NOLA tourist traps to avoid
 

I've received some great recomendations for my upcoming honeymoon in New Orleans. I thought I'd inquire about places to avoid. Perhaps places to avoid during certain times of the week or places that are a complete waste of time and money. I love my Fodors guide book, but sometimes what sounds good in print doesn't translate to a good time.

- Rob

I had heard or read a lonnnnng time ago that if anyone ever walks up to you and tells you that he will bet you $5 he can tell you what state you got your shoes in... That this is an old bar trick. The answer is "You got your shoes in the state of Louisiana right now".


True story:

We were walking St. Charles in April this year when a man began to ask the question to my companion --- I interrupted him and told him to move on. He did, and we saw him asking the same question to another set of tourists. I knew because the tourist man actually looked down at his shoes after the "local" pointed at them.

Avoid the Court of Two Sisters, and avoid breakfast at Brennan's. Avoid - not that it'd come up - Antoine's.
I wouldn't spend a lot of time at Emeril's restaurants, either.

I wanted to go to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, however people told me that was way too touristy & tacky. We went anyway, as I love my Margaritas. I had a GREAT Margarita, and my meal was pretty good. Same for the rest in my party. The wait staff weren't too attentive (not a busy day, only 1/4 filled), but they were happy to change one of our orders when asked.

So, my point -- even if something looks touristy, try it if you really want! You never know!

Rob, avoid all the places in the quarter that want to sell you drink concoctions in large plastic containers that look like pineapples or rocket launchers....and don't venture out of the quarter at night!

Also watch out for the "fun police" they stop you to tell you you're having too much fun (or not enough, I can't remember) and then ask for a $10 donation to a charity they sponsor. Not sure how legit the charity is

Yeah, you'll run into these official sounding folks on Decatur St. around Jackson Square. Just ignore them or tell them to piss off. They can be quite obnoxious.

I'd also pass on the carriage rides. Their quite expensive and you'll usually see one poor mule pulling a huge carriage with 6 big fat tourists who wouldn't think of walking the Quarter. And while some of the guides may be informative, you'll get a lot better info on a walking tour of the Quarter.

The Voodoo Museum is a mixed bag - small but somewhat informative if you're interested in that kind of thing. The Wax Museum is not worth the money unless you're under the influence of something stronger than a Hurricane. A good cemetary tour is worth it.

If you're into bar hopping, be sure to spend more time off Bourbon than on it. You'll also fine some good high-end bars just across Canal St in the business district in some of the upscale hotels.

TimeOut publishes the best guidebook on New Orleans IMO. You can pick up a used copy at Amazon for cheap.

You might also want to avoid the same dozen restaurants that get recommended on this board over and over and over.

Yes, they all have good food but so do hundreds of other places. There are SO many great places to eat in NO that it would be a shame to only try the over-recommended places mentioned here and in tourist guidebooks.

So, bardo, you suggest that Rob ignore the advice that's presented here? That doesn't make sense.

The reason places are recommended over and over is because they are generally GOOD and CONSISTENT. Bayona, for example, is great and you can't find that combination of food, service and atmosphere just anywhere.

I agree than NOLA has many great places and you should try some "off the beaten path" places but I wouldn't discount the popular ones, either. I WOULD avoid the chains like Hard ROck and Bubba Gump's. Blech!

I meant to imply that New Orleans is an overwhelming food town and offers limitless options (especially for a visit of a week or less).

My point was that there are many, many other places also good and consistent that should also be explored. This board steers tourists to the same dozen spots and leaves out the hundreds of other worthy destinations.

BTW, I love Galatoire's, CP, etc., etc.

I agree with avoiding chains while in NO - there are just so many good places that it would be a shame to eat at a chain :)

We ate at Court of Two Sisters because of the history and nostalgia. The food was ok, nothing great, just ok. The atmosphere was good though.

