My husband and I are taking a quick weekend away from the kids...any suggestions for must-do and must-see events/attractions/restaurants in New Orleans? We'd like to find a culinary walking tour or cooking class, or perhaps rent bicycles. We're staying at the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon St. Thanks!

Biking will be tough in the Quarter (to much traffic - cars and people) but is a great idea for seeing the Garden District (or you could just take the streetcar).
Try Bayona for a great romantic dinner (they have a web site - search under Yahoo). Nola is also a good dinner spot. Stay away from the big "famous" places (Brennon's, etc.) as they seldom live up to the hype. And don't expect to eat well on Bourbon.
For a great casual lunch with a lot of old New Orleans feel, try the Napolean House on Chartes (I think). Have a half muffaletta and wash it down with an Acadian beer - a great $8 lunch.
My wife and I spend most of our time just wandering the Quarter (away from Bourbon), hopping from bar to bar, trying to get lost. Have a great time!

Royal Sonesta is a great choice, you will love it!
Bella Luna is a really nice restaurant with a great view of the Mississippi!
For the best hamburger and baked potato, go to Port O Call (a New Orleans institution) rather far down Bourbon, you won't be sorry! Also, be sure and have a drink at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, down the street on Bourbon. Really unique spot.
Another really good restaurant in the quarter area is Mr. B's on Royal.
Be sure and take the trolly on St.Charles, you'll love it! Have a great stay, you are coming at a really nice time of year. You might try the New Orleans Culinary Institute for suggestions for cooking classes.

Hi Valerie. We'll be in New Orleans that weekend too. My favorite restaurant down there is Court of Two Sisters. They have a wonderful jazz brunch every day. I thought Commander's was overrated but most people love it. If you're planning on going, make reservations before you go (a good idea for some of the other popular restaurants as well). Before or after, you can stroll around the Garden District looking at all the fabulous houses.

You can also take one of the many voodoo or ghosts tours. If you want to see any of the cemetaries, that's the best way to go. Some of the tours are a little hokey, but lots of fun.

There are a couple of good web sites www.nawlins.com and www.neworleansonline.com where you can order guides to the city that have coupons, lists of restaurants, cooking classes, etc.

Have a great trip!

Don't miss an evening of Cajun dancing! You don't have to do it - watching is pure delight too. There's Mulate's, just a short way from the Quarter. They have casual dining, tho I'd go a little later, have a beer and watch the skill and aerobics of the dance aficianados.

There's also a sizable park (Lafayette, I think) and zoo. If you're into antiques/auctions, etc...explore Magazine Street. If you do that, plan on lunch at Joey K's a neighborhood joint with the BEST onion rings. And of course, you have to have your morning coffee and beignets at the open air market (name is escaping me - someone, help!)

You'll have a great time; it's a neat town,

Don't miss an evening of Cajun dancing! You don't have to do it - watching is pure delight too. There's Mulate's, just a short way from the Quarter. They have casual dining, tho I'd go a little later, have a beer and watch the skill and aerobics of the dance aficianados.

There's also a sizable park (Lafayette, I think) and zoo. If you're into antiques/auctions, etc...explore Magazine Street. If you do that, plan on lunch at Joey K's a neighborhood joint with the BEST onion rings. And of course, you have to have your morning coffee and beignets at the open air market (name is escaping me - someone, help!)

You'll have a great time; it's a neat town,

Raeona, you're thinking of Cafe Du Monde on Decatur St. (which is indeed worth a stop).

I went to New Orleans in December and went to the New Orleans School of Cooking. We had a blast and the food was awesome. It only costs $20 and you get lunch. They have a web page. I just searched by "New Orleans Cooking School" and found it right away. Also, there is a little hole in the wall place called Mother's that has the best "Debri" sandwich. It is legendary and has the greatest history. The Napoleon House also has a really good muffellata. We went to two of Emeril's restaurants - Nola and Delmonico's. We loved them both. The Banana's foster was out of this world. Have a great time!

Patty,

do tell a little more about the New Orleans school of Cooking. Did you actually take a lesson ir attend a class? What did you make? How long were you there? It sounds like great fun I would love to know more.

I agree about Nola's being awesome. And you shouldn't miss having cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Don't let the crowd discourage you, just poke around till you get a table. You might have better luck sitting inside, although that's not as nice.
My other favorite restaurant was Bacco's. But don't worry, its really hard to get a bad meal in New Orleans!

When my husband and I went, we were getting ready to leave and realized we had been there 5 days and still hadn't had a muffaletta. We went to the Central Grocery in the morning and bought one to take with us. We ate it later that afternoon on the plane, instead of the yucky airline food. Boy, were people around us jealous!

The New Orleans School of Cooking was not what I expected. You did not actually cook anything yourself. The students are seated at round tables in front of a raised stage kitchen with mirrors over the counter so you can see everything being cooked. Our instructor was a chef originally from New Orleans but had traveled all over the world. He told the most amazing stories about the history of New Orleans (especially relaing to food). He made gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding & pralines. They have the recipes on handouts which they have on the tables when you enter. At first I was disappointed when I found out we were not going to be the ones doing the cooking but.. the food was soo good and the chef so entertaining. We had a really good time!

Patty, what's a "Debri" sandwich? And do you remember what street Mother's is on? Thanks.

Mother's is incredible!! They have great breakfast as well. It's around the corner from the Windsor Court Hotel. Keep in mind that it is a diner, but what a diner! We got carry out one night, and spent a grand total of thirty bucks for two dinners, beer and wine! I also like the Acme Oyster House and, for a nice dinner, NOLA.

At Mother's you have to get their legendary "debri" sandwich. The debri is roast beef shavings that is this au jus type sauce. Their classic sandwich has a layer of ham, a pile of debri, a mustard mayo combo, pickles and something else that I am forgetting. It may not sound that appetizing but trust me you will not be disappointed. Emeril himself loves that place!! I can't wait to go back!!

I have to agree with Patty completely on eating at Mother's..we were there last May. Do No Go if you are the least bit concerned with health foods..and don't sit across from the kitchen door!! Just remember you're on vacation, and chow down...you will tell all your friends about the place when you get home!

Those of you who went to Emeril's restaurants...did you make reservations before going to New Orleans?

It's highly recommended that you make reservations at any of the nicer restaurants in New Orleans including Emeril's, Nola's, Commander's, etc. especially for dinner. We weren't able to get reservations at Emeril's for next week, so we decided to go to Nola's instead. You can get the phone numbers at www.neworleansonline.com.

We went to Nola's during Jazzfest week. We were able to walk in. We just had to wait about an hour, and it was late to start with. We must have had dinner around 9:30. They had a nice bar though, and we were able to order appetizers there.

Its safest to make reservations in advance, but don't count it out if you haven't.

oh yeah... and Nola's was WONDERFUL!