We, 3 adults, will be driving from Houston to NOLA. Leaving on a thursday morning. Stopping in Avery Island for the Tabasco factory tour. Arriving NOLA in the afternoon. Staying in the Faurbourg Marigny (sp?) area. That's all that I know for sure. Below is a possible itinerary. Is it doable? Should I drop anything? or rearrange? What can I add from the list below?

Would like to go to Mid City Rocking Bowl thursday night.

Friday:
Walking tour through the French Quarter and Cafe du Monde
Visit Garden District; ride the St Charles street car.
Evening on Bourbon Street; Pat O’Brien’s for hurricane’s; possibly check out the Funky Butt

Saturday:
Magazine Street
Preservation Hall in the evening

Sunday:
Head back to Houston by 1:00

Things we'd like to do, but don't really have any idea about time involved. Are we mad?
French Market
Riverwalk
Canal Street ferry
National D-Day Museum
Mardi Gras Museum
Jackson Square.

You can definitely do it.

Magazine may or may not take an entire day. You can probably also fit in the D-Day Museum.

The French Market and Jackson Square can be easily done as "walk throughs" IF you're pressed for time. From the Faubourg Marigny, the French Market is next door!

When you are at Cafe du Monde you are at Jackson Square -on the other side of the street. If you turn right as you leave the cafe you are one minute from the French Market. If you take the trolley behind(sort of) the cafe you can get off at the ferry entrance which is adjacent to the Riverwalk plaza or better idea walk to the ferry along the levy on the Mississippi past the aquarium to the same point . Its all so close it is very doable in the MORNING
Be careful with the Hurricanes -they are deadly. More than once I have had coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde to perk up. It is not smart to be too inebriated in the quarter. Take nothing that you wouldn't want to lose to pickpocket
May I suggest Madelines on Jackson Square for breakfast or lunch, Palace Cafe for Dinner and the National Park Service free tour of the quarter

If you are at all history buffs, I would definitely include the D-Day Museum. Easy enough to include along with Magazine Street, and well worth it. I'm not a big WWII history fan, but this museum kept my interest all the way through. And it is well arranged.

Agree with the others: the French Market and Jackson Square definitely can be included while walking through the Quarter.

I stayed in the Marigny area on Thanksgiving and loved it. Check out the Brasserie Marigny for cocktails. I enjoyed spending the evenings in that neighborhood more so than the FQ.

I'd skip Pat O'Briens. A big disappointment for me.

You may want to check out Coops near the French Market. I think they'd make a better hurricane there.

It's been awhile since I have been to NOLA, so check me on this...but is there THAT much to "see/do" in the Garden District? I am thinking you could just ride the streetcar through the Garden Disctric, get off on the other side, walk over the couple of blocks to Magazine, and shop back down towards the French Quarter (either walking back over to St Charles to take the trolley back or taking a bus).

This would leave you a lot of time on Friday to do another one of your activities.

Someone double check my logic on this...

I like bamakelly's suggestion of riding the streetcar through the Garden District and then going to Magazine St. You could spend an afternoon wandering the streets of the GD - I did - but with such a short trip, I would just ride the streetcar through. You get a really good feeling for the neighborhood that way and still have time to see other things.

When we were there, we took a carriage ride through the FQ, which was a lot of fun. I highly recommend it. Our driver was very entertaining and told us lots of good tales about the city.

Thank y'all so much.

I've been going crazy with all the things there are to do and while I know my husband and I will be back, our daughter lives in California and it will be awhile before she will get a chance to visit us let alone make it to NOLA. I would like here to get a feel for the city.

Another question: Daughter just graduated from college with a history degree, but she's been to the Normandy region of France and toured the actually D-Day beaches. Is there enough at the museum to make it worth our while?

Probably going to skip the Garden District and just ride the street car.

A friend recommended Pat O'Brien so am considering it, but don't really want a kick-in-the-butt experience if you know what I mean. Actually only going to Bourbon Street to say I've been there. Maybe we three should order one hurricane and three straws.

Keep all the wonderful suggestions coming. I'll be working on restaurants next.

There is definitely enough in the D-Day museum to make it worth your while. It has both a European and a Pacific wing. We spent nearly 4 hours there and didn't look at each exhibit as thoroughly as we might have. It is an extremely well done museum.

Yes, three people and one hurricane is plenty! If you need more alcohol, you can follow with a 2nd drink of choice, whereas you will not be able to do this if you each have one.

The FQ is fun. Pat O's is a must just to say you've been there (everyone goes there once in a lifetime, right?). YOu could just go there for a pre-or post-dinner drink in the piano bar and then skip out and try a different place in that area. There are lots of fun placs around. You won't need a plan; just duck in and out and get a feel for lots of them until you come to one you want to sit down and stay awhile in! Heck, you might even find yourself singing karaoke in the Cats Meow before the night is over.

While out walking around I am going to recommend a couple of lunch spots:

Maspero's (on Decatur)--- order the shrimp po-boy. The line may be out the door, but is worth the wait. If you don't like seafood, then just get red beans and rice.

Central Market (also on Decatur)--- order a muffaletta.

Both spots are big with the locals

On Avery Island there are resident gators. For a fee, you can drive through and see them or get out and walk through the grounds.