LindaBrinck

This photographer aunt is contemplating a trip to New Orleans with my 20-something niece and nephew at end of January. Planning for a Mon arrival and Fri departure. We definitely want to avoid the craziness of Mardi Gras. Suggestions appreciated for sites, tours, hotels, restaurants and whether or not to rent a car. I have a knee injury and long distance walking might be a problem. We would like to spend a day taking in the back country and perhaps a cooking class.

bachslunch

For the first link, scroll down later in the thread to see what I actually did:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...y-184065-2.cfm

Food:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...experience.cfm

Should get you started, at least.

ekscrunchy

Here is a short report, mostly about food, from a visit I made ear;lier this year.

If you can add another day or two, I would urge you to make the drive to the Cajun region. If you like music, dancing, and food, this area is just fantastic on a weekend, when two radio shows tape in front of a live audience.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...food-quest.cfm

sf7307

Will you all be sharing a room? If so, this might not work (I don't know if they have any rooms that will fit 3 adults), but if it does, it's a really great place - very quirky, charming, artsy, with a very inviting lobby for drinks, breakfast, and schmoozing.

http://www.qandc.com/

jamie99

I'd rent a car for at least one day to drive out and visit a couple of the plantations if interested. We visited Laura and Oak Alley in late March one year.I also enjoyed a ride on the Mississippi on one of the boats.

bachslunch

I was able to take a tour of Laura and Oak Alley without a car the time I visited NOLA. I also lucked into a second tour of Nottaway, but that may not be as reliably available. But Laura and Oak Alley seemed easily available via a few tour companies as a pair when I went. It may be possible to see other plantations this way, but rent a car if you want to make sure.

BigRuss

>

Uh, that means a tour provided by a tour company that takes you to the grounds of the plantation from a hotel or central pickup location in New Orleans, NOT a tour of the plantation itself. Each plantation runs tours led by staff members. I'm clarifying that you can't walk to Oak Alley, Laura, Nottoway or Whitney (this is a GREAT one, which I'd choose over OA, Laura or Nottoway in a heartbeat) from New Orleans.

The question is, when do you mean by Monday to Friday at the "end of January"? If that's 1/22-26, then you'll avoid Mardi Gras parades completely. See here: http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/schedule.html

bachslunch

BigRuss, that's what I meant when I said "via a few tour companies." They indeed don't actually provide the tour on site, but take you there and back. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Point is, you don't need a car to get to Laura and Oak Alley, and perhaps Nottaway too if you get lucky. Others, renting the car is a wise choice.

Didn't have an opportunity to see Whitney, as no tour company provided transportation there, unfortunately.

Spectral_City_Tours

As for back country, I always love to walk along the boardwalks at the Barataria Preserve. It's nothing strenuous and you will get a good look at our swampy landscapes down here, and there's a great chance at seeing some serious wildlife. It's about a half hour drive out of the city, so a rental car may be necessary for that one

november_moon

Having a car in New Orleans is more of a hinderance than a help. Much of the time, there won't be parking close to what you want to see, especially in the French Quarter. But you can always take buses and street cars, pedicabs, regular cabs, and Uber anywhere that you don't want to walk .

IMDonehere

No car in NOLA

We agree with Eks about a Saturday morning at Fred's in Mamou, LA but you will need to spend Friday there. Tremendous amount of fun.

Cafe Du Monde is one of the few tourists restaurants anyhwere that is worth a visit.