My spouse and I are coming to New Orleans by car for Christmas from Atlanta. We'll arrive Dec. 23 evening and leave Monday the 28th. We have visited a few times before but never for Christmas.
Are there any interesting things to do in or around NO on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day (aside from going to Mass and dinner?) Any other tips?
We have hotel reservations and reservations for Christmas Day dinner, and we have a good idea of food choices so not looking for help there (unless you have some fantastic inside dining tip).
BTW--we have reservations at Tujague's on Christmas Day, which looked like the only decent choice relatively near our hotel. The reviews of this restaurant seem to be polar opposites: reviewers either love it or hate it. Any reason to absolutely avoid it, given that it appear to be one of the few places open on Christmas Day?
Thanks
David the Vagabond
New Orleans on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
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The Christmas Eve bonfires would be nice to see. Celebration in the Oaks is also good. Also try the Reveillon Dinners at the local restaurants.
You are right about Tujagues. You will either love it or hate it. I love it. But it depends on your expectations. It will not be the meal of your dreams, but it will be a meal with a tradition, a history, and as with some restaurants in Paris or London, you are buying the history when you go there. Does that make any sense?
We enjoyed Tujague's extremely. This is not a fancy or "gourmet" restaurant - it serves traditional creole cuisine. Some of the recipes are dating back to 1863. Here is what you can expect:
They have a set five-course menu with the following items:
1) Spicy shrimp rémoulade.
2) Gumbo.
3) Very tender beef brisket (served with the same rémoulade as the shrimps).
4) A choice of main courses, usually steak, fish, seafood or crayfish, chicken and something vegetarian.
5) Bread pudding.
6) Coffee.
The cuisine is hearty with a home-cooking flavour, but probably the most authentic creole meal that you can get in New Orleans. Good value for money. And the atmosphere is great!
For Christmas Eve, I strongly recommend the jazz concert in Preservation Hall. The concert starts at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Preservation Hall gives you a down-to-earth experience of typical New Orleans jazz music. Very recommendable. They have already started to sell tickets.
www.preservationhall.com
Thank you all. Thanks for easing my mind about Tujague's. I'm looking forward to it.
We were planning to go to Preservation Hall on Saturday nite. We heard a show first time we went to NO (too many years ago to remember) and I've recently gotten into that style of music, so I'm eagerly anticipating hearing the music. Last time I looked, they weren't selling Saturday nite tix, but I'll try again.
Christmas Eve bonfires is something I have not heard of, but I'll check it out. Is "The Oaks" the light display in the Park around the Art Museum? I was thinking of doing that.
We considered making a Christmas Eve dinner reservation, but finally decided to wing it--probably go to Drago's downtown and eat a few dozen oysters at some point in the day. That way we'll have some flexibility on timing. I have to stop as just thinking about those oysters makes me hungry.
Thanks again for all the help.
My husband and two children were in NOLA two Christmas's ago, and went to the bonfires on Christmas eve. We went through an organized tour of some sort (sorry, can't recall which tour company), but it took us to a plantation tour first, with a very mediocre "dinner". Not terribly thrilling. However, it was all worth it for the bonfires, an amazing sight. I think in retrospect it may have been the highlight for our kids. The whole idea of helping Santa Clause find his way down the Mississippi by the light of the fires was lovely.