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Before Walking Down the Aisle,
Go Walkin’ (or Paddling) to New Orleans.
There was a time in New Orleans when grooms were expected to have bawdy bachelor parties in the French Quarter and brides had girly teas. Then, woman started demanding equal time on Bourbon Street and hit the cobblestoned streets running in their feathered boas and “Beignets, Booze and Besties” t-shirts.
While those kind of gatherings are still popular and can be a lot of fun, more and more couples these days are opting to share the fun with a co-ed bachelor party in NOLA. It especially makes sense when you’re here before your destination wedding and only have so much time together before the nuptials. Here are some options for your co-ed bachelor party or weekend in the Big Easy:
Get wild in the wild on a swamp
Some swamp tour companies allow liquor and will let you rent airboats or traditional swamp boats for a private tour.
Take a Cajun dancing or cooking class together
Just because it’s a party, doesn’t mean you can’t learn something. Head to Mulate’s to eat boiled crawfish and learn how to do the Cajun two-step. Or schedule an entertaining class at the New Orleans School of Cooking and learn how to gumbo or another "new favorite" dish.
Experience a burlesque brunch
SoBou, a member of the Commander’s Family of Restaurants in the French Quarter, features a Burlesque Brunch – “Legs and Eggs!” – on Sundays between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Enjoy three Creole courses priced between $29 and $36 with Bottomless Bellinis for $25 per person. Bella Blue, a world-famous burlesque dancer, performs to live music while you dine.
Design your own pub crawl
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Spend the night hopping from bar to bar or club to club – spots like Bourbon Heat and Crescent City Brewhouse are great fun in the French Quarter. Make sure you stop at Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop for the “purple drank,” and sip an absinthe frappe at Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House. Photo courtesy of Crescent City Brewhouse.
Go to a festival
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Weddings are a great excuse to go to French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest, Essence Fest, Voodoo Fest, or another New Orleans event as a group. Your friends will cherish this time together before your wedding and will talk about it for years to come. View New Orleans Event Calendar.
Photo courtesy of New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours
See Shake a Boa and Head to NOLA: Bachelorette Party Ideas
Read Sayonara to Singlehood: Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties
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