I can’t oversell New Orleans – this city is so fun, and was a great location for a bachelorette party. Obviously it’s a party all year round, but the city is so interesting in and of itself. The architecture is amazing with all the French influence, and I’m now obsessed with courtyards. No need to mention that the food is clearly incredible, of course.

A lot of my New Orleans knowledge, however, came from the third season of American Horror Story. While the story is fiction, many of the characters are based off of real New Orleans’ local icons. Voodoo is ever-present in New Orleans, and Marie Laveau is embedded in the culture; Her legacy lives on and her influence is clear. As a result, I ended up in a little Voodoo shop named after the queen herself. I picked up The Magic of Marie Laveau by Denise Alvarado, which gave insight into her life from a New Orleans native. I was surprised to read about the Catholic influence that Marie Laveau’s Voodoo contained, as well as her history with slavery. While she was free herself, she was married to a slaveowner, but it is rumored that she worked behind the scenes to get people free. The people of New Orleans evidently hold her to high regards, and her power very clearly still breathes through the city.

Here’s some other pics from my awesome trip:

The vibe of New Orleans was definitely unique in a way that I’ve never experienced before, and I am absolutely looking forward to going back.

Thanks for reading!