We're flying to New Orleans on Christmas day for our honeymoon.  My wife and I already have alot of stuff planned for the 10 days that we will be spending there but would like some more ideas that may not be in any tour book and that may be interesting to see or do.  I was there about 10 years ago so I know of all the main attractions but it's the little stuff that really makes trips like this so special.  Any suggestions any of you may have will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks, Sydwaiz

You have surely come to the right place! I was the 'Official Tour Guide' of the French Quarter while I was at LSU Baton Rouge Law School!

What would you like to do? Eat? See sights? Hear music? What?

Let me know and I'll fill you in!

In the meanwhile -

best (cheap) breakfast - a little hole in the wall across from the Louisiana Wildlife &
Fisheries Bldg., on Chartres called the 'Talley-Ho' - try their homemade corned beef hash for breakfast!

best (expensive) breakfast - Brennan's, of course! it's on the opposite side of the La. Wildlife & Fisheries Bldg.!

best (cheap) lunch - Mother's for po-boys on Poydras!

best (expensive) lunch - Bayonna's, but I forget the street, it's right around the corner from the Hermann-Grima House. BTW, it's not [u]too[/u] expensive - lunches run $15-25.00! But it is memorable!

best (cheap) dinner - Gumbo Shop, Felix's, Ajax Oyster House, there's also Hard Rock Cafe on Decatur, Macaroni Grill, etc., but you lose the flavor of Nawlins'.

best (expensive) dinner - Galatoire's, of course! On Bourbon Street! Skip all the others and eat here if you can! This is Nawlins the way my Mama's family knew it!

Take the St Charles Steetcar - but not during rush hour! Go to the end, it turns around and comes back.

Visit Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 - it's right off the St. Charles Streetcar! Across the street from a great restaurant - Commander's Palace! This is the only cemetery that you need to visit - the others are located near the projects and unless you're carrying (as I do!) you shouldn't go there. Ever!

Visit the Confederate Museum near Lee Circle - you'll see it on the St. Charles Streetcar!

Go to the Westin Hotel on Canal and have drinks by the large glass windows in the lobby - which is on the 10th floor of the bldg!

Cross the Mississippi River on the Ferry at the foot of Canal Street! You can do this at night, but are you carrying???? No, ok, so do it in the early nighttime!

Go to Fort St. Charles at the end of Decatur St., by Esplanade! Former mint of the USA! Site of first trial ever of 'Mafia' in US - 1892!

And now go have a Hurricane at Pat O'Briens! Sit in the patio, but then go in the piano bar for a few, well a lot, actually, renditions of 'Dixie' - Stand and cheer! Yeee-Haaaa! is appropriate! Especially after two or three Hurricanes! Don't forget the words, though!

Eric The(Enough?)Hun[>]:)]

Definitely go see the D-Day Museum.  Definitely worth the $5.00? to get in.  Mr. Hun recommended the Confederate Museum, but in actuality it is now very very small (only one room) and really not worth paying to see.  The Aquarium is great and the IMAX theater is pretty good ( they are basically in the same building).  I hear the zoo is fairly good too.  Enjoy your stay and watch out for the scummy folks living on the streets, you tend to see some weirdos in N'awlins.

Audubon Zoo, Chalmette battle field, And you have got to cross the Ponchartrain causway just to say you did. Danny & Clydes in Slidell on Gause Blvd has the best shrimp po' boys; mais cher ca cest bon mange', thats a fact. Walk around Jackson Square and check out the street performers maybe get your picture painted while you wait. Watch out for the grifters and punks. There are plenty of clubs near the Burbon. Jeagers on the lake is or was a cool hangout with a clean civilized atmosphere. The Dungeon might still be open but man thats a wild place ya!  Mullattes has good food and if your lucky you might get to see the Lee Benoit band. They are probably the only real Cajun band in N.O. these days. Bon Chance.

Check out Mid-City Lanes on Carrolton, or as we call it, the Rock n' Bowl. Bowling and bands - whatta concept. My other favorite bars are the Maple Leaf, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy's, Vic's Kangaroo if a good blues band is in there, even Buffet's club Margaritaville or HOB has good bands. Get a copy of "Offbeat" the free monthly entertainment guide or go to [url]http://www.offbeat.com/[/url] When in Nawlins, I mainly go for music and food. I generally stay away from the Vieux Carre', or French Quarter, unless it's Mardi Gras. It is a zoo of drunk & puking college kids and a good place to get rolled if you stray off the beaten path. Skip the hurricane at Pat O'Brians unless you've never been before. Once is enough - listen to the piano players there. If you go across the causeway to Mandeville, check out Ruby's Roadhouse. Have fun! [beer]

Gallatoire's was perhaps my worst dining experience in NO.  Many other have felt the same way.  I understand from a local that it's great if you're a local, but the service is abysmal if you're a tourist.  Not to mention, they don't take reservations.  Personally, I like Commander's Palace and Arnouds(sp?).

No, it pretty much sucks.  N.O. is filthy, the cops are crooked, crime is unreal, and the politicans are unbelievable.

