This past July, Dan and I (and 30,000 of our closest friends), traveled to celebrate our Team for our annual Coach Summit, so here is my New Orleans Travel Guide!

I came to New Orleans once years ago, but it was Dan’s first time.

We chose the Windsor Court Hotel because of it’s proximity to both the Convention Center and the French Quarter. The hotel had excellent service and incredibly spacious rooms. We only asked for a King Bed and ended up with a suite that had a wet bar, living room and two balconies.

Our convention didn’t leave any room for free time, but we were able to find a few awesome places to try out!

Emeril’s New Orleans

I knew I wanted to try one of his restaurants, so we chose this one based on the menu and location. We arrived right when it opened. They had the coolest cocktail – I think it was called The Grasshopper. It had wheat grass, cucumber, jalapeno and vodka — soooo good! What I loved most about this restaurant was the ability to sit at the kitchen. It was like watching a show. It was so cool seeing how a kitchen actually flowed and how the meals were prepared. I knew I wanted to try different things down in NOLA, so we had the Turtle appetizer (done 3 ways), which I know might sound weird to some, but it was delicious. The service was phenomenal and dishes that were very different then what we would expect overall back home.

The Daily Beet

One afternoon when we were leaving the Superdome, we were rushing to find food. We all wanted something light and refreshing and happened to stumble upon The Daily Beet. My husband and I split a Brussel Sprout Salad and an Acai Bowl. They were both delicious, but it was a nice change of pace then the typical heavy comfort food that dominated the French Quarter.

The WINE Institute

If you enjoy wine, this is a MUST! This cute little joint had over 200 wines on top in every variety. I loved so much about this concept. You basically get a little “card” that you can dip into any machine and dispense yourself either a taste, half glass or full glass. At the end, you basically cash out whatever you racked up on your card. When I buy wine, I’m guilty for judging a book by it’s cover and label shopping, which made this such a cool experience! They also offered delicious snacks that paired really well with wine.

Cochon Restaurant

This Cajun/Southern spot had a really great bar, atmosphere and menu. Everything was prepared and executed really well. They actually made the best Hurricane that we had in NOLA (probably because it was without all of the sugary garbage). I had the Rabbit & Dumplings and my husband had the Ham Hock. Both were really different and tasty! If this sounds weird to you – expand your palette 😉

Café Du Monde

Beneits. I know I’m a health and fitness guru, but if your in NOLA – you have Beneits. The end.