Ricky came up with the title for this blog post, so I didn’t even bother brainstorming any alternatives. The trip I want to share, Jackson & NOLA, is definitely one from the archives. Meaning the details might not be as vivid because my memory sometimes makes me feel older than my 29 years. However, despite its age, this journey has always been one of my favorite US trips.
In early 2021, we received an invitation to a wedding for one of our close college friends. He and his family are from Jackson, MS, where the wedding was taking place. I was excited to see a different part of the US, and since the event fell on our anniversary date, we had double the reason to celebrate.
This trip was approached in the same way I do all others. I researched things to do, historical sites, top-rated restaurants, bars, etc. I was captivated by all the activities we could do during our few days there. However, when I shared my travel plans with some friends, their initial reaction was, “Wow, that’s going to be boring, there’s nothing to do there.” After hearing a few more comments like this, I was determined to prove everyone wrong.
We arrived in Jackson late in the day, as the drive from Fayetteville took seven hours and we departed around noon. We made it just in time to try one of the restaurants on my list, Babalu. This establishment had served the Jackson area for over ten years before sadly closing its doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was extremely disappointed to learn this because the food and cocktails we enjoyed were incredible, including some top-tier tableside guacamole, and I am a hard judge of guac.
After dinner, we headed to our Airbnb in the Fondren District, which was incredibly charming. Despite recent complaints about declining service and increased prices, I love using Airbnb, primarily for the immense privacy it offers. I’ve had experiences in hotels where my tics were mistaken for a dog, leading to security being called. That doesn’t happen at an Airbnb. The peace of mind it provides outweighs any continental breakfast or cleaning fee.
Our Airbnb was a cute cottage with a spacious master bedroom. It felt homey and inviting. After our first night there, we had a full itinerary planned. We started our day with breakfast at Brent’s Drugs, a diner that has been open in Jackson since 1945. Taken straight from Brent’s Drugs’ website: “The soda fountain and classic bar stools remain in the original 1946 location and are still a gathering place for friends and neighbors alike. Decades and generations later, Brent’s Drugs continues to prescribe soda fountain favorites and Southern hospitality.”
After breakfast, we visited the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, which I can only describe as essential. As a foreigner, it helped me understand much about American History that I didn’t before. It was somber, devastating, and encouraging. Seeing people’s resilience and strength against injustice was pivotal for me. We also visited the Museum of Mississippi History, which opened its doors in 2017. In conjunction with the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, it celebrates Mississippi’s bicentennial. The theme of the history museum is “One Mississippi, Many Stories.”
We had lunch at Estelle Wine Bar and Bistro, where I had a life-changing fried green tomato caprese. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and eat at Estelle’s. After lunch, we continued our museum tour at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Who knew Jackson had so many cool museums? I did, because I thoroughly researched when people trash-talked the town. After the museum, we returned to our Airbnb to get ready for the wedding. It was a wonderful event where we got to catch up with old friends. Afterward, we visited The Apothecary, a cool speakeasy bar located behind Brent’s Drugs.
Our last night in Jackson came all too quickly, and there were still so many places I wanted to visit. However, someone at the wedding mentioned how close we were to New Orleans, and never one to pass up an opportunity to travel, I persuaded Ricky to make the trip. We woke up early and hit the road.
Our first stop in NOLA was Elizabeth’s, where I discovered a newfound love for chocolate-covered bacon. We spent the day exploring the port, listening to park musicians, wandering aimlessly through the streets, and taking lots of photos. Even without a plan, NOLA felt like home. It was such a vibrant and colorful place that it was inherently inviting and familial.
We walked to the Saint Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square and read more about the town’s political history. After that, we stopped at an art gallery called Mortal Machine Gallery. They had some really cool stuff, and we bought some of their decals. We walked through the artisans and vendor booths, and I knew that I wanted something special to commemorate NOLA, but had a hard time deciding. We went into a woodworking shop where the artist made the most beautiful vases from the roots of a local tree, and we both knew immediately that we wanted one in our home.
For lunch, we went to Mother’s. It had quite a long line, and although the food was good, I wouldn’t go again if the line is that long. We probably could have found some yummy food without having to stand in the sun for an hour, but you live and you learn. We walked some more throughout the downtown area and eventually made our way to Cafe Du Monde. I am honestly so happy that it lived up to the hype; rarely do many things.
We decided to drive halfway that same night and sleep somewhere in between NOLA and Arkansas, so we ended up making reservations in Baton Rouge. Dinner was at Parrain’s Seafood during a thunderstorm, and it was excellent. We stayed at a Marriott in Baton Rouge and got up early to see Downtown Baton Rouge and the Louisiana State Capitol (I have no idea why, but I love seeing state capitol buildings). We went to the pier and walked around. There was a huge ship on the docks and a gorgeous Catholic church whose name I don’t recall.
After that, we headed home to Arkansas. Oh, and Ricky mistakenly bought several pounds of crawfish, so we had to cook it when we got home late that night and ate crawfish for days. (LOL)
I think this trip feels so special to me because it was the first time I had ever had someone tell me a city was not interesting, and I almost took that personally. It’s nearly impossible to find a place that is not interesting or has nothing to do. Everywhere is special and in most places, it’s the people that make it cool and interesting. I set out to prove that Jackson was gorgeous, and Jackson and everyone we met there shattered my expectations.
