Should I visit the Big Easy or save for another trip?
 

Hi,<BR><BR>My husband has a 4-day conference in New Orleans in Oct., and I could share the hotel room without added expense to us, although I would have to pay my own airfare (about $500 from here). <BR><BR>I've never been to N.O. but my image of it is that it's mostly about food, drink, Dixieland Jazz and nightlife. Here's my problem: my husband will be tied up all day and at least 2 of the 3 nights we'd be there; I don't drink; I shouldn't gorge on food because it's already my "drug of choice," and I'm not a night-owl, esp. on my own. Also, while I love most other kinds of jazz, dixie bores me stupid.<BR><BR>Please tell me what else there is to do, that I could do on my own, that might take up 3 days. I like museums, art, history, shopping to a very limited extent (no Gaps, please -- prefer bookstores or antiques), gardens and beaches. I'm willing to rent a car if there are sights worth coping with traffic in an unfamiliar place. <BR><BR>Would The Big Easy be lost on me and I should save the money for his next conference, or should everyone go to NO once in their lives?

It's definitely worth going! Activities I have enjoyed there have been:<BR><BR>Riding the trolley, touring the Garden District, and visiting Audubon Park.<BR><BR>Exploring the French Market and then going to the National Park Service Visitors' Center. Took a NPS cemetery tour and a tour of a fort(?)/battle site down the river a bit.<BR><BR>Exploring antique shops and galleries on a walking tour of the French Quarter.<BR><BR>A couple of hours away, I have enjoyed plantation tours including Nottaway), and I really want to go on a swamp tour, but haven't yet had a chance.<BR><BR>Just wandering around the city, especially early in the morning, is such a nice thing to do. You have to do at least a couple of food things there. The seafood is great, so you can make the dinners healthy. You must have coffee and beignets at the Cafe du Monde at least once.<BR><BR>

GO! New Orleans is wonderful, especially in October. There's so much to see and do that DOESN'T involve drinking or eating! I love the bookstores, the Garden District, the French Quarter streets, marketplace, etc. Wonderful town.

Neals is a famous auction house in New Orleans check out and see if they have any auctions..You are in a great place for antiques. I say go while you can.

i don't think i'd go. i love NO but i think it is much better with someone. sounds like you'd be alone 90%. <BR>that said, we did an all day city tour that included a bit of the city, swamp tour and plantation tour. it was very good. we also took the boat down the river which was a couple of hours long.

Not sure if you enjoy gambling but there are casinos on the riverboat there as well. This is a fun way to spend a few hours IMO. Ken

Ken, FYI, the riverboat casinos are no longer in the FQ area. Only Harrah's land-based casino. The boats are all in the burbs.

Are you thinking of not going because of the airfare? There have been a lot of airfare deals to NO lately. Check Travelocity, Expedia, Oritz, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Continental. Perhaps is the airfare is lower, the trip may seem more appealing.

I'm very grateful for what people have posted so far -- appreciate the good will and helpful spirit. Happy 4th mah fella Am'r'cans!<BR><BR>I'm hesitant to go because of the money and the amount of time I'd be on my own without having a good idea how I'd spend that time. Frankly, dinner in the hotel isn't my idea of fun but I'd do it if the city had a lot to offer during the day. And it isn't just the airfare, although that's the big ticket -- there are also the meals, car rental, etc. Our networth is taking a daily hit of late, and we were having to pull things out of a hat to do some of our trips as it was. Let's just put it this way -- we have about $1500-2000 per year for travel, including holiday visits to relatives (between us we have 10 relatives in 7 cities), etc. If I go to N.O., it might mean that would be our only vacation or leisure trip until July of next year. That's okay with me if the city's worth it, but I'd hate to trade a long weekend at the beach for 3 days with nothing to do in a strange city. <BR><BR>I will, of course, be looking for "deals," but that adds the possible dimension of not flying with my husband (whose way gets booked by the conference people on a "regular" airline w/non-discount price). <BR>

I'd still vote in favor of going. It's one of my favorite places in the US, someplace most of us should visit at least once.<BR><BR>You won't want a car in NO unless you're driving out of town to tour the area. Walking and taking the trolleys would be fine.<BR><BR>There are cheap restaurants there if you're worried about prices. (My brother says that a bad restaurant can't survive there because of the high standards overall.) I've eaten alone in restaurants there and enjoyed myself. Maybe the waiters gave me a little exta attention.<BR><BR>I don't think of NO as an expensive city if you have simple tastes. It's like a European city in that the appeal is just walking around, exploring and relaxing. You can spend as much or as little as you want. My husband and I used to visit there a lot before we were earning much money. We stayed with friends, and avoided hotel expenses, but it seems that you already have that covered.

