Lauren {front right} and the group working very hard in what seems to be a very hot warehouse in New Orleans in August!
So if you are a first-timer or it's been a while since you've been to the city, you'll probably want to take good notes {or just print off mine}. There are obviously many more great activities in the city, but because I'm sometimes asked by people for recommendations when they are planning a trip, these places/activities would top my list for the first-timer. I've also failed to cover anything outside of the city, like visiting the many beautiful plantations {see below} or air boat swamp tours. Just know that there's plenty more to do for those that want to venture out, too.
If you wanted to tour a plantation
The Houmas House would be my best bet pick!
The Houmas House would be my best bet pick!
For daytime activities I recommend:
Audubon Aquarium, IMAX Theater, Insectarium and/or Zoo - The perfectly sized aquarium sits right downtown and features a Mississippi River room with an albino alligator {something you don't just see any-old-where} and an IMAX Theater experience next door. The newly added insectarium is a few blocks from the aquarium {I've never been, but hope to get there on my next trip}. The zoo, among having many superb animal exhibits, features {for a small additional fee} a great life-size Dinosaur Adventure exhibit for dino-lovers {such as my Jack}. I also recommend looking into the aquarium/zoo package that includes a riverboat ride down the Mississippi to take you from the aquarium to the zoo {a cool way to kill a few birds with one stone}.
Ride the Streetcar - A must-try-at-least-once sightseeing ride on the historic streetcar through the Garden District {along St. Charles Ave}. You pick the streetcar up at any stop downtown {ask your concierge for more info}. The street car is $1.25 each way and you have to have exact change to ride. Get off anywhere along the way, or at Audubon Park and stretch your legs or take the streetcar all the way to Earhardt and hop off to bowl or hear live music at the famous Rock 'n Bowl {see nightlife below}.
New Orleans Cemetery - Catch a cemetery tour or check out the Lafayette Cemetery by hopping off the streetcar in the Lower Garden District on Washington Ave, it's a few blocks off St. Charles near Commander's Palace. This was the cemetery featured in Double Jeopardy. Again check with a concierge or tour guide about hours to visit the cemeteries. Due to crime, they lock them up at sometimes at what seems like strange hours. St. Louis Cemetery #1 is another great cemetery to try. It has many famous people of NOLA history, including the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
Voodoo Museum - Explore the weird and slightly creepy religious practices of Louisiana's Creole heritage and learn all about New Orleans' famous Marie Laveau. At the end of the tour you can purchase unique voodoo souvenirs at the Voodoo Shop, like chicken feet and gris-gris.
Carriage Ride - Grab a horse {um, donkey} drawn carriage at Jackson Square and let a tour guide give you a quick rundown of the French Quarter's unique history, it's many sights and long-time establishments. Make note of places you want to go back and take a closer look at.
Paddleboat Tour - Catch a riverboat at the Mississippi River near Jax Brewery/Riverwalk on the Steamboat Natchez or Creole Queen and hear all about the history of the Mighty Mississipp.
Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World - Take the Creole Queen across the river to the Westbank to see the place where all of the Mardi Gras floats are made and stored {see previous blog post}.
Magazine Street - Great for daytime or night. Shopping, dining or bar hopping. Hit it up for posh boutiques, good eats and bars where the locals and college students alike hang out.
Jackson Square - During the day street performers, musicians and artists surround the square. You can stop into the St. Louis Cathedral in the square and check out the Catholic church that is the staple of the square. Two museums also flank the Cathedral if you are a history buff.
Walking Tour - You will surely do a lot of walking in NOLA. Be sure to wear good, comfortable shoes for cobblestone sidewalks. Check out the Vieux Carre by strolling along Bourbon St. during the day for a different take on the famous street or visit other great sidestreets like Royal and Chartres. Marvel at the beautiful iron balconies, shot gun style homes and tucked-away courtyards. Street performers can be found all along the way and cute boutiques to stop in. Walk through Jackson Square then down to the French Market (a flea market and farmer's market in one) for cheap shopping finds. Circle back along the Riverwalk for a view of the Mississippi.
For nighttime activities, I recommend:
Haunted History/Ghost Tour - Good thing to do at night and a great way to keep youngsters and adolescents occupied and out of the debauchery of the Quarter.
