What is a must to do in New Orleans LA

[LBKB]

Hi we are going to spend a couple days in New Orleans. Any suggestions of what to see and do and MOSTLY where to stay. Thanks

 

[wdwiala]

The D-Day museum is a must see. Can't help you on the hotel because we never spend the night.

 

[CajunMomof3]

Have a Joe Don at Come Back Inn
Have a snowball with condensed milk
Have the corn pudding at VooDoo BBQ
Get a real praline
Have some crawfish


Maybe I should go eat breakfast...

 

[flit]

Get a snowball from the snowball stand on Plum Street. not far from zoo.
D-Day Museum
Audubon Zoo
Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets.

Can't help you with a hotel, we stay at Mom and Dad's house.

 

[AndreaDM]

A hurricane at Pat O'Brians!

 

[lovepurple]

When we went several years ago we stayed at the Marigny Guest House that is part of the Lamothe Hotel. We really liked it. But we like historic properties. We spent most of our time doing tours of old homes.

 

[Planogirl]

The right hotel depends on what you prefer. Do like more modern hotels or historic properties? Large highrises or small bed and breakfasts? To be in the action or in a quieter area?

The Monteleone is nice and so is the Maison Dupuy. The Hilton is a nice big hotel by the river. We always liked the Royal Sonesta too. This one is in the middle of all the activity.

Our favorite things to do in New Orleans were always to just wander around and to eat! There are fun ghost and cemetery tours. We always enjoyed taking a tour on the steamboat Natchez too. You don't really see all that much but it's a relaxing ride. There's also the zoo and aquarium which I assume are back are full speed now.

 

[LBKB]

Not to fussy about where we stay just want some where clean and safe in good area. Thanks for all the ideas keep them coming. We are going in late Oct.

 

[ilovejack02]

http://www.thecolumns.com/contact.htm

Columns on St. Charles Ave for a bit of romance and history.

http://www.lamaisonmarigny.com/

Only B.B. on bourbon at the quiet end, no bars around, very very close to Port of Call must have for a burger YUMMM and still can walk all the way down Bourbon for the night life. Owners are great, love staying here.

Royal Sonesta is nice, so is the Weston. Stayed at Embassy Suites about 5 weeks ago, nice too, Free breakfast, pretty good. and free happy hour.
Hilton on St. Charles is great too, was there at beginning of Aug , great John Besh restaurant in there.

Favorite places to eat

Rock N Sake on Fulton .. love the atmosphere
Cochon Butcher http://www.cochonbutcher.com/ on Tchoupitoulous.
Sucre on Magazine http://www.shopsucre.com/ for to die for sweets.

Shop
Fleurty Girl on Magazine for great nola tees to take home.

Fleurtygirl.net.

Don't miss the Dday museum.

Ill think of more and update. : )

 

[motherhen17404]

Here are a few of our favorites in NOLA:

For dinner we love Dante's Kitchen. It is in the Garden District and the food is always good, we think even better then Commander's Palace.

http://new.orleans.diningguide.com/data/d100269.htm

For cafe au lait and beignets of course Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter.

For site seeing we loved Oak Alley Plantation. It is a bit of a drive however. But even my then 11 yr. old son loved it.

http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/

If you are looking for a romantic hotel we liked Le Pavillon. The hotel is beautiful and the staff is top notch. Door men to help you out of your car, and open doors for you. And little touches like the 10pm PB&J's were fun.

http://www.lepavillon.com/?gclid=CIWQ0MyY7qMCFYyW7QodjEhr2w

Have fun on your trip. New Orleans is a very special place.

 

[LBKB]

http://www.thecolumns.com/contact.htm

http://www.lamaisonmarigny.com/

Favorite places to eat

Rock N Sushi on Fulton .. love the atmosphere
Cochon Butcher http://www.cochonbutcher.com/ on Tchoupitoulous.
Sucre on Magazine http://www.shopsucre.com/ for to die for sweets.

Shop
Fleurty Girl on Magazine for great nola tees to take home.

Fleurtygirl.net.

Don't miss the Dday museum.

Ill think of more and update. : )

Oh my goodness looked at the Sucre sweet shop that is a must. Wll be stopping there. Thanks

 

[ilovejack02]

Oh my goodness looked at the Sucre sweet shop that is a must. Wll be stopping there. Thanks

Here is a list of all Merchants on Magazine, I can spend hours on Magazine, it is a long street so if you all love shopping. Lots of quirky little local stores, restaurants etc.
http://www.magazinestreet.com/?merchants

You can go Swamp Tours if looking for a bit of adventure.
http://www.louisianaswamp.com/
http://www.graylineneworleans.com/

Lots of different companies offer tours , check around for what fits you best.

Late Oct will be great weather, Nola zoo is AWESOME !!!
You used to be able to ride a paddle boat from the Aquarium to zoo , but it has stopped, not sure why, but I know the Natchez is hoping to bring it back.

http://www.steamboatnatchez.com/

 

[CajunMomof3]

Obviously, I have been away for too long!
I can't believe that I fogot Cafe Du Monde and Port of Call as must do's!

 

[JLTraveling]

I lived nearly ten years in the French Quarter. Here's a few personal must-dos whenever we go back:

Take a cemetery tour. I highly recommend St. Louis #1, located on the edge of the French Quarter, and Lafayette Cemetery, located in the Garden District. But they're all beautiful and historic. There is occasionally some crime, so sign up for a tour rather than exploring on your own.

Visit Bourbon Street to say that you've done it, maybe stop at Pat O'Brien's for a Hurricane or the Cat's Meow for karaoke contests, but don't spend all your time there.

Go down Lower Decatur Street to see where the locals hang out. It's the last street before the river. When you're facing the river, turn left. Lots of corner dive bars with cheap drink specials, and an awesome hole in the wall restaurant called Coop's. Plan to eat there at least once.

