Do you want to eat where conspirators planned to stash Napoleon after rescuing him from exile? Or care for a drink from the place where pirates fronted their smuggling operation? How about staying at a haunted hotel?
It is tempting to book your stay at an international hotel brand and eat your meals at national restaurant chains. However, some places, like New Orleans, demand we veer from that path. In this post, we are going to discuss how you can eat, drink, and sleep history in New Orleans.
Eat: The Napoleon House
Construction of the Napoleon House began in 1797. The structure was originally built for the private residence of Nicholas Girod, who served as New Orleans Mayor from 1812 to 1815. Girod played a key role with Andrew Jackson in preparing the city for the anticipated British invasion leading up to the Battle of New Orleans.
Legend has it that the house got its name from a plot to rescue Napoleon Bonaparte from exile on the island of St. Helena. This was his second exile in 1815 after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Allegedly, Girod offered his house to Napoleon if he were to make it safely to New Orleans. Unfortunately for his supporters, Napoleon died in 1821 before any rescue could occur.
Today, the first floor of the Napoleon House is occupied by the Napoleon House Bar and Cafe. The establishment’s specialties are its Pimm’s Cup cocktail (delicious) and muffuletta sandwiches. If you absolutely love olives, then a muffuletta is up your alley (there’s a lot of olives). If not, opt for something else.
Drink: Laffite’s Blacksmith Shop
We’ve discussed Jean Laffite a few times on this blog. That’s because he is a very captivating individual. He and his brother, Pierre, were pirates who dramatically sided with the United States over the British leading up to the Battle of New Orleans.
Before moving his smuggling operations to Barataria Bay—basically a pirate colony—he ran his illegal venture out of his blacksmith shop in New Orleans. This is believed to be the building that now houses Laffite’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. This picturesque watering hole on Bourbon Street is famous for its Voodoo Daquiri, aka Purple Drank. It’s a perfect way to cool down on those hot New Orleans nights.
Sleep: Bourbon Orleans (If you dare)
The site of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel—named for its location on Bourbon and Orleans Streets—has a storied history dating back to 1806. It started out as a theatre and ballroom. It quickly became the center of New Orleans society and the opera capital of the United States. In 1881, the Sisters of the Holy Family purchased the theatre and converted it into a convent. In the mid-1960s, the nuns sold the land to a developer who restored the ballroom and built a hotel.
The site’s complex past, including two devasting fires, contributes to the Bourbon Orleans. According to USA Today, this earned it a spot on the top 10 most haunted hotels in America. There are several ghosts believed to occupy the hotel. From the hotel’s website:
First, there is the story of the Confederate Soldier or “The Man” that surrounds both the sixth and third floors. Then there are the sightings of a little girl rolling her ball and chasing it down the sixth floor corridors or light footsteps often heard in the hallways. The ghost children and female apparitions at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel are most likely from the era of the Sisters of the Holy Family when the hotel was a convent, girls’ school, medical ward, and orphanage.
And lastly, the famous Orleans Ballroom, home to the grandest social events of the nineteenth century, is also home of a lonely ghost dancer seen dancing underneath the ballroom’s crystal chandelier. Several reports have been made of the rustling and a person hiding behind the draperies in the ballroom, without a window open or person actually there.
Full disclosure: I did not know about the Bourbon Orleans’ haunted reputation until the last day of my stay. It is a good thing too! Sleep might’ve been difficult in spite of the hotel’s comfortable beds!
Experience More
Although the national brands with their catchy slogans and commercials are tempting, do yourself a favor and look at establishments with more history and character. New Orleans has a lot of both! Just maybe save the research into your hotel until after your stay…
Related Posts:
5 Things History To Do in New Orleans
Commemorating the Battle of New Orleans: A Totally Normal Trip
Spirits of the French Quarter: Exploring Haunted History
Visiting Chalmette: 7 Interesting Things About the Battle of New Orleans