single day. New Orleans streets are cobblestone and uneven in the Quarter, and you will walk farther than you expect. Heels are for the restaurant, not the streetcar ride there.
• Visit Frenchmen Street instead of Bourbon Street for at least one night. Bourbon gets the press but Frenchmen is where the city's actual music culture lives. It is a completely different experience.
• NOLA summers are extremely hot and humid. October through April is the window for comfortable weather, with late January through early February being the only genuinely cool period.

Where to Stay

Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street is the most atmospheric hotel in the French Quarter and the top recommendation for bachelorette groups. The Carousel Bar alone justifies the stay. Rooms run $200 to $400/night. The Ace Hotel New Orleans in the Warehouse District is a hipper option with a rooftop pool and a great bar scene at $160 to $300/night. For the most luxurious experience, Rosewood New Orleans on Gravier Street offers suite-style rooms and a beautiful courtyard pool starting at $400/night.