1st trip to NO-need ideas!

Old Oct 18th, 2006, 05:51 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
1st trip to NO-need ideas!

I've been trying to search through old posts getting ideas for a trip in 2 weeks but I thought I might have better luck starting a new post.

I just got word that I'm going to a conference in New Orleans in two weeks and I booked some extra time in for sightseeing. I've never been to NO and don't really know what are the 'must sees' for the first trip. I'll have 2 free nights, and then an afternoon/evening and a full day/night.

I plan on taking the airport shuttle to the hotel (west side of the French Quarter, near Canal and Cathedral) and back to the airport for an early (7:50am) flight. I won't have a car, so I'll rely on my feet and whatever you can recommend to get around!

I know I want to see the WWII museum and I love history and architecture. I read in another post about some cemetary tours that sounded neat-any additional info on them? (starting point/time/cost) And I remember seeing a tv show that highlighted a certain kind of chicory coffee and a doughnut-like thing (beniegt? I'm sure I butchered that so I'm really sorry) and I'd like to try those.

Oh-and what kind of weather can I expect for early November??

I'll keep doing my own research but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

chemgirl is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 06:33 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You'll want to set aside two days just for walking around the French Quarter (bordered by Canal, Rampart, Esplanade, and the river) admiring the architecture, popping into shops, the French Market, cafes, bars, and some museums.

Go hear some live music - it is THE quintessential New Orlenas experience.

There is tons to choose from.
http://neworleanswebsites.com/cat/en/mu/m-lm/m-lm.html

Right in the French Quarter is one of my faves, the Funky Pirate (blues) at 727 Bourbon St. (between Orleans St. and St. Ann street). Go after 8 pm when Big Al is playing.

I would plan on hearing some kind of live music every night. The bands are great and it's not always something you can do at home.

The coffee and beignet place you're thinking of is Cafe du Monde. You want the original location at 800 Decatur St. - http://www.cafedumonde.com/ Go your first day so you can keep going back!

New Orleans is a dining heaven. One fave of mine is RioMar. It's an easy walk from your hotel and close to the convention center. http://www.riomarseafood.com/

There are MANY different cemetary tours. I would just ask the hotel and pick one that is a convenient time. Cost vary per tour but $10 is ballpark cost.

Weather should be in the 60's during the day and cooler at night. Pack a light jacket and you'll be fine.
bardo1 is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 07:32 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 226
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We just returned from a week in NOLA.

Half of our time was spent volunteering to help rebuild the city, half spent as tourists.

This is a GREAT city and in desperate need of tourist dollars as well as volunteers. You'll love your time there.

Two "tourist" highlights for us were a city tour with "Tours by Isabelle" - our guide was Ginny, and a swamp tour with Cajun Pride Tours.

Tours by Isabelle picked us up at our B&B (the 1896 O'Malley House which is an absolute gem). We had to drive to the swamp tour. After the swamp tour, we visited Oak Alley Plantation and Laura Plantation (a creole plantation.)

Here are some webites:

www.toursbyisabelle.com

www.cajunpridetours.com

www.lauraplantation.com

www.oakalleyplantation.com

All the food was fantastic. Our all-time favorite restaurant is Jacques-Imo's in Uptown. A new restaurant,Cochon,in the CBD was also good.

www.jacquesimoscafe.com

www.cochonrestaurant.com

Have a wonderful time - hope this helps.
Carol
clehrman is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 07:56 AM
  #4  
Ike
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 636
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't miss lunch at Galatoire's and/or dinner at Bayona, Herbsaint, August and or Emeril's which are all near or in the Quarter. Brigtsen's is a must if you have time to take a cab there. Have fun.
Ike is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 08:41 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 30,951
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The New Orleans Ghost Tour was very interesting and included some local history. It was at night and our tour leader was a paranormal investigator. The New Orleans School of cooking provides an entertaining morning and lunch. After you visit Cafe Du Monde for beignets, head to the market area for interesting food items. It is wonderful to wander around Royal Street watching street performers and looking in shops. We rode the street car just so we could "sightsee". We loved the brunch buffet at Court of Two Sisters on Sunday. You don't realize the lovely courtyard interiors that you can't see from the street. Oak Alley Plantation is wonderful but you probably don't have enough time for everything. We visited in November 2004 over Veteran's Day weekend and the weather was perfect.
dfrostnh is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 09:06 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We did the cemetery tour of St Louis No. 1 (just outside the Quarter) with the Historic New Orleans Walking Tour Co - our guide was great. Check out their web site to see if they are currently doing tours. They also do other tours. I have heard that the tour by Save Our Cemeteries is really good too.

Is the St Charles streetcar up and running yet? If it is, you can take a ride through the Garden District - wonderful neighborhood with beautiful homes, large oak trees.
J_Correa is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 09:30 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm traveling with a group from work to The Big Easy in mid November. I looked up the temperature ranges to see how to plan wardrobe. High average is 71, low average is 52. Thanks for helping our brothers and sisters in that area, battered by Mother Nature!
Van_Ness is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 12:24 PM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes! Cafe du Monde! Thanks so much! I never would have remembered that on my own and it's been a couple years since I saw the food network show it was featured on. I would have kicked myself if I missed it! Thanks for all the great suggestions. The tours look right up my alley. I'm already thinking I won't have enough time to see the city!
chemgirl is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 02:43 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One of the most romantic dinners we ever had was at Bayona.