I'd go - most definitely. New Orleans is an incredible city. There is so muc to do beyond eating and bar hopping. You will not be bored. There are many museums and tours. <BR><BR>The Historic New Orleans Walking Tour Company was my favorite - they do a Garden District Tour and a Cemetary and Voodoo Tour amoung others. The guides are very knowledgable and will answer any questions you have. <BR><BR>Spinato Tours and Tours by Isabelle are great for seeing the plantations and countryside. They offer 1/2 and full day tours and pick you up at your hotel. These tour companies use vans rather than buses which makes it nice because the tour groups are smaller.<BR><BR>There are also some great parks in New Orleans - City Park is right on Lake Ponchatrain. You can take a bus or a cab over there from your hotel. <BR><BR>Audobon Park is just upriver from the Garnden District - you can take the St Charles streetcar. <BR><BR>Another tour option - Laid Back Tours offers bike tours through the city. We did not have time for this while we were there, but I looked like a lot of fun. <BR><BR>Royal Street in the French Quarter has many great shops - antiques and books to satisfy anyone. <BR><BR>Go to New Orleans, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised - there is a lot more to the city than your image.

Sorry to disagree with the others Lila, but I wouldn't trade a long weekend at the beach for 4-days in NO (if such a weekend is something that appeals to you).<BR><BR>I went to NO for the first time on business for a week in February and it was everything you expected it to be, and I really didn't enjoy it very much. My husband joined me ($155 non-refundable airfare) so our expenses were very low too. I have to attend the same conference next February and already I am dreading it. I don't understand the big attraction to NO, just not my cup of tea. I'm not a big drinker, and while I share your love of food, all the local specialties were too exotic for my tastes (crawfish? alligator sausage? turtle soup? ewwww). I wouldn't feel terribly comfortable wandering around the city alone at night either. A long weekend at the beach sounds much more like me too.<BR><BR>If you had a ton of money to waste on vacations, I guess I'd be more inclined to say "try it", but it sounds like your vacation dollars could be better spent elsewhere, especially since your husband will be tied up so much of the time.<BR><BR>Good luck!

Definitely save for another trip. N.O. is not worth it. I was there in Oct. of 1999 and was very disappointed. The city is filthy dirty and is unsafe. At our hotel, they informed me and my boyfriend that we were on a very nice street, but don't go one street over at night. It is also very HOT there - even in October. <BR><BR>As someone stated before, it's not really a place to wander around by yourself. But, that's my opinion - apparently other people feel otherwise.

GO! GO! GO! It's a wonderful city to explore. While it may not be some folks' cup of tea, it is always one of the most popular destinations in the U.S. Interesting to me that San Francisco and New Orleans, the #1 and #2 places in many travel polls, are described as "filthy and dirty" by some. Apparently, too many folks like Disney-like fakeness!

Hey Lila, I had the same opportunity last summer. My wife was in workshops all day and had parties to attend at night so I was solo for much of my visit. I enjoyed it very much! NEVER pass up a trip to New Orleans, especially a cheap one! LOL. It was warm in August but not as bad as some made it sound. I would guess October is lovely weatherwise.

Don't go. You want hubby to be pissed at you? If you're there, he'll be the only guy from his company that doesn't get a hummer from one of the thousands of hookers in NOLA. <BR><BR>You'll never hear the end of that!

Thousands, huh? On many trips to NOLA I've never seen even one! Vegas, on the other hand...

Go, Lila. I've visited New Orleans several times on business and prolonged my trip by several days to enjoy the city. I was alone each time and never encountered any problems.<BR><BR>You'll really enjoy daytime trips to the Garden District, the zoo and the aquarium. You might want to browse along the antique stores on Royal Street. Definitely take a plantation tour to Oak Alley.<BR><BR>If you don't feel like eating dinner on your own, go back to your hotel, relax and order room service.

Don't bother. The French Quarter smells like vomit and urine.

Before going to New Orleans, I heard lots of stories about it being a dirty and deangerous city. <BR><BR>Although the French Quarter can be a bit smelly - what do you expect in a hot, humid climate in a neighborhood that is very dense? And the Quarter is a fully functioning neighborhood, not something constructed expressly for the tourists. <BR><BR>As for New Orleans being dangerous - it is a city, not a resort, so you have to be careful and avoid things like dark alleys, but use a little common sense and you shouldn't have any problems. During the day you should be fine anywhere you want to go. At night, take cabs, stick to well-populated areas, walk with other people, and so on. There are cops on foot all over the French Quarter at night, and they are happy to escort people places. All you have to do is ask. <BR><BR>New Orleans is not Disneyland, but it's not South Central Los Angeles either.

Paul's a moron.

If you've never been, I can't see passing up a chance to go to New Orleans. There is plenty to do besides eat and drink there. The shops are great, especially down Royal Street and Magazine. I found these beautiful Czech glass beads in one antique store that used to be thrown from the Mardi Gras floats. The Mardi Gras museum is fascinating too.<BR><BR>And, the jazz is not all dixieland, far from it. Some of the musicans in Jackson Square were amazing, and it's free. Also, the jazz museum located in the old Mint building was worth a trip and very interesting. And you can catch some great jazz acts in the clubs. At the Snug Harbor club we saw Delfeayo Marsalis, a younger brother of Branford and Wynton, perform with his quartet and it was some of the best classical jazz I've heard.<BR><BR>There are many tours you could take during the day to occupy yourself, loaded with history. Tour the Garden District, the cemetery, take a riverboat cruise, a horse drawn carriage ride. I don't think you'd have trouble occupying your days and you'll see a city that is uniquely different from all others in the US. Go!

