New Orleans with Kids

We had a fantastic time on our recent road trip to New Orleans.  It took us 2 days to get there, and the girls were great travelers (thank goodness)!  O(6) studied this map as we traveled. She learned the location of many states, and she was especially excited to learn how to spell Mississippi!

On our first day of vacation, we went on a tour of a Creole Plantation (Laura Plantation).  The girls were enthralled and listened intently throughout the tour.

O(6) dug into the crawfish that we had for lunch, but E(3) was a little more hesitant.  Later in the week I bribed them (with chocolate) to try fried alligator, and they loved it.

We went to City Park several times, and the girls loved it every time.

O(6) drew a picture after our trip to see a graveyard.  The girls thought the raised gravestones were very interesting.

Riding on a steamboat on the Mississippi River was a HUGE hit with the girls! They loved watching the paddle wheel and touring the engine room.

Since these girls are obsessed with history, they were super excited to sit next this statue of an "old time" lady in the French Quarter.

Both girls were so excited to choose special Mardi Gras masks!  We read the American Girl Marie-Grace and Cecile books while we were in New Orleans, and the girls are excited about having a MG and Cecile Mardi Gras party now that we have finished the series of books!

The girls played with their Marie-Grace and Cecile paper dolls every afternoon in our hotel room.

O(6) told us that it was her dream to walk through revolving doors, so we stopped and went into this fancy hotel.  The girls were SO excited.  I love that such simple things make them so happy!

Back to City Park!  The girls had fun climbing the trees...

And running, dancing, and playing in this memorial.

The girls were SO excited when this ice-cream truck came by when we were playing on the playground.  They've never seen an ice-cream truck before, so this was a special treat!

The girls were excited to ride a streetcar on Canal Street!

We loved walking around the French Quarter and Jackson Square.  We watched a fun magic show!

The girls threw coins in the fountain and made wishes in front of St. Louis Cathedral.

They were excited to take money to the street musicians in front of St. Louis Cathedral.

When we asked the girls what their favorite part of the trip was, they said that swimming in the hotel pool was the best!  I'm not surprised!  The hotel pool is the best part of most of our trips :)