A laid-back tour of New Orleans' Garden District + Steamboat Natchez Jazz Dinner Cruise Review

We enjoyed a sunset cruise on the Steamboat Natchez.

St. Charles Streetcar
The best part about not being crazy partiers in New Orleans is the ability to wake up early and catch the St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District before it gets too packed.

We caught the steetcar just two blocks from our hotel, Le Pavillon, in the Business District. Make sure you have exact change. $6 gets you two all-day passes to ride any streetcar in the city and is a great way to travel if you're exhausted from walking for eight hours the day before.

Waiting for the streetcar to pick us up!

Garden District
The weather was humid and warm this beautiful April day and Darling Husband and I enjoyed the old wooden seats and open windows on the streetcar. We rode through the Garden District past gorgeous homes ogling each one of them. History says the Americans built homes in the Garden District to show the Spanish (who occupied New Orleans from 1763-1803) how wealthy they were. They did a good job and the properties are definitely still cared for and stunning.

Check out this beautiful home in the Garden District. Don't you wish you lived here?

If you like HGTV or driving around neighborhoods looking at houses, don't miss this.

We exited the streetcar at Audubon Park across from Tulane University and Loyola Marymount University. Wow, the schools are grand. The park had a huge path for walkers, runners, cyclists and tourists. We walked for about 30 minutes under the shade of the most gorgeous, huge, live oaks. The park has decent restrooms and a water fountain/water bottle filling station.

Audubon Park has a great shaded walking trail and beautiful trees and fountain.

The Irish House
With tired walking feet, we hopped back on the streetcar, rode it to the end of the line and read THE BOOK to locate a great spot for lunch. Commander's Palace was not right on the line, so we didn't stop there. But, The Irish House was. The chef is well-awarded and the location was right. Irish food in New Orleans? We did not regret it.

Don't overlook the delicious food at The Irish House.

We dined outside in front of the restaurant and ordered a green leprechaun slushy cocktail, beer, bangers and mash and fish and chips. We devoured every bite. Darling Husband said my chips (fries) were among the best he's ever had. Service was great. Don't overlook this place!

WARNING: Catching the streetcar at 2 p.m. on a Saturday to get back to the Business District was tough. Cars didn't stop and pick us up because they were too crowded. When we did get on, we were standing, holding onto an overhead bar, very close to other folks. The earlier you go, the better.

A green leprechaun drink and a huge order of fish and chips? Don't mind if I do!

Steamboat Natchez
Prior to our trip, I worked with our travel agent to book a dinner jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez. My husband LOVES boats and water, so anytime we have an opportunity to say bon voyage, we do. They do a lunch cruise too, but I wanted to see the sunset on the Mississippi River.

Fried fish, pasta and pork dinner on the Steamboat Natchez.

We arrived at the ship's dock and took a cheesy, touristy photo before climbing on board. We were greeted warmly and told to pick any table inside for our dinner. We had cocktails, recommended by our server, and dug into the buffet. Darling Husband said the food was better than he expected. I was lukewarm on it. We had salad, pasta, fried fish, pork and beef. The fish and the pasta were my preferences out of all of it.

A sneak peak of a military base ... and the rowdy teens on our dinner cruise.

The crew also warned us that about 200 teenagers would be on board. New Orleans in general is not a very kid-friendly city in the French Quarter and Business District. If I had known I would be listening to teens trying to out-cool each other all night, I would have selected another cruise. The kids needed more adult supervision for their quantity.

I enjoyed touring the engine room, listening to the jazz music, hearing history as we headed down the Mississippi and the sunset. This cruise gave us a special view of New Orleans we wouldn't have had otherwise.

The most beautiful sunset on the Mississippi River.

Sucre
After the dinner cruise, we headed to Sucre for dessert. We stopped here on our foodie tour and I think went every day of our trip. I had two macaroons and Darling Husband had some gelato.

Verdict: Ride the streetcar when you get tired of walking. It was a fun break. DO NOT ride the streetcar after noon unless you're really comfortable with strangers in your personal space. Enjoy the laid-back beauty of the Garden District and book a sunset dinner cruise on the Natchez - but call and confirm the student count and be flexible to switching dates based on teenager field trips.

More beautiful Garden District homes.

The St. Charles Streetcar experience.

Look at the Spanish moss on these gorgeous live oaks.

Darling Husband loved this oak.

We saw amazing skywriting the weekend we were there.

Another gorgeous spot in Audubon Park.

I caught this kitty napping in a shop window in the French Quarter on our way to our Steamboat Natchez dinner cruise.