Cafe Du Monde - Enjoy sugar-coated beignets and a piping hot chicory cafe au lait all hours of the night!
Palm/Tarot Card Reading - At night Jackson Square artists and musicians pack up their wares and more and more tarot card readers and fortune tellers come out to give fortunes by candlelight. A great just-for-fun and because-you're-in-New Orleans-thing to do!
Bourbon Street - Walk the main drag for some good voyeurism. Ask any bartender for a "go cup" and bring your beverage along. You know you are in a great city when it is legal to carry your drink down the street. Stick to major, well-lit streets and stay in groups when venturing out at night. If you have kids, you may want to avoid Bourbon after dark as it tends to get more R and X-rated.
Preservation Hall - World Famous Jazz club. This is a great place for folks of all ages.
Tour the French Quarter hotels - Good ones to stop in are the W on Poydras and W French Quarter, Hotel Monteleone (be sure to check out the rotating Carousel Bar) Lowes Hotel and Le Pavillion.
Frenchmen Street/Faubourg Marigny - Faubourg is a fancy French term for suburb that you may hear a lot around New Orleans. Get out of the Quarter and explore this neighboring suburb that is filled with good eats and great night clubs that the locals love {a little less crowded than the Quarter and a bit less tourists, but still the same great feel as the Quarter}.
Red Eye Grill - Very casual, great hamburgers. Warehouse District.
Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar - Casual, Cali-Mex type food. Good atmosphere. You'll find many a conventioneer hanging out here since it is close to the convention center. Warehouse District.
Drago's - Convenient downtown location at the Hilton Riverside Hotel. The BEST chargrilled oysters ever {see below}, great seafood and other New Orleans cuisine {close enough to walk to from the Quarter}. Metairie and CBD.
Sunray Grill - Good salads, sandwiches, and lighter cuisine with a Mediterranean flair. Warehouse district, Magazine Street and Old Metairie.
Cafe Degas - A short taxi ride to Mid-City to enjoy a laid-back but upscale dinner at a superb French restaurant. Dine amongst the oaks in their enclosed porch.
Commander's Palace - I'm usually not a proponent of tourist traps, but this is one worth falling in to. Go for the Jazz brunch and save some dough. Start with a traditional brandy milk punch or bloody mary, then turtle soup for appetizer and finish with a creole bread pudding souffle. Your heart will skip a beat! Garden District.
Superior Grill - I'm not a Mexican connoisseur {I really don't even like Mexican}, but I would eat at Superior any day of the week. Enjoy their mouth-watering margaritas on the deck and I personally recommend their crawfish or shrimp quesadillas. Uptown.
Galley Seafood - Famous {or infamous} hot seafood boils and crawfish, homemade onion rings and eggplant sticks. Giant beers served in goblets to wash down the spicy crawdaddies. Old Metairie.
Most people usually want to know where to eat that is close by their hotel in the Quarter. I find it hard to come up with recommendations because the Quarter tends to be over priced and filled with tourist traps. Typically, if you want real good food that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, you need to get out of the Quarter. However, this is my list of good bets if you are looking for places nearby.
Petunia's - Awesome breakfast - need I say more? I recommend the Stuffed French Toast. Short wait in line outside. Casual. (Update: Last time Ben and I were in New Orleans, we were saddened to hear that Petunia's had closed).
Gumbo Shop - Casual, yummy everything, slightly nicer eating establishment. Good for lunch or dinner. Short wait in line to be seated.
Court of Two Sisters - Enjoy a Jazz brunch on the weekend. Upscale and pricier for dinner, but pretty mid-range for brunch, but well worth it for the quick and expansive buffet and courtyard atmosphere.
Central Grocery - Italian-American market with a sandwich counter. The place where the muffaletta was invented. I love me some muffalettas!
Acme Oyster House - Tends to be touristy, but still a great place to down a few dozen raw and cooked oysters, gumbo, and other New Orleans faire. Belly up to the raw bar for a dozen and drink a cold Abita.
Bacco's - Italian Cuisine. Good for a nicer dinner out with mid-range prices, seasonally they tend to run inexpensive pre-fixe dinner options.
Irene's - A quaint Italian trattoria with an authentic Italian atmosphere. Be prepared for long waits though - relax and have a drink while you wait.
