New orleans Summer Bucket List

The famous quote by Ian McNulty goes, “People don't live in New Orleans because it is easy. They live here because they are incapable of living anywhere else in the just same way.” There is no time that I feel that more than in the peak of the sweltering New Orleans summer. But even in the living sauna that is New Orleans, there is still so much of the city to enjoy. 

To celebrate another season in New Orleans and to remind myself to stop hiding from the heat inside, I've put together a bucketlist of all of my summer favorites in the city. 

FREE FRIDAY'S AT TIPITINAS 
Every Friday night, through August 30, Tipitina’s has a free show!
Doors open at 9 p.m. with the shows beginning at 10 p.m. Check out the lineup of free concerts here.

TWILIGHT AT AUDUBON PARK
Beat the heat and soak in the Spanish moss in the most beautiful spot in New Orleans.
​Hit the walking path or bike path at twilight and never feel quite the same way about a century old oak tree again. 

KAYAKING AT BAYOU ST. JOHN
Be your best adventurer and hit the bayou in the middle of the city.
Rent a kayak here or consider these cool inflatable ones on Amazon.

ROCK N' BOWL
Yeah they have bowling, but have you ever experienced the rock part? 
With live music most days of the week and a latin night every Tuesday, this is an unexpectedly cool hang. 
See their live music calendar here. 

THE COUNTRY CLUB POOL DAYS
It's hot AF and a good pool can be hard to come by, especially at a place that offers a great drag brunch. 
​For $15, get yourself into this beloved summer hot spot complete with frozen pina coladas and an incredible playlist. 

THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION
This free museum experience is the best way to beat the heat and soak in some history in the French Quarter. 
Check out their latest exhibition on Art of the City: Postmodern to Post-Katrina.

FRIDAY LUNCH AT COMMANDER'S PALACE
Summer Fridays are some of the best days of summer.
Nothing makes it better than three .25 cent martinis at lunch in the Garden Room at Commander's Palace. Reservations recommended!

HANSEN'S SNO BLIZ - SATSUMA SNOBALL
What's the point of summer in New Orleans without snoballs? We've talked about this before, but there is no better snoball than the ones at Hansen's. My personal recommendation is the unparalleled satsuma snoball with a hit of vanilla at the end.

SUPERIOR SEAFOOD - FROZEN FRENCH 75
As a self-proclaimed connoisseur of frozen drinks in New Orleans, I've tried a lot of them.
The top of my list always goes to the Frozen French 75 at Superior Seafood.

QUE RICO! CUBAN CAFE
Get your plantain fix in at this new cute cuban place in the middle of Magazine Street.

CLARET WINE & COCKTAIL BAR
This new cutie just opened in the Lower Garden District next to the new Krewe, Dirty Coast and third Satsuma location.
With instagramable cocktails and small plates, it's the newest hot spot on the Uptown scene.

NOLE' RESTURANT
New on St. Charles Avenue, this place has the "HOLA Y'ALL" sign you're seeing all over the gram
​and a Mexican street corn plate that I'm drooling over.

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL
With an entire conference dedicated to my love of cocktails, this event offers my favorite kind of tastings, dinners and seminars.
See the full schedule here. 

COOLINARY NEW ORLEANS
There is a ton of fancy food in New Orleans. Get the chance to eat it all without the financial guilt during COOLinary New Orleans Restaurant Month. See all the offerings of specially priced prix-fixe lunch, dinner and brunch menus here.

HANCOCK WHITNEY WHITE LINEN NIGHT
Dress in white linen and take to Julia Street for the best summer block party in New Orleans.
Have a great night with live music, open art galleries, food and drinks. Can't make it? Try Dirty Linen Night the next week! 

RED DRESS RUN
Watch a sea of tacky red dresses take over Bourbon Street all in the name of charity. 
See our 30/90 Essential Men's Style Guide to Red Dress run here. 

SOUTHERN DECADENCE
Send summer off with a bang with the largest LGBT+ event in New Orleans.
​Don't miss the Sunday Southern Decadence Parade, offering enough glitter to make the whole world just a little bit better. 

Are any of your summer favorites missing from the list? Drop them in the comments below.
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