Returning to New Orleans: A Relaxing Evening in the French Quarter

After a comfortable night’s stay at the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Columbus TX, we began another day on the road heading toward one of our favorite destinations—New Orleans. Before leaving Columbus, we stopped at a self-service car wash on Fannin Street to wash away the countless bugs that had accumulated on the Jeep during the previous day of driving across Texas. 

With the Jeep looking much better, our next stop was the massive Buc-ee’s in Katy, Texas. Like every Buc-ee’s we’ve visited, the location was spotless, well-organized, and offered some of the lowest fuel prices along our route. After filling the tank and picking up a few road trip snacks, we continued east on Interstate 10 toward Louisiana.

By late afternoon, we arrived at Hotel St. Marie, located on Toulouse Street in the heart of the French Quarter. If you’re driving into the French Quarter, I highly recommend this hotel, especially if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage. Instead of trying to unload on the narrow, busy street in front of the hotel, simply continue a few feet past the entrance to the convenient alleyway beside the building. A bellhop met us there, unloaded all of our luggage, and the valet parked our Jeep in the hotel’s private garage while we watched. The entire process was smooth, efficient, and stress-free. The bellhop then delivered our luggage to our fifth-floor room, making arrival incredibly easy. I happily tipped both the valet and the bellhop for their outstanding service.

After settling into our room, we walked a short distance to Oceana Grill for dinner. Oceana has become one of our favorite restaurants in the French Quarter thanks to its extensive menu featuring gumbo, steaks, seafood, po’boys, fresh oysters, and other Louisiana favorites. We started with an order of delicious charbroiled oysters served with warm bread before sharing a fried oyster po’boy and a bowl of rich, flavorful gumbo. Everything was fresh, perfectly prepared, and a wonderful reminder of why New Orleans is considered one of America’s great food cities.

After dinner, we took an evening stroll along Bourbon Street, where live music poured out of nearly every doorway and crowds filled the sidewalks enjoying the city’s famous nightlife. Debbie treated herself to a refreshing Hurricane slushie while we soaked in the lively atmosphere that makes the French Quarter unlike anywhere else. Before returning to Hotel St. Marie, we walked through St. Anthony’s Garden, a quiet and peaceful courtyard tucked away behind the bustle of the Quarter. The beautiful garden provided a calm ending to an exciting evening and was the perfect place to pause and reflect before another day on our journey home.