How to Spend Two Days in New Orleans

New Orleans is a place of fantastic vignettes. Granted, it may be something as sublimely simple as a man whistling as he uses a hose to wash away morning's soft kiss from his sidewalk tables, but every time I leave for home, I do so with another lasting image stuck in my head ... Something to cherish and replay over and over again for no reason whatsoever. That's what New Orleans has always been to me – well, that and more times than I can or do recall – a really great party that never runs out of food, drink and music!

Now that I'm married, we try to stay at one of the city's fantastic boutique hotels. A place like the graceful Hôtel Provincial, which sits just a few blocks away from Bourbon Street, is a perfect bet. Owned by the Dupepe Family since the 1960s, this charmer is decorated with plenty of antiques, and the staff is widely regarded as one of the town's friendliest.

Once lodging's been squared away, the next priority is making sure we stay well fed. Fortunately, in New Orleans, finding something good to eat is never a problem.

On nearby Royal Street sits one of my favorite restaurants on the planet, Court of Two Sisters. If time allows, we eat here at least once on every trip. For starters, they serve brunch everyday, which is a wonderful concept, and the seasonal buffet spread is consistently awesome. I've been known to embarrass those with me by making multiple trips for oysters or the étouffée du jour. An added perk is the great live jazz, also on the menu daily.

Another favorite ritual involves grabbing a muffuletta at Central Grocery and then attempting to down the entire thing in Jackson Square under the watchful gaze of the oldest active cathedral in the US, St Louis Cathedral (which, incidentally, offers a terrific guided tour). Sure, there are less sloppy ways for an out-of-towner to lunch, but why anybody would even think about trying anything else is beyond me.

While more refined culinary pleasures can be had, it's virtually impossible to find a place that outdoes the cookery of Coop's. Yes, it's a hole in the wall. If that kind of thing bothers you, visit at night, when your eyes are somewhat shielded from the worn and weathered setting. Whether you're a seasoned vet or a rookie, the Taste Plate loaded with gumbo and red beans-n-rice is the way to go.

When not feeding, we spend as much time as we can exploring afoot. Flat and navigable, New Orleans is great for that. Bourbon Street at night is a given because that's when it's at its bawdiest best and places like Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop bust at the seams. A walk-thru during the daylight hours is a must, too – if only to see what the heart of the Quarter looks like without the dramatic lighting and nightly makeup.

If it's our intent to spend money, Royal Street, with all the high-end antique stores and galleries is usually more than happy to oblige. Only by sheer good fortune can we pass through without acquiring at least one bag, usually from Keil's. An alternative to dropping big bucks on antiques and art is stopping off by the French Market. America's oldest city market is full of history and local color. Here, baskets of fresh corn and tomatoes share space with antiques, craftwork and a handful of restaurants and cafés. If you want it, and you're willing to spend time looking for it, chances are great you'll find it at the French Market.

At night, the place perpetually reinvents and repopulates itself. I often find myself wondering where, exactly, all these partiers were hiding earlier in the day as I sat, mouth full in Jackson Square, hoping to avoid the undignified splatter of chopped olive spread across the front of my shirt. Since I'm no longer dead-set on throwing back Hurricanes all night long, I'm open to late night alternatives. Fortunately, there's no shortage of those thanks to places like the Preservation Hall, where I can sit on a bench for hours and listen to amazing musicians, many of them old enough to collect Social Security, jazz the night away.

A more touristy, but no less fun, alternative to hitting the bar and music scene is signing up for one of the Haunted History Ghost Tours offered at Rev Zombies's Voodoo Shop. The ghost tour thing is something I'd avoided for years, but after getting roped into one in Edinburgh a while back, I discovered how much fun they can be. If you're fortunate enough to get on the 8pm tour, brace yourself – your guide will be taking you to some of the creepiest spots in the city, and trust me, with the dark alleys of the French Quarter, scores of documented haunted homes and the legendary Vieux Carre, New Orleans is bound to have a stray spirit here and there.