They say Walt Disney originally wanted the first Magic Kingdom in New Orleans, and you feel that when you step into the magic of the queer community here. This diverse, quirky, music-loving town will give you some of the best food you’ve ever had to eat. Plus, the queer things to do are inexhaustible. We’ve curated this local neighborhood guide so you can experience the best of your Pride season.
STAY
Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District
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2203 St Charles Avenue | New Orleans, LA | 70130
(504) 522-3650
Just a hop and a skip away from Nola’s iconic French Quarter, Hotel Indigo is tucked away inside a canopy of oaks inside the lush Garden District. Enjoy a cocktail on their patio and watch passersby in the New Orleans sun. This location is just a quick little walk from the Pride parade route and the (very active) queer nightlife and bar scene.
EAT
3607 Magazine St. | New Orleans, LA | 70115
(504) 509-7655
This restaurant is low-key inside an extravagant, soft-red salvaged mansion from 1883, managed and staffed by a diverse array of queer people. The folks behind the chef culture and restaurant group make sure their work environments are safe for all staffers, oh, and the food is to die for. Enjoy the “Helen’s Bow” with catfish honeysuckle vodka on happy hour, or their expansive selection of entrees that reinterpret and update your favorite Nola classics.
SEE
Waitress at The Saenger Theatre
1111 Canal Street | New Orleans, LA | 70116
(800) 854-2196
June 12th to 17th
After a $33.8 million dollar renovation in 2009 post-Katrina, this historic theater hosts the best shows in town. With a beautiful roof, and luxe velvet seating, the theatre will host Broadway hit Waitress, arriving just in time for Pride — a charming musical based on the movie about a woman who finds love, excitement, and affair in the setting of a local pie diner.
GO
Jazz Brunch at Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Ave | New Orleans, LA | 70130
(504) 899-8221
This 183-year old institution features 25-cent martinis. Need we say more? The swanky, James-Beard-winning mansion tucked in the Garden District features a Jazz Brunch on Sundays that will make you feel so Nola, you might as well move in. Try their signature chicory coffee and Cajun favorites while enjoying some smooth bass and saxophone.
DO
634 Louisa Street | New Orleans, LA | 70117
(504) 945-0742
Back in the day, this poolside eatery and bar was a mostly-nude establishment inhabited by sexy adventurers in Nola’s queer community. Now, it’s a family-friendly oasis in the Bywater that lets you pay for all-day pool access and delicious cocktails in the sweltering New Orleans sun. (And best-kept a secret, so shhh!)
The businesses listed are independent of Hotel Indigo and no endorsement or affiliation is intended or implied.
