By Jeanni Ritchie
Some of my favorite childhood books were from the Choose Your Own Adventure series. Each chapter ended with a decision, and you turned to the corresponding page of your choice.
That same sense of freedom found me in New Orleans at Christmastime. With a flexible itinerary and a singular mission—holiday fun—I set out on a Big Easy adventure.
The Starting Point: A Home Base in the Heart of the City
I checked into NOPSI Hotel, a restored 1920s power and light company headquarters located in the Central Business District. From the moment I arrived, it felt like more than a place to sleep—it felt like a place to settle in.
The lobby was beautifully decorated for the holidays, filled with warm light, Christmas trees, poinsettias, and a player piano quietly cycling through seasonal songs. A complimentary hot chocolate bar invited guests to linger between activities.
Upstairs, my room featured a rare surprise in a city hotel: a full terrace overlooking the New Orleans skyline, complete with lounge chairs and fresh air high above the street.
Following the Lights: Celebration in the Oaks
One of the highlights of the season is Celebration in the Oaks at City Park, and it quickly became the heart of my New Orleans holiday experience.
Millions of lights wrapped the park’s towering oak trees, glowing in every color imaginable. The walking tour led through the Botanical Garden, around Storyland, and into Carousel Gardens, where holiday rides added a sense of childlike wonder. I sipped hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, rode the carousel, and boarded the train for a ride through the illuminated park.
The glowing oak grove was breathtaking—trains winding through miniature landscapes, lights reflecting off pathways, snowmen tucked into corners throughout the park. City Park is beautiful year-round, but during the holidays, it becomes something truly magical.
When Hunger Leads: Eating My Way Through New Orleans
In New Orleans, food has a way of setting the pace. Meals don’t simply fill the hours — they shape the experience.
One memorable stop was Blue Bayou Restaurant and Oyster Bar, where the “Taste of the Bayou” sampler delivered classic Louisiana comfort: jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, and red beans and rice. With live saxophone music playing and the doors open to the street, dinner felt seamlessly connected to the city around it.
Brunch brought a different rhythm at Two Chicks Café. Eggs over easy, creamy grits, ham, and toast made for a satisfying start, while a side of Cajun hollandaise — rich, peppery, and far from traditional — added a signature New Orleans kick.
Another standout stop was The Chloe, an award-winning restaurant inside a historic boutique hotel. Passing it on the St. Charles streetcar, I decided to hop off and explore — one of those small choices that paid off.
Inside, the setting felt intimate and luxe, the kind of place that invites you to slow down. A bowl of smoked chicken and alligator sausage gumbo anchored the meal, rich and comforting, but it was the atmosphere that made the experience linger.
Sweet breaks were part of the rhythm as well. An afternoon stop at Café Beignet brought pecan praline beignets — while a Brown Butter Waffle kicked off a morning at NOPSI’s full-service restaurant, Public Service.
Casual dining filled in the spaces between planned meals. At Willie’s Chicken Shack, hot, freshly fried chicken came dressed with the restaurant’s signature sauce, while Daisy Dukes delivered crab cakes over fried green tomatoes — the perfect late-night snack.
One evening ended at the iconic Carousel Bar, where a Coke, live music, and an easy conversation with a new friend unfolded at a window overlooking the French Quarter.
In New Orleans, hunger isn’t just a signal — it’s an invitation. Following it led to some of the most memorable moments of the stay.
Side Quests: Sweets, Souvenirs & Scrapbook Stickers
A few small stops through the French Quarter added their own kind of charm to the trip. I picked up caramels from Laura’s Candies and pralines from Royal Praline Company, then browsed the mix of sweets and sauces at Magnolia Sugar & Spice. A stop at Sucré yielded a S’mores bar saved for a midnight snack — dessert enjoyed out on my terrace.
Between candy shops, I ducked into souvenir stops like Souvenir Dat and the New Orleans Gift Shop, picking up T-shirts for my grandsons, a New Orleans beanie for my growing hat collection, and stickers for my travel scrapbook.