Stop by Jackson Square. Get a tarot reading, watch the street musicians or talk to the visual artists. There's nothing like it anywhere, especially on weekend evenings. Tour the St. Louis Cathedral while you're down there.

Take a ghost tour from Haunted History. There are several ghost tour companies in town, but Haunted History is the best/most authentic.

Walk through the really expensive antique shops on Royal Street, then head over to the Lower Quarter for the real bargains in the junk shops along Barracks and Basin.

Visit the French Market on a weekend afternoon.

Pick up carryout food from Quartermaster. It's a little convenience store with a fabulous deli counter in the back.

Go to Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. Have a powdered sugar fight while you're there.

Take the free passenger ferry across the river to Algiers and go see Mardi Gras World.

Take a dinner cruise on the Natchez or Creole Queen.

If you have a car, drive through the Katrina damaged area. Just ask a local for directions or better yet, have someone who was there for the storm go with you. It's heartbreaking, and sobering to realize how many things are still not rebuilt.

Buy a bottle of Vampire wine from Sidney's. It's actually a California wine, but sort of a New Orleans symbol.

Those are just a few suggestions off the top of my head. New Orleans is the sort of place that wandering out of your hotel can be cool. You never know when a second line parade will go by! Don't try to do a commando trip. Just relax and slow down, and let the experiences find you

 

[cassiez76]

I lived nearly ten years in the French Quarter. Here's a few personal must-dos whenever we go back:

Take a cemetery tour. I highly recommend St. Louis #1, located on the edge of the French Quarter, and Lafayette Cemetery, located in the Garden District. But they're all beautiful and historic. There is occasionally some crime, so sign up for a tour rather than exploring on your own.

Visit Bourbon Street to say that you've done it, maybe stop at Pat O'Brien's for a Hurricane or the Cat's Meow for karaoke contests, but don't spend all your time there.

Go down Lower Decatur Street to see where the locals hang out. It's the last street before the river. When you're facing the river, turn left. Lots of corner dive bars with cheap drink specials, and an awesome hole in the wall restaurant called Coop's. Plan to eat there at least once.

Stop by Jackson Square. Get a tarot reading, watch the street musicians or talk to the visual artists. There's nothing like it anywhere, especially on weekend evenings. Tour the St. Louis Cathedral while you're down there.

Take a ghost tour from Haunted History. There are several ghost tour companies in town, but Haunted History is the best/most authentic.

Walk through the really expensive antique shops on Royal Street, then head over to the Lower Quarter for the real bargains in the junk shops along Barracks and Basin.

Visit the French Market on a weekend afternoon.

Pick up carryout food from Quartermaster. It's a little convenience store with a fabulous deli counter in the back.

Go to Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. Have a powdered sugar fight while you're there.

Take the free passenger ferry across the river to Algiers and go see Mardi Gras World.

Take a dinner cruise on the Natchez or Creole Queen.

If you have a car, drive through the Katrina damaged area. Just ask a local for directions or better yet, have someone who was there for the storm go with you. It's heartbreaking, and sobering to realize how many things are still not rebuilt.

Buy a bottle of Vampire wine from Sidney's. It's actually a California wine, but sort of a New Orleans symbol.

Those are just a few suggestions off the top of my head. New Orleans is the sort of place that wandering out of your hotel can be cool. You never know when a second line parade will go by! Don't try to do a commando trip. Just relax and slow down, and let the experiences find you

all great ideas!

1. stay away from mother's. overpriced tourist trap. you can find better elsewhere. find a hole in the wall, those are usually the best.

2. mardi gras world is now next to the convention center.

3. surrey's juice bar on magazine street has the best bbq shrimp and grits in the city.

4. cafe du monde

5. aquarium of the america's is great to escape the hot weather.

6. there's also the insectarium...you can get combo prices with the zoo/aquarium/insectarium and ride a river boat from zoo/aquarium.

7. ride on a streetcar

8. camilla grill

9. rock'n'bowl

go to nomcvb.com and get a free guide book. you can also pick them up in pretty much any hotel. they have great information!

 

[CajunMomof3]

1. stay away from mother's. overpriced tourist trap. you can find better elsewhere. find a hole in the wall, those are usually the best.

I totally agree! I was not impressed with Mother's depsite it being "a New Orleans favorite."

All this talk is making me hungry...

 

[rie'smom]

We like to stay at the Hotel Provincial in the French Quarter and Loew's in the Business district. The Loews is right behind Harrahs and only a couple of blocks from the French Quarter.

 

[MiniGirl]

all great ideas!

1. stay away from mother's. overpriced tourist trap. you can find better elsewhere. find a hole in the wall, those are usually the best.

I'm bummed to hear this. Back when I lived in the area, Mother's was a hole in the wall with amazing sandwhiches.

 

[DisneyGirl928]

If you go to Pat O Brien's I would not use your credit card. My husband and I were there in June for a late lunch. It was the last day of our trip and the only place we used this card during our trip. Unfortunately our credit card was stolen.

Besides that we had a wonderful time and cannot wait to go back to New Orleans. We stayed at the Omni Royal Hotel and it was very nice. I would suggest going to Stanley's in Jackson Square for breakfast or ice cream. Cafe Du Monde for Beignets. Visit the French Market. Take a street car to the Garden District and tour the area and Lafayette Cemetery. We printed out a walking tour of both the French Quarter and Garden District. Also, we ate a place called Mona Lisa' s. They had great Italian food! If you go to Acme Oyster house get there early. The Clover Grill has a good breakfast. Overall, we had a great time and you will love it.

 

[SnowWhite607]

Prytania park Hotel. I was just looking at their website and their rooms are so cute and not expensive at all!