This Post is in Partnership with JetBlue Vacations.

Last week, I was fortunate to travel to New Orleans on behalf of JetBlue! Kelli with Kelli Boyd Photography came along for the ride and we had the perfect short but sweet trip to The Big Easy! I actually haven’t been to New Orleans since I graduated College (about 10 years ago) so it was fun to revisit the city and experience new restaurants + shops! Traveling is the best way for me to get inspired and this trip was full of inspiration! I had so many requests via social to share my itinerary with you so I made it a priority to publish this story as soon as I got back! I’m sharing my favorite restaurants, shops and neighborhoods for you to check out on your next trip!

Day One. We arrived just in time for dinner — which was perfect timing for us! We checked into our four star hotel, New Orleans Marriott which is located right in the French District. We had Marriott’s M Club Access which was such a treat — we popped in for complimentary breakfast, cocktails + hors d’oeuvres throughout our stay. We also had a beautiful suite which offered breathtaking views of the city, especially during sunset (see picture above)!

For dinner, we headed to La Petite Grocery located on Magazine Street. It offers delicious made-from-scratch Louisiana fare in a quaint cottage that once housed a grocery store in the 1800s. You absolutely have to order the Blue Crab Beignets (trust me). We also really enjoyed the Ricotta Dumplings and the Summer Squash and Zucchini Salad. For an entrée, I’d definitely recommend the Shrimp and Grits — btw splurge and order the Baked Macaroni side dish! For cocktails, try the Blackthorn Fizz! It looked delicious on their Instagram page so I went ahead and gave it a try and I wasn’t disappointed.

Day Two. We woke up early and headed straight to Cafe Du Monde for classic New Orleans Beignets! There are other cafes who make beignets but they’re imposters. You have to go to Cafe Du Monde, the original French Market since 1862. It’s located at 800 Decatur Street (they have other locations around the city as well). It was a great atmosphere with open air seating under green and white striped awnings and live jazz music. And be sure to bring cash because they don’t accept credit.

After breakfast, we took the St. Charles Street Car to the Garden District and opted for a walking tour. I booked with Free Tours by Foot (be sure to reserve your spot in advance) and our tour guide was very knowledgeable + fun. It was a great way to learn about the history of the city and see the beautiful Garden District neighborhood.

Then we hopped in a taxi and headed to Magazine Street. We explored a handful of antique shops, clothing boutiques, book stores and more. And for lunch we ate at Mahony’s Famous Po-Boys! Their Po-Boys are served on toasted Leidenheimer’s French Bread and they were delicious! For over 105 years, Leidenheimer Baking Co. has been producing fresh French bread for the New Orleans and Gulf South area. So if you have a Po-Boy in New Orleans, be sure that it’s served on Leidenheimer bread!

After lunch we continued to shop on Magazine Street — popped into Billy Reid, Lily Rain + Perch! We then headed back to the French Quarter and stopped at Brennan’s for a late afternoon cocktail and cheese plate! I really loved Brennan’s and would highly recommend it. We sipped champagne cocktails in their courtyard located in the French Quarter.

Because we had an early flight the next morning we made our way back to the hotel (just a few blocks from Brennan’s) and got ready for dinner. For our last night I made reservations to Restaurant August and it was fabulous. It was about a five-minute walk from our hotel and even on a Tuesday night the restaurant was hopping! This was definitely one of our favorite meals in NOLA. I’d definitely recommend this spot the next time that you’re in the city. Be sure to make a reservation early because they fill up very quickly. For starters order the Shrimp Étouffée and Potato Gnocchi! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu but I’d highly recommend the Red Snapper and Corn Cappelletti. Seriously both the service and food were spectacular and I can’t wait to go back next time I’m in town.

I love traveling with JetBlue Vacations because it’s a one stop shop for flight and hotel. It just makes traveling easy — so that you can focus on your time in the city. I always book JetBlue whenever I can because they’re a company that gives back in a very big way. I recently went to Puerto Rico with JetBlue this summer (which I seriously had the best time ever) and after Hurricane Irma, JetBlue helped carry emergency supplies to PR. They’ve also launched 100x35JetBlue (honoring the popular reference to Puerto Rico’s 100×35 mile size). 100x35JetBlue is an immediate and long-term commitment to the Hurricane Relief efforts assisting with fundraising, airlift support, relief pricing, awareness, people deployment, unmet needs, and rebuilding efforts. That’s definitely something that I can stand behind.

I hope that you found this mini guide helpful for your next getaway to New Orleans! For JetBlue Vacation options, please visit JetBlue Vacations!

Special thanks to JetBlue, New Orleans Marriott Team and Kelli Boyd Photography!

Images by Kelli Boyd Photography