New Orleans: Five Experiences

One:  Café Amelie (French quarter)

In the Quarter, you can often only gaze into the fine courtyards. But on Royal Street, just past Dumaine, on Wednesdays through Sundays, you can enter unmarked gates between two brick walls. Beyond, down a stone path, is one of the city's finest scenes for dining. A shaded courtyard with fountains constitutes most of the dining area at Café Amelie, whose property used to belong to the first American to become princess of Monaco (way before Grace Kelly). And then, beyond the courtyard is one of the city's best bar secrets: In a brick room with a painted blue ceiling under which you can barely get wifi is a small bar, seating, say, 6, with exceptional bartenders creating fine cocktails. Because the bar is deep behind a gated courtyard it is an oasis in the Quarter. 

912 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Two: Revel (Mid City)

Take the Cemeteries or City Park street cars up Canal Street. Hop off at Carrollton, cross to the opposite side, walk half a block to the right, and you will see Revel, the greatest place to drink and learn about cocktails in this city of cocktails. Without exception. See, Chris MacMillian, who built the place with his wife, Laura, is considered one of the Top 25 Cocktail Legends of All Time, according to Imbibe magazine and, well, according to cocktail aficionados who make pilgrimage to Revel from the world over.