Don't eat at Court of 2 Sisters, lots of other posters can attest to this & there's too many other great places to try! Also for a quick bite try Johnny's on St. Louis in the Quarter for po'boys & if you like muffalattas try Central Grocery on Decatur. Also you may already know but Cafe due Monde only serves coffee & beignets, but hey that's breakfast one morning or better yet a late nite last-stop!

We stayed at Monteleone 2 years ago and couldn't have been more pleased with the location, it is right in the heart of French Quarter so that you can walk everywhere and they have a pool on the roof to cool off. We looked at jazz cruise and it was too expensive for us, we got the same view from the ferry for MUCH cheaper. I'm not sure if it is worth the money as I have heard food is only so-so, but if you like the music . . . The plantation tour sounds great, I have not heard of this, is it through a tour company,sounds like something I would like but husband wouldn't LOL! Anyway, I would hit the casino in the Big Easy at least once and drink a Hurricane for me!

We really enjoyed the swamp tour and saw several alligators. It was only a half day, so you might look into that. I suggest Tours by Isabelle we did swamp tour and plantation tour through them and were pleased. Also the aquarium is fun if yu have time.

Don't miss lunch at Uglesich's (spelling?. It's only open until 4 pm. Looks like a real dump but has really marvelous sea food dishes. The National Park Service gives free walking tours. I think you have to sign up for some of them. They are located in the French Market area.

Topping for Megan!

Be sure that Oak Alley is included on your plantation tour -- you'll recognize it from lots of movies.

Hi Megan, we love New Orleans! Have relatives there and have visited a number of times.

Regarding the river cruise, we've done the narrated cruise which includes going down river and a stop at the battlefield where the Battle of New Orleans was fought. It's a good take and lots of other information about New Orleans is included. There is a FREE passenger and car ferry which goes back and forth across the Mississippi. It leaves from the French Quarter area every 20 minutes or so. It's really a fun thing to just ride it back and forth. It provides a great view of the city.

If you're looking for a couple of real touristy but fun things to do. Try lunch (it's cheaper) at K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. It's located in the French Quarter and is the home restaurant of Paul Prudhomme, the well known Cajun chef. Also, the original Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville cafe is located near the French Market. The food is decent (pub food) and the atmosphere is fun. Another good (and relatively cheap) restaurant is Crescent City Brewery also located in the French Quarter. Lastly, for a real upscale dinner - try NOLA's - but make reservations.

If you're interested in cajun music and dancing, another touristy but fun place is Mulate's - located just outside the Quarter. Have fun!

You might want to rent a car for the day and see the Plantations on your own. We rented from Enterprise near downtown, they picked us up from our hotel. My trip was about 4 or 5 years ago and the plantation I enjoyed the most was one that had not yet been restored. May have been called Laura's?? Maybe someone else can help with this.

We took a dinner cruise and the food was awful!!! I think it was a buffet. With all the great food choices in New Orleans, don't waste a meal on a boat unless you get some good reports on it.

We ate at Margaritaville on our first night as we got in town kind of late. It's an okay fun touristy place. Cafe DuMonde is easy to walk to for breakfast in the French Quarter.

Megan, I think your itinerary sounds great. I do have one suggestion. My husband and I have been to New Orleans several times in the last few years and always have at least 1 dinner at Petunia's. It is located at 817 St. Louis St., which is right off Bourbon St. in the heart of the French Quarter. It's actually right down from the Royal Sonesta Hotel.

The restaurant is in a very old house and the atmosphere is great. The staff are very friendly, the price is "average" for New Orleans and the food is excellent.

Try it and I think you'll enjoy a wonderful evening. Have fun!

Megan,

I'm no expert on N.O., but i just returned from a trip there in August.

On Day 2, i would reverse the order. Take the St. Charles Streetcar towards the Garden District in the morning, stopping at Camellia Grill for breakfast (about 50 minutes on the streetcar). Do the FQ afterwareds, in the afternoon, as it is kind of desolate in the a.m.

Megan: If time allows do a tour of one of the local cemeteries. They are beautiful & unique. Due to the low elevation everyone is buried above ground. Be cautious & stay in a group. These cemeteries are prone to attract troublemakers. We visited one & had no problems.

