My husband and I will be going to New Orleans in early December and would like some advice on what to do. I've checked this site, as well as Frommers, for suggested itineraries, as well as previous posts, but would still like to hear your recommendations. We're into everything (history, jazz/blues, nightlife, tours, etc.) and would like to leave after our 4-day trip with a good feel of the city. Are there any special holiday festivities that we should attend that are unique to New Orleans? Also, is it necessary to have a car if we don't plan on leaving the city? Thanks in advance!

You will not need a car. Parking is hard to come by and expensive and the city isn't very large and is very flat so it's great for walking. Besides, you will have to walk off all the food you will eat. And cabs are cheap.

I am planning a trip next spring to New Orleans for my husband and myself, and another couple. My husband and I have been once for a week, the other couple have never been to New Orleans.

This is the basic itinerary I have so far - revisiting places we liked and visiting places we didn't get to last time.

Day 1: French Quarter - taking a historic walking tour of the Quarter and general wandering around. Hitting the French Market for souveniers. See the voodoo museum.

Day 2: Garden District - ride the St Charles streetcar, take a walking tour of the GD including Lafayette cemetery. Continue on the streetcar to Audubon park.

Day 3: City Park and Fauburg Marigny - we didn't explore either of these areas last time we were in New Orleans. I've heard there is a great soul food restaurant in the Bywater neighborhood that I want to check out.

Day 4: Back in the French Quarter - check out some museums, take a riverboat cruise, possibly go over to Algiers on the ferry and check out the Mardi Gras museum. We might take a ghost tour just for the fun of it.

We will also have a 5th day, which I am going to leave open in our itinerary.

I have seen advertisments for Laid Back Bike tours which look interesting. We might take a day and do that depending on the weather.

For restaurants we liked Redfish Grill, Pere Antoines, Remoulades, Mother's, Central Grocery. We also want to try Petunia's. Clover Grill, Camillia Grill, Franky and Johnny's, Brennen's.

Last trip we took a walking tour with The Historic New Orleans Walking Tour company and really liked it. I've heard that the Friends of the Cabildo have a good tour as well.

Thanks for the recommendations! Sounds like a great itinerary. Anyone have recommendations about the holiday festivities or anything else?

For a good meal, reasonably priced meal in the French Quarter, try the Crescent City Brewhouse. Great microbrew beer, good food, not overpriced, and not as tawdry as some of the places on Bourbon Street. It is on the first street right along the river, [of course I can't remember the name right now] - within walking distance of the Hilton where I stayed.

J Correa: As Kal and I would say, "Great itinerary, but where are the Lucky Dogs?!?!?!" Sounds like you have a fantastic time planned, enjoy the city!!! We'll be there in the fall and can hardly wait already!

"Can hardly wait already"???? The things you notice after you hit Post My Reply..........

Sheryl, my husband and I go to New Orleans every year for our anniversary. This will be our 16th. Most restaurants have a Reveillon dinner. Sort of a Christmas feast. Make sure you go to City park to see the 2 million or so Christmas lights. For your first time, rent a horse drawn carriage and take a bottle of bubbly for the ride. They have a wonderful miniature museum but I can't remember the name of it this minute. You will have a great time.

I would include a visit to the DDay Musuem. It makes a nice break from all the French Quarter activity. It is a very moving exhibit. You can take the streetcar to within a couple of blocks.

tt

Sherly, December can be a wonderful time to come here, its usually not 90 degree's and rain isnt as likely in Dec as it is in spring and summer. Make sure you ask about "Papa Noel" or "Creole Christmas" rates which are about as low as summer rates at almost all hotels.

Sheryl,

All the above info is good. I live both here and Miami.

The only thing I would correct is Brennans (no offence to the recommender) but it is one of the FEW know tourist traps. (unless you were talking about Dickie Brennans steak house) Basically the rule of thumb is except for Dickie Brennan, stay away from any of the Brennan establishments, and there are at least 5.

Take the same money and go to Nola's which is one of Emiral Legaussi's restaurants, and I think the fines in the city.

It is hard to go wrong in this city when it comes to food...even if you ended up at "Brennans" it still would be better than most cities.

One hidden gem not mentioned, but popular among locals is Liuza's byt the Track...cheap and DELICIOUS.

Have fun

Richard... what about Mr.B's and the little place in Metairie that Cindy Brennan is running; Ive heard good on both of those Brennan establishments?
Not that tourists need drive out to Metairie for dinner lol.

