New Orleans

[Nan555]

Planning a visit to New Orlrans. Does anyone have any tips.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Planning a visit to New Orlrans. Does anyone have any tips.

What kind of tips are you looking for? I did a very quick 2 day visit, just enough to get a brief overview, its one of the places I wanto go back to.

I stayed at a small old time hotel on Decateur Street, which is just off the main street called Canal Street. Canal Street separates the French Quarter and the new city.

I did a Hop On Hop Off bus tour, well worth it, but I didnt have time to get off at any stops. I wish I had time to do a graveyard tour.
The French Market and Jackson Square are places I loved. I didnt really like Bourbon Street, party central, very like Vegas Strip

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I have had great luck booking a hotel through Priceline Name Your Own Price in New Orleans. I search for a 4 or 4.5 star hotel in the French Quarter. If I need to expand my search area, I add Convention Center.

The touristy stuff is fun in New Orleans. You have to have beignets at Cafe Du Monde (the original location on Decatur Street), and walk around the French Market. The shops in the quarter are full of unique, interesting things. If you are bringing kids, definitely do the Insectarium, Zoo, and Aquarium.

On the food list, be sure to try a muffaletta, a shrimp poboy, jambalaya, etouffee, and gumbo from non-chain restaurants.

 

[Cristy]

We stayed at the Marriott on Canal Street. Love our room there, the hospitality and the location. Make time to visit the unique shops, eat at the Jazz Brunch at the Court of Two Sisters, savor some of the jambalaya and other southern delicacies at Mother's restaurant and enjoy some Pecan Pralines. I also enjoyed a morning trip to Cafe Du Monde for coffee and beignets followed by a carriage ride through New Orleans. They also have artisans painting at the same location right outside Jackson Square.

 

[rnorwo1]

Very important tip: don't call the streetcar a trolley.

Check an event Calendar for festivals and such when you know your dates, they're always having something going on. This can be great or a nightmare, depending on your comfort level with crowds and colorful characters.

I live very near NOLA, so let us know what kind of info you're interested in. Tripadvisor is also always a good resource.

 

[mommajo143]

Lived there for several years- have a lot of family there. What kind of tips are you wanting and when are you traveling? With or without kids?

 

[jsmla]

I have had great luck booking a hotel through Priceline Name Your Own Price in New Orleans. I search for a 4 or 4.5 star hotel in the French Quarter. If I need to expand my search area, I add Convention Center.

The touristy stuff is fun in New Orleans. You have to have beignets at Cafe Du Monde (the original location on Decatur Street), and walk around the French Market. The shops in the quarter are full of unique, interesting things. If you are bringing kids, definitely do the Insectarium, Zoo, and Aquarium.

On the food list, be sure to try a muffaletta, a shrimp poboy, jambalaya, etouffee, and gumbo from non-chain restaurants.

I'm from the area and we often head down to NOLA for the night. A 4* or 5* Priceline bid has always worked well for us. Prices tend to go down in the summer which is a slower season.

Lived there for several years- have a lot of family there. What kind of tips are you wanting and when are you traveling? With or without kids?

Also agree with this-kids make a big difference in what we choose to do.

 

[disneyfab]

If you are traveling with kids, check out Mardi Gras World. I went there on a recent field trip with DD. We toured the facility, sampled king cake and decorated our own Mardi Gras mask. It was a huge hit and something I would do even if it was just dh and I.

 

[hoffman1]

I agree Mardi Gras World is very interesting.
And you have to get a muffaletta (I recommend Central Market), a po' boy, and beignets at Café du Monde.
We did a ghost tour--not that great.
If you are into history, the WWII museum is nice.

 

[ajwolfe]

We've been discussing a trip with the kids for awhile so this is all great info for us too - subbing in.

 

[Nan555]

Thank you all for all your wonderful tips. We were particularly interested in a hotel in the French quarter. Also will have a teen with us so looking for some tours?????

Swamp boat
Ghost walk
Plantation tour?

 

[mkla2015]

I may be a little biased since I'm from the area but New Orleans is my favorite city!! There is so much to do there including family friendly things.

The Aquarium of the Americas is awesome. Audubon Zoo is awesome.
The Riverwalk
Ride the Street Car (not a trolley)
New Orleans Museum of Art
D-Day Museum
The Cabildo Museum
Beignets from Café Du Monde
Ghost Tours are fun

Take a ride on the Natchez Riverboat- they use to offer a Jazz Lunch/Dinner. Not sure if it's still offered but we did it a few times and the food was really good- fried chicken, jambalaya, gumbo, etc.

There are so many amazing restaurants!! Get a Po'boy from Mothers or Mahoney's!

