Love Sculpture in City Park, New Orleans

New Orleans. A city so vibrant and alive, yet one that has seen a tremendous amount of adversity, and continues to overcome. That’s what we love most about this town – the love and devotion New Orleanians have for their city is so strong, you can almost feel it radiating from each and every historic building. Lucky for us, New Orleans is also an extraordinary place when it comes to dating. Whether you’re a permanent resident or you’re visiting with your special someone, you’ll fall in love all over again amidst the smooth jazz and southern hospitality that is New Orleans.

As a side note, we’d like to point out this web page we came across while preparing this post. New Orleans Online put together a step-by-step itinerary (complete with 10 great places to kiss!) for three days of dating glory in New Orleans, and we highly recommend you use it.

1. Woldenberg Park: Set along the Mississippi River, you could spend an entire day here, strolling along the “Moon Walk” across from Jackson Square, visiting the Aquarium of the Americas, or taking in one of the many live performances often set here (especially during the  French Quarter Festival in April).

2. Frenchman Street: Jazz clubs along this strip are some of the best in the city, particularly Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, and The Three Muses. If you’re in the mood to enjoy some authentic jazz music, we highly recommend that you venture over this way.

3. Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal St.): A part of New Orleans history, even Ernest Hemingway loved the Carousel Bar. Take a spin on the 25-seat, bright circus-clad Merry-Go-Round and enjoy a cocktail while listening to stories about Hotel Monteleone and New Orleans.

4. City Park: A great destination to ride bikes, picnic, dine along the waterfront, or enjoy a boat or gondola ride. There are also beautiful sculpture gardens to enjoy with your special someone.

5. Po-Boys and a Swamp Tour: A signature food of New Orleans, no visit is complete without a Po-Boy. We recommend grabbing a few from Johnny’s and then heading off on a famous Swamp Tour, where you can get up close and personal with an alligator, and check out moss-draped bayous and exotic flora.

6. Beignets at Cafe du Monde: The original Cafe du Monde opened its doors in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market, and today the cafe is open 24 hours a day as a coffee shop. The cafe’s staple, the Beignet, was brought to Louisiana by the Acadians and exists now as a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. De-lish!

7. Cocktails on Bourbon Street: A destination in the heart of New Orleans’ oldest Neighborhood, The French Quarter, Bourbon Street extends 13 blocks and is most famously known as the home of the Mardi Gras celebration. We recommend grabbing a drink at one of the popular bars along Bourbon Street, and taking in the excitement of the city.