I would have to disagree with Richard on several counts. All of the Brennan restaurants, including Brennan's, are good places. Only the famous "breakfast at Brennan's" is worthy of the title "tourist trap" and it's only because it's expensive for what you get. I regularly recommend Mr. B's, Palace Cafe, Dickie B's, and Redfish and responses are almost always positive. Many locals dine at these places, too.

NOLA and Emeril's, on the other hand, exist to serve tourists. I don't many locals who visit.

Sorry. Above post should read "I don't know many locals who visit." Should proofread before I post!

Dan your forgiven about proofreading, I'm much worse!

Hmmm...I'm begining to wonder if Dan is related to the Brennans!!! ha ha.

Ok first....I said Dickies is OK Mr. B's is good but it falls I believe in the mid range of quality. To me it is just a fancy steak and patatoes place..mediocre but fantastic service....pesonally I'd go to Ruth Chris or Cresent City Steak house, or the Rib Room for better food. Palace Cafe is OK, Redfish to me IS a tourist trap..food ok but prices beyond the quality. I guess what annoys me about most of the Brennans restaurants is that they seem to have made a science out of cooking ok food, and charging superior prices.

Emiral's I agree, even Emiral has been overheard he does not like it there. It is a total waste of money and time.

BUT you are dead wrong about Nola's, I think it is among the BEST in the city, and that has resonated among many people I entertain from all over the world....Dan...have you even gone there????

Nola's is not well liked among the old steadfast "keep things the same old way" diners, because...well Nolas represents the new up and coming avante guarde of New ORleans...ie New Orleans does not like change.

It is a funky upscale atmosphere and it is fusion cajun, it is loud South Beach Miami style restaurant....something that the old guard just can't seem to handle.

If your used to Manhatten, Miami, LA style fusion, you will love this place!

It is has an exciting energy about it, the portions are generous, and everything on the meny is exciting to the palete!

If you go, be sure you try the "Mrs Hay's vietnemese stuffed chicken wings"
apetizer. After that all entres are simply amazing! the fish, steak etc.

If your the stuffy type that expects your meal to look the same old way every time, and you prefer the steady low key drone of the "old boys" then my advice to you is Mr. B's or Galatoire's (groan!)

Also someone commented about a Brennans in Metarie, sorry have not been to that one.

Also someone about Cresent city brew house, great beer!!! but the food, I think they may have drank too much before eating. Go for the beer, skip the food! Same type of food I would go to Acme, or the restaurant with the jazz band where the road splits off in front of the market (can't remember the name)


All in all, with me disagreeing with Dan, we are splitting hairs! For the most part even the "bad" food here is better than 99% of the restaurants in the rest of the world.

Oh yes...one Brennan establishment that I will definately recommend is Storyville....Great Jazz!"

Hey Dan how about Bella Luna?

I have to agree with Dan about NOLA's, we were there in September and what we considered our worst meal ever - Never again!!!

I love Galatoires. It is not touristy. It is not nouvelle cuisine or ramped up Emeril stuff. It is traditional French, New Orleans style with great service that is not obsequious or pretentious. There are always large tables of New Orleans families celebrating something and the food is superb. I have been there many times starting at about age 5 during Mardi Gras and it is still a favorite.

Look at and have a drink at the Court of the Two Sisters. A lovely patio but dismal restaurant. I concur on the Breakfast at Brennans. Long in the tooth tourist trap.

I like Commanders Palace in the Garden district. Great Jazz brunch.

The Junior League often has a house tour this time of year. It is fun to see inside some of the houses that aren't open to the public.

I enjoyed LongVue house and gardens.

I'll agree to disagree about NOLA. I don't think it's bad but it's not among my top ten. I was last there in October with my folks and, while we enjoyed it, the noisy atmosphere and atmospheric wine prices negated the decent food in our opinion. Also, I didn't find NOLA particularly creative. Certainly not to the extent of Rene Bistro, August or even the new Cafe Marigny (sorry but I forgot Marigny's new name!)

Not a Bella Luna fan either and the "view" people speak of is often not very visible due to weather!

A funny story about Crescent City Brewhouse: I recently went with 4 friends and the server screwed up all four orders! My burger morphed into a chicken sandwich by the time it arrived, the meatless nachos were covered with chicken strips, etc. We laughed about it and, being troopers, just ate the meal despite its mediocrity. But, I won't eat there again!

Sheryl, A few more fun things to do in Dec. You can ride a streetcar through the garden district and see some really beautiful mansions decorated for Christmas. Also, they have free concerts in St Louis Cathedral all month long. I love Christmas shopping in the French Quarter, plenty of unique gifts and art. Also I like the giant Jazz tree in the lobby of Saks.