New Orleans here we come!!!
 

Ok - not until the end of May, but I made the airline reservations today, so I am excited. Yes - I am planning ahead quite a bit, but the way things go for us, if it gets on the calendar, it will happen, but if we wait too long that darned calendar fills up and it is hard to find the time.

We've got 8 days on the ground plus 2 travel days - so plenty of time to see the sights and relax. Originally we were planning to take a few days and head up to Natchitoches, but my husband decided that was too long of a drive when there is plenty to see within a couple hours of New Orleans. Ah well - I guess I don't get to have EVERYTHING my way - LOL.

So you know - any recommendations are more than welcome :)

Yeah! That's wonderful.
Where is Bayougal? She is full of great information.

Eat at The Gumbo Shop.

Don't miss uptown: Audubon Park & Zoo, Loyola & Tulane Universities.

Visit Magazine St. Taqueria Corona is one of my favorites (it's uptown).

Stop by all 3 of my old apartments:

Ocatvia St.
Freret St. (although the bldg. was torn down)
Walnut St.

Actually that last bit is optional. :)

BayouGal, what's the name of that soul food place right across from the Gay & Lesbian bookstore in the Faubourg Marigny. That place was AWESOME.

Do the Zoo-to-Aquarium paddleboat tour (or you can do the reverse route).

Go picnic behind Audubon Zoo in the park next to the levee.

People watch at Bourbon & Orleans, where the Bourbon Pub & Oz are located.

Eat. Eat. Eat. And eat!

I think Bayougal is still on vacation...

Good for you, J_correa! It's been a few years since I've been there so I'm going to defer to the experts for recommendations. However, the Audobon Zoo and area was one of the highlights of my trip - definitely worth a visit! Have fun!

Brandie, you're talking about Praline Connection. Good soul food. Yum! There are several great restaurants on Frenchmen Street and in the surrounding Faubourg Marigny area.

Oooo - my mouth is watering already :)

We were there almost 5 years ago for our honeymoon, so we are going back for our 5th anniversary. So I am familiar with the city, but my info is definitely out of date. I was actually there for a few days exactly 3 months after Katrina hit for a work thing - that was definitely an experience.

One thing I would like to do this time around is see some of the things we didn't on our first trip - and Audubon Park and the zoo are definitely on that list. I wanted to do a river boat cruise too, so I think it is great that we can take a boat to or from Audubon park :)

We didn't spend enough time in the Garden District when we were there before either. We walked through and admired, but we didn't learn much on our own. I think a walking tour would be really fun.

Another thing we would like to do it take a cooking class. Anybody have a favorite school that offers half-day lessons?

There are several recent trip reports on here from recent visitors as well. Take a look there + find bayougal & click on her name.

There are (or used to be) several graveyard tours available too.

Not any help on the cooking classes, though. Sorry. :)

We did a cemetary/voodoo tour with the Historic New Orleans Walking Tour Co. when we were there before - saw St. Louis No. 1, plus Congo Square and the Voodoo temple on Rampart. That was really neat. Friends laughed "You went on a CEMETARY tour on your HONEYMOON!?!" but then there were many who thought New Orleans was an odd honeymoon choice to begin with. Eh, why be normal ;)

If those darned St. Charles street cars would get back in service, it would help us all out (tourist and locals) so much! Hopefully they will be back up and running by May!

Brandie, I'll check the phone book - know the place, just can't think of the name. Will get back to you.

J, do you two dance and/or enjoy good music? I suggest Maple Street Bar after a dinner at Jacques-Imos. What would you like to try? I'd never do New Orleans without a night of zydeco at Mid-City Rock n Bowl. That is still one of my all-time favorite night out activities.

Dan already came up with it: Praline Connection!

Yeah, Dan! I should have read closer. My mind's still on vacation, I guess. ;-)

Welcome back, BG!

Thanks, Dan. We had an incredible trip!

I must say I was most proud to fly into Armstrong, after copious delays at DFW, to see smiling faces and hear some great Cajun tunes playing over the sound system. You gotta love New Orleans!!! :)

We definitely love live music - dancing not so much (just not very good at it, so I prefer to watch others) I have heard about the MidCity Rock & Bowl and I love zydeco music. I will put that on the list. I like cajun too if it isn't too twangy - most of the stuff I have heard is good, but some stuff goes too far toward standard country music, which I don't care for. Just like I like bluegrass but don't go to bluegrass festivals because there is always some country mixed in.

I like most music - favorites are rock n roll or all eras, blues, reggae and so on. I like jazz too, but don't know a whole lot about it.

Any more recommendations for nightlife venues, bring them on. :)

J Correa, the crowd at Rock 'n' Bowl will pull you out to dance. And it's okay! I am Mr. Two Left Feet (so says my wife) and I actually enjoy it.

If you do get a compulsion to bowl, beware: Mid City Lanes is a fun place for music, crummy place to bowl! Old lanes and manual scoring!