I'm heading to New Orleans next week with my 2 kids, both aged 10. Any advice on what to do/see? We're going to the WWII museum, the civil war museum, going to see a plantation and an airboat ride through a bayou. I'm going to eat at Sammy's and Mahony's. I'll hit Jackson square, French quarter and garden district too. Am I missing anything?
Mardi gras world is neat to see, they maintain and build the floats, have a small store. Commanders Palace is a good place to eat. The French market is fun to walk through and the old mint. Both in the Quarter. They have a steam boat that does lunch and dinner cruises I think the name of the boat is delta queen. Enjoy your trip.
Walt
Walt
Dragos on the riverfront for chargrilled oysters!!!!
café dumonde for beignets.
near the mint in the quarter is a antique firearms dealer. only flint and matchlock old stuff neat store way pricey but fun to look at.
gumbo shoppe in the quarter for turtle soup.
if you have the time drive to the belle chasse battlefield.
café dumonde for beignets.
near the mint in the quarter is a antique firearms dealer. only flint and matchlock old stuff neat store way pricey but fun to look at.
gumbo shoppe in the quarter for turtle soup.
if you have the time drive to the belle chasse battlefield.
Dunno if it made national news but there was a "gang-related" shooting in the Quarter last week. Sounded pretty random to me from the descriptions. One dead, nine injured, 4 still hospitalized. Pack if you can, and keep your head on a swivel. I live down here and don't like to visit the Quarter. I've had to chase off a 'mugger' at least twice. They were eyeing my visitors' purses. Once I had to advance and show one guy an opened blade for him to get discouraged. This was on Canal St in front of the Sheraton. They're pretty blatant down here.
Sounds like you've got all the attractions either mapped out or recommended to you. Count on at least 4 hr at the WW2 museum; it's grand. The Chalmette battlefield is just up the road (a bit out of the way by 30 minutes after the commute clears) but it can be interesting if you're a history buff (Andy Jackson met the British there as Johnny Horton described.)
Sounds like you've got all the attractions either mapped out or recommended to you. Count on at least 4 hr at the WW2 museum; it's grand. The Chalmette battlefield is just up the road (a bit out of the way by 30 minutes after the commute clears) but it can be interesting if you're a history buff (Andy Jackson met the British there as Johnny Horton described.)
Be sure to go to Johnny's Po Boys on St. Louis Street in the Quarter. They have about 30 varieties of Po Boys, and great gumbo. There probably will be a long line (they're only open until 2 or 3 in the afternoon) but they're worth the wait. Have a great trip, and go to Jackson Square to see all the artwork. Bill
Stay off of Burbon Street with the kids or you will be doing allot of explaining…….watch out for pick pockets, bums and con men. No eye contact. DO NOT MESS WITH THE COPS OR THEIR HORSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Audubon Aquarium is pretty great. Not just typical stuff, but all kinds of life from along the MS River presented so that you're not just staring through glass at a carp or something. You can usually find and print out coupons to lessen the sting.
John Besh is always a win if you are looking for good food. He has a little place in the WWII museum but his other places have the good stuff. Often times there are festivals going on in New Orleans so do a quick google search and see if anything is happening while you are down there. We have never been on them but there is some sort of haunted tour where you see Marie Laveau's grave (I think). The city is absolutely full of history and you can see it in the structure of the buildings of someone is there to point it out to you. We have taken 3-4 of the horse and cart rides and only once did we score a driver who was a true history buff. That trip was exceptional. Take note of the differences in the iron work on the balconies in the French Quarter. That will tell you a lot of history but I'm not the guy to give it to you. Enjoy!
Restaurants Archive -
Restaurants Archive -
Stay off bourbon street with the kids. It is a cesspool. Nothing there but pickpockets, crackheads, and homos. There is a lot of historical things to do in NO though. A lot have been mentioned, WWII museum, the Audubon, etc. just be careful wherever you go. You can get in some bad places really quick.