Lucky Dog - Grab a quick hot dog from one of the most famous street vendors of New Orleans.
Louisiana Pizza Kitchen - Great pizza with all kinds of crazy toppings {The Kitchen Sink - need I say more?}. French Quarter near the French Market.
Coop's Place - Good food at a reasonable price {which is somewhat hard to find both in the Quarter}.
Port of Call - At the far end of the Quarter. Huge hamburgers. Wait at the door for a table. Plan to hit up Frenchmen Street in the Marigny afterwards, just 'cause you'll be so close.
The Albino Gator {Aquarium}
White Bengal Tiger {Zoo}
The Dinosaur Adventure {Zoo}
Audubon Park/Audubon Golf Course - A great place to walk, jog, ride a bike, skate or stroll. Also, a great place to let the kids stretch their legs. You can grab a bite at the Clubhouse Cafe or play a round of 18 under the beautiful live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.
Prytania Theater - Tucked inside the Garden District, the last of the one screen theaters remains a relic and treasure of the neighborhood. Step back in time and take in a matinee show. The upside is you don't have to fight over which movie to see!
New Orleans Cemetery - Catch a cemetery tour or check out the Lafayette Cemetery by hopping off the streetcar in the Lower Garden District on Washington Ave, it's a few blocks off St. Charles near Commander's Palace. This was the cemetery featured in Double Jeopardy. Again check with a concierge or tour guide about hours to visit the cemeteries. Due to crime, they lock them up at sometimes at what seems like strange hours. St. Louis Cemetery #1 is another great cemetery to try. It has many famous people of NOLA history, including the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
Voodoo Museum - Explore the weird and slightly creepy religious practices of Louisiana's Creole heritage and learn all about New Orleans' famous Marie Laveau. At the end of the tour you can purchase unique voodoo souvenirs at the Voodoo Shop, like chicken feet and gris-gris.
Carriage Ride - Grab a horse {um, donkey} drawn carriage at Jackson Square and let a tour guide give you a quick rundown of the French Quarter's unique history, it's many sights and long-time establishments. Make note of places you want to go back and take a closer look at.
Paddleboat Tour - Catch a riverboat at the Mississippi River near Jax Brewery/Riverwalk on the Steamboat Natchez or Creole Queen and hear all about the history of the Mighty Mississipp.
Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World - Take the Creole Queen across the river to the Westbank to see the place where all of the Mardi Gras floats are made and stored {see previous blog post}.
Magazine Street - Great for daytime or night. Shopping, dining or bar hopping. Hit it up for posh boutiques, good eats and bars where the locals and college students alike hang out.
Jackson Square - During the day street performers, musicians and artists surround the square. You can stop into the St. Louis Cathedral in the square and check out the Catholic church that is the staple of the square. Two museums also flank the Cathedral if you are a history buff.
Walking Tour - You will surely do a lot of walking in NOLA. Be sure to wear good, comfortable shoes for cobblestone sidewalks. Check out the Vieux Carre by strolling along Bourbon St. during the day for a different take on the famous street or visit other great sidestreets like Royal and Chartres. Marvel at the beautiful iron balconies, shot gun style homes and tucked-away courtyards. Street performers can be found all along the way and cute boutiques to stop in. Walk through Jackson Square then down to the French Market (a flea market and farmer's market in one) for cheap shopping finds. Circle back along the Riverwalk for a view of the Mississippi.
Riverwalk Shopping Center/Canal Place Shopping Center - Hit the malls right downtown. Canal Place is an upscale shopping center, including Betsey Johnson, Coach, BCBG and Saks Fifth Avenue. Riverwalk is a great place to find touristy souvenirs {update: rumor has it that they will be turning the Riverwalk into an upscale outlet mall in the near future}.
French Market - Stroll the extensive farmers/flea market with all kinds of great New Orleans finds, food and souvenirs.
Pick a museum, any museum - History buff? Cabildo/Louisiana History Museum, War monger? D-Day Museum, Kids in tow? Louisiana Children's Museum {this is really a great museum with kids...Jack and I had a ton of fun here}, Art aficionado? New Orleans Museum of Art or Ogden. Whatever your pleasure it can be found in NOLA!
Louisiana Children's Museum
Haunted History/Ghost Tour - Good thing to do at night and a great way to keep youngsters and adolescents occupied and out of the debauchery of the Quarter.
