New Orleans - Do We Need A Car?

[aclov]

Crowds are bad this weekend. It's essence fest. AVOID unless u want to deal with essence fest.

So that's what is going on! I noticed a lot of flights on SW had been sold out and the points required were really high. We're thinking of Ft Lauderdale now!

 

[lauradis]

Central Grocery for a muffuletta!!

Get half and share. Those suckers are giant.

Mr B. Bristro is perfect place for bbq shrimp

If your doing this on the cheap even the local hole in the wall bars are great food.

Buffa's Lounge on the corner of Esplanade Avenue and Burgundy St is one of my fav local bars. They have the best homemade cheesecake.

In Frenchman street there is a man that sells bbq pizza. Out of a funky pirate ship float anyways damn best street pizza ever.

We drove down parked our car and never used it for a week.

 

[lauradis]

Willie Mae's Scotch House

Address: 2401 Saint Ann Street, New Orleans LA 70119
Phone: 504-822-9503

Almost forgot this place best Hot chicken ever in the world.

If your worried about walking in a not so nice neighborhood then take a taxi over. and don't let the line outside scare you.

Darn now I want Hot Chicken. ugh.

 

[NewRVLady]

So that's what is going on! I noticed a lot of flights on SW had been sold out and the points required were really high. We're thinking of Ft Lauderdale now!

Plus NO in summer is hot beyond compare -ESP the Quarter (no breeze)

OP-Also you can take a riverboat from end of canal St to the Zoo! and back
(I am a native and always wanted to do this! )

BE SURE to go to Blaine Kern's mardi gras world...you take the ferry (end of Canal St)_ and just walk a couple blocks...real Floats and you observe them working on new floats-very cool!!!

 

[pesto78749]

thanks for the tips! I'm feeling better about it now.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

Plus NO in summer is hot beyond compare -ESP the Quarter (no breeze)

OP-Also you can take a riverboat from end of canal St to the Zoo! and back
(I am a native and always wanted to do this! )

BE SURE to go to Blaine Kern's mardi gras world...you take the ferry (end of Canal St)_ and just walk a couple blocks...real Floats and you observe them working on new floats-very cool!!!

To the NO being hot. DW and I took DD when she was 18 months to the zoo in May and it was ridiculous hot, your right no breeze at all. Someone told me the levies act like a bowl and the wind/breeze pass over head, I don't know but it was hot, my car thermometer read 101. I live on the coast of Al so not much farther north than NO and we already decided that if we try again were going in winter.

 

[a742246]

I don't know if anyone mention this but Frenchmen Street is the place for music. This is a must for music lovers!

Cab ride as of Dec 2014 from the airport to FQ is $33.00 one way for 2 people each additional person is $14.00

Magazine street the whole stretch is very interesting. Do research on it.
Garden District is amazing again do research on it.

Bourbon Street is nuts and I wouldn't bring anyone under 16 there.

Best music festival is the free French Quarter Fest second weekend in April (I consider this the best festival I ever been to). In fact I bought a Timeshare in New Orleans (Avenue Plaza) just to have a place to stay during that time period.

Google ( OFFbeat Magazine New Orleans) for happenings around town.

 

[North of Mouse]

As a LA native I would suggest not having a car, lots of good eating places, and of course Cafe du Monde for the beignets. What used to be Riverwalk Mall (now an outlet type Mall - not as authentic NOLA) has a great food court in it that we love. Get some food from Mike Andersons - my favorite is the fried crawfish - can't get enough of them! Save time to walk along the Miss. River - very scenic and relaxing, also, if time take one of the scenic river boat tours.

DH can't get enough of the World War 2 Museum - they keep adding new things/areas.

Would be very careful about getting about after dark - things start to 'pop' around dusk!

 

[a742246]

I have just earned the free companion pass on SWA. Since my new college student and my 8th graders spring break don't match up we were thinking of going to NO, just my 8th grader and I. My husband is worried about the safety. Can u recommend a good hotel in a safe area that is less than 200. a night for the 3rd week in march? Am I crazy to try this with just the two of us?

Are you going for the whole week or just a long weekend?

 

[teacherme]

What are the dates you are going to NO?

The French Quarter Festival is April 9 - 12. If you are traveling during this time. It is a must see!!!!

I am from the NO area. You need to remember the French Quarter is completely different in the daylight from the night time. I don't really see a problem bringing my children in the Quarter during the day. I might however stay away from Bourbon St. Frenchmen and French Market is perfectly ok for teens during the daytime.

 

[a742246]

Here is another good site to go to for New Orleans.


http://www.wheretraveler.com/search...ned_2/40#query=&path=search_api_combined_2/40

 

[Muddy Rivers]

Thank you to everyone! I made a list of everyone's dining suggestions. Has anyone done the river cruise? Can you do it without a dinner cruise? There are so many great restaurants, I would rather eat in a suggested restaurant.

