Traveling Toddlers | Things to do in New Orleans with kids |

New Orleans is jam-packed with not only full of fun things to do for kids, but every bit of the city is infused with lessons I hope to impart on my daughter. New Orleans seems to have mastered what I think is really the goal of any city or person for that matter. The crescent city has truly unlocked its magic. They’ve managed to pinpoint what makes them special and keep to it. As one of my cab drivers, the unofficial tour guides of NOLA so expertly summed it up “Everybody in New Orleans knows they’re interesting.”

The weather in New Orleans is like Mombasa, while the architecture is like the South of France. It’s evident that so much thought has gone into this city and obviously has gone into it for years. Even the downtown landscape and the main city thoroughfare Canal Street is a perfect example. It looks like it was designed ages ago but in all the right ways. Centuries-old houses sit up against newer construction harmoniously. One Walgreens has a two-story neon sign that dazzles at night. The palm tree-lined plaza partitioned the roads so that trolleys can drive unobstructed beside streets filled with shiny new cars in the latest models.

New Orleans may seem like a swampy sin city on the surface level, but it’s extremely kid-friendly, I found that once you dig a little deeper many of it’s Bywater traditions are steeped in catholicism. New Orleans Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday the last day to party before lent. The two weeks before Ash Wednesday there are a lot of parades.

5 travel necessities for kids in Nola

A Stroller | New Orleans is a walkable city, especially when you’re calling the French Quarter your home base. Since we were visiting in August I knew we were going to have long hot days ahead of us. Before going to New Orleans I did some research and found that the streets in NOLA are notorious for oversized potholes. After seeing the city for myself, I realized the same things that make up the dreamy balmy landscape of NOLA are the same things that I would have to be contending with when traversing its streets on foot with kids. Huge stately trees that provide respites from the sun’s unending rays make their presence known all over the city, their centuries-old roots easily upturn sidewalk pavers. I recommend bringing a stroller with suspension and air-filled tires to navigate New Orleans on foot with kids. I can’t imagine touching another human, much less carrying one in carrier during a summer day in NOLA I packed my favorite stroller. It’s a bit bulky to lift in and out of Uber’s but it’s a total workhorse once on the ground.

Sunscreen |

A Fan | I’d avoided buying a stroller fan till the very end but my daughter runs hot and without this constant stream of air she’d never have gotten a moment of sleep while being pushed around

Rain suit | The rain materializes out of nowhere in New Orleans, without warning you’re fighting galeforce winds that giveaway to bright clear afternoons perfect for puddle jumping with kids. I prefer a rain suit over an umbrella for tiny people because it lowers the chance of them getting blown away. I like this rain jacket and pants for protecting tiny people from rain

Reusable Water Bottle | the heat in New Orleans is next level an insulated reusable bottle that kids can handle themselves is a necessity in order to stay hydrated in.

Things to do with kids in New Orleans

Swamp Tour | There’s something enchanting about the Bayou, the sight of bowed branches reaching longingly towards their reflection, caressing the surface of the water as it lazily flows beneath the summer sun. The overwhelming similarities between cranky kids and hungry alligators made going on a swamp tour the number one thing we had to do in New Orleans.

Louis Armstrong Park |

Toddler multisensory experience | the next time I’m in New Orleans with kids, one of the things I’d love to do is check out Baby Artsplay!™ at New Orleans Jazz Museum. I find it very easy to have our “routine” interrupted when traveling, so I like

Southern Food and Beverage Museum | The location is off the beaten path but we could walk easily from a hop on hop off bus, just about 8 blocks from a stop. This is such a fun thing to do with kids you are encouraged to touch things (with some exceptions), and it celebrates pop culture icons as much as it does provide a history lesson of the southern food experience in New Orleans. The museum charges a small admission fee but it is worth every penny. There is also a connected cafe and you can bring drinks into the museum. Cooking classes are also offered here and although we didn’t partake of this option, we were allowed to see the kitchen area and their displays.

Crescent Farmers Market | The market will feature a variety of products, including local, seasonal fruits and vegetables, meat, seafood, plant starts, honey and baked goods.

Stroll down Bourbon Street | the place is sensory overload but its completely safe to stroll down with a toddler any time of day

The French Market | (get pralines Js Seafood Shack
(Parallel to Decatur Street and worth a walk down )

Cafe DuMonde | this is the more popular of the go-to New Orleans Beignet places, yet it’s my least favorite to actually eat at. there’s always a wait and the main location backs up to an open sewer system that turns the stomach of sensitive eaters. However, the reason Cafe Du Monde is high on my list of things to do with kids in New Orleans is the not so secret viewing area around back. The dough caked windows give way to unobstructed views of the beignets sliding down their flour-covered conveyor belt and being expertly flung into the awaiting oil. My daughter spent fifteen minutes watching the beignets being made and I had to drag her away when it was time to go someplace new.

Places to eat in New Orleans with kids

Commanders Palace | August is the perfect time to visit this New Orleans staple, due to the aforementioned coolinary promotions they offer. I’m glad I arrived by Uber so that I could experience the door of my cab being opened and the attended rushing to the front door to open it only to be beaten to it by someone else. If you want a wink doe seat at commanders Palace you ave to call and reserve it. They’re usually reserved far in advance They do have a kids menu it’s just not written done anywhere I can see

French Toast | Hands down the best restaurant in New Orleans to eat at with kids. The food is so delicious, make sure to try the Aebleskivers, and have your life forever changed.

The Creole Creamery | Ice cream in New Orleans is an art form, with regionally specific flavors whipped up in handmade batches

Briquette | Has an open glass-enclosed kitchen that gives you an impressive view of the fire that erupts intermittently from the stoves. Their seafood gumbo is the best I’ve had in all of NOLA so if that’s your thing be sure to try it out.

Cafe Beignet | Has the more delicious and inexpensive version of the famous New Orleans take on a funnel cake. There are many locations around the city that

Where to stay with kids in New Orleans

Inn on St. Peter |The building that houses The Inn on St. Peter is a historical landmark and has painstakingly kept its authentic integrity. The ground floor rooms are tucked away down a narrow entry to a quaint courtyard. Each of the large guest rooms has been very nicely renovated high ceilings, ornate fixtures, plank hardwood floors, and marble bathroom floors abound.

The location is great! Just a couple of blocks from the bustle of Bourbon Street, it’s close enough and far enough away. near the action in the French Quarter but far enough away to get a good night’s sleep. You’re a five-minute walk to Jackson Square, a ten-minute walk to Frenchmen. Traffic is slower on Burgundy so getting an uber is so quick and simple. It’s walking distance to downtown, near all restaurants, stores, and Louis Armstrong Park.

Great staff. We really appreciate the housekeeping staff that worked around our schedule and did the little things we asked for. The only thing missing is in the hotel to make it the most family-friendly is having a refrigerator & microwave in room.