Cafe Du Monde - Enjoy sugar-coated beignets and a piping hot chicory cafe au lait all hours of the night!
Palm/Tarot Card Reading - At night Jackson Square artists and musicians pack up their wares and more and more tarot card readers and fortune tellers come out to give fortunes by candlelight. A great just-for-fun and because-you're-in-New Orleans-thing to do!
Bourbon Street - Walk the main drag for some good voyeurism. Ask any bartender for a "go cup" and bring your beverage along. You know you are in a great city when it is legal to carry your drink down the street. Stick to major, well-lit streets and stay in groups when venturing out at night. If you have kids, you may want to avoid Bourbon after dark as it tends to get more R and X-rated.
Preservation Hall - World Famous Jazz club. This is a great place for folks of all ages.
Rock 'n Bowl - Step back in time to this old fashioned bowling alley where you'll have to keep your own score on a handwritten score card. Features plenty of beer, bar food and live music Tues-Sat nights {don't forget to pack your dancing shoes with your bowling shoes}. You can maybe even catch some great zydeco music or top jazz musicians like Kermit Ruffins if you are lucky.
Tour the French Quarter hotels - Good ones to stop in are the W on Poydras and W French Quarter, Hotel Monteleone (be sure to check out the rotating Carousel Bar) Lowes Hotel and Le Pavillion.
Frenchmen Street/Faubourg Marigny - Faubourg is a fancy French term for suburb that you may hear a lot around New Orleans. Get out of the Quarter and explore this neighboring suburb that is filled with good eats and great night clubs that the locals love {a little less crowded than the Quarter and a bit less tourists, but still the same great feel as the Quarter}.
Harrah's Casino - Whether you are gambler or not, you will be awed the minute you step inside the largest casino in the city. Bells, whistles and flashing lights make this a tourist attraction and a great place to waste a lot of time and money.Good Eats {oh how this list could go on and on}:
Good Eats
Outside the Quarter:
Rock 'n Sake - Delicious sushi with a funky atmosphere and loud rock music. Try the Hawaii 5-0 Roll for me. Warehouse District.
Outside the Quarter:
Rock 'n Sake - Delicious sushi with a funky atmosphere and loud rock music. Try the Hawaii 5-0 Roll for me. Warehouse District.
Red Eye Grill - Very casual, great hamburgers. Warehouse District.
Elizabeth's in the Bywater - I may get a few strange looks from anyone I recommend this to, because at first you'll be wondering where in the heck I'm taking you. Let's just say, the Bywater isn't one of New Orleans "finest" neighborhoods, but trust me it'll be worth the ride! They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I've only ever been to brunch. Enjoy Louisiana delicacies such as praline {say it the N'awlins way...PRAW-leen} bacon, callas, boudin balls, and hog's head cheese. I dare you! Bywater.
Drago's - Convenient downtown location at the Hilton Riverside Hotel. The BEST chargrilled oysters ever {see below}, great seafood and other New Orleans cuisine {close enough to walk to from the Quarter}. Metairie and CBD.
Sunray Grill - Good salads, sandwiches, and lighter cuisine with a Mediterranean flair. Warehouse district, Magazine Street and Old Metairie.
Cafe Degas - A short taxi ride to Mid-City to enjoy a laid-back but upscale dinner at a superb French restaurant. Dine amongst the oaks in their enclosed porch.
Commander's Palace - I'm usually not a proponent of tourist traps, but this is one worth falling in to. Go for the Jazz brunch and save some dough. Start with a traditional brandy milk punch or bloody mary, then turtle soup for appetizer and finish with a creole bread pudding souffle. Your heart will skip a beat! Garden District.
Galley Seafood - Famous {or infamous} hot seafood boils and crawfish, homemade onion rings and eggplant sticks. Giant beers served in goblets to wash down the spicy crawdaddies. Old Metairie.
Cooter Browns - Catch the big game on any one of their many TV screens. Enjoy their giant beer selections, huge Louisiana oysters and greasy po boys. Uptown.
Liuzza's by the Track - There's definitely a confusion about two restuaurants that share the same name, Liuzza's, but the one I recommend end's in "by the track". Hole in the wall joint with the best shrimp po boy and giant goblets of ice cold beer you'll ever taste! Mid-City by the Fair Grounds Race Track.
