New Orleans

[iversenbeer]

So swmbo and I are going to the big easy this weekend (ya, ya I know I missed Mardi Gras) and since we've never been and no one else we know has been I turn to you all for some suggestions on what to do/what to avoid. We're both mid 20's and enjoy partying still so we're going to hit up bourbon street one night but other than that, I got nothing. So if there's anything cool/weird we should check out let me know! We're probably not renting a car and we're staying in the hyatt regency that's near the superdome if that helps.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

If you want really good diner food check out the Clover Grill in the Quarter (forget the streets). Tremendous for a beer sop the next morning. Its like an oldschool 1950s southern diner... but somehow all the servers are all gay. Kind of amusing. I got yelled at for whispering to my then girlfriend.

The Maple Leaf is famous for its live music (youll have to look up the location).

Cafe DuMonde also fantastic for a beer sop. Best coffee in America.

Stay on Bourbon street for a VERY short period of time. Go there, experience, and then get the hell out. It smells like vomit and the drinks are overpriced.

Canal Street has great jazz, and also a cigar store where they roll their own cigars (cool if you dig a stoge from time to time).

Go to Acme Oyster House for about a thousand pounds of crawfish and a BMC (we cant have it all I suppose).

Hope this is a start...

 

[maxamuus]

Muffaletta from Central Grocery on Canal street. Man they are sooooooo tasty.

 

[iversenbeer]

Awesome, thanks guys! I was weary about bourbon street because I had heard pretty much the negative reviews that creamygoodness gave, we will still check it out but I won't hang around. And thanks for the tip about the Jazz on canal street, I do loves me some good jazz and am really looking forward to hearing it live in the big easy!

 

[Airplanedoc]

Beignets and coffee from Cafe du Monde.
Breakfast at Brennan's
Preservation Hall
Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens
Ride the streetcar thru the Garden District
Eat, Eat, Eat, New Orleans is Culinary Heaven in America

There are great places to Eat, Drink, and Listen to good live music everywhere so enjoy.

However, Watch yourself and your belongings.

 

[Jboyles123]

Muffaletta from Central Grocery on Canal street. Man they are sooooooo tasty.

We never go to Nola without a central grocery muffaletta!

 

[deltaphisig]

Don't walk from the hotel to the FQ--that is a shady part of town if you don't know which block to avoid. Stay between bourbon and the River at all times. Don't trust anyone.

Brunch at Commander's Palace
Cocktails at Columns Hotel and/or Hotel Monteleone
Mass at St. Louis Cathedral if you like
A Pimm's Cup from The Napoleon House while shopping Royal Street antique shops (don't buy anything else). The muffaletta is pretty good there, too.
Music on Frenchman Street...especially Snug Harbor--a place the Marsalis family is known to frequent
WWII museum--this is an all -day affair. The restaurant on-site, The American Sector, is owned by John Besh, an award winning chef. It is reasonably priced as far as gourmet americana food goes and damn good too.
St. Charles by Streetcar is a good way to spend two or three hours.
The aquarium and insectarium are good places to go when the weather works against you

Hit me up if you want to know anything else.

 

[iversenbeer]

Don't walk from the hotel to the FQ--that is a shady part of town if you don't know which block to avoid. Stay between bourbon and the River at all times. Don't trust anyone.

Sounds like New Orleans is a bit more shady than I thought, just like I like it! I've traveled to some fairly rough areas before and haven't had a problem yet (being 6'5 240 helps lol) but it's good to know I need to keep on my toes. I'm going to have to come back to this thread with swmbo and put together a list of places we wanna go. DAMN IT ALL I'M TOO EXCITED TO WORK NOW!

 

[Zuljin]

I haven't been back in two or three years, but I grew up down there.

Do the Quarter twice. The difference between day and night is day and night. In the day you'll be milling about with suits in a city going about its way as a city. You can see the architecture and get a feel for the history. And there's markets and what-not that are open then that aren't at night. There's more and better street performers out then too. There's some cement steps that go down the levee from the River Walk to the street. I've seen some good street shows there.

Come night fall, that's when it's party town. Streets that were open to cars get closed. The bars kick into debauchery mode. The freaks come out at night. The mounted police too. They will hit you with a horse. You can be a little drunk in public, but not stupid. Fighting, puking, pissing and whipping it out will get you arrested.

Crime in the Quarter proper is mainly hustlers and some pick pockets. Just breeze by the hustlers. If you don't show interest, they lose interest quickly. Carry your wallet in your front pocket. No purses for the ladies. If it's night and you find yourself alone and feeling like you're not in the Quarter anymore, it's not like there's a seething horde waiting to pounce, but just turn around.

And use a paid lot to park if you don't stay parked in the hotel. Park in the ones along N. Peters and Decatur. The city loves to tow cars.

St Charles is a nice little ride to take. Beautiful, old architecture, and some new stuff too. The street car goes all the way.

The Audubon zoo and aquarium are top notch.

Cannons and Brennans are good eats. A little pricey though. +1 on Pat O's.

 

[Newgene]

Sounds like New Orleans is a bit more shady than I thought, just like I like it! I've traveled to some fairly rough areas before and haven't had a problem yet (being 6'5 240 helps lol) but it's good to know I need to keep on my toes. I'm going to have to come back to this thread with swmbo and put together a list of places we wanna go. DAMN IT ALL I'M TOO EXCITED TO WORK NOW!

Dude, if your hotel is on canal, you walk straight down canal to bourbon. Nothing really unsafe from any other big city. That's a very populated area. Other stuff to see are the audubon zoo and aquarium during the day. You could take a paddleboat ride. Those are kinda neat. Bourbon is kinda touristy and it can be cheesy. House of blues has a lot of concerts with local bands and some bigger ones.

I don't go into the city as much as I could, but there's a ton to do. Another good restaurant is k-pauls. While you're there, you have to eat at cafe du monde on decatur while you're in the quarter. You can go to pat o'briens, tropical isle, and club razzoo while on bourbon. On sunday mournings, you can go to the court of two sisters for brunch.

Lots of stuff

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

I don't really remember too much about New Orleans. I drank a littttttle too much.

Also aside from Abita, it's tough to find a good beer bar in the busy areas of town.

 

[deltaphisig]

Dude, his hotel is by the dome and he has to walk past the projects. Dude.

Dude, if your hotel is on canal, you walk straight down canal to bourbon. Nothing really unsafe from any other big city. That's a very populated area. Other stuff to see are the audubon zoo and aquarium during the day. You could take a paddleboat ride. