PORT + PLAY: ADD A DAY, ENRICH YOUR STAY

By Jeanni Ritchie

When I taught kindergarten, I learned that one of the hardest things for five-year-olds was transitioning from one activity to another. Truth is, adults aren’t much better at it. We carry our to-do lists into vacations, clinging to schedules instead of slipping into rest. Our minds and bodies need time to shift gears — to release, to breathe, to embrace play.

That’s why adding a port day to your cruise can make all the difference. It’s the buffer that turns travel into vacation, letting you soak in the culture of your departure city instead of rushing past it. And in New Orleans, that extra day isn’t just a pause — it’s a pulse.

From museums and music to pralines and parades, New Orleans serves up a sampler platter of experiences. Spend a morning wandering the French Quarter or shopping along the Riverwalk, visit the sprawling New Orleans City Park or the world-renowned National WWII Museum, then close the night with live jazz or a Broadway touring show at the Saenger. Don’t forget to leave time to simply wander — that’s when the city gives you its best surprises.

My niece Emma and I decided to take my own advice and arrive a day early before our cruise — it was my birthday, and what better gift than giving myself an extra day of vacation in New Orleans?

We checked into the One11 Hotel in the French Quarter — a boutique gem as storied as New Orleans itself. Built on the site of the old Sugar District, the restored property blends exposed brick and vintage charm with modern comfort. Our room was cozy, the courtyard pool inviting, and I even met a fellow birthday celebrator in a lounge chair on a staycation.

From there, we wandered the Riverwalk, grabbed lunch at the food court, and picked up a few souvenirs before heading to Café du Monde, where the staff indulged me in a birthday serenade — the first of three that day. There’s no shame in my birthday game!

We strolled through Woldenberg Park before taking a pedicab back to the hotel. Pedicabs are a fun way to explore the city!

The afternoon was reserved for JamNola, an incredible immersive art experience that was as playful as it was colorful. I climbed into a giant crawfish pot, belted out “You’re the One That I Want” on a neon bridge I dubbed the Shake Shack (still dreaming of playing Sandy in Grease), and laughed my way through interactive rooms with hidden buttons and true stories mixed in with light, music, and whimsy.

Did you know that after a heavy rain in 2018, New Orleans pulled 93,000 pounds of Mardi Gras beads out of clogged drains just along one parade route? JamNola was as educational as it was entertaining.

Dinner at Tableau, on Jackson Square, was a feast for the senses, with balcony dining overlooking the French Quarter as the sun set and live music filled the street below. Emma started with the crabmeat cheesecake appetizer — a dish brought over from the temporarily closed Palace Café, another Dickie Brennan & Co. restaurant. For entrees, I ordered the brandy cream coulotte steak, while Emma chose the pork schnitzel. Dessert came with fanfare: a rich chocolate torte with a candle, a chef’s hat placed on my head, crème brûlée with “Happy Birthday” spelled out in powdered sugar — and of course, another round of “Happy Birthday to Me!”

Back at One11, we finished the night in the hotel bar with two complimentary birthday drinks. I chose a strawberry lemonade mocktail, and the entire bar toasted and sang to me, ending the day exactly as it began: wrapped in music, joy, and the unmistakable pulse of New Orleans.

New Orleans is a city that doesn’t just host visitors — it embraces them. Its food, music, and history are layered with richness, each street corner offering another story worth savoring. Starting your vacation here means your cruise doesn’t begin at the gangway; it begins the moment you step into the city’s rhythm.

Or — if, like me, you never want your vacation to end, stay in New Orleans a day or two after the cruise instead and ease on back to reality. After all, they don’t call it The Big Easy for nothing!