Need Suggestions ! 4 days in NOLA
 

2 Couples: early 50's & early 20's-1st trip
Arr.,Sat.5/22/04,10:30AM(MSY) Dep.,Thurs.5/27,11:20AM (MSY)
Staying at Drury Inn and Suites on Poydras.

Since it is our 1st time in NO; we are open to any suggested itineraries for NO and the surrounding areas.

Hoping that seasoned NO travelers will provide do's and dont's for our trip.

Our interests are many and varied, so no suggestion will go unconsidered.

I have only been to NO once, but would like to offer these suggestions:

DO go to the Sunday Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues in the French Quarter.

DO eat at Acme Oyster House.

DO think of taking a swamp tour. We liked the one in the airboat (for speed and excitement); others have recommended a slower swamp boat ('cause the sound doesn't scare off the wildlife).

DON'T try to eat at Brennan's wearing jeans. They will tell you they are FULL and to come back after 9 p.m.!

Have fun!

P.S. -- A riverboat cruise on the Mississippi is pretty cool, too.

We have relatives coming in from Europe in Sept & have given them ideas of things to do. We are planning to do the Natchez riverboat ride. You can do it with or without a meal. The free ferry to the West Bank is also different & then go to Mardi Gras World.It is a real NO experience to see the floats up close.
You could also do the Honey Island swamp tour. It has been given great reviews & our family likes it best.
If you are in the mood for plantations, Destrehan Plantation is a good one & nearby.
You could even go to Biloxi (if you wanted to drive) to see the Gulf Coast & do a shrimp boat tour.
If you like NO music then check out LA Music Factory (across from House of Blues. They usually have free music on the weekends with local musicians. A great place for obscure music cds & vinyl.
If you want to shop then check out Magazine St. Ride the streetcar uptown too. A great jewelry shop with unusual pieces is Joan Good's in the 800 block of Royal St. Joan has been there since the early 70s & is a real character.

Try eating at the Gumbo Shop on St Peter. It has good food for a decent price.

Have fun- it should be a great time.

Well, Burbon Street at night is a given. Would have to agree on the swamp tour. A carraige ride is really nice, plus they inform you of all history of some of the building. We got ours around Jackson Square for about $40 and really enjoyed it. It really depends on your wants. NO has something for all. Your night can be filled with music, jazz can be found just about anywhere. Piano bar at OBriens is nice and they have great Hurricanes! Bars everywhere. Also some gentlemen's club. Be careful in most of them, pretty seedy and they get you on the drinks. The first one is cheap then, bam here comes the real price. One I would recommend, if interested, is Rick's Cabaret.

If you like nice shops, some high dollar, take a look at Royal St in the F. Quarter, near Burbon St. You could shop till you drop anywhere in the quarter.

Be careful of streets that are not well lit. Never had any trouble, but just what I've been told.

I would make reservations for dinner if you are thinking of a nice restaurant or the wait could be lengthy. Commander's Palace, though never eaten there, is pricy, but great I've heard.

Do a search in this forum using the terms, New Orleans, No, NOLA, and MSY. Tons of info.....

Try the Good Times Guide (online and printed version) for 2-1 rides on the Steamboat Natchez - that doesn't include the buffet, but there are plenty of other places to eat in New Orleans, anyway! A great city tour with loads of information is with Gray Line - they offer a 10 minute cemetary stop that's usually long enough (and AAA is 10% off, I think). If you take a swamp tour, just go for 1/2 day. For souveniers (or just because it's fun) go to the French Market - take beads home and let your friends guess how you "earned" them. Have fun!!

I just returned from 5 days in NO. The FQ was happening with the French Quarter Festival, so we needed to escape it for a bit and hired buggy for a tour of the Garden District. It cost $150 (90 min) but driver took us out for 2 hours and provided lots of info. There were 5 of us, so a good deal. We ate at Acme Oyster House and The Gumbo Shop - both really good, inexpensive creole food (from $7-$15). Lines are shorter during the week. For our 'upscale' dinners, we at Herbsaint (St. Charles) - excellent dinners, nice atmosphere. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and 2 bottles of wine...$60/per person. Did Jazz brunch at Commanders Palace (Garden district). Food was very good but a bit expensive...entrees about $25-$30. Was disappointed that we only heard the 'continuous jazz' for 20 min of our 2 hr. brunch. Walk Magazine Street and around the garden district if you need to escape FQ. Shops, boutiques, eats all along Magazine Street. Take the St. Charles streetcar (fun in itself) to Washington St..walk 6 blocks over to Magazine and turn right. Whenever you're done with Mag. street ..either take the bus or streetcar back ($1.25).Weather was hot, wear comfortable shoes and don't walk down Bourbon St. in early morning hours - sidewalks being hosed down and not pleasant. A walk along the Riverwalk is nice too...ending at Cafe Dumond for beignets and coffee au lait. ENjoy!

Acme Oyster house is a must. Check out the Carousel bar (an actual turning carousel) at the Hotel Montelelone on Royal Street. Ride the streetcar. Take a cooking class at New Orleans School of Cooking. It's fun. Beignets at Cafe du Monde without a doubt. Drink Hurricanes and score some beads on Bourbon Street. People watch in Jackson Square. Eat Muffalatas for lunch... Mardi Gras world is a treat too. Do a cemetery tour. Above all...let the good times roll! Trish

Lunch or dinner at Commanders Palace, Arnauds, and Delmonico's.

Walking tour from the Friends of Cabildo ($10 donation)

A muffalata sandwich at the Central Grocery.

A Sazerac, anywhere!

Tour Longuevue (a pretty home and grounds)

Oysters on the half shell, oysters Rockefeller, Fried Oysters!!!

Annielad, Could you please tell me more about Longuevue. Where is it located?
Thank you!

all Great ideas!! Keep'em coming and THANKS, ALL!

Go to Commander's Palace for the 25 cent martinis.

benj, what's the Natchez riverboat ride? What do you see on a "local" plantation tour vs. one that takes you further upriver and maybe stay overnight? Is a tour the way to go, or can you see plantations on your own? I tend to prefer independent sightseeing if possible.

I rented a car and drove on a day trip to see Destrehan, Laura, and Oak Alley. Easy drive, though not terribly scenic except for the plantations. Did a garden district walking tour and the Honey Swamp tour. Enjoyed it all-- but most of all I ate many beignets and drank a lot of cafe au lait. Yum!

Would also recommend Mardi Gras World some of the floats are just beautiful and it is a fun place to take photos.