We did the carriage ride, which was a lot of fun. It was a touristy thing to do, of course, but then we were tourists. And don't worry Brian - we aren't 6 fat tourists who wouldn't think of walking the Quarter ;)

We also did a carriage ride, courtesy of an apparently happy mule who received much considerate attention from our driver, and I recommend it because it included a tour of one of the cemeteries, a place I would not like to go alone. We didn't have a bad meal when we were there, and we didn't go to any of the famous/fancy places. We did get hit up by a woman who tried to bet us that she knew where we got our shoes, but she messed up the question and we actually corrected her, and we all finally started laughing and she went on her merry way. I recommend you do the same if anyone suggests paying a "fun police" ticket--just say no thanks, you'll have more (or less) fun if you hang on to your money this time. Also, if a stranger strikes up a conversation and then offers to take your picture with your camera, I recommend "thanks, but no thanks." If you want a picture, ask another tourist couple or family to take it. My friend says the dinner cruise on the river is not worthwhile in terms of the food (and the river is not particularly scenic in NOLA). Also, the various shops that specialize in tours seemed vaguely expensive to me; it's easier to contact a tour yourself and make your own reservation. New Orleans (especially the French Quarter) is great fun, so approach it with an air of adventure--you'll be able to tell what is worthwhile by the way it looks, most of the time. I hope you enjoy your time there as much as I did.

The run-down parts of the city should be avoided at night. Avoid the area around and north of Rampart Street any time. At night, as a general rule, stay where there are other people; don't wander off alone or in a small group. Usually nothing happens to people because the law enforcement is pretty good, but they can't be everywhere at once. Other than that, just use your judgment and generally walk away from anyone who approaches you for any purpose.

And if you think this is much different from any other big city where there are lots of tourists--think again. It's a problem with our entire country, which is why I try to avoid large cities.

Let's face it, the entire French Quarter is one big, very enjoyable, can't-miss-it tourist trap.

Don't miss <i>anything</i> that looks fun to you; after all, it's <i>your</i> honeymoon!

Avoid those &quot;ghost tours&quot; ... I thought it was really hokey.

Whatever you do and no matter how many drinks you have and no matter how intriguing it appears, stay away from the Natchez Steamboat. It is beyond hokey - it is just dull and dreary and a complete waste of money.

I did the carriage ride and enjoyed it. Yes, very touristy but then I was a tourist. And this was done on the last day I was there - after I had spent the previous 7 days walking all over the FQ as well as other parts of NOLA!

It seems to me if you don't want to go to famous places like Brennan's or Two Sisters for brunch, but eat at a regular place with really good food, and if you don't want to walk around the street with some huge drink concoction with a spriral straw in it, or you don't want to ride a carriage or do a ghost tour, and all those other typical New Orleans things. . .then why go? You can probably stay home and eat in nice restaurants and do mundane things. I would think the whole point of going to a New Orleans type place is to do the things they're famous for. Sure they're touristy -- but aren't you talking about being a tourist there?

There's one helluva difference, Patrick, between being a tourist and being a dumb tourist. I think it's appropriate for anyone to take the normal amount of precautions. And no one but you has said that those things you named are &quot;the&quot; things to do in New Orleans. I realize you were probably just trying to make a point, but there's a lot more to New Orleans than wandering around Bourbon Street in a drunken stupor or geeking out at a ghost tour. And New Orleans is certainly famous for a lot more than that.

The OP asked for things that were a waste of money, not too touristy. IMO, $50 half-hour carriage rides, over-priced restaurants living off their name and 2-bit museums are a waste of money. I can't say the same though about those big plastic drinks. If you're looking to catch a buzz, they will certainly do the trick (though I do prefer a more civilized Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's for a touristy drink).

Here's a thing that was not too touristy or expensive--take the St. Charles streetcar to the end and back. It was a great way to see some neighborhoods one afternoon, for only $1.25. Also another tourist trick is someone that comes up to you and asks you if you need a restaurant recommendation, then escorts you there (even when you've said thanks and goodbye) and waits for money. Needless to say we didn't go to the restaurant he steered us to! I did not get the whole chicory coffee thing--aack.