Five Happiness - Fresh, high-quality Chinese food in a nice, clean and more upscale atmosphere. Think P.F. Changs, but better food! Uptown.
Camellia Grill - This greasy spoon, diner is a historic New Orleans tradition to cure that morning after hangover. Serving breakfast and lunch. Uptown.
Other great places outside the Quarter definitely worth checking out {again restaurants options are too numerous to name everyone} - Dante's Kitchen, Franky and Johnny's, Clancy's, Dick and Jenny's, Jacque Imo's, La Crepe Nanou, Lillette, Emeril's and Casamento's
Most people usually want to know where to eat that is close by their hotel in the Quarter. I find it hard to come up with recommendations because the Quarter tends to be over priced and filled with tourist traps. Typically, if you want real good food that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, you need to get out of the Quarter. However, this is my list of good bets if you are looking for places nearby.
French Quarter Eats:
Mother's - Poydras Street between the convention center and French Quarter {technically not the Quarter, but definitely close enough to walk}. Yummy po-boys and other New Orleans faire. Real laid back, usually a fast wait in line to be seated. Good breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Napoleon House - Casual food in a historic building. Well known for their muffalettas.
Mother's - Poydras Street between the convention center and French Quarter {technically not the Quarter, but definitely close enough to walk}. Yummy po-boys and other New Orleans faire. Real laid back, usually a fast wait in line to be seated. Good breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Napoleon House - Casual food in a historic building. Well known for their muffalettas.
Petunia's - Awesome breakfast - need I say more? I recommend the Stuffed French Toast. Short wait in line outside. Casual. (Update: Last time Ben and I were in New Orleans, we were saddened to hear that Petunia's had closed).
Gumbo Shop - Casual, yummy everything, slightly nicer eating establishment. Good for lunch or dinner. Short wait in line to be seated.
Court of Two Sisters - Enjoy a Jazz brunch on the weekend. Upscale and pricier for dinner, but pretty mid-range for brunch, but well worth it for the quick and expansive buffet and courtyard atmosphere.
Central Grocery - Italian-American market with a sandwich counter. The place where the muffaletta was invented. I love me some muffalettas!
Acme Oyster House - Tends to be touristy, but still a great place to down a few dozen raw and cooked oysters, gumbo, and other New Orleans faire. Belly up to the raw bar for a dozen and drink a cold Abita.
Bacco's - Italian Cuisine. Good for a nicer dinner out with mid-range prices, seasonally they tend to run inexpensive pre-fixe dinner options.
Irene's - A quaint Italian trattoria with an authentic Italian atmosphere. Be prepared for long waits though - relax and have a drink while you wait.
Lucky Dog - Grab a quick hot dog from one of the most famous street vendors of New Orleans.
Louisiana Pizza Kitchen - Great pizza with all kinds of crazy toppings {The Kitchen Sink - need I say more?}. French Quarter near the French Market.
Coop's Place - Good food at a reasonable price {which is somewhat hard to find both in the Quarter}.
Port of Call - At the far end of the Quarter. Huge hamburgers. Wait at the door for a table. Plan to hit up Frenchmen Street in the Marigny afterwards, just 'cause you'll be so close.
Red Fish Grill - There are plenty of restaurants around Nola that you will find a Brennan's name attached. You pretty much can't go wrong with any of them. Buyer beware you will probably pay out the nose, but you will always be full and satisfied when you leave. The Red Fish Grill is centrally located on Bourbon Street and the food is guaranteed to meet and exceed expectations of visitors and locals alike. The atmosphere is lively and fun and a little more casual than most Brennan's establishments.
Other good ol' traditional eats in the Quarter, but may require reservations, sport coat attire and/or is definitely a splurge:
Galatoire's, Arnaud's, Antoine's, NOLA {another Emeril establishment} and Brennan's
Other good ol' traditional eats in the Quarter, but may require reservations, sport coat attire and/or is definitely a splurge:
Galatoire's, Arnaud's, Antoine's, NOLA {another Emeril establishment} and Brennan's
I love this post sooo much!! I seriously want to go so bad!! I am trying to talk Bert into to taking us there for the tail end of Spring Break :)
ReplyDeleteI'm hungry!
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