If you go to the French Quarter at night, try not to wander out of that area at night.  The neighborhoods around there leave alot to be desired.  Keep an eye on your wife, your wallet, her purse, your car and just about everything else you have with you.  Pick-pockets abound.

If you have a concealed carry permit, check to see if its legal here.  If it is, bring your gun with you.

New Orleans can be fun, you just have to be careful.

Go to Mr.B's if you want to do the Sunday brunch thing. It's owned by the Brennen's, the food is quite good, and it won't break the wallet.
Also check out a place called "eleven-87" or something to that effect. It's very good ! Small and nice.

Go to the Gold Club or Rick's for some fun.

Born and raised there. Everyone should go at least once but Vegas is more fun, cleaner, cheaper hotels and has legal brothels one county over.

I was there last weekend, its ok to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there, or walk down the wrong alley, or get off the wrong exit, or etc

(Go Saints!)

Born and raised in Mandeville(if you're from N.O. then you know where it is).

1) take a streetcar through the Garden District.
2) visit The Aquarium of the Americas
3) take a riverboat cruise
4) go to Pat O'Briens on St. Peters and drink a hurricane in the Piano Bar
5) go to the Gold Mine, also on St. peters, and drink at least 5 flaming Dr. Peppers(i've had eight before and my friend once drank ten... not pretty)

If you need directions in the Quarter just ask a cop. They're friendly and very helpful at that precinct. Beware of pickpockets in the quarter. Try and visit the Quarter during daytime at least one day. Very scenic w/ lots to do.

I will be in Mandeville during the holidays so if you need any advice or help e-mail me before you go.

Don't want to spoil your party but I have lived in the southern part of the state for almost 30 years. Even the hardcores who used to go to NO don't go anymore. It is one of the dirtiest, filthiest, most crime ridden cities in existence. The administration is corrupt as is a lot of the police dept. and I am a LEO but not in that city. Be careful and be aware of your surroundings. There are very few nice safe parts of that city. Hope I didn't spoil it for you.

Go to the original Ralph and Cacoo's. Excellente'.

I've been to Nawlins over 30 times & many of the best restaurants in the U.S. are there.

Commanders Palace is tops. Any meal is great but if can try their Sunday brunch, do it.

There is a Jazz dinner restaurant in the Quarter down near the French Market, Palm Court Jazz Cafe, 1204 Decatur St. Real good traditional jazz, food is reasonable (it's right down the street from Margaritaville).

K-Pauls Louisanna Kitchen has excellent food & prices aren't too bad.

Ditto on the CSA museum if you are into the Civil War.  Make sure you ride the street car out through the Garden District.


[i]Le Bon Temps Roulé[/i]

Houston, too bad about your experience, but if I eat anywhere else in New Oleans it's after I've been to Galatoire's.  Off the menu, but if you call a day in advance, they'll make Pompano cooked in a paper bag with a white sauce of shrimp and crabmeat.  Pompano en Papilotte.  S'wonderful.

I ran into a pretty damn good restaurant while I was down there, in the city/suburb just west of NO -- "The Galley Seafood Restaurant" in "Mineta, LA", or something like that.  Highly recommended.

Expensive breakfast--Court of the Two Sisters.
Cheap Breakfast--place just west of Canal across the street from the Holiday Inn (Crowne Plaza?).

Used to be a great bar there called "The Dungeon".  It doesn't open until midnight.

GunLvr

Sounds like Metairie.

Just got back from N.O. about 7 hours ago.

Moulate's at the corner of Convention and Julia St. was good and moderately price - locals and tourist eat here.  They take reservations before 7p.   Cajun music after 7.  We made a reservation at 6:45p and it worked great.  Mr. B's was very good. (Royal street, 2 blocks off Canal).  Mike Anderson's is also good.

Eric and others gave good suggestions on other sites.

Safety was mentioned by several people.  In N.O. it's easy to wander off to the wrong block.  Please pay attention to their warning!!!  N.O. ranks right up with the roughest cities in the country.  FOR EXAMPLE: I was there for 3 days (mainly in the French Quarters) and saw lots of crack in the semi-open....at one point I had be the guardian angel over a retired couple for a few blocks as they were measured up by three pieces of scum a few blocks off the main drag.  I directed them back to the main drag and told them to be more careful (11:30 at night) -- yes, they were semi-drunk.  I feel that the only reason that they were not rolled is that I doubled a half-block back to escort them...It also helped that I wore an untucked shirt and bristled at the scum when I went back to the couple.

In this case, I was sober and getting exercise after a long day at a conference.  I was well armed and aware.  They were not and looked absolutely like tourist!  That's the difference in N.O. or any other city.  

Listen to the hotel staff on what is safe and what is not -- they live and work in the area you are going to be in....These are my opinion (and opinions vary)!  I'm not saying don't go.  It's a blast!!!  ENJOY!!!

You have to try the ....(damn..how do you spell it?) them little french doughnuts at Cafe dumonde...Dumonte...something like that. But just treat the town like a high crime area, and act accordingly, and you will be fine. Just watch your back. BTW, Burbon Street, while historic, is a nasty, dirty place. Hang out on Decatur, much safer.

