New Orleans Vacation 2026 Day 2

Sunday, January 11th, 2026

Our host (The Quarter House) has a complimentary a la carte breakfast on Sundays starting at 9:00. We did not set our alarms and woke naturally in plenty of time for breakfast. There was a keyboard player in the lobby, wearing a tuxedo and everything. Mimosas were included. I had a large bagel and a mimosa.

We signed up for the Sunday morning walking tour taking place at 10:00, also provided by The Quarter House. That took about an hour and a half and ended in Jackson Square Park, after which we made a beeline for Café Du Monde, home of beignet and café au lait! There was no waiting for seats and we were in and out quickly.

We then took a look at the waterfront. One of the steamboats was on its way by. Then, on a lark, we caught the streetcar passing by on its way to Canal Street where we switched lines and took the Canal Street line all the way up the City Park. The park is full of ancient Live Oak trees, many with Spanish moss draping down and palm trees sprouting from their trunks. The park is home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, which we toured. Having seen something called a “Train Garden” on the map, we went in search of it. Siri/Apple Maps had an incorrect address and so we walked a couple of extra miles unnecessarily. I was momentarily upset and frustrated, but then looked around and the natural beauty (and I don’t just mean my wife!) made quick work of my angst. We did eventually find something to do with trains, but it appeared to be part of an amusement/kiddie park that is closed for the season. We crossed a Great Lawn the size of a football field (at least) on which all sorts of activities were talking place, followed a winding pond/lagoon, and made our way back to the streetcar which we took all the way back to Chartres Street and the Quarter House.

Nap time, followed by dinner at Bourbon House just around the corner from The Quarter House. I had rigatoni with shrimp and alligator sausage. Amanda had blackened catfish. Both dishes were delicious, and the portions were sensible. We had creme Brulé for dessert and then made our way to Fritzel’s. Fritzel’s European Jazz Club on Bourbon Street is the place to go if you want to hear traditional Dixieland jazz. My parents have spoken of it fondly and often over the years–nothing but good and happy memories there. We arrived at 6 and found a good spot to sit. (Thankfully there IS seating at Fritzel’s!) The current band was on until 8 and so we listened to two sets. The house band came on at 8, and I introduced myself to Mike Fulton, the trumpet player, whom my parents had befriended years ago and made a point of seeing every time they visited. He recognized my Mom’s name immediately, and we had a nice chat. We stayed for their first set and I FaceTimed with Mom so she could see and hear a couple of numbers.

Then it was back to The Quarter House for bed. We had a great first full day in New Orleans!

Step count: 15,483, or 7.37 miles