New Orleans -- 2 evenings, one full day.
 

I know, this is nuts. But it's my husband's 60th and last minute I decided it would be cheaper (and a lot easier) to give him a surprise weekend in a city he's always wanted to visit rather than throw him a big birthday party at home. Since we only have Friday - Sunday off work, this was the best I could do in terms of timing.

So with points, and whatnot, I actually was able to secure a nonstop flight from LAX to New Orleans, landing the evening of Jan. 25th and returning on the 27th. His birthday is actually on the 26th. Got a nice room at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter.

Good news is I learned the Mardi Gras parades are starting a week early due to the Super Bowl intervention the following week. And my husband has always wanted to be there during Mardi Gras festivities, so this will work well, since a number of the parades will take place on the 25th and 26th!

Looking for absolute "must do" kind of places in such a short period of time.

Husband likes parades, especially the bawdy variety that New Orleans is famous for, parties, drinking and music (everything OTHER than Jazz, lol) -- huge blues and rock n roll fan. He likes spicy food, and I know Creole and Cajun will keep him busy, but rather than high-end stuffy eating places, he'd be happiest eating street food, or hanging in a place with live music and spicy food and good drink.

So you see, New Orleans will be perfect for him!

He's also a fan of Mark Twain, so if there's anything like a specific short boat tour on the Mississippi, I'm sure he'd dig that too.

Thoughts?

Hi Surfergirl,

We have been enjoying New Orleans for many years (we live in Alabama and can be there for brunch if we get an early start).

You have probably checked out restaurant reviews, etc., but this is a pretty good website for Quarter offerings:

http://www.neworleansonline.com/newo...staurants.html

For good spicy casual NO lunches we enjoy the Pontalba, right on the corner of Jackson Square. I love the barbecued shrimp--absollutely yummy, but messy to eat, since you have to peel the shrimp yourself. They do bring you damp napkins for clean-up.

We also like the Crescent City Brewhouse over on Decatur. If you can sit on the balcony, there's a good view of the river.

For breakfast, we love Oceana.

Of course, if you decide to try the higher=end places, brunch at Commander's Palace is wonderful, as in Galatoire's.

All these restaurants, with the exception of Commander's, are easily walkable from he Monteleon.

I know y'all will have a wonderfuf! time! I wish we were going to be there, too!

Byrd

I forgot to add--if you do lunch at Commander's, they have 25 cent martinis!

Both sound great -- love shrimp, the messier the better!

Any other thoughts -- especially music-wise, would be terrific.

Another quick question -- getting to the French Quarter from the airport. Shuttle service?

Taxi . . cheap and easy

seriously? If so, nice!

Maybe this will help with iinformation on music venues:
http://www.neworleansonline.com/newo...staurants.html

Byrd

RE: taxis from the airport. Just returned from NOLA. Taxi for 2 people--$33 flat rate (plus tip, of course). We stayed at the Monteleone--very nice room, (bathroom kinda small as they usually are in historic hotels), beautiful lobby and bar, great service. Have a wonderful time!

You can always do a swamp tour. Some pick you up at your hotel. Mother's cafe is famous in NOLA - real cajun food served cafeteria style. Watch out though, the line wraps around the building sometimes. http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/
Absolutely love the oyster poboys there but everything there is delicious!

sorry, forgot the links.

http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/

swamp tour: http://www.toursbyisabelle.com/

Acme Oyster restaurant is across the street from your hotel, good food and good prices. There's usually a line but you can send your husband inside to buy drinks to stand in line with :-)

I have to post -- we all thought Mother's was awful, especially in comparison to other choices in NOLA! If you want a good breakfast, at a "joint", go to Johnny's PoBoy, or head to Camellia Grill.

Oyster poboys -- what's a poboy? Husband loves Oysters. SF what did you like about those two choices? and where are they in location to hotel?

Thanks to all for these comments, I'm furiously writing it all down!

We also liked Red Gravy for breakfast which we walked to from Hotel Monteleone.
No help on the oyster front.
Try Cafe Beignet (very close to hotel) in addition to Cafe du Monde for beignets.
Snug Harbor is reputed to have good food, we just went for the music.
You should consider at least one Brunch - we enjoyed Brennan's, Commander's Palace and Mr. B's (which is across the street from the hotel).

The Acme, which we also enjoy, is not, as reported above, across the street from the Monteleon. It's on Iberville, just off Bourbon, but still withon easy walkng distance.

A poboy is a sandwich, on a longish bun and filled with something yummy like fried oysers and/or shrinp. Many many spots ion NO serve poboys, and each place has its own sauce and fixin's.

And I think the Acme has some of the best.

Byrd

Thanks Byrd for correcting my info, I could swear we looked at the Monteleon while standing in line at Acme. And I do agree that their oysters are some of the best. DH loves his oysters on the half shell. I prefer mine cooked with something yummmy.

I was going to point you to my trip report (3 days in NOLA for my 40th bday) but just realized I never did one :(

We ate at Commanders's Palace, Acme Oyster House, Antoine's, and Bayona. I LOVED Acme- got to sit right at the counter. Like the food at Antoine's better than the service; liked the service at Commander's better than the food. Went to Bayona specifically for the cream of garlic soup.

The only other thing I can think of it that we went in between Christmas and New Years- and it was much colder than I had expected. Perhaps we were just unlucky weather wise- but otherwise loved New Orleans and hope to go back!

Lol Cadgirl!

Garlic soup -- man, that sounds good!

Will check out all of these places -- great ideas, great help! Acme sounds great (I'm not into Oysters, but husband is, and it's his birthday, not mine!)

Camellia Grill, at least the one in the Garden District (they recently opened in the FQ too) is an old-fashioned, sit at the counter place, with excellent omelettes, and waiters who like to "engage" with the customers, in a very friendly way. Johnny's PoBoy has excellent breakfast food - delicious biscuits, etc - but the place is a greasy spoon (which is what we consider a "find").