See Drew Brees play football before he retires… Check.

For my 21st birthday, we (My cousin, her husband, Brandon, and I) traveled 4,128 miles to New Orleans, Louisiana. The home of the Saints, beignets, Bourbon Street, and great seafood (well, all foods. lol),

New Orleans was unbelievable. Bourbon Street was unbelievable. The pregrame was unbelievable. Seeing the Saints play live was unbelievable. It was all so surreal. We were only in New Orleans for 3 full days but my gosh, the last time I fell in love with a city was 2014 (Boston, MA).

But let’s cut to the chase – here are some things that we did:

Restaurants to try in New Orleans

• Willie Mae’s Scotch House – The best fried chicken I have ever had in my life! This is a MUST when in New Orleans

• Copeland’s of New Orleans – We went to the one on South Clearview Parkway. Wait time wasn’t too bad. Service on the first night we went wasn’t great, but we came back a second time anyway. Try a Crash & Burn. You’ll love it. I also loved the Mardi Gras Punch (I believe this is on their happy hour menu!) Hot Crab Claws from the appetizer menu is a musT.

• Walk-On’s Bistreaux & Bar – Perfect for game day! Get there early because the line gets long! We got there around 10-11ish and got seated right away. But, by the time we left, the line wrapped around several times. The service is was great, the food and drinks were pretty good, too!

• Cafe Du Monde: BEIGNETS. The most delicious pastry I have ever had. Hands down. ‘nough said.

What to do on Bourbon Street & The French Quarter:

• Spirits on Bourbon – Where you’ll find Edward’s Barber Chair. If you haven’t heard of this, look. it. up!

• Razoo Bar & Patio – THE BEST. We had a blast here. Music was poppin’. Vibe was there. I love love love.

• Two words: Hand Grenades! Unfortunately, I can’t have any more grenades (I have a nut allergy, and grenades have gin. Gin has almonds). But it was good while it lasted!

• One word: TALENT. The talent in the French Quarter is absolutely incredible. There are people doing something different within steps of each other. Literally. Fortune tellers, singers, dancers, stunt performers, artists. A N Y T H I N G.

Watching a Saints game in New Orleans

You will definitely find something happening on game day! Tail gates, parties, Darth Vader dressed in Saints gear.

If you plan on staying farther from Mercedes Benz and renting a car, I suggest getting to the area early. We were able to find parking nearby for about $40. Keep in mind that the traffic after the game will be gnarly so if you decide to Uber, expect a crazy surge.

As I mentioned, we ate at Walk-ons for brunch (basically lunch, though) and stayed there for a hot minute. We ate, had a few drinks, watched a few games. After Walk-Ons, we made our way to the stadium. The pregame festivities at Champion Square started at 4, and the doors at the stadium opened at 5. There are booths where you can get drinks before Champion Square opens, and the Pro Shop is there, too. The concert at Champion Square was pretty solid and had great vibes all around.

For the game, we were in section 127, Row 15 (in the end zone) and HOLY COW, we were so close, it was incredible. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling and the energy in the superdome. It is definitely something that you have to experience.

** If you’re looking for Saints gear, check out the Black and Gold Sport Shop in Metairie! **

3 days was definitely not enough time in New Orleans, and we are dying to go back!

xoxo,

Princess Kaiulani