As a person who lives here I am a bit biased but I would suggest coming. October is usually pretty decent weather & there are a number of things you can do alone. My 1st suggestion is to get some "tourist" info & review it. A decent website is www.nolalive.com. It has the New Orleans paper on it too. You aren't required to eat & drink yourself sick while you're here. People just seem to lose control when they smell the delicious cooking. Then they get hot & make the mistake of drinking alcohol to cool off. New Orleans can't help it that it tempts folks to overindulge!<BR>There is great shopping all over. For unique estate type jewelry at a fair price check out Joan Good's in the 800 block of Royal Street. She has been there almost 30 years & is full of stories. Uptown is accessible by streetcar & bus & has lots of neat shops to browse. As for food, there is something for every budget. At Maspero's you can get a sandwich that will fill 2 people & still leave your wallet ok. That would be something nice to get & take to eat in your room while you relax. As for museums there are plenty. Try the Confederate Museum by Lee Circle, The Presbytere at Jackson Square & the Old Mint complex. There are art galleries scattered all through the French Quarter where you can browse. Also the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park is worth seeing.<BR>Music? There are many places that don't do Dixieland. Remember most places cater to what folks want & they come expecting to hear the traditional stuff. But there is a bunch to choose from. The Praline Connection is a restaurant with good "soul food" & more modern blues/ jazz music. Mulates has cajun music & food & is a crazy place to people watch.<BR>Since you have time I would send off for all the brochures & then post your questions here. You can only make a good decision if you have enough facts. Everyone here has their opinions but we're not you.<BR><BR>Good luck whatever you decide!

I was in the exact same boat as you would be, but I chose to go. I'm guessing you'd be stayting near the convention center. I spent 3 wonderful days there wandering all around both the FQ and Garden District as well as museums in the Warehouse district. I used public trans. (streetcar and bus). I felt perfectly safe. During the day you don't need to worry. In the evening you can feel safe going to the Riverwalk or casino even after dark. <BR><BR>I saw the National D-Day Museum, Confederate Museum, and the New Orleans school of Glass Blowing. I spent almost an entire day browsing around the FQ, up and down Royal Street, the French Market, the Community Flea Market. Tours by Isabel offer great plantation and swamp tours and they pick up and drop off at your hotel.<BR> <BR>As a matter of fact my husband and I both liked the city so much we went back the following year and are going again in September. <BR><BR>If you like history, antiques, museums and great food, it's a perfect bet. people are friendly, and you will find there are lots of other people just like you who are there with someone on a convention.

If you like cities that are unlike any other in America. By all means GO!!!! I just got back from my 3rd time there. I can't put my finger on it, but the city acts like a magnet in pulling me there. I love the architecture for one thing. Esp in the French Quarter. Plus the city oozes with history as does the Mississippi River. I always have a good time there, and you don't have to spend alot of money in N.O. too, esp. to eat good...

Thanks again, all. Just thought I'd let you know, I found a $130 RT fare, so I am going. I have a Thurs. afternoon, all day Fri. and Sat. there (leave dawn on Sun.). Will try to take some of your recommendations. Next question: Of all the good restaurants there, where would you go for a special evening (anniversary of sorts) -- nice atmosphere, fine cuisine but not nec. where you drop big bucks just to say you've been there?

Good for you!! I'm sure you'll have fun! If you don't get any good info about your restaurant request, try NOLA.com on their forum for Dining. It used to be very informative - have a good time.

For your special dinner I suggest Commander's. I go there every year for our anniversary. The way you're pampered is so nice & the food is excellent. Reserve now to get the Garden Room & your meal will be one to remember. Every time I go I wish I was born rich because I could get used to being spoiled like that real quick.You won't pay any more there than some other "famous" places & the food & service is consistently excellent. Paul Prudhomme started there & so did a number of other famous chefs. We don't go there to brag that we did but when we do mention we went there people usually understand why. Check out their website for info.<BR><BR>Glad you're coming & hope you have a great adventure!

paul, <BR>did you ever think that the french quater is that way because people like you come to my city and are unable to control themselves? you throw your trash in the street, urinate in alleys and when youve had too much you vomit in our gutters. then you go home and tell all your friends about how "filthy" new orleans is.<BR>this isnt kansas you know

Glad you decided to come to our great city! I second the recommendation for a special meal at Commanders. It is a great place... but if you can, go for lunch instead of dinner. Same wonderful food and service, half the price! I found a new favorite there... crab cakes. Not at all what I was expecting...not a breaded fried thing at all...lump crabmeat seasoned wonderfully! If you can't swing Commanders, I like Palace Cafe or any of the other Brennan's places. Enjoy your trip...October is a fantastic time of year here. Feel free to email me with questions.

go for it