Do the plantation tour that takes you to 3 plantations (Oak Alley, Nottaway, and Madewood. They serve lunch in one of them (Madewood) I think its Tours by Isabelle. And do a ghost walking tour at night, find the tour guide with long grey hair in a braid (not sure of his name) he's great. You will not need to rent a car, N.O. is best seen on foot.

we just returned from 5 days in New Orleans La.
It was quite an experience. I was most surprised by the extreme filth! We loved the food and the culture itself but for a city that prides itself on its history...we will not return.
we were quite dismayed by riverwalk..which according to frommer's and fodors is the site of the 1984 world's fair...it is now a trendy walking mall..brookstone, gap etc..where did the history of the fair go?

I must say the architecture in the garden district was beautiful and the iron works in the french quarter were some of the best displays I have seen.

We were there for the whole southern decadence thing--which was an eye opener and amusing to watch the parade. But I cannot figure folks wanting to go back. Once was enough for us.

Megan,

Whatever you do, be sure to get out of the Quarter a little more that your message suggest you will be doing. You can't get to know all of the REAL New Orleans in the FQ.

For instance, after you explore the Garden District, take the Streetcar uptown (or upriver) to the turn at Carrollton, a few more blocks away from the river, and get off at Oak Street. Have dinner at JACQUES-IMO’S, 8324 Oak St. It's the funkiest dive you will ever set foot in, but you will never be sorry. Check out the music schedule at www.offbeat.com and go to Jimmy's or the Maple Leaf (in the Oak St. neighborhood), or Rock-n-Bowl (a little further) and take in some real local music.

Skip the riverboat ride...two-and-a-half-hours of that is WAY too much, and the food is so-so. Take the free ferry to Algiers point, maybe go to Mardi Gras world on the westbank, or a walking-tour of the point.

If you take a Plantation tour with Isabelle or drive yourself, be SURE it includes Laura Plantation. None of the plantation tours compare with Laura for history and culture. At Laura, the house takes a back-seat to family histories and accurate stories of real plantation life. It is included on Isabelle's half-day Westbank Plantation tour, and I think it is on the Grand Tour, that is a full-day and includes a swamp.

Skip Two Sisters. So many better places to eat with such little time. You rarely see a local there...that should tell you something.

--
Patrick

Thanks you guys for the good suggestions especially food, yum! I checked the website for Tours by Isabelle and it looks like exactly what we want thanks! As far as going to plaecs like the zoo and aquarium, we will probably pass on this trip as we are from chicago where there are 2 great zoos and a wonderful aquarium here we've visited many times. We are looking for things unique to 'Nawlins. Tell me more about cemetary and swamp tours, we might try to squeeze these in.

What did you guys not like about Two Sisters and the riverboat jazz cruise? If the food was only so-so, was it at least worth it for the experience? What are some other hotspots to hit? We don't care if its touristy (that's what we are) Any opinions on the hotel? Any must sees that we have missed? Should we do walking tours of FQ and Garden distrit on our own or go on an organized tour?

You can easily tour the French Quarter, Bourbon Street and Garden District on your own. As a young couple you probably won't to be with an organized group anyway. Have a leisurely walk and stop whenever and wherever you like.

Granted the Court of Two Sisters is not gourmet dining, but when my group of friends went a few years ago (we are in our 20's) we all enjoyed the atmoshere and many have wanted to go back on later trips. I say go if that is what you want. The food is not horrible and I doubt you would regret it to the point that you will berate yourself!!! (One of my fav. memories is the aftermath of a heinous rest. experience in New Orleans! We laughed for weeks!!!)

2 more things I forgot! Pat O'Brien's piano bar (you may have to wait in line but worth it) and yes do go to Mardi Gras world on the westbank (use the ferry) it's really fascinating & the next best thing to Mardi Gras w/out the crowds!!! I've been to Petunia's as well & highly recommend it. Have a fantastic trip!

If your into Anne Rice novels, they have walking tours of the Garden District to places she writes about and to her house that you can pick up at "The Rink" (at least that was where they were when I was there in 97') You can pick up a cemetery tour at The VooDoo museum, you can explore LaFayette Cemetery in the Garden Dist. on your own.

Megan,

If you post your email (or one that you keep just for "junk" email) i'll email you my recent trip report from N.O.