New Orleans?

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I'm already back with questions!

I'm looking at the NO Powerpass - any thoughts?

I'm going to add up the prices of what we might do and compare it to the cost of one; just wondered if anyone has any stories to tell, good or bad.

Thanks!

 

[jujube]

Checking in to let you all know we made it back safe and sound from our New Orleans weekend. 2 women, 3 18 yr olds and all is well. We had a blast. Every time a guy went up to the girls, the other adult, my son's girlfriend, would tell them, "They're 15, now go away!"

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

We are back from our NO trip and I have to say, we didn't enjoy NO. We really, really wanted to, but it just didn't do it for us for several reasons.

The old buildings & architecture were beautiful, but we live in an antebellum town in GA with lots and lots of beautiful old homes, buildings, and churches. So while we can appreciate the beauty, particularly the iron work, it's nothing out of the ordinary for us.

We felt the native/local absence keenly. We talked to only a few people who were locals. It felt like the soul/heart had gone out of NO and what moved in in its place are opportunists, not people who intend to live there permanently.

We also felt that on the whole, the people were not friendly. We're Southerners and we felt like we were no longer in the South. It was really odd. You know the creepy looking DJ in Zoolander? Apparently he's cloned himself several times, and they and lots more like him can be found in NO.

And nowhere could we get sweet brewed tea. At one place when I asked, the server said, "If we served sweet tea, we would have to have one person that all they did was make sweet tea, because everybody wants it."

We had some good meals, but not anything we couldn't get at any nice restaurant anywhere. And food was very, very expensive. One highlight was when my husband ordered BBQ shrimp at Muriel's and they came with heads and legs still attached. It's hard to eat with your food staring at you. Also, at the Royal St. Deli, when my husband asked that his black & bleu sandwich not include grapes in the sandwich filling, the hipster waitress said, "Wellllll . . . the cook really isn't wanting to do any substituions . . . right now." If it's not possible, just say so, but a cook in a deli really has no place being as capricious as a chef in a 5 star restaurant.

We went to the WWII museum and my husband enjoyed it; I've been to better museums, but it wasn't bad. The film I felt was a waste of money. We didn't go to the aquarium because we had recently been to the TN aquarium; nor the zoo because we're not zoo people; nor the insectarium because we felt tickets to just that were too expensive. We stopped in at a glass gallery and watched some folks blowing glass for probably an hour - it was awesome! But when we tried to engage the gallery guy about how cool we thought it was, he acted as though he wished he were anywhere but that spot.

We rode the streetcar once and tried to ride it on 2 other occasions, but it was simply PACKED and they wouldn't let any more on. It was neat.

We walked along the Mississippi and sat around and people watched.

We thought the city was clean, and always felt safe. Then again, we were wiped out most nights (lots of walking!) and went to bed pretty early.

We took a minibus tour of NO and really enjoyed it; we felt like it provided a good overview - we spent a little time in a cemetery, and City Park, and toured the FQ and the Garden District and the 9th ward and some other stuff I can't remember right now.

I can only hope there is a special place in hell for the bureaucrats who caused those poor people all that anguish after Katrina - what happened was really appalling and still is, all these years later.

We went to the Voodoo museum and tried to go to the pharmacy museum, but kept catching it closed when we would be on that street.

Did lots of looking (more than shopping) and was disappointed that there was almost nothing that you couldn't buy in any tourist locale.

Had beignets and cappucino at Cafe du Monde and we like the ones at Huey's on River St. in Savannah better.

We also had Tarot card readings done by a lady at Jackson Square.

The bars were a non-issue; they were there, we weren't.

We were not prepared for the 24/7 noise. We realized what bumpkins we were by the 2nd night; the most noise we hear at night is a hoot owl who hangs out in a tree near our bedroom.

We LOVED the train and would use that as our preferred form of transportation any time! We did have a bedroom, which I got for half price , which really gave us lots of advantages. LOVED IT.

The condo was great, but we never saw Lenny Kravitz (who owns the property across the street). That would have been AWESOME.

So I'm glad we went, and we know that we don't need to go back.

 

[NotUrsula]

And nowhere could we get sweet brewed tea. At one place when I asked, the server said, "If we served sweet tea, we would have to have one person that all they did was make sweet tea, because everybody wants it."

I'm laughing, because that someone was once me. I had that job at the LSU Faculty Club my freshman year of college. (Ironically, I hate tea and always have; figures that the fates would have me make the stuff all day long.) Every morning I made 16 gallons for the lunch crowd, and another 10 gallons for dinner after that.

Most restaurants that cater to locals do have brewed sweet tea, but most in the tourist areas do not, because they can't sell as much of it.

I'm sorry you didn't have a lot of fun on the trip, but like I said, that's New Orleans; most people either love it, or ... not.

 

[SylviaL]

We are headed to NO on Thursday. Thanks to the poster about the arts & crafts festival at Oak Alley--it looks great!

Question for the locals--while my boys are visiting the WWII museum, I was thinking of taking DD4 to City Park. We are staying in the FQ and will not have a car. I'm a little uneasy about taking her there by myself, esp. via public transportation--what do you think? Thank you!

 

[NotUrsula]

We are headed to NO on Thursday. Thanks to the poster about the arts & crafts festival at Oak Alley--it looks great!

Question for the locals--while my boys are visiting the WWII museum, I was thinking of taking DD4 to City Park. We are staying in the FQ and will not have a car. I'm a little uneasy about taking her there by myself, esp. via public transportation--what do you think? Thank you!

If you want to go to Oak Alley you're going to have a very hard time doing it without a car. Oak Alley is in Vacherie, LA, about a 45 minute drive outside New Orleans.

I presume that you want to take your little one to Storyland and the Carousel? If you go mid-morning you should be fine from a crime POV; it is a busy line for commuters. The tricky thing is that it has two possible routes at the end; you will want the one with the sign marked for City Park, not Cemetaries. Unfortunately, there are a lot more cars headed for the Cemetaries because there is a large bus transfer terminal across the street from that terminus, so the commuters need to get there. Check the NORTA Canal St. schedule carefully so that you will time yourself for the correct car.

If you don't want to wait for the correct streetcar, you can always take the one marked for the Cemetaries and get off at North Carrollton Avenue. Walk a block north on Carrollton to Angelo Brocato bakery/gelato shop and pick up some coffee and a nice pastry for a treat while you wait for the cab from United (504-522-9771) to pick you up and take you the rest of the way, or just munch it outside and wait for the next City Park streetcar there. (Angelo Brocato opens at 10 am; your "boys" will be jealous as all get-out that they didn't get any, so if you do this, take pity and bring them a cannoli. )

Oh, should have mentioned: the #11 bus to the WW2 museum departs from the corner of Canal and Magazine (in front of the Sheraton on Canal). You can go that far with them and just cross back into the neutral ground on Canal at that intersection to wait for your streetcar.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I'm laughing, because that someone was once me. I had that job at the LSU Faculty Club my freshman year of college. (Ironically, I hate tea and always have; figures that the fates would have me make the stuff all day long.) Every morning I made 16 gallons for the lunch crowd, and another 10 gallons for dinner after that.

Most restaurants that cater to locals do have brewed sweet tea, but most in the tourist areas do not, because they can't sell as much of it.

I'm sorry you didn't have a lot of fun on the trip, but like I said, that's New Orleans; most people either love it, or ... not.

Hilarious about your tea-making job!

Thanks NotUrsula - you were so helpful when I was researching and I really appreciate it. We did have a good bit of fun, and I can say we didn't hate NO, but it just wasn't for us. That just leaves more room for the folks who love it.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

We are headed to NO on Thursday. Thanks to the poster about the arts & crafts festival at Oak Alley--it looks great!

Question for the locals--while my boys are visiting the WWII museum, I was thinking of taking DD4 to City Park. We are staying in the FQ and will not have a car. I'm a little uneasy about taking her there by myself, esp. via public transportation--what do you think? Thank you!

Sylvia,

If you are at all interested, check out the groupons for NO - we got the minibus tour for half price, and it was definitely worth it. It was 3 hours or more and we saw a LOT! A very good value.

 

[SylviaL]

NotUrsula--Thank you. Stupid question--does the streetcar stop at only designated stops or can you ring a bell or something to tell the driver you want to get off? I think I have a plan now--Boys will head to the WWII museum Sunday morning (thanks for the bus tip) and we will all go to the City Park in the afternoon. The amusement park is open from 11-6. Should I be worried about crowded streetcars? I could always call a United Cab from City Park, right?

Mrs. Bradbury--Thanks for the Groupon tip!

 

[NotUrsula]

NotUrsula--Thank you. Stupid question--does the streetcar stop at only designated stops or can you ring a bell or something to tell the driver you want to get off? I think I have a plan now--Boys will head to the WWII museum Sunday morning (thanks for the bus tip) and we will all go to the City Park in the afternoon. The amusement park is open from 11-6. Should I be worried about crowded streetcars? I could always call a United Cab from City Park, right?

Mrs. Bradbury--Thanks for the Groupon tip!

You can ring and it will stop at the next designated stop. The cars run on the median of Canal (known as the neutral ground in NOLA), and for that reason cannot stop just anywhere, because they cannot block the cross-traffic. However, there is a designated stop about every two blocks.

