Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places in Kenner

"Commander's Palace has been around since the late 1800s, but under Ella Brennan’s leadership starting in the 1970s, the restaurant essentially redefined New Orleans cuisine and catapulted into stardom with the help of celeb chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. Today, the menu and service are top notch with James Beard Award-winning chef Tory McPhail leading the kitchen and Ti Martin and Lally Brennan running the show. Go for lunch and make sure to end the meal with the bread pudding soufflé and whiskey sauce."

"While you’re in the Garden District or shopping on Magazine Street, you have to stop by Commander’s Palace. The place has been around since 1880, and it’s one of the most famous restaurants in New Orleans for a reason. Their famous teal and white striped exterior is what landed them on this list, but definitely check them out for fine Creole dining and their jazz brunch too."

"1403 Washington Ave., (504) 899-8221; www.commanderspalace.com. Duck fat-seared bluefin tuna is served with Meyer lemon grilled greens and sweet potato boulangere with miso-lemon grass veal bone jus and foie gras ganache. Reservations recommended."

"This is where everyone in New Orleans (Catholic, Protestant or n/a) wants to be married and buried. The stately church reigns over Jackson Square with its three soaring spires and classically proportioned white façade. This building dates from 1849, but a church has been in this spot since 1724."

"St. Louis Cathedral is an iconic landmark of the French Quarter, located in front of the Jackson Square. It is the oldest cathedral in the United States. It has Renaissance and Spanish Colonial type architecture."

"From here, you’ve got Jackson Square literally across the street, or if you walk out and to the right you can go to the French Market. Do both in whatever order you like then head into the center of the French Quarter. Some key points to check out in this small zone are: the artists along the street at Jackson Square, St Lous Cathedral (you can’t miss it), New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo, and shopping for antiques on Royal Street. Of course, Bourbon street is here too and always popping even in the daytime."

"Once a military parade ground at the very centre of the city Jackson Square was first laid out in 1720s in the style of Place des Vosges in Paris. After the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 the plaza was renamed in honour of the victorious General Andrew Jackson who would become the seventh president of the United States between 1829 and 1837. At the very centre of formal gardens is the equestrian statue for Jackson by sculptor Clark Mills and unveiled in 1856."

"Jackson Square is pretty famous in New Orleans, Louisiana, and tourists gravitate towards it like nobody’s business in their quest for what to do for fun while visiting. Once upon a time, Jackson Square was a ground for military parades back in the 1720s, somewhat similar to Paris’ Place des Vosges. In 1815, once the Battle of New Orleans drew to a close, the area was renamed to honor General Andrew Jackson."

"Civil War Museum and Ogden Museum of Southern Art|© Richard Cummins / Alamy Stock Photo. Sitting adjacent to the National WWII Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center, this Smithsonian-affiliated museum celebrates the culture of Southern artists through folk art, painting, photography, sculpture and handcrafted heritage, as well as contemporary works from Southern artists and designers. With works dating back to 1733, there’s a permanent collection of more than 4,000 pieces from 15 states, making it the most comprehensive collection of Southern art in the world."

"If you’ve got an eye for art, you simply have to check out the New Orleans Museum of Art, known simply as NOMA for short. Located in City Park, this museum shows off some of the truly beautiful and historically rich art. This Louisiana museum first began its journey in 1912, when Isaac Delgado, an art collector and sugar broker, left the city behind, also leaving a large financial grant to be used to establish the museum."

"In the south part of City Park is the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the finest of its kind in the South. The museum features an excellent collection of French and American art, as well as African and Japanese pieces. On site and another of the institutions highlights is the outdoor Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, with more than 60 sculptures, as well as walking paths, lagoons, and mature live oak trees."

"Sitting in the back courtyard at Bacchanal feels quite a lot like being invited to a friend’s private party if your friends had live jazz bands in their backyards and an extensive wine list and delightful small plates. The atmosphere is convivial and neighborhood-y, and the location on the far downriver end of the Bywater neighborhood means that tourists are few and far between. The jazz on hand is mostly hot jazz, string jazz, and bebop or hard bop, so heads up, hard-core jazz aficionados.600 Poland Ave. (Bywater) / (504) 948-9111"

"After sampling so many cocktails, maybe it’s time to switch to a wine bar. Wine lovers will absolutely love Bacchanal, which bills itself as the city’s “backyard party.” The city shut them down due to a lack of permits, but thanks to local support they managed to bring their wine-fueled shindigs back to the city’s Bywater district. At first glance, Bacchanal doesn’t look like much."

"For a good wine selection, great bites of food and one of the largest outdoor areas in the Bywater, head to Bacchanal. Located right along the river, the casual wine store and eatery has live music almost every night."

"The New Orleans Botanical Garden was designed during the Great Depression era as a project for the Works Progress Administration. It is one of the few examples of a public garden still remaining to this day from the Art Deco Period. Come out to see this amazing beauty and learn about the different plants that reside in the garden!"

"You can still feel the glamour that must have accompanied the opening of Saenger Theatre in 1927. Although the capacity has been cut from 4,000 to 2,600, the grand venue is still one of the biggest theaters in town, with a performance hall modeled on an Italian baroque courtyard and overhead lighting that resembles a starry constellation. The space hosts big events that still need a more intimate setting than a sports arena: touring Broadway shows, big-name comedians, and the occasional concert."

"With decorative moldings and ornate archways, the interior of the Saenger Theatre replicates that of a grand Italian courtyard, complete with a starry sky ceiling. Having been devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the theatre underwent a huge restoration project and reopened in 2013 to offer a bustling schedule of live music, lectures, comedy, and more."

