New Orleans Itinerary
Oct 17th, 2013, 03:59 AM
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New Orleans Itinerary
We are headed to New Orleans next week, I have created a "soft" itinerary, we may or may not have time for everything in the order that I have listed. Would love opinions if I missed any "must sees", or if I should cross something off the list. Thanks in advance! We are interested in food, walking, window shopping, history, jazz & nature....
Itinerary:
Wednesday
Hop on/off bus tour - catch the bus at Basin Street. Pick up a new orleans visitors guide in the visitor center to get a $5 off per person coupon (extra $10 for a 1 week ticket) – good city overview about 2 hours.
The Audubon Nature Institute (auduboninstitute.com) offers three family-friendly attractions in New Orleans. The zoo's most notable exhibit is the Louisiana Swamp, featuring rare leucistic white alligators. At the aquarium, don't miss Hurricane on the Bayou, an IMAX film that tells the story of Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of a 13-year-old violin prodigy. Morning is the best time to visit the insectarium, when you can sample a variety of cooked bugs. - The Aquarium is located on the edge of the French Quarter, facing the mighty Mississippi River at the foot of Canal St. - Audubon Zoo is located in historic Uptown New Orleans, a block from the river on Magazine Street.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 726 St Peter Street - Preservation Hall is open for nightly concerts from 8pm to 11pm, 7 nights a week, with the exception of certain holidays and special events. We have three individual 45-minute performances nightly at 8:15, 9:15, and 10:15. General admission is $15 per person (with exception of special events) and is good for one 45-minute performance. Admission is CASH ONLY. The line generally starts to form around 7:00pm for the first show. Doors open at 8:00pm for the first performance.
Thursday
Garden District/Lafayette Cemetery 10:30am (2)
Thu Oct 24, 2013
WHERE: tour departs from the southwest corner of Prytania Street and Washington Avenue. The corner is the one next to the cemetery wall. Look for your guide in orange with the Free Tours by Foot logo.
WHEN: tour begins at 10:30am sharp. Duration is approximately 2 hours.
DISTANCE: approximately 1m (1.6k)
New Orleans Contact # 504.222.2967
Barataria Preserve, 6588 Barataria Blvd Marrero, LA 70073
Route: Visitor's Center trail (0.25 miles), Palmetto trail (0.9 miles), Bayou Coquille trail (0.8 miles) and Marsh Outlook (0.4 miles), then back to the visitor's center for a total of about 4 miles walk. That was pretty ideal--got a little workout and plenty of sightseeing in, but not so long that it was monotonous. The Palmetto trail has pretty lush vegetation. I found the Bayou Coquille trail the most interesting; it has informative signs about the changing landscape. Definitely go the the Marsh Outlook--beautiful sights!
Dinner: Galatoire's Restaurant - 209 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. 5:30 reservation - need suit jacket.
Evening: Go to Frenchmen St to hear jazz. Lots of cafes and clubs with bands playing each night. Just wander down the street and drop in when you hear one you like. THE SPOTTED CAT on frenchman street was so wonderful. Don't even think of missing this great club. Its intimate, the music is usually amazing and there is no cover charge.... just a drink Min. and a hat that goes around for tips. It was a wonderful night. Frenchman street is a safe area just to the right of the quarter..... take decauter street to the endand you'll find it..... There's tons of jazz clubs on Frenchman Street but once again, Spotted cat was our favorite.
Friday
St. Louis Cemetery #1 Tour – 9:30 AM - the tour starts and ends at DejaVu Restaurant at 400 Dauphine Street - See more at: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-o....oXJIbxU5.dpuf
National WWII Museum is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm - 945 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA 70130, Entrance on Andrew Higgins Drive
Beyond All Boundaries, showing exclusively in The National WWII Museum’s Solomon Victory Theater, is a 4D journey through the war that changed the world. Narrated by executive producer Tom Hanks, Beyond All Boundariesfeatures dazzling effects, CGI animation, multi-layered environments and first-person accounts from the trenches to the Home Front read by Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Gary Sinise, Patricia Clarkson, Wendell Pierce and more. Final showings are at 4:00 pm Sunday – Thursday and 5:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. BUY tickets ahead.
Memorial Hall Confederate Civil War Museum - 929 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130, $8 admission, don’t miss the movie.
Mardi Gras World (if time) 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, 9:30 – 5:30 daily, last tour 4:30.
Royal Street: This unusual shopping area is one of the city's most historic streets. Bourbon street has the noise and a lot of unsavory places, but one block over, Royal street has nicer shops, tons of antique shops and artists galleries. Nice music in the streets and a lovely walk down the street.