Unless you are there during a Fairgrounds event such as Jazz Fest, the Canal route cars should not be very crowded on a weekend. (NORTA runs extra buses during JF to handle the crowds.) Unlike the St. Charles route, this one is not considered scenic, so people don't ride it just for the heck of riding it. (These red cars are not the old ones as are on the St. Charles route. They are air-conditioned modern facsimiles; it is a more comfy ride.) You can, of course, always call a cab anytime.

 

[SapphireMarie]

DO NOT go to the cemetary on your own.

How come?

 

[NotUrsula]

How come?

Because there is a fairly good chance that you could end up a permanent resident. The crypts are above ground and some are quite large -- they attract the homeless population and those who wish to hide out from the police. They also make a very good place to hide a body, if one is so inclined.

 

[portocall]

Sylvia, I think I would do something other than city park while the others are at the WWII museum. I am just thinking that is an all day affair and it is kinda hot already. The streetcar stops are far from storyland or carousel gardens and that is a lot of walking in unfamiliar territory though there are signs. I just see that as an outing full of stress that would be much more fun as a family outing where there are no time constraints on meeting back up. It IS doable. I plan on doing just that next month with my boys however I am familiar with where I am going.

A better idea might be the childrens museum, shopping at the Riverwalk or Canal Place, or something closer to the WWII museum.

 

[North of Mouse]

Mrs. Bradbury, I am sorry that NOLA did not live up to your expectations. Being a area native, I did not understand a lot of what you could not enjoy. Having lived in GA. at one point, the architecture in NOLA is worlds different than there or anywhere else to me. The Cafe du Monde beignets are the best I've ever had anywhere and on and on. But, I realize to each their own, but I enjoy my annual trip back home. I go to the same places for my food, and I'm sure, like most places, there are tourist traps (expecially the ones NOT serving sweet tea - that is AWFUL ) The FQ (Riverwalk area) and the Garden District are my favorites. My dh likes the WW11 museum. But anyway, glad you had a safe trip

 

[Mooshu]

I was in NOLA a couple of weekends ago to run the Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon. Thank you for all the suggestions!!! I had a great time visiting NOLA and I will be back to run again!

We stayed on the corner of Canal and Bourbon! Such a central location, a little "seedy" at night, but nothing we weren't used to seeing...coming from San Francisco, California. I was able to walk to the start line of the race, and we were pretty much walking distance to everything!

Bourbon St. was not our place to hang out, it smelled and looked like a frat party exploded on that street, but I had to experience it!

Loved the food, the culture and the music. We didn't get to see and do everything that was suggested, which is the main reason I would like to go back to visit NOLA.

Three girls just visiting a different area of the US and we didn't feel threated at all walking around at 2am by ourselves. We were aware of our surroundings and had a great time! Thank You for all your suggestions!

 

[SylviaL]

Portocall--I looked at the City Park map and the amusement park did look kind of far from the streetcar stop. I think the boys will be wiped out after the WWII museum, anyways. I think we can get in the children's museum for free since we have a reciprocal membership so that's a great idea. Really, though, it looks like there will be plenty for us to do. We will have a car until early Sunday morning. While we have the car, we plan to go to the zoo, Hansen's or Plum St, Willie Mae's and Angelo Brocato's.

Thank you everyone for your help. We can't wait!

 

[kamom]

So glad I came across this thread! Just found out a coworker and I are going to a conference at the end of April! We are so excited. First trip for both of us. We are staying at the Hilton Riverside. Does anyone know what there is to do within walking distance? We will not have a car, but would like to experience as much as we can.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

So glad I came across this thread! Just found out a coworker and I are going to a conference at the end of April! We are so excited. First trip for both of us. We are staying at the Hilton Riverside. Does anyone know what there is to do within walking distance? We will not have a car, but would like to experience as much as we can.

A lot. I was at the Hilton just this morning. It is across the street from Harrah's Casino, connected to the Riverwalk Mall, down the street from the French Quarter and Canal Street. It is also in walking distance to one of the top 20 restaurants in America, Cochon. Emiril has a restaurant also nearby. The Hilton is in a good location.

 

[kamom]

What all is there to experience on the French Quarter and Canal Street?

 

[everylastbreath]

So glad I found this thread! 1st time going to New Orleans in May, for long weekend (Friday night to Monday) not alot of time- want to squeeze as much as possible in there!!! Arriving late Friday, so Friday shot- all day Sat & Sun - Staying at Harrahs- lots of questions! 1st one- how long is the cab ride from airport to Harrahs? what should it cost? next question- what shouldn't we miss?? What places do we have to eat at? Should we rent a car or can we just cab it around??

Tell me all about it! How is the weather end of May?