"The historic Saenger Theatre in New Orleans is one of the Gulf Coast’s premier live entertainment venues. Heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina, the ‘Grand Dame of the South’ reopened its doors in September 2013 after an extensive restoration. The 1927 design lives on in this iconic live performance venue."

"Tommy's Wine Bar is adjacent to Tommy's Cuisine, an upscale Creole-Italian restaurant tucked away on Tchop in New Orleans' Warehouse District. The wine bar serves more than a dozen wines by the class, with another 150 or so bottles on the list. Cocktails, cordials and specialty drinks can be made at the full service bar."

"746 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 581-1103; www.tommyscuisine.com. Gulf fish Capri is served with local blue crabmeat, crawfish tails, artichokes and lemon-caper beurre blanc. Reservations recommended."

"A fine dining seafood restaurant located in the waterfront warehouse district of New Orleans, Tommy’s Cuisine is also known for their Creole take on classic Italian."

"You may not have heard of La Boulangerie even though the Uptown cafe has been open since 2000. You also may be unfamiliar with the Link Restaurant Group that started managing La Boulangerie in 2015. However, you probably know some of the management group’s restaurants like Cochon, Herbsaint and Peche."

"La Boulangerie is hybrid bakery/cafe located on Magazine Street in New Orleans. The kitchen specializes in traditional French pastries and breads that are on display at the counter. For breakfast, coffee and a chocolate filled croissant can make a great start to a day in the Garden District."

"4600 Magazine St., (504) 269-3777; www.laboulangerienola.com. A L’Atlantique sandwich includes smoked salmon, avocado, arugula and lemon mayonnaise on toasted olive bread."

"Tyler St., Covington, (985) 276-6460; 1788 Carol Sue Ave., Terrytown, (504) 392-7589; 3900 General De Gaulle Drive, (504) 367-0227; 6641 Westbank Expressway, Marrero, (504) 341-4096; www.dimartinos.com. A muffuletta includes ham, salami, provolone cheese and olive salad on a seeded roll."

"Famous for its doberge cakes since 1949, Gambino’s Bakery ships cakes (and king cakes during Carnival season) all over the map. Order a half and half (lemon and chocolate) or opt for a chocolate peanut butter cake, or maybe a coconut cream. The designer cakes are swank."

"4821 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 885-7500; www.gambinos.com. Lemon and chocolate doberge cakes feature six layers of buttermilk cake, buttercream filling and fondant icing."

"833 Howard Ave., (504) 299-8792; G’s Kitchen Spot, Balcony Bar, 3201 Magazine St., (504) 894-8888; 4840 Bienville St., (504) 483-6464; www.gspizzas.com. A Bienville Supreme pie includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and tomato sauce."

"After exploring the Mid-City cemeteries, stop by G's Pizza to refuel. This funky little spot is tucked away on Bienville (there are two other NOLA locations, too), and they serve delicious pizza, pasta, salads, and sandwiches. I love their NOLA Green Roots Pizza!"

"Mid CityLiterally every meat item on this menu has a vegan counterpart, from the classic Philly to poutine to the vegan Far East Philly which combines steak seitan, fried pickle onions, and vegan cream cheese. Even the dessert has been vegan-ified -- the Yum Bun takes vegan ice cream and sprinkles it with cereal served on top of a hot vegan honey bun."

"Trilly Cheesesteaks serves up some of the most delicious cheesesteaks in Louisiana. And, even though they’re famous for their traditional sandwiches, it’s the vegan cheesesteaks that really steal the show."

"500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; www.bananablossom504.com. Larb gai is a salad with ground chicken, onion, cilantro, mint and toasted rice-lime dressing. Reservations accepted."

"The NOMA Sculpture Garden is another great part of City Park. It is a a free portion of the NOMA Museum and, as with everything in City Park, is surprisingly large, with a ton of sculptures placed among beautiful trees and small ponds. There are plenty of fun statues that make for great Instagram shots."

"We are really sad we missed the WWII museum in New Orleans, it’s the country’s largest WWII museum and has rave reviews thanks to its many interactive exhibits and even a 4D movie. We skipped because we had such an action-packed schedule we couldn’t commit the few hours we would want to spend inside. We already decided we would be back to New Orleans, so we will definitely make it a priority next time, however, if you have time be sure to check it out."

"Older kids and adults will find this exemplary museum worth exploring. Exhibits examine America's contribution to the Allied victory in World War II, with a multi-sensory cinematic feature produced and narrated by Tom Hanks playing at the 4D Solomon Victory Theater. A post shared by The National WWII Museum (@wwiimuseum) on Mar 31, 2018 at 3:03pm PDT"

"The WWII museum is said to be one of the best in the USA and is another great option. Dinner at Bacchanal Wine Bar"

"The Whitney plantation is the first American museum dedicated to slavery. It has records of memoirs from literate slaves and their experiences. The Whitney plantation focuses on the institution of slavery. The Laura plantation is a creole owned plantation whereby the family tell the history of the their generation."

"Other plantations in the area to consider are the Laura Plantation, the Houmas House Plantation, the Nottoway Plantation, and the Whitney Plantation, among others. The Whitney Plantation is newly renovated and has an exhibit that focuses on the children of slavery that is said to be deeply moving and emotional."

"If you’re going to visit any plantations, please make The Whitney Plantation a priority. It’s the first slavery museum in America, dedicated to telling the history of slaves in their own words, taken from historical records."