New Orleans — a beautiful life

My mom, sis and I jetted off to New Orleans for an end-of-summer girls' trip and we definitely made the most of our time! It was the perfect mix of history, culture, and shopping. It was also a great break in routine from the daily work grind, and the flight there really wasn't that long. August is also the best time to travel there because rates are very low (it's hurricane season). The full vlog of the trip is posted here but below are a few snapshots and highlights of our amazing time together in NOLA!

JACKSON SQUARE & BOURBON STREET

We landed in the late afternoon and after checking into our hotel (conveniently situated right in the French Quarter), we walked a few blocks over to Bourbon Street and Jackson Square. Even for a Sunday night, Bourbon street was bustling and loud, but what I loved most was the humidity and beautiful Spanish colonial architecture buildings.

THE WHITNEY PLANTATION SLAVE TOUR

On Monday morning, we got up early and went to the Whitney Plantation (about an hour drive from New Orleans) where we had an eye-opening tour of the lives of the slaves that worked on the plantation from the late 1800's through the 1970's (shockingly, yes, it lasted through the 1970's). It was one of the most powerful experiences of my life and I don't even have words to explain it. All I know is that every American should go and experience it for themselves because it tells the true history of US slavery that is not taught in school. Many plantation tours today focus on the luxurious lives of slave owners; but this one had a deliberate focus on the lives of slaves. The "big house" where the owners lived was very eerie. It was also incredibly hot on the sprawling plantation, which gave good insight into the type of weather the slaves had to endure while working 12 hour days in the heat as they tended to the sugar cane and other crops that they harvested and sent down the Mississippi River. I learned so much on the tour and it gave me such good perspective.

THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, FRENCH QUARTER & TAROT CARD READINGS

After the plantation tour, we took the bus back into the city and did some more exploration. We walked to the Mississippi River, tried some beignets at the famous Cafe du Monde, stopped by the spinning carousel bar (didn't get any drinks though), and then my mom and sis shared a strawberry daiquiri on Bourbon. We spent the evening watching reality shows in bed together and just chilling. The next day, we went to Glass Magick, where we each had our tarot cards read. I was very skeptical going into it, but it actually was really fascinating and gave me a lot to think about when it comes to life, work, and relationships. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip for all of us! We spent the rest of the day shopping, buying cute headbands, and my mom and sis loved eating crab cakes!

NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM & THE BEST LUNCH EVER

On our last day, we went to the National World War II museum, which was honestly one of the main reasons I wanted to visit New Orleans after hearing about it from my dad. It did NOT disappoint. First of all, it is 5 buildings worth of history and the whole thing is very interactive. We watched the 4D movie as well which was absolutely worth the extra $7! It gave a great overview of the war and really felt like you were there, believe it or not. There was also a group of WWII veterans visiting that day, so we had a big clap/moment of respect for them. It was chilling and honestly disturbing to learn about the extent of the war and the impact it had on literally everyone's life around the world. It was another huge highlight of the trip for me - I could go back and spend all day in that museum. Afterwards, we stumbled upon the CUTEST set of pop-up restaurants and I had this delicious green goddess bowl that was so pretty it was Instagram-worthy! It was the perfect way to end our trip. Traveling with my mom and sis is one of my favorite things to do... I mean, who wouldn't want to travel with their best friends/soul sisters? I'm so grateful and happy that we decided to do this trip together. Moral of the story: There's no place like NOLA!