Beads, beignets and BRIDES! When it comes to celebrating a final fling, New Orleans has no shortage of fun for a bride squad. Between the old world architecture and charm, classic southern cuisine, and more bars than a bride can count, it's the perfect destination for any bachelorette weekend. All of this plus the fact that NOLA is a quick flight from Texas made it a no-brainer for native Houstonian and bride-to-be Kayla to choose The Big Easy for her bachelorette festivities. Kayla and her nine besties had a jam-packed itinerary filled with the best of everything New Orleans has to offer. Wondering what all they did? Read on!
Kayla and her bride squad browsing the street vendors in Jackson Square... with some beverages, of course!
The Weekend Itinerary
What They Did
Kayla and her crew kicked off their trip to NOLA with lunch at Creole House before exploring Jackson Square and the French Quarter. They stopped at the famous Pat O'Briens Bar (the birth place of the hurricane cocktail!) for a few drinks followed by a low-key evening in the bridal suite at the hotel with pizza, games and a lingerie shower.
The next morning the group woke up bright and early for an airboat swamp tour with the Louisiana Tour Company, which was easily the highlight of the bachelorette trip! The girls saw at least a dozen alligators while experiencing the true beauty of Louisiana's swamp country (we're serious!). Afterwards, the group headed to The Court Of Tour Sisters for a classic New Orleans jazz brunch.
The rest of the day was spent bar-hopping on Bourbon Street followed by dinner at Sylvain, drinks and dessert at Arnaud's French 75 Bar and karaoke (a favorite pasttime of the bride's) at The World Famous Cat's Meow.
Friday
- Arrive in New Orleans and check into the DoubleTree by Hilton
- Lunch at Creole House
- Explore Jackson Square and walk around the French Quarter (Pro Tip: If you dare, have your palm read by a fortune teller in Jackson Square!)
- Hurricanes in the courtyard at Pat O'Brien's
- Pizza, games and lingerie shower in the bridal suite at the hotel
Saturday
- Rise and shine for an Alligator Swamp Tour on airboat with Louisiana Tour Company - and yes, they saw a lot of real alligators!
- Jazz Brunch at The Court of Two Sisters
- Bar-hopping on Bourbon Street (Pro Tip: Find a bar with a balcony for some fantastic people watching)
- Dinner and drinks at Sylvain
- After dinner drinks and dessert at Arnaud's French 75 Bar
- Karaoke at The World Famous Cat's Meow
- Brunch in the French Quarter
- Goodbyes and head home!
The group took an Alligator Swamp Tour with Louisiana Tour Company and saw at least a dozen wild alligators - it was a highlight of the trip!
The Bachelorette Pad
Where They Stayed
Kayla and her nine besties booked three rooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton just a few blocks from Bourbon Street. Kayla and her sister stayed in the bridal suite on the top floor, which had direct access to the rooftop pool, a small kitchen and living area making it the perfect spot for the entire bride squad to hang out and gather before and after going out.
The bride squad set up their party headquarters at the recently remodeled DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, just a few blocks from Bourbon Street and the French Quarter
The Party Favors
How They Accessorized
It's not a bachelorette party without some bride tribe bling! Kayla and her bride tribe accessorized with decorations and favors handmade by the bride's sister and MOH and from Stag & Hen.
- The Bachelorette Tees - Stag & Hen
- The Bachelorette Sash - Stag & Hen
- Bandanas (embroidered by the MOH) - Stag & Hen
- Decorations - Amazon
The group wore Bachelor-themed shirts from Stag & Hen for the swamp tour - the bride is a HUGE fan of the show!
The Round Up
Where They Ate, Drank & Celebrated
Finding great restaurants and activities can be tough! Here's a round up of the spots Kayla and her I Do Crew recommend from her New Orleans bachelorette bash.
- Hotel - DoubleTree by Hilton
- Airboat Alligator Swamp Tour - Louisiana Tour Company
- Jazz Brunch - The Court of Two Sisters
- Karaoke - The World Famous Cat's Meow
- Lunch - Creole House
- Dinner - Sylvain
- Drinks - Arnaud's French 75 Bar
The TikTok Recap
Last But Not Least...
@shopstagandhen NOLA BACH WEEKEND ⚜️ ##nolabach ##bachparty ##bacheloretteparty ##nolabride ##neworleansbachelorette ##bachweekend ##bachelorettepartyideas ##bridetobe
♬ Good Day - Nappy Roots
There you have it - Kayla's final fling in New Orleans! Need more bachelorette party inspiration for your NOLA bachelorette trip? Check out our New Orleans Bachelorette Party Guide for our hand-picked recommendations of the BEST activities, restaurants and bars for a bach weekend in the Big Easy.