Critique My 5 Days in NOLA Itinerary Please
Jul 20th, 2015, 08:49 AM
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Critique My 5 Days in NOLA Itinerary Please
DH and I are going to NOLA the first week of November for 5 days--Monday-Friday. (we fly in Sunday night and leave Saturday morning). We like museums and history. Not concerned with shopping. Breakfast and lunch are kind of on the fly, but dinner will be important as will music venues. (we will, of course, go to Cafe deMonde) I am looking for a VRBO in the Garden District--we like our space and want a kitchen etc. We are active travelers but not go all day types. Our schedule is more 10-5 ish or 9-3, with an hour or two to relax before dinner.
This is what I have for a rough itinerary. I would love your thoughts. Are these days too short/long? Should I mix up the order of things? If there are lunch spots along the way, please let me know. (I apologize in advance for all typos!)
Day One
1. One hour-Ride the St. Charles Trolley and get a small "tour" of the city
2. One hour tour at Mardi Gras World
3. 2 hours at Ogden Museum of Art
4. 2-3 hours at the WW II Museum.
Day Two: French Quarter
1. Jackson Square
2. Jean Lafitte NP Visitor Center for info etc
2. 2 hrs. Cabildo with Museums
3. 1 hr. Presbytere with Museums
4. 2 hours at the US Mint
Day Three: More French Quarter
1. 1 hr at Pontalba Bldg Tour
2. 1 hr at Madame Johns Legacy
3. 1 hr at the Voodoo Museum
4. 1 hr at the Pharmacy Museum
5. 2 hrs at one of the Cemeteries--with a tour (not sure how that works schedule wise, but I think the tours are daily at 10:30--have to check the web site)
Day 4 (2 hours each)
1. NOLA Museum of Art
2. Aquarium
3. Insectarium
Day 5
I am thinking of renting a car and driving up to see the Plantations. We are not bus tour people and would much rather drive ourselves. I assume we could see probably 2 of them in a day?? I would actually love to do a swamp tour but DH does not.
Thanks for your feedback!
This is what I have for a rough itinerary. I would love your thoughts. Are these days too short/long? Should I mix up the order of things? If there are lunch spots along the way, please let me know. (I apologize in advance for all typos!)
Day One
1. One hour-Ride the St. Charles Trolley and get a small "tour" of the city
2. One hour tour at Mardi Gras World
3. 2 hours at Ogden Museum of Art
4. 2-3 hours at the WW II Museum.
Day Two: French Quarter
1. Jackson Square
2. Jean Lafitte NP Visitor Center for info etc
2. 2 hrs. Cabildo with Museums
3. 1 hr. Presbytere with Museums
4. 2 hours at the US Mint
Day Three: More French Quarter
1. 1 hr at Pontalba Bldg Tour
2. 1 hr at Madame Johns Legacy
3. 1 hr at the Voodoo Museum
4. 1 hr at the Pharmacy Museum
5. 2 hrs at one of the Cemeteries--with a tour (not sure how that works schedule wise, but I think the tours are daily at 10:30--have to check the web site)
Day 4 (2 hours each)
1. NOLA Museum of Art
2. Aquarium
3. Insectarium
Day 5
I am thinking of renting a car and driving up to see the Plantations. We are not bus tour people and would much rather drive ourselves. I assume we could see probably 2 of them in a day?? I would actually love to do a swamp tour but DH does not.
Thanks for your feedback!
Jul 20th, 2015, 09:22 AM
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Cafe du Monde.
That's a lot of museums. Dunno how you can wander the Quarter (especially Royal instead of Bourbon) and get a feel for the city when you're just hopping from museum to museum.
The WWII Museum is likely worth more than 3 hours - maybe a full day.
St. Charles trolley won't give you a tour of the City - it doesn't go to the river or the Quarter or the Marigny. It goes through the Garden District and to Canal Street.
You might be able to see three plantations in a day, but you could easily hit Oak Alley and Laura from New Orleans. Come back via the airport road in La Place and visit Jacob's Andouille for some good eats to take home.
That's a lot of museums. Dunno how you can wander the Quarter (especially Royal instead of Bourbon) and get a feel for the city when you're just hopping from museum to museum.
The WWII Museum is likely worth more than 3 hours - maybe a full day.
St. Charles trolley won't give you a tour of the City - it doesn't go to the river or the Quarter or the Marigny. It goes through the Garden District and to Canal Street.
