Baoqin

I am planning a trip to New Orleans for 06/17-07/21. We are two girlfriends with our 7 and 9 year kids, flying from the west coast arriving New Orleans about midnight. Return flight are on 21st in the evening so we have 3 full days and one half day to explore the city. We plan to stay in downtown for 3 nights (Marriott Courtyard), and the last night to stay at one of the plantation BB, and on the last day directly go to airport in the afternoon from the plantation.

Places we intent to go include: French quarter, Jazz National Park, WWII museum.

Any other recommendations?

Thanks very much.

Baoqin

Sorry I made a mistake. It's from 6/17-6/21. Thanks.

Ackislander

Seriously, leave the kids with their grandparents.

Other than the zoo and (possibly) the WWII Museum, I can't imagine anything in NO to interest kids that age. It will be hot and humid and probably rain every afternoon. Last time I was there in June, it was 80 degrees at dawn with 95% humidity. If I were a kid, all I would want to do is hang at the pool and play games on my phone.

You will get to your hotel so late that the first day will be shot. Much of what you see in the Quarter will be R-rated, more will be PG, but some may even be X-rated.

I love NO. You will have a great time. But I would be very surprised if your kids do.

sluggo

The children would enjoy the aquarium, which has the usual sea life, including cute penguins, and a nice parakeet area, plus some good films. Not far from that, in the area where the Natchez Queen riverboat sits, is Harmony Park, with large xylophone-like instruments that are fun to play. Other than that, I can't recommend much for young children. I doubt the WWII Museum would interest most young children (my daughter would have been bored at that age) and I would not take them to the French Quarter.

WickedGood

I went to the WW2 museum last weekend. Amazing and a had a touring Nazi propaganda display but I don't think the kids that age would be as interested. Obviously Cafe Du Monde and the aquarium will be fun. A swamp tour outside of town and there are great places to eat. Jackson square and the street artists will appeal but as previous posters would say it gets hot for people not use to the weather. I would maybe include a trip to Gulf shores /Pensacola area for beach and could tour the USS in Mobile and see the Blue Angels in Pensacola

BigRuss

Obviously there are people lacking imagination of what NO has to offer kids. Ours have been there twice, ages similar to the hobbits you're going to take, and love it.

No the kids probably wouldn't like the WWII museum.

They WOULD like a swamp/gator tour, especially if they see the gators being fed.

They'd probably like Mardi Gras World.

They'd probably like City Park, esp. the sculpture garden and storybook land.

They'd probably enjoy the aquarium.

They'd likely enjoy a ghost tour.

Is Jazz National Park even a real thing? It's just a small park near the FQ. That said, they'd like the French Market and Jackson Sq areas.

And YES, you can take the hobbits into the FQ. Just not Bourbon Street. Stick to Royal and you'll be relatively fine.

sf7307

Although it probably wouldn't be my first choice of a place to take 7 and 9 year olds, I think they'd probably also like a cemetery tour, and maybe a plantation tour if there's one where the docents dress up, for example (not sure there are any like that). And a riverboat cruise. (I went to NO the first time when I was 12 and loved it, and it was summer, which was the only bad part -- although it's been a lifelong family saying "Never been so hot as new Orleans in July).

I would take them to the French Quarter, but I don't hide much from my kids.

Baoqin

Thanks for all your feedback. They are very helpful for us to make the final plan. Here are the changed plan. You can see this tour is focused on kids - while they have fun the two adults can chat. Why NO? Because on 06/21 only one adult will take the 2 kids home and the other one is staying for a conference.

6/17: take an earlier flight which arrives NO in the morning. From airport directly go to plantation BB, take plantation tour and rest.

6/18: go to downtown Marriott Courtyard. Take City Tour and Steamboat Natchez Harbor Cruise

6/19: Swamp tour. City park afterward if we have time & energy.

06/20: Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World & acquarium

06/21: zoo or ghost tour, head to airport.

We may go to French quarter, but maybe only for breakfast or dinner.

Welcome any comments.

november_moon

Most of what you see in the FQ is not R-Rated or even PG - on a few blocks of Bourbon St, yes, but not the rest of the FQ. The FQ is an infinitely interesting neighborhood with tons of history. Jackson Square is a must-see, especially with kids. There are pretty much always artists and musicians there, other street performers, people who read your palm. It's always a fun time. You can take a carriage ride from there also, which would be fun with kids.

november_moon

Oh, and yeah - Jazz National Park IS a real thing - although I didn't know it was called that Most people know it as Louis Armstong Park

https://www.nps.gov/jazz/index.htm

BigRuss

Yeah, that's not clear on the NPS website. I know of Louis Armstrong Park. Weirdo Washington DoI yobs needing to rename stuff.

And nov-moon is right. Stop listening to the people above who think French Quarter = Bourbon Street. It is NOT just Bourbon and bawdiness. Our monkeys like the FQ because it's lively and interesting and has ghost stories and Cafe Beignet (on Royal). The kids aren't going there to watch collegians drink until their faces fall off (and we don't go where that's happening).

StantonHyde

We loved the bug museum!! Seriously, it was awesome!

I would absolutely take kids that age to NO--there is plenty to do. If you click on my username you will see a detailed trip report to NO. It was just adults, but plenty of the stuff was stuff our kids would love. I have a work colleague who is originally from Baton Rouge. Her daughter loooooves NO. She chose to go there over Disneyland when she was 8. Have fun!

Grcxx3

Possibly repeating above mentioned places....

Mardi Gras World
Aquarium
Audubon Zoo
Children's Museum
Street Car Ride

Baoqin

Will stay in Oak Alley Plantation cottage the first day. Do we just stay there and visit the Oak Alley plantation? Or is it advisable to visit other plantations as well? Thanks.

StantonHyde

We visited another plantation as well-can't remember--see my user name for trip report. We enjoyed both of them. And the road side restaurant where we had lunch was superb!!

BigRuss

>

Laura plantation is thisclose to Oak Alley and far different. Whitney Plantation, which is most notable for its intent "to pay homage to all slaves on the plantation itself and to all of those who lived elsewhere in the US South" is only 15 minutes away. Laura Plantation is fairly interesting, Whitney is an experience.

Baoqin

Thanks for all your great advice. Now we booked the 1st night at Oak Alley Plantation. The rest of our stay will be in downtown.

We did not plan to rent a car. Just noticed that taxi and Uber usually does not go to the plantation (or very expensive - more than $200). We need advise re the economic and simple ways to get to the plantation from the airport. I noticed on the plantation website there has a list of transportation companies, but it seems they are all tour companies, which seems to depart from downtown New Orleans. It seems we have to either choose to rent a car, or go to downtown NO to board the tour bus. If we have to rent a car, then where should we return the rental car, at the downtown NO or at the airport?

The more it gets closer, the more we get anxious.

Grcxx3

You could rent a car at the airport, drive to the plantation, then return it the next day and take a taxi downtown. It's probably 40-50 miles from the airport to the plantation - so not something I would want to do in a taxi.

Randal3

If you are into checking out local small/cute towns, check out this article, http://astridtravel.com/blog/2017/6/...s-in-louisiana.

I would recommend visiting Breaux Bridge and Natchitoches Tons of beautiful scenery.

And of course, make sure to goto the French Quarter in NOLA!