December 31, 2018
In spite of the disappointing Big 12 championship game, we still enjoyed a sweet reward for the season: the Sugar Bowl! My friends weren’t going and I thought I’d be fine watching from home, but as Jan. 1 approached, I knew I’d need to be in the Superdome. With Katie home from Lubbock for Christmas break, I had my travel buddy in place—a companion who just happens to LOVE all things NOLA.
Heading east, we found a cool convenience store, complete with longhorns, the Louisiana visitor center, the OG Southern Maid Donuts in Shreveport, and a yummy lunch on the road.
Because hotel rooms in New Orleans are crazy expensive on New Year’s Eve, we spent the night in Baton Rouge. We checked with my cousin who’s married to an LSU grad for restaurant recommendations, and she said we’d love George’s. Alas, George’s took the night off for the holiday, so we settle for her other suggestion: Acme Oyster House. So good!
For the big countdown to midnight, we went downtown for the “Red Stick Revelry.” To pass the time we walked down to a casino boat and enjoyed the super cool laser light show. Then we joined the masses to watch the big red stick drop. It was a fun way to welcome 2019!
Some might’ve called it New Year’s Day, but for us, it was GAME DAY. Before leaving Baton Rouge, we had to visit Bevo’s pal Mike the Tiger. LSU has a gorgeous habitat for Mike just outside their stadium.
Once we arrived in New Orleans, we toured the famous Saint Louis Cemetery Number One, the final resting place of Homer Plessy (as in Plessy v. Ferguson), voodoo queen Marie Laveau, and someday, Nicolas Cage.
After the cemetery, we walked around Congo Square and then made our way to the Voodoo Shop to catch our haunted city tour. We enjoyed getting to see some spooky sights around the French Quarter, but by the time we checked into our hotel, we were pooped! It was good to take a break before the big game that night.
Spell Texas 
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