Where: New Orleans, Louisiana
When: year-round
If you like: urban escapes, dining and drinks
Why you should go: No city embodies the phoenix rising from the ashes (or water, as it were) quite like New Orleans, which marks the twentieth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this year. More recently it suffered the devastating New Year’s terrorist attack only to host the Sugar Bowl a day later—followed closely by Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras. Honoring NOLA’s grit and spirit is reason enough to visit, but while you’re in town, try out stylish new accommodations at the Blackbird Hotel, a Lower Garden District hideaway with a year-round heated pool in the courtyard, or the French Quarter’s Celestine, a boutique take on a centuries-old manse. If you’ve got a group, the Warehouse District’s new Hotel Perle specializes in multiroom suites with fully equipped kitchens.
For diners, the world convenes on a plate in New Orleans. Acamaya, a buzzy spot from celebrated chef Ana Castro, channels Mexico City in dishes like octopus with walnut salsa negra, while Tatlo is a gothic dreamscape of absinthe cocktails and Asian fare. Dakar NOLA, the city’s first and only Senegalese fine-dining restaurant, was just named the James Beard Best New Restaurant of 2024. Of course, timeless institutions like Galatoire’s and Arnaud’s remain draws for gumbo and grillades, bananas Foster and Brandy Alexanders. “What’s wonderful about New Orleans is how seamlessly history meets innovation,” says Katy Casbarian, co-owner of Arnaud’s. “We are forever marrying our deep-rooted traditions with unforgettable modern experiences.”
G&G tip: Speaking of modern experiences, NOLA hotels provide more than superlative stays. The Inn at the Old Jail hosts occasional concerts on its rooftop, while the Four Seasons New Orleans offers a half-hour seaplane ride that lands you right on the water at the tiny oyster farms of Grand Isle, where you can shuck and slurp fresh bivalves at the source.
