Relaxing, Low-Key New Orleans Bachelorette Weekend

New Orleans is a popular destination for bachelorette parties and girls’ trips, but if you’re wanting to break away from the Bourbon Street nightlife, we’ve got the perfect guide for you. Trade in the frozen daiquiris for a robe and slippers, and the bottle service for a boat day. Here are a few relaxing, low-key ways to celebrate the bride on your bachelorette trip to NOLA.

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1. Stay in a low-key hotel

Want a more intimate stay on your trip to New Orleans? Try booking a smaller hotel, such as the Henry Howard Hotel, a 19-room accommodation tucked away in the Lower Garden District. A boutique hotel may fit the bill as well, like ONE11 Hotel in the French Quarter, the Eliza Jane in downtown NOLA, Hotel Peter & Paul in the Marigny, or Hotel Saint Vincent in the Lower Garden District.

2. Have a spa day

There’s no shortage of great day spas in New Orleans. From luxury treatments at The Spa at Four Seasons, to IV hydration at Spa Atlantis, to flotation therapy at Float NOLA, and mani-pedis at Lab & Lounge, the relaxation options are endless.

3. Enjoy the New Orleans food scene

Though New Orleans is known for its decadent dining, healthy options abound for every flavor palate. Mocktails are a great way to unwind without worrying about a hangover the next day. Still, just because your bachelorette weekend is lowkey doesn’t mean that you can’t indulge in po-boys, beignets, or other traditional New Orleans cuisine. New Orleans is your oyster—eat up!

4. Make Your Own Perfume or Candle

Tijon is a luxury fragrance brand with a location in the French Quarter. Their Mix & Match classes are perfect for groups. By the end of your workshop, you’ll leave having made three perfumes and bottling the one you like best, along with a gift bag of Tijon products. It’s an activity that everyone can do together, while each developing a custom product that’ll last for months to come. More of a candle girlie? Wick’s NOLA Candle Company hosts private candle-making classes where you and your krewe can work with the Wick’s team to customize your perfect scent. You’ll walk away from the experience with a 12-oz glass candle and a room and linen spray.

5. Stretch it out at yoga

Take your group to a yoga class in New Orleans. If yoga isn’t quite your thing, drop-in fitness classes offer a variety of workouts from Pilates to spin cycle to rock climbing. Footprints to Fitness offers custom bachelorette packages to fit your needs. For a challenge, branch out and try Pole Perfect Fitness or spend the day sampling classes at Spyre Center.

6. Picnic in a local park

Enjoy the natural wonders of New Orleans, which include several public parks and greenspaces. New Orleans City Park is the largest among them, with hundreds of live oak trees providing the perfect picnic shade. Pick up food from MoPho or Café Navarre while in City Park. Audubon Park is another great spot for picnicking, and there’s even a place called Picnic Provisions & Whiskey right around the corner that provides picnic essentials like fried chicken, coleslaw, and brownies. Check out our blog on picnic spots in New Orleans here to plan a lovely outdoor lunch.

7. Take a boat on Lake Pontchartrain

What better way to spend the day than to charter a boat on Lake Pontchartrain? New Orleans Yacht Experience offers two-hour day and sunset sails, both private charters. Plus, it comes with a worry-free weather guarantee.

8. Have a tea party

Who says tea parties are just for children? The Windsor Court offers tea seatings on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in Le Salon complete with sandwiches and boozy beverage options.

9. Take an educational tour

Skip the ghost and drinking tours a typical tourist would select and branch out with a local history tour. Book with All Bout Dat Tours or 2^nd Line Tours to learn about the Black history of New Orleans. New Orleans Green Tours is all about the environment and the way water, particularly the Mississippi River, has shaped the city throughout time. You could also book a visit to a historic home, such as Hermann-Grima House, or a plantation such as the Whitney Plantation. For more New Orleans tours, see here.

10. Catch live music

Want to catch a show but skip the crowds? Consider getting ahead of the nighttime crowd and seeing a show in the daytime or early evening. Every Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., famed clarinetist Doreen Ketchens performs in front of 701 Royal St. in the French Quarter. The Ritz-Carlton’s Davenport Lounge or Pontchartrain Hotel’s Bayou Bar are two great spots to sip a cocktail while relaxing to the sounds of live jazz. Check our live music calendar here and make sure to add a show to your bachelorette weekend.