New Orleans - The French Quarter and Our First Treasure Hunt

By: Luke Baum

Above: Hayley, in front of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum.

Jazz, voodoo, bayou. New Orleans, Louisiana is overflowing with a unique fusion of culture. Since Hayley moved to Pensacola, Florida, we toured New Orleans in 1 day, twice, in back-to-back years. Here are our tales from New Orleans (NOLA)!

Contents:

1. Touring the French Quarter — 2023

2. TREASURE HUNT! — 2024

Touring the French Quarter

Hayley's family moved in June, 2023, and of course, I had to visit ASAP. While on my trip to Pensacola during the Fourth of July weekend, Hayley and I decided to take an excursion to New Orleans. Neither of us had been before, and we were both thrilled to tour the legendary French Quarter.

Above: Hayley driving to New Orleans through Mobile, Alabama. 2023 by Luke Baum

The perfect distance from Pensacola, the 3-hour ride into NOLA was enjoyable. Most of the time, we were stuck in traffic, but road trips are what Hayley and I do best together. From singing along to New Orleans-inspired jazz songs to planning our first adventure in NOLA, we geared up for the French Quarter.

Above: Jazz band playing on Royal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

We parked along a side-street near the heart of the French Quarter and were immediately greeted with jazz music. Drawn to the sound, like a pig to a truffle, we soon found the band who brightened the streets with their brass and drums (above). I was inspired. This was the New Orleans experience!

Above: Outside Rev. Zombie's Voodoo Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

Beside jazz, NOLA is also known for its mysticism and voodoo. Wherever you look, you'll find a spirit-shop. Some allow you to film while you browse, but others (like Rev. Zombie's Voodoo Shop, pictured above) guard their secrets against prying camera phone lenses and ask you not to take recordings or pictures.

Above: Hayley and me in Voodoo Spell along Royal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

From authentic shops to kitschy tourist traps, Hayley and I popped into many such stores (above) to inspect the wares. I asked shop keepers questions I had about crystals, candles, books, and anything else I saw that caught my eye.

If you ever get the opportunity to ask questions about anything you don't understand, take it. Someone's knowledge may enhance your own understanding on the ways all types of people harness the occult day-to-day — in some ways people aren’t even aware of...!

Above: Over the walls of St. Louis Cemetery No. 2, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

If you find yourself in New Orleans, do me a favor and take a cemetery tour. Hayley and I both regret not dropping the mere $20 for a guided experience through this historic NOLA cemetery, but of what we could see (above), this place is brimming with mysteries.

Above: Approaching St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

It would be hard to miss St. Louis Cathedral, central to the French quarter. This cathedral is a pretty landmark, located outside St. Anthony’s Garden. Whether it's for the architecture or historical significance, I can't help but be drawn to such magnificent cathedrals everywhere!

Above: St. Louis Cathedral from St. Anthony's Garden, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

Above: Inside St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

Built in 1794, St. Louis Cathedral is not only a representation of New Orleans architecture but also a fantastic place to soak in a bit of air conditioning in this bayou-city. Inside, the banisters hosted a collection of international flags, welcoming travelers to rest here at this holy place.

Above: Crossing the street to Cafe du Monde, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

Before leaving the French Quarter, a trip to Cafe du Monde was an essential to-do. Hayley had seen a social media post for this charming outdoor cafe, which featured a delicious French pastry: beignets. These doughy nuggets are fried and coated in powdered sugar. What’s dessert without chocolate? Hayley and I, of course, got chocolate milk to accompany these “donuts”.

Above: Hayley devouring a powdered sugar beignet at Cafe du Monde, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2023 by Luke Baum

A day-trip was perfect for a quick tour of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Hayley and I got a little taste of everything from jazz to beignets between Bourbon Street to the mouth of the Mississippi River. We made our way back to Pensacola, not for the last time, as the sun set on the horizon behind us.

TREASURE HUNT!

The next year, I found myself in Pensacola visiting Hayley and her family once again. This time, Hayley preordered a treasure hunting book called “There’s Treasure Inside”, and it was delivered earlier than the release date while I was there! We scoured the book for clues that would lead us to valuable treasure. Eventually, we pinpointed the location of one of the five treasure boxes from the book, presumably hidden in a natural space in New Orleans.

And just like that, we were off to Louisiana, again!

Above: Hayley looking for clues in Audubon Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2024 by Luke Baum

From dawn until dusk, Hayley and I visited four separate parks all around New Orleans that day. We consulted the treasure book, asked locals for clues, and looked under bushes and up every tree for anything out of the ordinary. Alas, there was no sign of treasure or any clue of what “There’s Treasure Inside” mentioned…

Above: Birds flying below Hurst St. Path in Audubon Park New Orleans, Louisiana. 2024 by Luke Baum

Regardless of any treasure found that day (because we didn't find any beyond gardening tools and a Bible), we still had a blast touring the parks throughout NOLA. We mainly searched Audubon Park. It seemed like a promising location, as there were several attractions that guided us along a similar trail that's laid out in "There's Treasure Inside". I had a good time being goofy, calling out for "Froakie", and searching high and low for the alleged Pokémon card chest (you'll have to research the book to be clued in... *Not sponsored).

Above: Hayley and Mocha beholding the fowl in Audubon Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2024 by Luke Baum

Between spurts of rain and sunshine, we hardly rested while scavenging around park after park. However, we did catch moments to bask in the scenery along the way (above). Mocha wasn’t much help during our search, but I was excited to have her along on our adventure and glad to get to know Hayley’s sweet new rescue dog .

Above: Pausing for the sunset in New Orleans City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2024 by Luke Baum

We concluded our search for the day at New Orleans City Park, and I had worked up an appetite after a full day of treasure hunting. Once the sun set, we made sure to stop at none other than City Park's location of Cafe du Monde! Now, it's a staple to eat here in New Orleans.

Though I didn’t imagine we would find ourselves in New Orleans two years in a row, I had a lot of fun around this beautiful bayou and its iconic city! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more travels on Life Packs.