 

[The Running Ann]

I have been on one of the boats, but it has been years and it was with a private party. I think it is a unique perspective on the city and worth doing if you have the time. As far as I know, there are still two riverboats, the Creole Queen and the Natchez. I think that both offer a cruise without a dining option, maybe in the afternoon. I would take a look at their websites (and maybe youtube?) to see if there is something scheduled that is appealing and will fit within a limited time frame - I think 2 hours or so would be plenty. As for reservations, the concierge at your hotel should be able to tell you if reservations are necessary. I very much doubt that they are and, in any event, I would take my chances since I think it would not be worthwhile unless the weather is nice. Even if you don't plan on taking the cruise, it would be interesting to walk to the river and see the boats. One of them (maybe the Natchez) has a calliope and plays music throughout the day - you can hear it from far away as it is quite loud.

 

[NewRVLady]

Thank you to everyone! I made a list of everyone's dining suggestions. Has anyone done the river cruise? Can you do it without a dinner cruise? There are so many great restaurants, I would rather eat in a suggested restaurant.

there is a river cruise =to the ZOO!
you can buy tickets at the Aquarium-end of Canal Street and near where the Riverboats depart

 

[bear_mom]

Marking my spot, going this spring. Can't wait!!!

 

[North of Mouse]

Thank you to everyone! I made a list of everyone's dining suggestions. Has anyone done the river cruise? Can you do it without a dinner cruise? There are so many great restaurants, I would rather eat in a suggested restaurant.

Yes, you can take the river cruises during the day. We've been on all of them. There aren't as many there as used to be, but they are nice.

 

[NinaBella]

I have just earned the free companion pass on SWA. Since my new college student and my 8th graders spring break don't match up we were thinking of going to NO, just my 8th grader and I. My husband is worried about the safety. Can u recommend a good hotel in a safe area that is less than 200. a night for the 3rd week in march? Am I crazy to try this with just the two of us?

I have been to NOLO without my husband, just the kids. The main tourist streets are fine. You would be fine to walk down Bourbon street anytime 24/7. Our cheerleaders who were a group of minors were on Bourbon street at midnight and after. It is the side streets that get questionable. You want to stay on the main streets that have other pedestrians constantly walking on it.

I love the Boutique Hotels in the French Quarters and prefer to stay there. If you can not find one in your price range I have stayed at the Marriott and Hyatt Place on Convention Center Blvd with our cheerleading gym. The one comment I have ask for a floor several floors higher than the kitchen. The last time we stayed the kitchen was on the 2nd floor and some of our cheerleaders found they had rats on the second floor where their rooms were. When they complained to staff they were told they have had this problem since Katrina and can't seem to get rid of them. I was on a much higher floor so I didn't even hear about this until after out trip.

I am very active and had no issues walking from the convention center hotel to the French Quarters. It was January, MLK weekend so if I thought it was too chilly to walk I took a taxi for like $5.00. I don't recall exact price but it was not expensive.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

This thread made me itch to go back to NOLA so I booked a last minute trip the week before Mardi Gras!

The only thing I dislike about NOLA is the hotels!

I'm a bit of a hotel snob and don't mind paying extra for location. In NOLA you're only paying for location. I'm lucky that I usually travel to places with newer hotels. When I went in July I stayed at the JW at almost $300/night and it was not up to par with other JW hotels.

 

[Disneychick75]

The cemetery tours are wonderful. Only go with a tour group though because they are in an iffy area. Beware of the buggy ride tours in front of St. Louis Cathedral. We brought our daughter and niece on one and they kept having to correct our guide, lol. French Quarter Phantoms is a good haunted tour. We took the Saints and Sinners tour. It leaves from Flangan's Bar. https://www.frenchquarterphantoms.com/
Wear comfortable shoes if you do the tour because it's at night and the old streets and sidewalk are wonky.

We love Cafe Maspero but I see someone here had a bad experience. The seafood platters are so large it's ridiculous. There are small restaurants located throughout the Quarter-we like to experiment and have had success.

Cafe du Monde is a must. There are fountains to the back where we sometimes sit. The waitstaff walks to take orders from people sitting there. Another hint is to go around the back of Cafe du Monde to grab a table. There's always a line in the front.

 

[a742246]

Some things to do:
Take a swing class at the Nola jitterbugs dance school.
http://nolajitterbugs.com/

Go see Smoking Time Jazz Club Band I think they play every Saturday night on Frenchman Street https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfuHwPtVQOc
They also play on the street at Royal.

Go see Tuba Skinny play https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vPN38j8Zso
They usually play on Frenchmen street at night and Royal during the day.

There are so many talented musicians in New Orleans I only mentioned the above two because they hidden gems.

I like the Honey Swamp tour for a seeing gators on the bayou. Also the plantation tours are interesting!