FYI - that shooting happened at 3am on a Monday morning . Nothing good happens past midnight regardless of where you are
NOLA and the French Qtr are fine during daylight hours. Definitely do the WWII museum, aquarium, walk around Jackson Square , tour the St Louis Cathedral, eat beignets and drink coffee & chicory, ride the street car down St Charles Ave. , the Audubon Zoo is first class if you have time, 2 hour cruise up/down the MS River on steamboat Natchez is pretty cool, on a etc....
NOLA is called the Big Easy for a reason..... laid back lifestyle with incredible food, music, architecture, and ambiance
No place like it anywhere in the world , enjoy yourself and have a blast with the kids
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+1 Get in the French Quarter preferably in the morning but afternoon would be fine too and everything is good. My wife and I drive down a few times a year with the majority of our time spent in the French Quarter but we are not partiers any more. We go for the good food, are usually in bed fairly early and I am up drinking coffee at 5am again. Do you have hotel reservations yet? Last time we drove down we stayed at this place. Haunted New Orleans Hotels | Bourbon Orleans - New Orleans Hotel Collection
Cafe Du Monde for beignets and coffee. Beignets are awesome, like square funnel cake.
Not to start a fight--just personal experience. I've never been in the Quarter after 9pm. The two 'knife' incidents I referred to happened in broad daylight. The time I had to open the blade and take a step towards the stalker, it was 1030 in the morning on Canal St. The second time occurred at about 2 in the afternoon on some other street, one over from Bourbon (I don't know the names). The best left hook I ever saw was delivered two years ago by a clean-cut, well-dressed guy in his 30's. He pearl-harbored his (scruffy and probably homeless) adversary and fled in a red Firebird up Bourbon St., scattering traffic like a Hollywood chase scene. This happened before 4pm. The guy who got felled sounded like a cracked watermelon when he hit the pavement. We didn't stick around to see how long it took to revive him. Nobody got a license plate for the cops and they showed no interest anyway, except to move the 'victim' out of the driving lanes. He hadn't gotten up by the time we left--we'd never slowed our walk in order to gawk. I was rather amazed at the LEO's complete indifference, even to the "bowling pin"-like resemblance of pedestrians hopping, running, and jumping for their lives. If I'd had a clear shot, I'd have pulled. I think those with iPhones would have had enough evidence to justify attempted murder with the vehicle. Dunno if an investigation was ever done to find that driver. I doubt it; they certainly didn't burn up any radio frequencies.
All I'm sayin' is, be careful; think "East Oakland" while you're there. There are obvious areas that are safer--the wharf, around the WW2 museum--just 'observe' when it's obvious you should.
edited to add: By the way, Chalmette is a real eye-opener. Kind of a geographical combination of Thermopylae and Normandy. It's no wonder the British got slaughtered there when you see the layout of the land. Swamp to their right, open plain in front for a couple hundred yards and the Mississippi on their left. A tailor-made killing zone for a defender if he held the river.
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The Camellia Grill. Best breakfast maybe ever. Get up get on the St. Charles line and go away from quarter. Last stop on the train and a great ride to boot.
I hear ya, as I don't take your post personal. Everyone has their own experience as a tourist whether it be good, bad or ugly as I can respect your opinion. I witnessed a stabbing in Biloxi several years ago outside the Hard Rock casino , does that mean Biloxi is dangerous and I should never go back ? Nope. I'll keep going several times per year to enjoy the Gulf Coast and eat good groceries. I have family that lives in Diamondhead, MS , I grew up in NOLA, and I hunt/fish south of Chalmette as I'm pretty familiar with the area.
Regardless of where someone is from, or what city they are visiting, you should always be aware of your surroundings and never let your guard down. Thieves, punks, and thugs have ZERO respect for the law as most are habitual offenders with long rap sheets. Travel together with a group of people, and it's worth paying $10-15 for "pay lot parking" that is close to a main street and within proximity to your destination.
