My friends, going to New Orleans next weekend. I would like to now what to do, and where to go. Especially in the nights. I do understand that New Orleans has a lot of bars and restaurants but I would like to know the places people whith good knowledge about nighttime activities goes (the tourist traps I probably find myself).

Every time I go to New Orleans (and I've been five times) I make it a point to go to Pat O'Briens and listen to the piano bar sing-along. With 300 people there at just about any time, the pianist never runs out of requests! Send her a $5-10 tip and she'll play just about any song you ask for.One time she started playing a song I had never heard of, with only one person singing along. At the end I heard, "So fight on, fight on, for Maine", so I presume it was the Univ of Maine Fight Song. Not exactly a piano bar standard, but she knew it!

Try these websites for New Orleans Info. www.nawlins.com www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel
http://miningco.com
These sites provided tons of info on New Orleans for our upcoming trip.

I've been to NO 3 times, and haven't worried about itineraries, or restaurants. It's a place to wander and fall in. We've never had a bad meal, but I especially liked the Napoleon House and Maspero's on Chartres St (canal st side of the church) and Rita's, also on Chartres, but the other side of the church, for lunch, and Tujage's on Decatur, and Praline Connection just the other side of Esplanade for dinner. The big, famous, expensive restaurants are big, famous and expensive, but not necessarily better. Bourbon St is good for one quick walk through--tacky, but safe. The music coming out of the joints along the street is wonderful. Your friends shouldn't miss a couple of music clubs. The tourist info will clue them in on types of music, size. Most are free for the cost of a drink or two. Hope they have a fabulous time.

For the no-touristy night clubs, try Rock-N-Bowl Thursday through Saturday. It has the best dance floor, some of the best local acts in town, and if you've never bowled to live music, its a real treat. For jazz, try the Funky Butt and Donna's. Otherwise, look for the local listing for Howlin Wolf, Jimmy's, Carrolton Station, Tipitina's (three localtions) and Cafe Brazil. The local newspaper in Friday has an entertainment section with all the information you'll need. Take a cab to all of the above because they are mostly outside the main tourist drags.

E-mail me if you need any more information. I live in NOLA.

I agree with everyone of Tom's suggestions. Try The Columns hotel/Bar. Great atmosphere in a beautiful old building. It is on St. Charles so take a cab or streetcar from Downtown. For a Late night place try F&M's on tchoupotulis. Doesn't get crowded til after midnight. Not in a great neighborhood, so take a cab there and get a cab at the front door. Don't walk around the area. Enjoy and be safe.

I'd recommend Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar on Tchoupitoulas a few blocks past Poydras. They have great margeritas! It's out of the quarter though, but a nice change after the hustle and bustle. My favorite food recommendations are Port O'Call in the 800 block of Esplanade for great burgers and the drinks - a monsoon can be deadly so drink slowly and Mother's on the corner of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas. Another fun place is Lucky Cheng's on St. Louis - Asian creole cuisine served up by drag queens - kind of different - reservations needed. For upscale dining, try NOLA's (also on St. Louis, I think) or Emeril's in the warehouse district - both need reservations. Napoleon House is a good place to stop for a Pimm's Cup. Kaldi's on Decatur is a good stop for coffee any time. Late at night, a gothic crowd hangs out - good for something interesting people watching. Don't forget beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde - open 24 hours. Laissez les bons temps roulez!