Jackson Square: 615 Pere Antoine Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116 (French Quarter)
Ghost Tour 7:30 Where: Meet in front of St. Louis Cathedral. Look for your guide with the Free Tours by Foot logo. - See more at: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-o....vjbREBNK.dpuf
Saturday
Oak Alley Plantation Tour: http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/pl...transportation - 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM or 12:30 PM - 6:00 PM - This tour runs any day we reach a minimum of 6 people.
Reservations & availability call: 1-877-665-8687 (TOUR)
New Orleans City Park - Today’s City Park offers something for everyone. Stop and smell the roses in the Botanical Garden. Enjoy art in the open-air Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Stroll through the sprawling green space or get active on the park’s biking, jogging, and walking paths. The crown jewel of City Park: the world’s largest stand of mature live oaks, which includes a grand oak that dates back nearly 800 years. These unique trees are known for their distinctive sculptural shape – some of the oldest trees have limbs that are twice as long as the oak is tall.
Address: Bordered by City Park Ave., Robert E. Lee Blvd., Marconi Dr., and Bayou St. John, Mid-City, New Orleans, LA
Krewe of Boo Halloween Parade French Quarter, the CBD and the Warehouse District. The krewe, which still is seeking riders, rolls through the streets of New Orleans with 13 macabre floats, bands and other marching units, Oct. 26, starting at 6:30 p.m. The parade will be led by former and current New Orleans Saints announcers Jerry and Mark Romig, a father-son duo. The parade starts on Elysian Fields Avenue at Decatur Street and travels down North Peters Street to Canal Street. It travels up Canal to Dauphine Street, where it makes a U-turn and heads back down Canal to Tchoupitoulas Street. It takes Tchoupitoulas to Julia Street, Julia to Convention Center Boulevard, Convention Center Boulevard to Henderson Street, disbanding at Mardi Gras World, where there will be a by-admission, postparade party.
Sunday
The French Flea/Farmers Markets are open daily from 9am - 6pm - http://www.frenchmarket.org/
Lunch Cruise: The ticket office of the Steamboat NATCHEZ is located at Toulouse Street & the River in the French Quarter http://www.steamboatnatchez.com/reservations.html
Food:
Café Du Monde for lattes & beignets (several locations)
Court of Two Sisters for brunch - In the heart of the French Quarter at 613 Royal Street (between Toulouse and St. Peters Street) - Daily Jazz Brunch Buffet 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Gumbo Shop for dinner, 630 Saint Peter Street – crab cakes & gumbo
Acme Oyster House (great gumbo)
724 Iberville Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504.522.5973
Sunday-Thursday: 11AM-10PM
Friday-Saturday: 11AM-11PM
Pat O’Brien’s bar – crowded –go early evening for hurricane drinks in the courtyard. 718 St. Peter - open 12 noon Mon-Thurs, 10am Fri-Sun, Piano lounge show typically begins at 6pm Mon-Thurs and 2pm Fri-Sun - Pat O's Courtyard Restaurant at 624 Bourbon Street Open 11am Daily
Muffaletta’s at central grocery on Decatur Street (could bring to Jackson Square for lunch).
Other:
Getting around New Orleans by streetcar is a great way to see the city. There are three different lines: St. Charles (one area closed for repair), Canal Street, and the Riverfront, each of which originates downtown but takes you different parts of the city. Streetcars in New Orleans offer $1.25 and can be paid with exact change when you board. 1, 3, and 31-day unlimited ride Jazzy Passes are also available for $3, $9 and $55 respectively.
Itinerary:
Wednesday
Hop on/off bus tour - catch the bus at Basin Street. Pick up a new orleans visitors guide in the visitor center to get a $5 off per person coupon (extra $10 for a 1 week ticket) – good city overview about 2 hours.
The Audubon Nature Institute (auduboninstitute.com) offers three family-friendly attractions in New Orleans. The zoo's most notable exhibit is the Louisiana Swamp, featuring rare leucistic white alligators. At the aquarium, don't miss Hurricane on the Bayou, an IMAX film that tells the story of Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of a 13-year-old violin prodigy. Morning is the best time to visit the insectarium, when you can sample a variety of cooked bugs. - The Aquarium is located on the edge of the French Quarter, facing the mighty Mississippi River at the foot of Canal St. - Audubon Zoo is located in historic Uptown New Orleans, a block from the river on Magazine Street.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 726 St Peter Street - Preservation Hall is open for nightly concerts from 8pm to 11pm, 7 nights a week, with the exception of certain holidays and special events. We have three individual 45-minute performances nightly at 8:15, 9:15, and 10:15. General admission is $15 per person (with exception of special events) and is good for one 45-minute performance. Admission is CASH ONLY. The line generally starts to form around 7:00pm for the first show. Doors open at 8:00pm for the first performance.
Thursday
Garden District/Lafayette Cemetery 10:30am (2)
Thu Oct 24, 2013
WHERE: tour departs from the southwest corner of Prytania Street and Washington Avenue. The corner is the one next to the cemetery wall. Look for your guide in orange with the Free Tours by Foot logo.
WHEN: tour begins at 10:30am sharp. Duration is approximately 2 hours.
DISTANCE: approximately 1m (1.6k)
New Orleans Contact # 504.222.2967
Barataria Preserve, 6588 Barataria Blvd Marrero, LA 70073
Route: Visitor's Center trail (0.25 miles), Palmetto trail (0.9 miles), Bayou Coquille trail (0.8 miles) and Marsh Outlook (0.4 miles), then back to the visitor's center for a total of about 4 miles walk. That was pretty ideal--got a little workout and plenty of sightseeing in, but not so long that it was monotonous. The Palmetto trail has pretty lush vegetation. I found the Bayou Coquille trail the most interesting; it has informative signs about the changing landscape. Definitely go the the Marsh Outlook--beautiful sights!
Dinner: Galatoire's Restaurant - 209 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. 5:30 reservation - need suit jacket.
Evening: Go to Frenchmen St to hear jazz. Lots of cafes and clubs with bands playing each night. Just wander down the street and drop in when you hear one you like. THE SPOTTED CAT on frenchman street was so wonderful. Don't even think of missing this great club. Its intimate, the music is usually amazing and there is no cover charge.... just a drink Min. and a hat that goes around for tips. It was a wonderful night. Frenchman street is a safe area just to the right of the quarter..... take decauter street to the endand you'll find it..... There's tons of jazz clubs on Frenchman Street but once again, Spotted cat was our favorite.
Friday
St. Louis Cemetery #1 Tour – 9:30 AM - the tour starts and ends at DejaVu Restaurant at 400 Dauphine Street - See more at: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-o....oXJIbxU5.dpuf
National WWII Museum is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm - 945 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA 70130, Entrance on Andrew Higgins Drive
Beyond All Boundaries, showing exclusively in The National WWII Museum’s Solomon Victory Theater, is a 4D journey through the war that changed the world. Narrated by executive producer Tom Hanks, Beyond All Boundariesfeatures dazzling effects, CGI animation, multi-layered environments and first-person accounts from the trenches to the Home Front read by Brad Pitt, Tobey Maguire, Gary Sinise, Patricia Clarkson, Wendell Pierce and more. Final showings are at 4:00 pm Sunday – Thursday and 5:00 pm on Friday and Saturday. BUY tickets ahead.
Memorial Hall Confederate Civil War Museum - 929 Camp St, New Orleans, LA 70130, $8 admission, don’t miss the movie.
Mardi Gras World (if time) 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, 9:30 – 5:30 daily, last tour 4:30.
Royal Street: This unusual shopping area is one of the city's most historic streets. Bourbon street has the noise and a lot of unsavory places, but one block over, Royal street has nicer shops, tons of antique shops and artists galleries. Nice music in the streets and a lovely walk down the street.
Jackson Square: 615 Pere Antoine Alley, New Orleans, LA 70116 (French Quarter)
Ghost Tour 7:30 Where: Meet in front of St. Louis Cathedral. Look for your guide with the Free Tours by Foot logo. - See more at: http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-o....vjbREBNK.dpuf
Saturday
Oak Alley Plantation Tour: http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/pl...transportation - 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM or 12:30 PM - 6:00 PM - This tour runs any day we reach a minimum of 6 people.
Reservations & availability call: 1-877-665-8687 (TOUR)
New Orleans City Park - Today’s City Park offers something for everyone. Stop and smell the roses in the Botanical Garden. Enjoy art in the open-air Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Stroll through the sprawling green space or get active on the park’s biking, jogging, and walking paths. The crown jewel of City Park: the world’s largest stand of mature live oaks, which includes a grand oak that dates back nearly 800 years. These unique trees are known for their distinctive sculptural shape – some of the oldest trees have limbs that are twice as long as the oak is tall.
Address: Bordered by City Park Ave., Robert E. Lee Blvd., Marconi Dr., and Bayou St. John, Mid-City, New Orleans, LA
Krewe of Boo Halloween Parade French Quarter, the CBD and the Warehouse District. The krewe, which still is seeking riders, rolls through the streets of New Orleans with 13 macabre floats, bands and other marching units, Oct. 26, starting at 6:30 p.m. The parade will be led by former and current New Orleans Saints announcers Jerry and Mark Romig, a father-son duo. The parade starts on Elysian Fields Avenue at Decatur Street and travels down North Peters Street to Canal Street. It travels up Canal to Dauphine Street, where it makes a U-turn and heads back down Canal to Tchoupitoulas Street. It takes Tchoupitoulas to Julia Street, Julia to Convention Center Boulevard, Convention Center Boulevard to Henderson Street, disbanding at Mardi Gras World, where there will be a by-admission, postparade party.
