New Orleans: Warehouse District & the National WWII Museum

22

Jan

I finished my last post about my great adventures in Italy last week, so I’m moving on to the next adventures I had recently! πŸ™‚ You may have seen my post over the summer where I announced that I’m on a quest to visit all 50 states by the time I turn 30, and I had already been to 39 states. I was planning a visit to my family in Florida in August and I happened to find really cheap tickets to New Orleans. I’ve always wanted to go to New Orleans- mostly for the food, which did not disappoint! Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama were on my list of states to visit, so I decided to lengthen my Florida trip to visit them! (And yes, I visited New Orleans in the hottest part of the summer, and yes, it was incredibly hot and humid!) My mom joined me so we turned it into a long girl’s weekend before going to Florida.

New Orleans: Warehouse District & the National WWII Museum

Our first stop was the New Orleans Warehouse District. We stayed at the The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, which was a beautiful hotel in an old chandlery and warehouse. It was within walking distance to the French Quarter, so we could easily get to the main sights while getting a good night’s sleep away from any noisy nightlife.

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The Old No. 77 Hotel & ChandleryΒ The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery

Like I said before, I was mostly excited for the food in New Orleans, and the first restaurant we went to was theΒ St. James Cheese Company right near our hotel. As you probably got from the name, it serves cheesy sandwiches and other food with cheese, so it’s not your typical New Orleans fare. But if you like cheese as much as I do, you NEED to go! I had one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had, and they did not skimp on the melted cheese.Β 

St. James Cheese Company

After getting our fill of cheese, we wandered through the Warehouse District towards the National WWII Museum. There weren’t many people around, so it was nice to have a relaxing walk around some beautiful buildings.

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Julia Street

I found a Julia Street!! πŸ™‚

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

New Orleans Warehouse District

We made it down to the National WWII Museum, and I was impressed with how big it is- and they’re still expanding it! If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering why on earth the National WWII Museum is in New Orleans, and that was the first question I asked the guides. They told me that New Orleans had a large factory that designed and manufactured boats that had a big impact on the war. After the war ended, a museum called the D-Day Museum (since the boats were used for D-Day) was created about the vessels made in the city and New Orleans’ participation in the war. Later, historian Stephen Ambrose realized that there was no national museum about WWII yet, so he helped turn the D-Day Museum into the National WWII Museum. So there is a reason why it’s in New Orleans!

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

The museum is pretty big, and it probably took us about two hours to go through it. It was a very interesting museum, and I loved that they had exhibits about life in the area during the war and the different parts everyone in the area played. They had a lot of interactive exhibits, like a snowy area portraying the winters in Europe and a jungle area to show what the war in the Pacific was like.

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

I found a fellow Dent!

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

National WWII Museum

I highly recommend walking through the New Orleans Warehouse District and visiting the National WWII Museum! It was unlike anything else I saw in New Orleans, and the history was fascinating. I’m a history enthusiast (I’m currently taking a graduate level Old Norse class if that tells you anything), and there was a lot of information about WWII that I hadn’t learned before. And I would love to go back once they finish expanding! πŸ™‚

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Blog, New Orleans & the Deep South, North America, Photography, Travel, USA

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  1. Katherine says:

    That hotel is absolutely beautiful! I love the architecture of New Orleans!

  2. Zoe says:

    Great read! I would definitely visit the museum if I was there!

  3. Good to know there is something more to do there than drink πŸ™‚ I haven’t gone since I was 21. The WWII Museum looks really cool!

  4. Stefan says:

    Wow! So many great photos!

    Thanks for sharing. You showed me a part of New Orleans I’ve never seen or even heard of before. Really digging your photos. Can’t wait to see what else you come out with!

  5. kate says:

    I’ve never been to New Orleans before but these pictures make me REALLY want to go!! So many colorful buildings there. And I can’t imagine the kinds of foods they have there as well

  6. Heidi Roland says:

    So cool – I love following along on your travels!

  7. holy guacamole this post gave me soooo much wanderlust! just like your last one did! nola is on my list of places to visit! and that’s awesome that you want to visit all 50 states! and it seems you’re not far off πŸ™‚

    is it weird that i’m like obsesseddd with that bathroom? like i need it in my house?

    • Julia says:

      You should definitely visit NOLA when you get the chance!! And I loved the bathroom, too! πŸ™‚ The shower was especially cool!

  8. Ashley says:

    I’ve heard so many people loving on New Orleans lately and really enjoyed seeing the city through your lens. Also, the workspace at The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery is amazing – I love all the old brick.

  9. Cathie says:

    Great photos of New Orleans. I love it there. And good luck on visiting all 50 states. I finished my last state (Maine) 2 years ago!

  10. tonya says:

    Wow, that hotel looked amazing! Thank you sharing your travels to New Orleans.

  11. Jessica R says:

    Wow! I am in love with that old chandlery and warehouse hotel! New Orleans has been on my list for awhile and now I really want to go!

  12. Carole Thomas says:

    I have never been to New Orleans, but want to go there. This was a very interesting post. I look forward to more about New Orleans, maybe?

  13. Nikki says:

    I have only been to New Orleans once to board a cruise so I only had one day sight seeing time. I really want to go back and this museum is a must see.
    πŸ™‚ gwingal

  14. Gorgeous photos, Julia! We lived in New Orleans while I was in law school. My husband worked at the Navy Base. So many memories of early marriage! Thanks for this!

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