We all love going on vacation and visiting new places, however, if you are like many others, you probably dread the fact that you are not staying healthy at the same time! Thankfully, when it comes to spending time in the Big Easy, you can have fun and stay healthy at the same time!
First, make sure that you know that you can easily walk to many places when you are in New Orleans. Yes, it may take you longer to reach your destination, but you will see plenty along the way that will enhance your experiences even more than you anticipated. The best part is that there are also multiple spaces in this magnificent city that are perfect if you love to jog or run. And if you don’t like the faster pace, you can simply walk along any of them too!
Where to Eat Healthy in New Orleans. There are so many places to get southern cuisine in New Orleans, see aforementioned beignets above, but you can and will find that you can easily find healthier options of that same cuisine. One of the best places to eat healthy at lunchtime is over at the Auction House Market. This food hall offers local foods and drinks, all of which have been thoughtfully considered to ensure that diners like yourself have options that work well with each other. Eleven dining options surround a craft cocktail bar, which is called The Mayhaw. And don’t worry, if you do not get here for lunch, you can easily grab a bite to eat later on!
When you do make it to the Auction House Market, you may want to consider the rainbow bowl and skinny green smoothie from the Daily Beet. Although, you may prefer to venture over to Elysian Seafood for their pan roasted gulf fish or the market ceviche.
If you are looking for a tropical destination in the middle of New Orleans, you will need to look no further than Carmo. The cuisine features flavors and ingredients from the Caribbean, Central America, Southeast Asia, and a few other destinations from around the world. For breakfast, peruano is a must, however, Acadiana is another great option. Lunch brings the Carmo salad, but you may prefer the veggie king sandwich. There are so many options for dinner, which makes it difficult to make a decision, let alone declare a favorite.
You can’t leave New Orleans without a taste of the fresh rolled ice cream at Freezy Street. The ice cream is vegan, which is perfect for those who do not want any non-vegan products in their diet. The make ice cream right in front of you so it’s super fresh. You’ll see them using a cold plate that stays under – 20 degrees, Freezy street pours their homemade base onto the plate to freeze. While they offer many regular ice cream flavors like chocolate and vanilla, they also have a large variety of seasonal flavors. You can choose fresh fruit and berries to add to your custom made ice cream flavor.
The good news about taking the time to be healthy while you are in New Orleans is that you can easily indulge in one or two things that aren’t quite as healthy. The delectable beignets come to mind, as do the PoBoys and gumbo.
Drop-In Workout Classes. There are times when you are going to want to workout with others, as that is always a lot more fun! However, when you are traveling, you may not want to pay big bucks for memberships that you will only use for a few days. Thankfully, New Orleans has a multitude of drop-in workout classes available to everyone!
Yes Yoga is a yoga studio that allows you to sign up for classes online, prior to your arrival. They offer Hot Classic, Ambient Hot Classic, Hot Quickie, Yin Yoga, Community Quickie, Level Up, Tai Chi, and Hot Vinyasa. You must arrive at least fifteen minutes prior to class, so that you are ready to go as soon as the door is closed. We don’t see this as being a problem, as everyone wants to soak in as much yoga time as possible!
Swan River Yoga also allows you to sign up for their classes online, and while you may begin with a yoga class, you may find that you want to stay for so much more. They do offer care from different health care professionals, which means that you could easily find yourself having an Ayurveda holistic medicine consultation or participating in a reiki or salt room session before leaving.
Don’t forget to talk to the locals to see where they recommend that you go for drop-in workout sessions, as they always have the best recommendations that will lead to the best work out of your life!
Spaces to Enjoy a Long Stroll or Run. If you are near the French Quarter, which is quite possible since it is the place to be in the city, you will want to check out Crescent Park. The park is twenty-acres and there are many different trails throughout it that go along the river in many places. You can see multiple viewpoints of the city as you run or walk along, giving you a different perspective of what you thought New Orleans was like.
The Mississippi Waterfront is another option for those who want a mile and a half stretch that is fairly straight. However, you may want to run this route a couple of times, because the beignets at Café du Monde are not too far away from this healthy option in New Orleans and they will be calling your name!
City Park will have you doing more than running or walking, as there are kayaks and paddleboats waiting to be rented and taken into the man-made lake. After you are out of the water though, you might want to still consider wandering around the Festival Grounds path or the short path around the Big Lake, as you never know what you might capture a glimpse of along the way.
Travelers who are getting used to the time difference may want to get a quick run in really late at night, or really early in the morning, and this is possible if you venture over to the Lafitte Greenway. The path is just over two and a half miles long and it is open twenty-four hours a day, with bright lights for those who are there in the dark.
So, stay healthy and indulge a little while visiting New Orleans and see how amazing healthy traveling can really be!