My friend Katie and I visited “The Big Easy” a few weeks ago and I liked it so much, I tried to convince Katie to move there with me. Friends had warned me that I wouldn’t like New Orleans because it was run down and grimy but to be honest, that was what added to the appeal. The edginess gave it character.

I’ve been to a lot of cities famous for being kooky and quirky over the years. I’ve visited infamously wacky cities like Austin and Portland, OR and lesser known weirdo meccas like Santa Cruz, California. I’ve also lived in New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas…not to mention Tokyo, which was quite possible the strangest experience I’ve had to date (penis festival, anyone?). But it came as pleasant surprise to find that New Orleans also had a quirky side,  too. I wasn’t expecting that.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the trip.:

This bathtub cemetery was in the court yard of the India House Hostel.

Staying at a youth hostel, especially one known for being a party hostel (it made it onto Matador’s list of the top 20 craziest party hostels in the world) was an odd experience. I walked into the shared bathroom one night to find a naked girl climbing out of the shower. “Oh my God, sorry!” I said, quickly backing out of the open doorway. “That’s okay!” She replied quickly with a laugh. “You can join me if you want!” Umm. No thanks, ha (it was like my Miami hostel experience all over again). My friend and I were kept up all night by people talking and laughing and falling down the stairwell next to our room.  More than once I found myself thinking: “Man, I’m too old for this sh*t“. I think next time I’ll splurge for a B&B.

This man made his dog “play dead” and lay in a coffin. Although I felt really bad for the dog, he didn’t seem to mind it too much.

I thought this was such a clever way to make money! This guy played piano while his friend towed him through the French Quarter on his bicycle.

Here’s me and my friend at the NOMA Sculpture Garden.

I recommend going there if you’re in New Orleans because:

1. It’s free

2. There are a lot of opportunities for funny photos

3. They have a cute restaurant next door with outdoor seating. I ate some delicious beignets (fried dough with powdered sugar) and gumbo. Afterwards, we wandered around the park. There’s a river there and some pretty willow trees.

We found this funny sign on Royal street in the French Quarter.  Apparently apartments in NOLA do not include ghosts. Maybe hauntings cost extra?

Have you ever been to New Orleans? What did you do while there?

Reannon Muth

Reannon Muth is a full-time writer, social media consultant and owner and manager of the Taken by the Wind travel blog. Born in Hawaii, Reannon has lived in five countries, at Disney World and on a cruise ship. She currently lives in fabulous Las Vegas.