Sunday
The French Flea/Farmers Markets are open daily from 9am - 6pm - http://www.frenchmarket.org/
Lunch Cruise: The ticket office of the Steamboat NATCHEZ is located at Toulouse Street & the River in the French Quarter http://www.steamboatnatchez.com/reservations.html
Food:
Café Du Monde for lattes & beignets (several locations)
Court of Two Sisters for brunch - In the heart of the French Quarter at 613 Royal Street (between Toulouse and St. Peters Street) - Daily Jazz Brunch Buffet 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Gumbo Shop for dinner, 630 Saint Peter Street – crab cakes & gumbo
Acme Oyster House (great gumbo)
724 Iberville Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504.522.5973
Sunday-Thursday: 11AM-10PM
Friday-Saturday: 11AM-11PM
Pat O’Brien’s bar – crowded –go early evening for hurricane drinks in the courtyard. 718 St. Peter - open 12 noon Mon-Thurs, 10am Fri-Sun, Piano lounge show typically begins at 6pm Mon-Thurs and 2pm Fri-Sun - Pat O's Courtyard Restaurant at 624 Bourbon Street Open 11am Daily
Muffaletta’s at central grocery on Decatur Street (could bring to Jackson Square for lunch).
Other:
Getting around New Orleans by streetcar is a great way to see the city. There are three different lines: St. Charles (one area closed for repair), Canal Street, and the Riverfront, each of which originates downtown but takes you different parts of the city. Streetcars in New Orleans offer $1.25 and can be paid with exact change when you board. 1, 3, and 31-day unlimited ride Jazzy Passes are also available for $3, $9 and $55 respectively.
Oct 17th, 2013, 05:13 AM
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Will be interested in your trip report ( you will do one after the trip ,won't you PLEASE) as we are heading there in a few weeks and are doing the free walking tours too and some of the other things you've planned. Thanks!
Oct 17th, 2013, 07:18 AM
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The main thing I see missing is the river road to see the plantations. The drive does require an internal combustion device.
http://www.louisianatravel.com/river-road-plantations
http://www.louisianatravel.com/river-road-plantations
Oct 18th, 2013, 05:04 AM
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Oct 19th, 2013, 04:48 AM
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We did the VIP ticket to Preservation Hall last fall and liked a couple of aspects: no waiting in line (went to Pat O'Brien's instead which we might not have done otherwise), good front seat to the side, super easy. But, on the night we went it was not necessary as there were open seats on the floor and standing room but we were happy to have the chair.
I enjoyed Cafe du Monde early in the morning as the city was just starting its day. Quiet in its busyness. Also consider Cafe Beignet, slightly different but also yummy.
We enjoyed shopping on Royal street - look for M. Rau (great for window shopping) and Moss antiques. I also still love the handwoven rug I picked up at Louisiana Loom Works which graces my office.
On Frenchman street, we enjoyed Spotted Cat, d.b.a, Snug Harbor and the street activity such as the poets for hire.
If you have time and are looking for an art gallery, consider Ogden Museum of Southern Art. It was a quick stop but we saw plenty of interesting art.
We did not make it to Mardi Gras World but we did see a terrific Mardi Gras exhibit at the Museum in Jackson Square which we squeezed in during our last hour or so in New Orleans.
I enjoyed Cafe du Monde early in the morning as the city was just starting its day. Quiet in its busyness. Also consider Cafe Beignet, slightly different but also yummy.
We enjoyed shopping on Royal street - look for M. Rau (great for window shopping) and Moss antiques. I also still love the handwoven rug I picked up at Louisiana Loom Works which graces my office.
On Frenchman street, we enjoyed Spotted Cat, d.b.a, Snug Harbor and the street activity such as the poets for hire.
If you have time and are looking for an art gallery, consider Ogden Museum of Southern Art. It was a quick stop but we saw plenty of interesting art.
We did not make it to Mardi Gras World but we did see a terrific Mardi Gras exhibit at the Museum in Jackson Square which we squeezed in during our last hour or so in New Orleans.
Oct 19th, 2013, 09:44 AM
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Looking forward to your trip report. We're headed there for our first NOLA trip over the Christmas holiday. Are you interested in a swamp tour and river boat ride? I heard the city tour is well worth it with a wealth of great info. Have fun and please report back.
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