Toast : have a great time and PM me if you need anything brother
corner of St Charles and Carrolton.... very good groceries and a NOLA tradition
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I was coming in here to say how well me and some friends got treated at Rick's on Bourbon but looks like that's for another thread...
My only contribution to this thread is to avoid any and all ATM machines not at a manned bank branch.
My only contribution to this thread is to avoid any and all ATM machines not at a manned bank branch.
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I was born and raised there. There's a lot more than just the Quarter. The Audubon Zoo, as someone said, is world class and Audubon park is a nice walk with the kids. There's a Zoo Cruise on a river boat from the Aquarium to the Zoo: John James Audubon Riverboat in New Orleans - Stay.com
Bourbon St is fine during the day, and overall the Quarter is a lot nicer and cleaner Post-Katrina. The last time I was down there it didn't even smell like piss and vomit.
You've already gotten some great attractions, including the Chalmette Battlefield. If you're able to leave the kids for an afternoon send me a PM and I'll give you my standard pub crawl from the Riverbend area not far from Audubon Park all the way back downtown.
Bourbon St is fine during the day, and overall the Quarter is a lot nicer and cleaner Post-Katrina. The last time I was down there it didn't even smell like piss and vomit.
You've already gotten some great attractions, including the Chalmette Battlefield. If you're able to leave the kids for an afternoon send me a PM and I'll give you my standard pub crawl from the Riverbend area not far from Audubon Park all the way back downtown.
Can't recommend Audubon Park enough. It's free, and it's right on St. Charles about 3 miles due West of the Garden District.
Also, it's right across from Tulane, which is a very nice stroll. However, don't let the young ones fall in love with Tulane, it's like $25k a semester.
Also, it's right across from Tulane, which is a very nice stroll. However, don't let the young ones fall in love with Tulane, it's like $25k a semester.
Carry nothing less than a Glock 19...
Is the zoo located in the ninth ward? I'd like to visit sometime.
The quarter is not a bad place. Bourbon street is an adult area. Kids should not walk down bourbon street even during the day. The gun store on royal street is really cool. Irene's in the quarter has the best itlian food I have ever had.I have been all over New Orleans day and night have never had a bit of trouble. If you are looking for trouble you certainly can find it. Act like you belong there and everything will be fine. New Orleans is a great place and a ton of fun for you and the kids. Take them on a street care ride. My kids really like that.
I've made three trips to Nawlins at different eras of time. the first was during the hippie days. You couldn't walk through Jackson Square withut stepping on a hippie sprawled out and strung out. the next period was a time when it seemed everyone was gay holding hands while walking around. the third time it seemed like a hooker convention. I was propositioned 2-3 times on the street. I suppose by now it's everything you can imagine.
the 9th ward is on the East side of NO and probably 25-30 minute drive thru the city and I-10
The Zoo is off Magazine and close proximity to Tulane and Loyola Univ. campuses
quick update on Toast ... I met him just south of Lafayette and hooked him up with several links of hot boudin, roux to make a gumbo when he gets back home, RB cajun seasoning, chili seasoning , fajita mix, jerky mix, extra spicy seafood boil , etc...
he had driven 26 straight hrs. from San Diego with 2 ten yr old girls and still had another 2 hr drive to NOLA ... this dude's a trooper and is gonna have a blast . He'll probably gain 20 lbs eating the abundance of killer groceries in the Big Easy
please meeting you Toast , it was my pleasure brother
Yes, last time I was their I saw a gay hermaphrodite dressed up like Rambo and yes , shim was a double duty tactical hooker with a peace sign tatooded on his or hers forehead.. Had aAnywhere in the orface tatooded on his or her arm.
How do you know that they were a hermaphrodite? Did you check out the goods?
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He propositioned me. I told him to go fuck himself and he did! Lol!
Google "Uptown Messenger" for a up to the minute report on doings around the town. It is a webnewspaper run by an old family friend.
