I had the distinct pleasure of visiting this interactive cultural funhouse, highlighting the Joy /…read moreArt / Music of New Orleans. It was truly a love letter to the city, full of colorful, unique, and creative art exhibitions, all made out of recycled materials (which I found to be impressive and admirable)! There was a curated playlist of amazing jazz music playing throughout, which really set the tone delightfully! Upon entering, guests are welcomed into the space and there was a personable and helpful guide who described the space, then led us into the opening rooms. The first one was blue with neon pink, green, and glowing, with letters, symbols, and TV screens, comprising of one big puzzle. The next is a long hallway of hot pink with blue detailing and lights throughout, along with cool protruding, spongy shapes representing organs on the walls. Very psychedelic vibes! This led into a large space with sculptures of a larger than life alligator mouth open wide, creature atop a huge pot with the words "Stir the Pot," crawfish, tall lily pads, insect jazz band, peacock and more. There was also a cool, pretty flower wall, and upon closer inspection, I discovered they were made out of records. From there, I headed upstairs to see the blue, purple, and pink room holding the gorgeous Fountain of Youth glowing bright blue, filled with gold coins in them for wishes. The ceiling was lush and leafy with a lovely hanging light, as well as a pearly oyster shell inspired one. In addition, there was a shotgun style house with a balcony we could go in. Back downstairs, I explored a bar neon colored words related to New Orleans all over the walls, with upside down piano & drinks. Next, I checked out a decorative white a black room, featuring a glowing green stand. With the press of a button, it turned the room disco-y blue with a glow in the dark effect. After that, I went into the beautiful Desire themed room with humongous pearl structures hanging down, where you can write and release your true desires. Such a dreamy, ethereal feel to this one! There was a little sleek and sexy speakeasy space, called Candlelight Lounge. Then was one of my favorite exhibits: Feast Mode, displaying glittery New Orleans culinary delight classics in true indulgent style, as well as super funky, fun paintings and art pieces. Near this room was a window with full of shiny, delicately constructed objects of vibrant colors representing New Orleans. This was a glitzy video opp with props offered, with the phone going in the center, spinning around and capturing us dancing, shimmying, or whatever suits your fancy! The remaining few installations were music themed with drums and large silver circles, which could be played, emitting different sounds to create a symphony of song. At the end, there was a room showcasing larger than life sculptures of heads of musical greats, including Louis Armstrong, Lil Wayne, and Big Freedia. I really enjoyed my time here. Staff were super welcoming, accommodating, and helpful with photos throughout. The artistry, detail, and care was visible throughout each and every art piece and room. JAMNOLA was such a fun experience and I recommend you check it out for yourself!

I took my 12 year old daughter to JAMNOLA and we had a blast…read more Every room was something different, super colorful, interactive, and just fun. She was excited the whole time, and honestly so was I. It's one of those places where you can actually enjoy it as an adult and still let your kid have their moment too. We definitely got some really cute pictures, so if you're into that, you're going to love it. It's very "stop, pose, next room, do it again" in the best way. It's not a super long experience, but it's worth it. I'd say give yourself about an hour, maybe a little longer if you're taking your time with photos. Only tip is try to go when it's not too crowded, because some people really turn it into a full photoshoot and you'll be waiting a little. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you have kids or just want something different to do in the city.

Rating: 9/10 I love…read moreCity Park because there is so much packed into it. I finally stumbled upon the Botanical Garden located inside the park and it was so beautiful. I can only imagine how it looks in spring! Walking in the entrance is easy and you get a wristband. I roamed around for 2 hours. Lots of walking and butterflies and pretty sculptures.

Every Wednesday, New Orleans Botanical Garden offers free admission for Louisiana residents…read more Because of this, I decided to go visit the garden for the first time since I've lived here for basically my entire life. Once you step inside, you instantly get hit with the nature vibes. All you're surround with is natural plants, home grown vegetables, and aesthetic walkways. I enjoyed my time walking around the garden. It was very peaceful. Would recommend visiting at least once if you're around the City Park area.

It was cute. Very short experience...maybe 15 minutes for $40+ so I don't really think it was…read moreworth the money, especially after waiting an hour in line. The sets were nice and detailed but the sound was subpar. Even with a microphone it was difficult to understand the lobby actor and with the TV going off inside the parlor the curator/explorer guy was hard to hear also. Some areas of the house seemed to lack any soundtrack at all.

This is well worth the time. The actors, costumes, makeup and sets all made this a great time.read more

Located right off the Spanish Plaza, Vue Orleans is a fun, historic observation tower allowing for…read moreunobstructed views of the riverside and French Quarter. For an observation deck it's reasonably priced as well. Checking in is very easy and it's right next to the Canal Street trolley station making it a convenient stop. When you enter you're greeted with videos and short exhibits outlining New Orleans' deep and rich cultural history. This part really sets a tone for the city and is a great introduction into some of the city's culture if you're unfamiliar with it. When we went it was pretty empty and we felt like we had a lot of time to explore. Heading up into the elevators you watch a short clip on the walls which shows New Orleans throughout the ages and lets you see history well beyond when it was even known as New Orleans. Once you reach the main deck you are inside the tower with panoramic views of the city. There are also exhibits there showing more history. One more short elevator ride later and you are at the outdoor deck. The deck itself is pretty barren but does allow for great photo ops weather pending. We unfortunately went on a very windy day so if you're looking to take photos make sure to check the weather and plan ahead as best as possible. This observation deck isn't as classic or immersive as Sears Tower in Chicago or some of the ones in NYC, but for what it is, it's a very beautiful and fun way to learn more about the vibrant city of New Orleans.

Great immersive and educational museum and observation deck. If you get the city pass, you can get…read morea discount on their Bayou Breeze cocktail at their observation deck cafe. My family and I enjoyed this experience as it is interactive and very interesting. And the 360 view of New Orleans is beautiful.

Deep Sigh... I've been to plenty of rage rooms so that's why I gave only 3 stars. This one is…read moreDIFFERENT! Had I'd not gone to others before I'd probably give more. As you can see the rooms are damn near bare and you have to pay for EVERYTHING!! lol this place is the spirit airlines of rage rooms, you gotta pay to wear the protective jumpsuit (other places include this) it was NOT presented as an option, it was just stated that they were extra. Had I known it was an option we wouldn't have rented them. you have to add on things to smash which should be included. I understand TVs, larger items, and additional things; sure...but glass bottles should be included. If they were supposed to be they WERE NOT! We paid for bottles. The ones I've visited previously have plates, glass, bottles, etc.) I completely understand how cost works which is why I purchased a Groupon vs paying regular prices. Also the room is half ass filled with items that have already been smashed and unless you're a huge man ain't much left to do to it. Thank goodness I used a Groupon. They do offer a painting option. The staff was cool; but I personally wouldn't return. The kids did enjoy themselves (their first experience) so that was good. With better organization, communication, and an understanding of what the customer is interested in or expecting this place could go far. The rooms should be prepared for specific age groups because giving preteens ovens and refrigerators that have already been smashed is just crazy.

From the owner: New Orleans best Smash (Rage) Room! Welcome to Mash It Out LLC, where we are mashing things…read morewithin! At Mash It Out LLC we believe in the power of physical expression as a way to relieve stress and provide a unique recreational experience. Our mission is to offer a safe and exhilarating environment where you can let go of your frustrations, have fun, and feel a sense of liberation.

Best Burlesque Show I've seen yet. Super entertaining and well done! Good Job! We came across this…read moreshow from another couple, and we up going with them. It was there 1st show and they will find it hard to find this quality and entertainment again!

Hidden gem alert!…read more This made our trip to New Orleans and we will probably be talking about it for years. This group travels around to different bars and puts on different burlesque performance in the back room of dive bars. Well worth the $10. This one is not safe for kids. FYI They did different cosplays and interacted well with the audience. You can even by raffle tickets to win your chance to get dragged on to the stage! My buddy won and it was hilarious! All in good fun. FYI the show was kind of short, but I am sure with continued success they will start making it longer. Definitely check out this act!

Came in here with my wife and mom. I'm from California and I'm a third generation legacy witch…read more I've seen this place all over TikTok and knew that it was on my list of places to checkout. When we walked in there was a film crew, recording a video. The woman at the front desk immediately snapped and said "we are filming!!!" First of all...if you need it to be quite close early or put a sign on the door stating you're filming. Boom. But then to be rude on top of it?! Yikes. I was actually planning on spending a lot here but given the treatment I was totally turned off by the behavior. Weirdly enough a beige family came in and didn't have the same verbal hostility that our group did. This business should do better.

This shop is recommended by NOLA famous High Priest Robi Gilmore as authentic. They have tons of…read moreherbs and ingredients to practice vodou (which is the actual way to spell and say it if you're talking Haitian Creole, like voh-doo). They have alters and figurines. Candles and protective charms. There are educational explanations pinned up around the shop for many of the items on display so you can learn about the practice while perusing. They also have voodoo dolls, which Robi has mentioned are NOT an authentic part of the religion. While the shop has a lot of interesting inventory, it was super crowded in here and very touristy, so you really couldn't enjoy the wares or talk to the employees (who I'm told are knowledgeable and interesting, but alas I'll never know for myself). That's the main reason for four stars instead of five.

Extremely high production value (which will cost you) and the scariest room we've ever done…read more We only did 3 of the 5 Mystere Escape Rooms because we are not yet exploring the realm of live zombie rooms and we were told their Ghost Lab is simply too difficult for two people. Of course now we want to go back to the Ghost Lab just to see how we do. This place has by far the highest production value we have ever seen but it will cost you - rooms are $39.95 plus tax (lower for LA residents). We have to talk about The Serial Killer's Lair at length because it's clearly a major draw for this facility. Based on the Saw movie series, this was a must-do for me, a mega Saw fan. For the Saw fans - you are going to love some aspects and... be less than enthused by others. You know how Jigsaw finds imitation somewhat... distasteful? You may too when faced with pop-out scare tactics that are beneath the psychological thrills which made you a Saw fan in the first place. Probably the most frustrating aspect of these haunted house gimmicks was that they were COMPLETELY unnecessary as there are plenty of very authentic aspects which are scary as hell without random loud noises. But we digress. For any thrill seeker who also happens to enjoy Escape Rooms, this is the room for you. As usual, we do all rooms with just the two of us. We did not escape the Serial Killer Lair and thought we weren't even close, but it turns out we were on the final task. We were definitely derailed by a LOT of fear. In other words, this room is doable for two people (even though it advertises as a 4-12 player room) but also lends itself to a large group. The room isn't actually that hard if you are a fearless beast with night vision. Items of note: You are VERY much in the dark the entire time, so take that into account if you have vision impairment. Also, this room is NOT kid friendly, nor should anyone with a heart condition participate. If you can't handle a haunted house, you CAN'T handle this room. We thought of bailing several times but were proud that we stuck with it and overcame some fears, so there's that. After getting the ever living bejeezus scared out of us, we did Treasure Hunt and The Game Room (roughly based on Indiana Jones). We were successful in the Treasure Hunt and unsuccessful (though barely!) in the Game Room. Both are doable with two people but Treasure Hunt is the best room for smaller groups. Recommend a bigger group for Game Room unless you are experienced. Once again - insanely high production value on both rooms. Treasure Hunt may pose some issues for a claustrophobic person. Both are very family friendly. The staff (JC, David, and Johnny) was very friendly and flexible to our desired schedule and desired group size (always remember that this may not be the case if they are busy). Puzzle design is mostly solid, though weakest in the Serial Killer Lair. Regardless, the Serial Killer Lair was an unforgettable experience we will be talking about for a long time, and we recommend that you visit this facility to try one or more of their rooms. The Escape Couple Note: If you visit our site, you will see that we gave Mystere 4 stars, This is based on our national scale - Mystere definitely qualifies as a 5-star facility in NOLA.

This was the most fun I've had in a long time. As an adult I'm always looking for fun activities to…read moredo aside from the typical food and movie activities. Came here with a group of 6-7 friends and did the zombie embalming room. I was so scared but so entertained!! We "died" but I didn't care. I plan to do each of the other rooms they offer. It was that great. Mystère Mansion please take my money !

Visited the aquarium with my wife and we enjoyed our visit. It wasn't very busy when we visited…read more They had a lot of big tanks and big fish, including some sharks and stingrays. You can pet the sting rays. The insectarium was very cool. I saw some insects that I've never heard of before. They had some living individuals that were very large. Our favorite part was the butterfly exhibit. My wife loves butterflies and to be able to walk amongst 1,000 of them was a great experience and another first for us. The staff was very friendly too.

If you like fish, and other aquatic species, and you have some time to kill in NOLA, this may be…read moreyour place to visit. The way this space works is that you buy your ticket and you enter via the Insectarium. That's not really my cup of tea but the butterfly exhibit, within that space, is great. From there, you go into the Aquarium. What you will find there is tons and tons of fish orientated exhibits. If you've every been to an Aquarium, in any large city, this one is very much the same. You know what to expect. If you want to check out a lot of various versions of fish, this is you place to go. They also have a nice penguin exhibit within the Aquarium. They seem to be very friendly and interactive. There is also a large space housing rescued owls and falcons and the like. Just like in the case of the penguins, personally, I always feel kind of sad for large birds housed in a space like this, as they are basically trapped. The good news is, I guess, is due the fact that they were injured in the wild they can live out their years in safety while being well taken care of. Overall, if your NOLA you may want to check this place out.

Another World NOLA is like stepping into a sci-fi fever dream--only with better graphics and no…read morerespawn penalties. This isn't your average arcade; it's a full-on, free-roam VR battleground where you dodge zombies, blast aliens, and probably embarrass yourself in front of friends. Whether it's date night or a squad showdown, the staff makes sure you have a blast (without motion sickness). Pro tip: rent the whole arena, bring your own snacks, and go full gamer mode.

This place is awesome! We had sooo much fun playing the VR games with each other. Great for…read morefamilies, date night, or even team building events! Lots of games to choose from so they have something for everyone! The owner and her fiancee are SO sweet. I can't wait to come back with the fam!