One of the most unexpected highlights came at Caliche & Pao Fine Art Gallery. I didn’t buy a thing, but I lingered there for nearly an hour. The husband-and-wife artists have an incredible story — from selling paintings out of a van in Jackson Square to building a gallery collection with works now valued into the five figures. Their bold, textured paintings reflect the movement, music, and soul of New Orleans, and I was mesmerized by them all.
One final sweet decision came at Kilwins, where watching chocolate poured on the slab turned into a literary ice-cream moment. Halfway down the street, cone in hand on an unseasonably warm December evening, I realized I looked a lot like Toad on his adventure to bring Frog a chocolate cone. Life was imitating art all the way down Carondelet.
Choosing the Wild Card: Holidays at the Audubon Zoo
The holiday spirit continued at Audubon Zoo, where Holidays at the Zoo brought seasonal charm to one of the city’s most beloved attractions.
Festive touches included Papa Noel photo opportunities, candy cane palm trees, themed animal enrichment, and holiday beverages. During my visit, the zoo was also hosting its Dragons & Other Mythical Creatures exhibit, which added a playful, imaginative layer to the experience.
Beyond the decorations, my favorite moments were watching the Sumatran orangutans and walking through The Louisiana Swamp, an immersive exhibit that highlights conservation and the natural beauty of the Bayou State. It was a lively, festive stop — full of families, field trips, and moments that felt unmistakably New Orleans.
A Standing Choice: An Evening at the Saenger Theatre
One night was reserved for the Saenger’s production of Back to the Future: The Musical — a show I put on my calendar the moment it was announced. Most of my New Orleans trips center around a musical production!
The show stayed true to the 1985 film while incorporating impressive stagecraft, modern effects, and a very real DeLorean onstage. From the moment Lucas Hallauer appeared as Marty McFly, it was hard to remember he wasn’t Michael J. Fox. He nailed the role!
The ensemble was one of the strongest I’ve ever seen, elevating the entire performance through stunning choreography and lively costumes. Back to the Future: The Musical was one of the highlights of the Broadway season.
Making My Own Stops: Holiday Hotel Hop
New Orleans celebrates Christmas not just through events, but through atmosphere—and nowhere is that more evident than in its hotel lobbies.
At The Roosevelt New Orleans, the holidays are practically a civic obligation. For more than eighty years, locals and visitors alike have made its lobby a seasonal must-see. Birch branches and Christmas trees glow with more than 60,000 lights, while a gingerbread village reimagines ’Twas the Night Before Christmas with alligators standing in for Santa’s reindeer.
The seasonal sights continue at Windsor Court, where a 19.5-foot Christmas tree anchors the lobby. Wrapped in 25,000 lights and surrounded by magnolia wreaths, gold garland, and additional trees, the space feels both grand and refined. Holiday tea adds a festive reason to linger.
At The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, Santa’s Toy Shop sets the tone. A gingerbread streetcar filled with famous New Orleanians rolls into the display, while twinkling lights stretch across the lobby ceiling overhead.
Over at Royal Sonesta New Orleans, Christmas Tree Lane fills the lobby and hallways with the scent of real evergreens. Garland, holly, and poinsettias frame the space, while weekday Christmas choirs bring live music into the mix.
Additional stops on my Holiday Hotel Hop included The Saint Hotel, Le Pavillon Hotel, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Hotel Monteleone, and my home away from home, NOPSI, with each offering its own seasonal style.
Where the Adventure Ends: Back at NOPSI
Each night, I found myself back where the day had also begun — on the terrace of my NOPSI hotel room. Coke in hand, city lights glowing below, I’d let the evening settle gently.
Like the books I loved as a child, this holiday adventure didn’t need every hour mapped out. It simply needed the freedom to choose — and New Orleans delivered at every turn.
Jeanni Ritchie is a travel writer from Central Louisiana. Follow her adventures at jeanniritchie.com.