The French Market is awesome if you like to cook, tons of great foodstuffs (lots of fresh seafood) best farmers market I've ever seen,

I love NO like no other city. Of course, I grew up next to the projects in one of the poorest parts of town....so that aspect isn't too strange for me.

Oh yea...the term "dark alley" really means something there. Stay on the main streets (Burbon, Decatur, etc.) the tiny little unlit streets that run crossways along them are dangerous. Yes, there are actually roving gangs of thugs in those alleys.

Yeah, dat's der bunny.  Thanks!  Good food, mediocre atmosphere, don't let them give you the table in the far-right-back corner under any circumstances.

Oh yeah... a couple of more. The Famous Door is a GREAT bar/club right on Bourbon. Most clubs have a 2 drink minimum but the upside is... no open container laws. You can take it with you onto the street.

Hit a daqueri bar. It's like Baskin Robbins for frozen alcoholic drinks.

Hurricanes are excellent too.

St Louis Cemetery is a must see. It is really creepy cool.

If you can find someone who belongs to one of the Mardi Gras clubs, you might get lucky enough to be given a tour of the float construction.

Lots of expensive tourist traps. Many live music clubs are nothing more than a 20'x30' room with some benches.

A couple of blocks from the convention center there is this tiny pub and I can't remember the name of it to save my life. All I can tell you is that it is off the beaten path. Any convention center employee would know it though because it is the ONLY place to get food at a late hour within 2 blocks of the center. Some security guards were the ones who told me about it.

My point for telling you this is that the scene in this place is ROCKING! It was a non-stop party. They were flame grilling burgers and dogs. Had a couple of pool tables and some patio seats/tables on the sidewalk. I had more fun in this place than any other in Nawlins.



edited to add:

The place is definately charged with spiritual activity. My wife is VERY sensitive to those feelings and she had a real hard time even concentrating while we were there. She loved it though because she felt that she had experienced 'the paranormal' in an extreme fashion.

... find a Hurricane, and drink two of them.

Make a promise to yourself that you will go outside the quarter, a big tourist mistake.

There really is not that muck to do outside of eating and drinking so resign yourselves.

Snug Harbor, The Funky Butt, Snake and Jakes, Uptown Cigar Bar, Frankie and Johnnies, F&M's. All VERY casual, all very cheap, all very fun in an alcoholic way.

I would kill to live there again- I may have to for my wife will never move there.

Post from Sumo2000 -

It's [i][b]Cafe du Monde[/b][/i], and located on Decatur Street, at the Southeast corner of Jackson Square. The confectioner's sugar-dusted doughnuts are called [i][b]beignets[/b][/i], and the coffee that goes with them best is called [i][b]cafe au lait[/b][/i]!

This cafe has been in continuous operation since 1862, well just see their website here:[url]http://www.cafedumonde.com/history.htm[/url]

Eric The(NawlinsKindaGuy)Hun[>]:)]

BTW, you guys that knock the French Quarter are wrong as hell! You will see no one pissing in the streets during daylight hours UNLESS it's Mardi Gras.

If you do, just point it out to some local cop, he'll take it from there.

And of course there's street crime - how many cities of 1,000,000 population in the US do you find without inner-city street crime?

That's why I told you not to go to any of the local cemeteries except Lafayette No. 1. You can go to St. Louis Cemetery if you want, just carry a very large caliber weapon with serious amounts of ammo! Same as you would visiting any cemetery in any large city in the US!

Where the hell do you live? Punkin Center, Kansas?

Eric The(ITakeMyFour-Year-OldGranddaughterThere-WithMyTwo-Year-OldGlock!)Hun[>]:)]

I've got to go with Eric here:

Go to NO and enjoy yourself.  It's just like any other large city.  The same advise would be give n for any visit.   BTW, I saw NO ROVING GANGS, NO PISSING ON THE STREET - YES DRUGS - at nights.

BTW, There is no reason for scum to bother "regular" folk.  There are enough stumbling-drunk tourist to roll...... [%|]

I enjoy the city each time I go.  The new Harrah's is a good recent addition.

Thanks everyone.  We live in Los Angeles near LAX and I work in Compton, so the gangs, pissing drunks, and drugs are of little concern.  Also, since I'm from L.A., it's obvious I wont have a concealed carry permit so I guess my knife will have to do.  We really appreciate everyones input.  I hope you don't mind if I e-mail some of you for further suggestions.  

- Cafe du Monde is an absolute must!!!  Please go at least once a day for me!  Other places to visit besides the Confed. Museum are:

- Cafe Masperos (accross from the old JAX brewery which is now a small mall, opposite side of the street (Decatur) of Cafe du Monde up maybe 2 or 3 blocks).

- The Gumbo Shop
- Ralph & Kacoo's
- Court of Two Sisters (for those that like an all you can eat brunch - food is delicous but it's expensive. I'm not a big breakfast early lunch person so I didn't care for it that well.)

Notice how most of us are only talking about food!!

It's been a good while since I've been, I wonder if the gambling is a reason for it's decline?