You might be able to see three plantations in a day, but you could easily hit Oak Alley and Laura from New Orleans. Come back via the airport road in La Place and visit Jacob's Andouille for some good eats to take home.
Jul 20th, 2015, 12:49 PM
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We love museums! I wondered about the WWII Museum--I think we will leave out the art museum that day. Thanks!
That is true that the Trolley doesn't take in all of the city, but it seems to go past lots of cool buildings etc. I guess I look at it as quicker than walking by all of those sites.
You know, we are not much for wandering. It is odd. Other people have GREAT vacations by just walking around and taking in sights--they see lots of cool stuff. When we do that, we don't see much. I don't know what's wrong with us, but it just doesn't work. (which is weird for a couple who enjoys hiking and backpacking) One of my co-workers has a spouse who works for Delta. They go on all sorts of trips every year where they can't really plan anything because they fly stand by. And they have the best time. I really admire that talent. But it seems to have by-passed me
That is true that the Trolley doesn't take in all of the city, but it seems to go past lots of cool buildings etc. I guess I look at it as quicker than walking by all of those sites.
You know, we are not much for wandering. It is odd. Other people have GREAT vacations by just walking around and taking in sights--they see lots of cool stuff. When we do that, we don't see much. I don't know what's wrong with us, but it just doesn't work. (which is weird for a couple who enjoys hiking and backpacking) One of my co-workers has a spouse who works for Delta. They go on all sorts of trips every year where they can't really plan anything because they fly stand by. And they have the best time. I really admire that talent. But it seems to have by-passed me
Jul 20th, 2015, 01:25 PM
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That is an awful lot of museums, especially on your first day. Agree with leaving out the Ogden that day and concentrating on the street car ride and then the WWII Museum.
I'd break up your time in the City by driving to Oak Alley and another plantation earlier in the week.
Some of the museums won't take as much time as you've allotted for them--e.g. the Mint.
Last time we were in NOLA, the trolley did go along the river--started near the French Market and then turned onto Canal around the Aquarium.
I'd plan one day to be near the Aquarium around lunch time for lunch at Drago's Seafood in the Riverfront Hilton Hotel. Get a dozen charbroiled oysters. You'll inhale them and maybe order a half-dozen more. The gumbo is good too. Making me hungry just thinking about it!
I'd break up your time in the City by driving to Oak Alley and another plantation earlier in the week.
Some of the museums won't take as much time as you've allotted for them--e.g. the Mint.
Last time we were in NOLA, the trolley did go along the river--started near the French Market and then turned onto Canal around the Aquarium.
I'd plan one day to be near the Aquarium around lunch time for lunch at Drago's Seafood in the Riverfront Hilton Hotel. Get a dozen charbroiled oysters. You'll inhale them and maybe order a half-dozen more. The gumbo is good too. Making me hungry just thinking about it!
Jul 21st, 2015, 07:12 AM
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There are four separate trolley lines that have five different termini (the Canal St line has two).
The St. Charles Streetcar is brown-and-green and does not go to the river. As its name implies, the Riverfront Streetcar does go to the river.
There are four separate trolley lines that have five different termini (the Canal St line has two).
The St. Charles Streetcar is brown-and-green and does not go to the river. As its name implies, the Riverfront Streetcar does go to the river.
Jul 21st, 2015, 08:58 AM
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Concur on the WWII museum. Two, three hours barely gets you pass the front door. And, I think, a new building was opened this year for the Pacific front. That is probably another day.
Rigid scheduling just drives us nuts. Unlike you we are wonders. And found a really interesting art glass studio/gallery in the same area as the WWII museum. If you like contemporary glass, it is a great stop with decent prices. We also found a local walking tour on the east side of Jackson square that was very interesting. Again, since we stumbled across it, I cannot give any identifying information. Think it was a local history group, maybe just for Jackson square. Dragged us through the buildings around Jackson Sq with interesting background info about French planters,their winter mistresses, and winter balls.
Rigid scheduling just drives us nuts. Unlike you we are wonders. And found a really interesting art glass studio/gallery in the same area as the WWII museum. If you like contemporary glass, it is a great stop with decent prices. We also found a local walking tour on the east side of Jackson square that was very interesting. Again, since we stumbled across it, I cannot give any identifying information. Think it was a local history group, maybe just for Jackson square. Dragged us through the buildings around Jackson Sq with interesting background info about French planters,their winter mistresses, and winter balls.
