overbuget

I am CONFUSED. So many choices !!! Where is the best neighborhood to stay in NOLA for two nights. We have a car. But love to just stay somewhere where we can walk around and not worry about driving the area (if we stop for a cocktail). Have the car for touring the outer areas. We are driving from Mobile to Memphis...the scenic route.

overbuget

I forgot to mention we will be there at the end of June. I would loves a list of things we HAVE to do while in NOLA.

mclaurie

The French Quarter is the best area for being able to walk around.

starrsville

I like to stay in the French Quarter, but a block or so off the craziness.

http://www.dauphineorleans.com/

I stayed in one of the patio rooms and was completely spoiled. I've recommended to my mother and her girlfriends and they were satisfied with the regular rooms.

J_Correa

Stay in the French Quarter. Central location, plenty of things in walking distance. You'll only be there for 2 nights, so you wont really have much time for exploring the outer areas - might want to take the St Charles bus out to the Garden District though.

As for a list of must-sees, depends on what you are interested in. I would start by reading the Destinations section of Fodors and see what appeals to you. Otherwise, it is hard to answer such a wide open question.

overlookfarm

Definitely stay in the French Quarter, but choose an historic hotel to really get the flavor of old New Orleans, skip the big chain hotels. The whole Quarter feels more like europe than America. The historic places usually have plain unassuming fronts hiding lovely private central courtyards with fountains. Their prices are not bad, check on the internet. You should get a room for about $99 - $130 if you shop a bit. Do not book at hotels north of Bourbon Street. It gets seedy there. I like a group of locally owned historic hotels, one of which is the Place d'Arms just off Jackson Square. I also recommend the W French Quarter, if you want some thing more modern and hip, but still in the heart of the Quarter. It sometimes has great internet rates. Another favorite is the Cornstalk Hotel, really a B&B, which is featured in many books on New Orleans for its unusual Iron fence decorated with cornstalks. Try calling any of them directly, you might get a better rate as New Orleans is still a bit thin on tourists. The Quarter was not hurt by Katrina, so looks the same. The Garden District was damaged in some areas, but is still nice to tour. Whatever you do, be sure to take a Disaster Tour while you are there to understand the extent of what happened to the city. Little has changed, you will still be able to see a lot.

overlookfarm

There is so much to do in NOLA, but you can cover a lot of ground in a few days. The bar scene is not mine, so others will have to advise you there, but I always take a stroll down Bourbon Street simply for the local color. There is nothing like it anywhere.

Then depending on your interests, gawk at the antiques in the stores along Royal or Magazine Streets- furniture, coins, Civil War memorabilia, then take a stroll through the Garden District to see the lovely houses, go on a Distaster Tour or a walking history tour, take in the Aquarium, ride a street car, enjoy the variety of street entertainers - artists, musicians and at night even sidewalk astronomers.

Make a point of stopping by New Orleans' landmark and 24 hour favorite, Cafe du Monde, for its special, delicously strong chickory coffee and some sugary begniets. You can't miss it. It's next to Jackson's Square and right near where the Natchez riverboat ties up. Take a riverboat ride at some point and also mule drawn carriage ride through the Quarter, both will leave you understanding more about this wonderful city's colorful past.

NOLA is justly known for its great cooking, but I prefer to stick to regional food when I am there, as it is such a treat. There are good restaurants in every price category. For example, the Charters Street Bar serves good cheap gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish dishes in a relaxed atmosphere with French doors opening onto the street, while just down from it is Chef Paul Prudome's upscale restaurant K-Paul's serving world famous Louisana cooking. They are both good in their own way, I happily eat in both. You will find wonderful places to eat all over NOLA.

Splurge on a sumptuous New Orleans breakfast - or make it a brunch - while you are there. Brennen's, featured in many magazines, is justly fabulous, but high end. Petunia's or The Coffee Pot (since1895) , both just off Bourbon Street, more low end but very traditionally NOLA.

cocontom

The Quarter is the best, but usually expensive. I've stayed at the Ambassador two or three times- it's 6-7 blocks outside of the quarter in the Central Business District, but an easy walk back, and usually (depending on the day of the week) relatively cheap. It's clean, the bathrooms are ok-enough, and there's a bit of crumbling authenticity to it. We also stayed at the Baronne Plaza last time. It's just a chain hotel (Howard Johnson I think), but is closer to Bourbon.

My List of Must-Dos:
Mother's- have a Debris po-boy.
K-Pauls
Arnaud's or Remolaude (or both)
Cafe du Monde
Margaritaville (we're parrotheads, we have to go to mecca, otherwise it's just a restaurant)
French Market for food to take home
I could keep going about restaurants for another page or two...

Pre-Katrina, they had one of the coolest aquariums I'd seen, but I don't know how well it's been restored.

I went on one of the paddle boat rides several years ago. We were all bored.

BetsyinKY

I would pick the French Quarter. There is plenty to see and do there for only two days. You likely won't need to move the car. Shop around on the Internet and then call hotels directly for the best rates. In the past, mid to late summer is when hotel prices drop dramatically in New Orleans, because of the warm and humid weather. Keep your eyes open, and you should be able to find a bargain.