Jazzed Up:

Love Locks to Gators & Guns

This post is a little different from my usual ones. How it relates to romance writing, I’m not entirely sure—but maybe I’ll discover it along the way. Last week, my husband and I visited New Orleans for the first week of Jazz Fest, the city’s legendary annual music festival, Thursday, April 24, — Sunday, May 4, 2025.

I had never been to New Orleans before, so I can’t compare it to how it was before Katrina. But what I can say is that it’s a city full of charm. I loved the architecture, the delicious food, the friendly people—and of course, the music, which was the main reason for our trip. Every corner seemed to hum with life and history.

We took Amtrak’s sleeper train from Wilmington, Delaware—a first for me. Twenty-nine hours of constant motion took some getting used to, but it had its perks. I managed to get some writing done, and it was fun watching the landscape change as we rolled through Philadelphia, Washington, the Carolinas, and into Louisiana. Sleeping on the train was an adventure in itself:. Climbing the ladder to the top bunk was a little iffy, but manageable. My six-foot-four husband definitely wouldn’t have fit up there. Meals were included, served in the dining car, and I quickly learned I had to get up and move every few hours or risk feeling like a pretzel by the end of the journey.

As for Jazz Fest itself—despite the name, it’s not just about jazz. It features a wide range of music: gospel, Latin, blues, folk, and more. If you’re visiting from out of town, be prepared, the cost of tickets, hotels, and shuttles add up fast. (And you’ll need that shuttle—the festival grounds aren’t close to most hotels.) Headliners take the stage later in the day. People like Kacey Musgrave, Gladys Knight, Walter Trout, John Fogerty, Shemekia Copeland, Lil Wayne & the Roots, Diana Krall. But honestly, some of our favorite performances were by local bands earlier on. If you are a resident you get a discount to the event as you should.

There’s also a vibrant crafts market, food to try and a dedicated tent for kids’ activities. The only downside was the sheer number of people that attended. By the weekend, it was so crowded that just moving through the festival felt like navigating a river of humanity. After a few days of walking four to five miles daily (the stages are pretty spread out), we were exhausted and decided to skip the final afternoon and explore more of the city instead.

We wandered down to Bourbon Street and along the riverfront, which was a perfect, more relaxed way to wrap up the trip. One highlight was the "Love Lock" fence near Café du Monde—couples have traditionally attached locks inscribed with messages to the wire fence, a symbol of their love. It’s right by the water, and there was something so sweet and enduring about seeing all those little declarations hanging there.

Sometimes, stepping away from the familiar leads to unexpected discoveries and inspiration—and maybe that’s where this ties back to writing after all. Also on the waterfront, steamboat Natchez, steam pipes played a song while we were standing on the shore, which was pretty neat. I’ve include a Youtube video so you can listen too.

Sadly, I missed out on the Gators & Guns tour—where you get to admire alligators and fire machine guns, because apparently, that’s a thing. Note large billboard advertising this fun activity:

Not only did I run out of time, but I also didn’t have the required posse of eight adventurers.

If anyone’s crazy enough to join me next year, drop me a line. Let’s make questionable decisions together! Yeah, let’s make it happen!