I just had a blast in New Orleans with two of my friends this last weekend and thought I'd share the highlights with ya'll.

We stayed at the hotel Le Richelieu on Chartres Street (which after two days we learned is pronounced like "charter") and the hotel was great for us. I really like the location out of the main action but still in the French Quarter. It's an older hotel and so is the clientele, but it fit our budget, had a friendly bartender and helpful staff.

For fun we took a carriage ride, $50 for 30 minutes, and we felt it was fun and worth it. Our driver was a native and we enjoyed listening to his way of tawlking, plus learned some interesting points about the FQ. We loved the shopping on Royal Street, which they close off for foot traffic during the day. Lots of quaint antique shops, magic shops, clothing, etc. We also breezed through the French Market which is filled with stalls of souvenirs and your usual flea market fare. We took the St. Charles streetcar out to the Garden District and walked around marveling at the gorgeous homes, some completely restored and others in a sad state of disrepair. The house across the street from Anne Rice's is for sale for $2.2 million! We actually caught a glimpse of Ms. Rice getting into her limousine, a thrill for my friend who is a big fan.

Food: We had a wonderful meal at Napoleon House in the beautiful courtyard. The gumbo was yummy. We also had a very enjoyable meal at Muriel's right off Jackson Square. We chose to eat in the beautiful bar area which is an inner courtyard, and all the food was good, particularly the shrimp roumalade and the cheese plate. Our meal at Pere Antoine's was disappointing, pricey, and poor service. Seemed like a real tourist spot.

Nighlife: We *loved* Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, the oldest bar in the US. They only have Bud and Bud Light for us beer drinkers, but the music was fun and the crowd convival. The highlight of our trip was a night at the jazz club Snug Harbor in the Faubourg Marigny. We were so thrilled to find this little niche of restaurants and clubs outside the FQ and away from the tourists. Snug Harbor is a great place with real quality acts. We also popped into the Blue Nile for music and a hip atmosphere.

We did one tour based on a Creole family and it was fairly interesting. Our guide also took us into the Louis I cemetary and one cannot visit New Orleans without a visit to a cemetary and the explanation that goes with. Very interesting. We also visited the Historical Museum, the Mardi Gras Museum and the Jazz Museum (located in the old Mint Building). The Jazz Museum is fascinating! And there are some surprisingly well known artists on the walls, including a few Andy Warhols.

We loved New Orleans. The buildings with their Spanish wrought iron and gas lights are beautiful, the people are sooo friendly (everyone wants to talk), the music was world-class and everyone is having a good time. I'm still recovering, but looking forward to visiting again.

Thanks to everyone here for giving me some great advice and I hope I can do the same!

Susan,

Great trip report--makes me miss NOLA!

Thanks.

S'spike,

I agree w/ Chuck...!
As I continually mention to my Fodor-friend/NOLA fan Cindy, "Why is everybody going to NOLA but US"!?!?!?!

We were set to go last 9-13 for the 49er/Saints game but, sadly, as we all know, those games were canceled.

Sounded like you had a great time, tho.
We are planning on a trip there this year for either the 49ers/Saints or Steelers/Saints.

Shopping: When we go, I just throw my wallet down on Royal St. then go to Bourbon. Cheaper that way!

If you don't mind me asking, how did you finally book your room at Le Rich? Direct, their website, TA, Priceline/Hotwire, et al?

I can't wait to belly up to the piano bar at Lafitte's with a slushy, hi-octane Purple Hooter! And maybe a drink, too.
Kal

Thanks for the great trip report. My firends and I are going next weekend. It will be our first time!!! How was the weather? I'm trying to figure out how to pack.

Also, how did you find Anne Rice's house. We want to tour the Garden District too.
Thanks, again.

Kal, I got $169 a night by calling them on the phone. I wanted to ask questions like could we get a rollaway (no) and I don't think the rate was any better through the internet. It's a great place, hey, Paul McCartney and family stayed in one of the suites for a few months while recording a Wings album (some years back) so it's got a certain bohemianness about it. Say hello to Leonard the bartender for me. He'll remember us as the three Heineken ladies.

Ya'll a Steelers fan? What are we going to do about Kordell?

Nadine, I have four words for you: Bring Your Walking Shoes. We did not rent a car and frankly would not have wanted one -- driving in the FQ does not look easy, but you will do lots of walking on uneven pavement. I thought I brought walking shoes but ended up buying a pair of Adidas halfway through the weekend. We had weird weather. It was blazing hot the first day and freezing cold the rest. For some strange reason I packed for a weekend in San Francisco ;-) so I was fine when it turned cold. Bring a coat, bring a sweater, bring a sundress, a sleeveless shirt, be prepared for it all. It's also a pretty casual place so bring your jeans. We found elastic waistbands to be very useful! In fact, we all ended up with Indian names, mine was Many Beverages and my friend's was Elastic Waistbands. Have fun!

S'spike,
Thx again for the hotel info. I saw the location. Crawling distance from Margaritaville and Maximo's.

We call elastic waistbanded pants "buffett pants".

Don't get em started on Kordell!! A couple of well aimed passes v. NE Pats and we're in the SBowl...in NOLA!!!!!

FYI, If you live in the Bay/No Cal Areas, we may be getting together in SF w/ other Calif. Steeler fans for the NFL Draft on April 20th.
The local Steeler fan watering hole is Shanghai Kelly's @ Polk/B'way... We are seeing if it will be open for the draft. If not, location TBD!

Maybe a combo NFL Draft/Fodor's Bay Area
GTG?

Walking thru New Orleans?...Hmmmm..that could be a song! ;-D
"Fats" Kal

Here's attempt number four (or five?) to post here. Whatzzup with fodors this morning?

Kal, love the idea of getting together with a bunch of Steelers fans for the draft. Marked it on my calendar and keep me posted it location changes! Kordell keeps breaking our hearts. He looks like he's *finally* got it going on and then falls apart in playoffs. We had the killer D this year, we really had a feeling .....

FYI, Southwest flies from Oakland nonstop to New Orleans!

Nadine, Anne Rice's house is on the corner of First St. and Chestnut. It's the one with all the gawkers out front, and when we were there her personal limousine was parked out front as well. We wandered around like blubbering idiots in the GD until we saw a group of like-aged ladies reading from a guide book. We creeped up on them to have a listen and that's how we found Ms. Rice's house. You could do one of the tours but I think if you just get a good guide book you'll be fine. That way you can leave the GD when you are done. I think Frommer's has a good walking tour of the GD in their New Orleans guidebook. Have fun!