Also liked the Ghost Tour; funky, but a fun experience, with lots of interaction with your tour-mates.
rncheryl is offline  
Old Oct 18th, 2006, 08:08 PM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The street car was not running as of this past Monday.
jiffer111 is offline  
Old Oct 19th, 2006, 11:22 AM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I saw on the bus/streetcar website that you can one day, three day passes of a dozen tokens at a time at certain places around town. It gives the addresses but I don't know where they are. I'm staying on the west edge of the French Quarter, can anyone tell me where I can get a 3 day pass or the tokens? Do you have to have tokens or can you pay in cash on the bus/streetcar? Thanks!
chemgirl is offline  
Old Oct 19th, 2006, 11:24 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wow-I totally must have been in a hurry on that last one-sorry!
[preview, chemgirl! preview!!]

I meant to say I read you can BUY the passes or tokens but I hoped maybe someone could tell me of somewhere near the west edge of the FQ to buy them before I spend the time mapquesting all of the places on the list.
chemgirl is offline  
Old Oct 19th, 2006, 12:41 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If I remember correctly, we bought ours at the booth where you buy the steamboat tickets - right on the waterfront near Canal St.
J_Correa is offline  
Old Oct 19th, 2006, 09:39 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Definitely make a stop to Cafe du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait. If you're a coffee drinker, you absolutely MUST try some of the chicory-based coffee...it's so amazing and I miss it so much after moving away from New Orleans that I have to have it shipped out to me in Wyoming.

Take some back home with you...check out Community Coffee, River Road Coffee, and definitely the Cafe du Monde chicory coffee in the little yellow tin.
geauxtigerswy is offline  
Old Oct 20th, 2006, 03:43 AM
  #15  
Dan
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The St. Charles line is not supposed to be fully operational until late 2007. The "downtown" part from Canal to Lee Circle may be running again this year or early next, however.

The Canal and Riverfront lines are both running.
Dan is offline  
Old Oct 20th, 2006, 08:50 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Can't help but laughing about the chicory coffee. I am definitely a coffee lover, but I have yet to develop a taste for chicory. The first time I had it, I kept adding sugar and after I probably had a quarter cup of sugar in my coffee, I was asking myself what the hell was wrong with this stuff - LOL. Perhaps it in an aquired taste, I am not sure.
J_Correa is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2006, 10:27 AM
  #17  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I consider myself a savvy traveler and have not had any problems here or abroad (W Europe) so I'm wondering if there's any glaring safety issues I need to be aware of. I usually err on the side of caution and since I'm not a late-night person I don't encounter many 2am walks back to the hotel. But I read in a travel guide that you shouldn't go to the cemtaries alone as there is a chance you can be victimized (robbed? worse? it didn't say). So that got me thinking maybe I should ask if it's ok to be a young single gal in NO who's out after dark or even just walking around during the day alone. Especially since when I'm there it will be dark by 5pm! I probably wouldn't stray too far from the hotel after dark. And I will stick to the touristy areas for now anyway. I don't mean to imply that it's a dangerous city but it's always better to be prepared. I read that the violent crime is mostly gang or drug related.
chemgirl is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2006, 10:54 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,620
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Personally I found Cafe du Monde to by dissapointing. I gues everyone has to do it but don't get your hopes up too high.

On the single gal thing (I am male), I would recommend caution no matter your location. Stick with crowds if possible. NO is a place where crime seems to be sort of common. I was next to a couple of undercover drug busts in the 2 nights that I was there a few years ago. I never felt unsafe by myself but again, I am not female. There are definately seedy areas all over. I live in Chicago so I am a big city guy. Don't venture off of Bourbon St. at night.
placeu2 is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2006, 01:47 PM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It seems to me that most violent crime happens late at night (when people are drunk) or away from the tourist areas. The thing to watch out for in crowds of course is pickpocketing. I think standard precautions are what is needed - stay in well-lit areas after dark, don't get drunk, if you feel uncomfortable then step into a shop or a restaurant, take a cab if you are going someplace out of the way at night, and so on. With regard to cemeteries in general, since they have the above-ground crypts and they are walled off from the street, they provide a perfect opportunity for muggings and worse. Better to be safe and go with a tour, plus you will learn more.
J_Correa is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2006, 01:56 PM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 324
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Cafe du Monde, when we went there two years ago we loved the coffee and beignets, but the service was terrific on our first visit and appalling the second; we actually got up and left after watching several servers ignoring us while one overworked trainee tried to serve a large section. But I understand it is under new management; does anyone know if that is correct? Anyway, I would return.

You are correct - do not go to the cemeteries alone. Stick with a group. The cemeteries are rather maze-like, and getting isolated long enough to be mugged would be very easy. You're safe with a group.

Have a great time! Wish I could be with you.
likeswords is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -