Greetings! My husband and I are spending a week in July in NO, and needs recs regarding where to stay. We are interested in history, music, architecture, not much drinking & late nights. I've looked at some of the B&B's in the Garden District which look lovely. I'm open to all suggestions as neither of us have ever been there. Also, do we need to rent a car? Thanks!

Personally, I'd stay in the Quarter. There are parts that are quiet, even on Bourbon itself. The FQ is just so centrally located that you can't ignore it! If you stay in the FQ, you will NOT need a car. If you're in the Garden District, and your B&B is not within a short walk from the streetcars, you will need a car.

If you like history, allow a FULL DAY at the D-Day Museum. It is EXCELLENT, and you will not regret it!

The Garden District is a beautiful, quiet area. We stayed in the Garden District on our 1st trip to NO. The Streetcar runs right down the middle of the Garden District and will take you downtown (about 5 minutes). Unless you plan to venture out of the city then I would not rent a car. Parking there is a premium and spots downtown are impossible to find.

My husband and I were there this past weekend and we paid $30 per day for parking at our hotel. We stayed at the JW Marriott on Canal Street right at the edge of the Quarter. It was still quiet though.

There are a few streetcar routes in the city now, and they might help you to get around to certain places. Otherwise, you will need to take a taxi if you don't have a car. To reach the most popular places, streetcars can be used to at least get close.

For instance, the St. Charles streetcar will take you to within about a block of the D-Day Museum, which is worth a visit.

Architecture in the Garden District and the French Quarter is certainly interesting, and there are some interesting old buildings scattered all around the city. But many of the older homes have fallen into decay and are no longer attractive; the same goes for some lovely older buildings such as schoolhouses.

Music, especially Dixieland jazz, can of course be found primarily in the French Quarter and in some other places such as Mulate's restaurant in the River Walk area.

I always recommend a visit to the N.O. Museum of Art and a stroll around City Park where the museum is located.

If you do prefer the Garden District, there are a few nice B&Bs. Around the FQ are also some good ones, especially just outside the FQ along Esplanade Ave.

My own recommendation is to stay in the FQ rather than the Garden District. I think it's a bit more interesting, with a few more sights to see. Especially the St Louis Cathedral and the Cabildo (now called a museum) adjacent to it are quite interesting. The artists who display their wares around the cathedral grounds are not bad, either.

For a first-time visit, I think the FQ is the better place to stay. And if you don't feel the need to travel independently, you won't really need a car once you get into the city. The airport is a good distance from the city, so a taxi or shuttle would be necessary.

Some N.O. lovers will recommend the swamp tour, which I don't really like, but if you are into architecture you will probably want to take a guided tour of some of the old plantation homes along the river. Good luck.

Was in NOLA for my 2nd trip, last April. We've always felt that a car was a liability, not an asset. Never have had a bad taxi experience.

First choice is the French Quarter but right behind it is the Faubourg Marigny, an area that's rapidly growing into a "bedroom community" for the FQ! I live in the lower Garden District and, although I love it, some recent crime problems have my wife and I considering other areas. We found a great place near Frenchmen Street (Marigny) and may be going there soon!

Another vote for the FQ for its central location. When we were there (May), Bourbon St was jumping all night, but the rest of the FQ was relatively quiet. There were other things going on and plenty of people about, but the party scene people generally associate with the FQ was pretty much confined to a few blocks of Bourbon St.

It was great to wander around the FQ and be able to pop back into the hotel room to freshen up or drop off something we had bought.

Try the Omni Royal Orleans on the corner of Royal and St Louis. they are so convenient and have some summer specials for pricing. We really enjoyed our stay there last week. It is hot in the summer, so it is great to be able to go to your room and refresh without taking a streetcar. The streetcars are crowed with tourists (like me) and are not always reliable.
Jean

I also vote for the French Quarter - and another vote for the Omni New Orleans - which is very different from your traditional Omni - it's in an old historic building which has been restored and is beautiful and in a great location. The Garden District is beautiful, but a little off the beaten path from most of the sites you'll want to see. Definitely visit the Garden District though...

You definitely don't need to rent a car. Even if you stay in the Garden District, the streetcar is so convenient. We stayed at a B&B in the Garden District a couple of years ago and had no trouble getting to the FQ by streetcar, or other places by cab. Stayed at the Josephine House which I would not recommend.

We stayed at the Maison Marigny B&B this past fall and loved it. I'd highly recommend the B&B and the area.