What time of year are you planning on going?

 

[Sagginit]

I went a few years ago. For the ghost tour you may be able to find a groupon, we did it for a cemetery tour and it was a great deal. You may also want to look into those. Swamp tours and plantations are outside the city I believe so you may need to do some more planning. I remember I priced those things out and they cost more because of transportation. We didn't have a car so we just stuck to walking/streetcar/taxi distance. We stayed right outside French Quarter behind Canal St. We had a view of the river and it was nice to be outside the tourist zone as Bourbon St and the other areas are chaotic at night (not to mention the stench of piss and puke... they do clean some areas on a regular basis but like the NYC subway stations it lingers in the heat). Food was great and prices were very reasonable even in the touristy areas. We spent 5 days/4 nights there and it was a super relaxing trip.

 

[mommajo143]

Thank you all for all your wonderful tips. We were particularly interested in a hotel in the French quarter. Also will have a teen with us so looking for some tours?????

Swamp boat
Ghost walk
Plantation tour?

I'd agree with the list MKLA has.

Ghost tours are fun. I can't think of a plantation tour in NOLA offhand but it's a short drive to BR & River Road is worth it IMHO. DH & I spent our wedding night at Nottaway & then toured all the other plantations the next day so I'm emotionally invested I suppose. I really like the Royal Sonesta but in the interest of full disclosure haven't stayed there in several years & it can be loud at night. If you guys are into photography there are some great walking photography 'classes' that are historic tours as well. Mardi Gras world was a bit of a yawn for me but DH enjoyed it. The voodoo museum is interesting and 'spooky' if your teen likes that type thing. I have younger kids & we think the aquarium is great & the Audubon zoo isn't to be missed. Your teen may find them unappealing, depends on their specific interests.

One last thing - be sure to get a lucky dog and then cop a squat to watch street performers or watch boats traversing the river...

 

[sharbear]

I'd agree with the list MKLA has.

Ghost tours are fun. I can't think of a plantation tour in NOLA offhand but it's a short drive to BR & River Road is worth it IMHO. DH & I spent our wedding night at Nottaway & then toured all the other plantations the next day so I'm emotionally invested I suppose. I really like the Royal Sonesta but in the interest of full disclosure haven't stayed there in several years & it can be loud at night. If you guys are into photography there are some great walking photography 'classes' that are historic tours as well. Mardi Gras world was a bit of a yawn for me but DH enjoyed it. The voodoo museum is interesting and 'spooky' if your teen likes that type thing. I have younger kids & we think the aquarium is great & the Audubon zoo isn't to be missed. Your teen may find them unappealing, depends on their specific interests.

One last thing - be sure to get a lucky dog and then cop a squat to watch street performers or watch boats traversing the river...

When I went to New Orleans I took this plantation tour. http://www.grayline.com/tours/new-orleans/louisiana-plantation-life-whitney-and-oak-alley-5912_30/ I was very pleased and it was very powerful. One of the most life changing tours I've ever experienced was at Whitney Plantation. It was around I think a 45 minute bus ride. You picked up the bus in front of the steamboat.

I also did a culinary tour and that was nice also.

The national park service does a free tour of the French Quarter.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We've stayed at the Sheraton on Canal Street - very nice, and the historic Monteleone in the French Quarter - also nice. Last summer we stayed at the Hyatt near the Superdome and Smoothie King Center for a concert. The hotel was nice, but really complicated and oddly laid out and not much to eat nearby.

Get beignets at Café du Monde. Go to Mother's either for a great breakfast or they're really known for the roast beef po'boy with debris. Guarantee you won't leave hungry.

My sister and BIL went over to go to the D-Day Museum and said they spent all day there, it was just fascinating. May not be good with young children, though.

 

[Muddy Rivers]

Court of Two Sisters has a wonderful Jazz Brunch. Make sure to get a table in the courtyard! They usually have a musical trio playing. Magnificent atmosphere and even better buffet brunch filled with many southern specialties.

 

[SunnieRN]

We will be taking a trip to NOLA this summer or early fall. We will be taking my grandmunchkins, who are 8 and 10-11 depending on when we go, so all the tips are wonderful!!

 

[cathyce2]

We just got back from a 5 day trip with my 17 and 12 year olds. We stayed at the Wyndham on Royal St. We enjoyed a ghost tour, cemetery tour, and Mardi Gras World with great deals from Groupon and LivingSocial. We also did a riverboat tour, and Grayline tour to Laura and Oak Alley plantations. We loved just wandering in the Quarter and watching the artists and performers in Jackson Square and on Burbon St.