5 Mistakes People Make When Planning a Bachelorette Trip to New Orleans

New Orleans is the ultimate party city — which means it’s also easy to overplan, overspend, or just plain overwhelm your group. Whether you’re planning a bachelorette for your best friend or trying to organize your own weekend, here are the five most common mistakes people make (and how to avoid them).

1. Booking Everything Too Late

New Orleans is busy year-round, and the best restaurants, venues, and activities book out weeks — sometimes months — in advance. Waiting too long can leave you with a scrambled itinerary, no reservation options, or a group of disappointed guests.

Avoid it: Start planning at least 6–8 weeks out. Even earlier if your dates overlap with major festivals or holidays.

2. Overloading the Itinerary

Packing every hour of the day with back-to-back activities sounds fun in theory — but in practice, it burns everyone out. Between walking, heat, and hangovers, most groups are running 70% battery by Day 2.

Avoid it: Pick one main activity per day. Leave time for naps, spontaneous discoveries, and people moving at different speeds.

3. Underestimating the Walking (and the Weather)

The French Quarter and surrounding neighborhoods are walkable, but the streets are uneven, the weather is unpredictable, and summer humidity is no joke. Wearing heels all day or planning outdoor activities with no backup plan can derail the fun.

Avoid it: Build in walking time and dress realistically. Always have a rain plan if you're organizing outdoor activities.

4. Ignoring Group Dynamics

It’s easy to focus on the bride’s dream weekend and forget that you’re managing 6–15 people with different personalities, budgets, and energy levels. Miscommunication, unclear expectations, or clashing priorities can cause stress that lingers all weekend.

Avoid it: Get a clear sense of what everyone wants before building the plan. Share itineraries early and be transparent about costs.

5. Trying to DIY Everything

Trying to plan an entire weekend from scratch, coordinate bookings, manage group logistics, and handle last-minute changes is a lot — especially if you’re not local. Even with Google and Instagram, it’s easy to miss key details that make or break the experience.

Avoid it: Outsource what you can. Whether it’s full-service planning or just help with logistics, working with someone local (like us) can turn the weekend into a seamless, standout experience.

Planning the perfect New Orleans bachelorette doesn’t mean doing it all yourself. At Elouises, we specialize in custom weekend planning — built for your group’s vibe, timeline, and budget. We’ll handle the stressful stuff so you can focus on showing up and having the time of your life.

Ready to skip the mistakes and get it right the first time? See our packages here.