Best Foodie Tour in New Orleans + Cafe Du Monde Secrets from a Local

Our fabulous tour guide Elizabeth in front of Saint Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square during our foodie walking tour in the French Quarter.

On our first full day in New Orleans, our Destination Kitchen walking foodie tour of the French Quarter was the best part. Here is where we stopped along our tour:

Praline Cookies
We ate the most delicious praline cookies made of shortbread called Odi's Praline in a Cookie, and sipped chicory coffee.

Dane and his gumbo and muffaletta in the French Market.

French Market
We walked by Cafe Du Monde, but it was too busy for the whole group to stop and enjoy, so we headed to the French Market for gumbo and a muffaletta sandwich and some shopping. The gumbo was spicy and the sandwich was yummy, served cold, not hot.

As Elizabeth lovingly called this statue of Joan Arc - Joanie on a pony. She hangs out right by the French Market.

New Orleans History
Our tour guide Elizabeth stopped us periodically along the sidewalk to share tips and history of New Orleans. She described the Vieux Carre's historic preservation guidelines that has maintained the charm of the Mediterranean- and French-style buildings.

Pimms Cup
We enjoyed a beef po boy sandwich and refreshing cucumber mint cocktail called a Pimms Cup at the second-oldest bar in New Orleans, Tujague's.

A bartender preparing the Pimm's Cup cocktails at Tujague's, the second-oldest bar in New Orleans.

Praline
The pralines kept flowing when we got to taste another one at the Southern Candymakers. This one was so buttery and rich. Elizabeth said she likes to buy one or two and wrap them up for her purse for a snack later.

Macaroons
Our final stop was Sucre for gelato, macaroons and a bit of chocolate. This cute little sweet shop had a fun, French atmosphere.

A bite of chocolate and a strawberry macaroon for each of us at Sucre by Jackson Square.

Major kudos to Elizabeth and Destination Kitchen for cooking up such a delicious tour for us. We walked for about three hours and ate so many delicious things. This tour is not for folks who can't be on their feet for a couple of hours and it is for 21+.

Biggest disappointment of the day
I had read about this Backstage Pass to meet penguins at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans. Dane and I walked over to go meet them and we learned you have to make a reservation AND it's $150 per person (including tax). We said no thanks and walked away.

After walking the riverfront and NOT seeing the penguins, we enjoyed pool time at the hotel and made a dinner decision. What THE BOOK called the best pizza in the city was at Domenica couple of blocks from the hotel, so away we went.

We did actually get to witness a second line right before our tour started! Look at this guy's brilliant costume!

Domenica
OK, the hostess was the rudest we encountered during our trip, but our waitress was lovely and the atmosphere and meal were memorable. We scored a window table where we watched the street traffic during our dinner. Darling Husband had a beer and the Smoked Pork pizza. I had a cocktail and the Calabrese pizza. It wasn't too spicy. The crust was rustic and delicious.

Domenica's had the most delicious, rustic pizza right in the Business District.

Bourbon Street
After dinner, Darling Husband wanted to walk Bourbon Street and I obliged him. Honestly, I'm OK never walking Bourbon Street again. It was a Friday at 8 p.m. and had loud music, pushy club promoters trying to coax women inside their businesses, drunk, stumbling people and at one point I legitimately thought I was going to get puked on.

Order a little black decaf coffee with your order of beignets at Cafe Du Monde. I especially liked them dunked right in the coffee.

Cafe Du Monde
Tour guide Elizabeth said the biggest mistake made at Cafe Du Monde is people wait in line for a table. Don't. Just walk in, locate an open table and sit down. The wait staff members are actually contractors. They come by, clean off the table and take your order. They buy the beignets from Cafe Du Monde and then charge you. The prices are listed so there's no funny business and honestly you would never know. Darling Husband and I enjoyed three beignets paired with a cup of decaf black coffee for me and a decaf cafe au lait for him.

I didn't get any powdered sugar on my black shirt. I may have on my skirt, but it was white so I couldn't tell!

Our waiter was fabulous in terms of service and I tipped him generously. He brought us two Cafe Du Monde paper hats that now adorn a shelf in our living room. Oh and don't wear black pants or skirt. I saw a couple ladies walk out with laps covered in powdered sugar. I wore a white lace skirt (similar).

Verdict: Do not miss: Foodie tour, Domenica pizza and Cafe Du Monde. Skip: $150 penguins and Bourbon Street.

I loved how these shutters were all crooked. The imperfect nature was refreshing.

Don't you wish you lived here?

Hotel selfie!

Check out the jasmine blooming on this garden gate in the French Quarter.

Darling Husband indulged in the little cup of gelato on our tour at Sucre.

We stopped in Saint Louis Cathedral. WOW. No detail was spared.