Meadow

Here's what we have planned for our trip.
Breakfast at Brennans and Cafe Du Monde.

Lunches at Red Fish Grill, and Central Grocery for Muffeletta

Dinner's at Arnauds and Bistro at Maison Du Ville, and Pat O'Briens for Hurricanes

We have arranged a Swamp Tour with Honey Harbour, a Cemetary Tour with Graylines, and a Ghost Tour with New Orleans Ghost Tour.

We are also going to go to the Tea House, shopping on Bourbon St., and Jackson's Square.

Anything else we should do while there for the full New Orleans experience?

We are going to be there for 4 days.

SusanCS

In my opinion, here's something you should NOT do: have breakfast at Brennan's! That restaurant - and most particularly that meal (breakfast/brunch) - is a tourist trap of the first order. If you want a famous brunch, go to Commander's Palace on the weekend for their jazz brunch.

JeanH

We used to bring home Muffeletta sandwiches home every year from Central Grocery. Last year the sandwich was very little meat, cheese and olive spread and an awful lot of bread. Although not quite as traditional, the best Muffeletta's that we've had in recent years has been at Napoleon House.

puddy

Galleries on Royal Street.

Coop's Place on Decatur for great fried chicken.

SloPugs

The FREE walking tours given through the state park (they are listed in the AAA book fro New Orleans). They give them for the French Quarter and the Garden District. We also enjoyed the Mardi Gras & Jazz museum at the Old Mint. A touristy thing to do that was fun was taking a carriage ride through the quarter at night. We had our 2 young kids, so this was a good way for them to experience some of the night life atmosphere (particularly Bourban Street) with a little distance. You can bargain for a rate with the drivers that line up in front of Jackson Square.

Livesincali

You must try the beignet pastries at the French Market.

Sheila54

Be sure and see the homes in the Garden District, a plantation tour is nice, the cooking classes at the Jackson School of Cooking are fun and the D-Day Museum is very interesting.

SFImporter

Can't remember the name, but there's a great museum - somewhere near the straw market, I believe - that chronicles the history of the city along with some great Mardi Gras stuff.

Definitely worth a peek.

PamSF

A burger at Port o Call..Sister Claire's pralines(the absolute best)..The galleries on Julia Street..Hovier for some verbena soap(Royal Street)...Galatoire's for dinner(a NO classic)..Oysters at Acme Oyster Bar..Marie La Veau's grave on the cemetary tour...red beans and rice at Mother's.

LilMsFoodie

don't hear much mention of the Rock N Bowl. Zydeco music and dancing in the lanes. Now that is something you won't see at home. Check out the Mid City Lanes.

Also do a jazz club, although Mid City does jazz as well. Tipitinas, Pete Fountains. If you are in New Orleans you need some jazz and some blues.

I'd give breakfast at Brennans the axe and just do Cafe du Monde. A walking architectural tour would be nice, especially if you can arrange one that visits some of the private patios, etc.

I prefer Galatoires for a more formal dinner as do many traditionalist families who live in New Orleans. Last May there were no less than three large tables of extended families celebrating life, death, birth ( funeral, marriage, new baby) Our champagne was brought in properly chilled glasses. Our waiter was excellent, boning my sole expertly and being friendly and casual without the annoying familiarity that sometimes passes for service.

Check out the antique shops on Royal and take a break at the Monteleone hotel in their famous Carousel bar. Yes, it does move that is not your martini. LMF

J_Correa

You've gottne lots of good advice here, just have a few things to add.

For souveniers, go to the French Market - same stuff as in the shops on Bourbon and around Jackson Square but much cheaper.

I don't think anyone's mentioned Mothers for po boys. They are really good.

We were really pleased with the walking tour we took with the Historic New Orleans Walking Tour Co. We did the Cemetery/Voodoo tour and will most likely take another tour with that company when we are next in town.

SaraLou

Ride the streetcars (don't call them trolleys) down St. Charles between Canal St. and Audobon Park/Tulane to get a great view of the beautiful old homes. As we rode down the street we could hear people saying "WOW....WOW....WOW" as we passed by the amazing mansions. You can buy a streetcar pass for $4 for a day.

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde (not just for breakfast - we had them for late night dessert) are awesome.

Check out the street theater and artists in Jackson Square. Lots of fun.

I second the suggestion to do your souvenir shopping at the French Market. Better prices, same stuff.

Dan

So far you have lots of good advice, Meadow, but please let me update/clarify some of the information provided:

**There's no free tour of the garden district now...the Nat'l Park Service has discontinued it again because of complaints by for-pay tour companies.

**The Mardi Gras museum is now in the Presbytere at Jackson Sq. It's great!\

**Beignets are at Cafe DuMonde, also at Jackson Square. Technically part of the French Market, perhaps, but you'll get lost if you wander to the main part of the Market looking for beignets! Likewise, no one will know what a "straw market" is. I remember that term from the Bahamas, though.

**Streetcar passes are now $5 per day, $12 for 3 days. All buses and streetcars included!

Sheila54

We also enjoyed the Mid-City Rock and Bowl and a restaurant we enjoyed was Mulate's near the convention center with a dance floor in the center. There was a band and locals giving cajun dance lessons. New Orleans is so much fun and around every corner is a great restaurant. If you don't make it to Brennans for breakfast, they make a great bananas foster. We just went there for dessert. Also there is a little restaurant called Johnny's that makes a great poboy sandwich.

harley70

ACME OYSTER should not be missed!

SloPugs

Bummer to hear that the free Garden District walking tour has been discontinued by park services....do they still do the French Quarter tours? The tours we took a few years back were very interesting and fun.

Also, I agree that riding down St Charles Street on the Streetcar is a must-do. We took it all the way out to the Camellia Grille for a burger with our kids. That was a lot of fun! On the way we stopped in the garden district at the bookstore where Anne Rice was ddoing her national release and book signing for "Violin." Now that was a memorable experience!