We're leaving 10/16 for a week in New Orleans. Anybody have some must see suggestions? Is the Voodoo Museum really worth seeing or just a tourist come-on?

Is one of the swamp tours better than others?

Any ideas appreciated!

Have you considered driving north and seeing some of the plantations? The biggest one is Nottaway which is in White Castle, LA and the other big one is Oak Alley which is in the same general area. You can easily do several in one day.

You might also try some of the evening ghost tours. They're a little hokey but fun. You get a little history mixed in with lots of folklore.

And of course the main reason to go to New Orleans is the food. My favorite was the Court of Two Sisters. They have an excellent jazz brunch, I think everyday of the week.

I really enjoyed a cemetery tour--the little "houses" used for above-ground burial are fascinating.

Do you like architecture? There are some fascinating neighborhoods to just walk around in and gawk. Try the Garden District.

Food is always a lure in New Orleans. Try Emoril's--maybe you've seen his cooking show? And everybody has to have coffee and beignets in the French Quarter!

Spent a week in NO in Sept. & had a great time. Try www.miningco.com or www.nola.com or www.nawlins.com for info.
Cafe du Monde for beignets & coffee a must, French Market for shopping, Riverwalk for upscale shopping, St. Charles streetcar to the end and back with a walk through the Garden District, browse the warehouse section for art galleries. Eat at Mike Anderson's for wonderful seafood, The Gumbo Shop is great, The Praline Connection for soul food. We skipped the really expensive resaurants, but lunch is usually cheaper. We were there right after Frances dumped all that rain on NO area, so skipped some places due to the flooding in the outlaying areas. Have fun.

Must Do and Must See in New Orleans

Take the streetcar (get on at Lee Circle) up St. Charles Avenue, through the garden district. Get off at Carrolton and nip over to the Camelia Grill for a coffee freeze.

City Park is full of unexpected sculpture from the WPA period.

Sunday brunch at Commander's Palace is a hoot!

Definitely do a cemetery tour!

Eat an oyster po'boy at the Pearl.

Have a brandy alexander at Napoleon House in the Quarter.

Wolf hot beignets and slurp cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde in the Quarter next to Jackson Square. Custom decrees that only the youngest person at the table is permitted to blow the powdered sugar all over everyone else.

Try this for something different. Go to the foot of Canal Street and take the free ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers. You get a great view of the city, a nice boat ride, and can enjoy lunch at The Pointe restaurant which is a short walk from the ferry landing in Algiers.

Besides all of the above be sure to stroll through the Market in the French Quarters for all the hot sauces, spices, crayfish and alligator meat you can handle. its a hoot!!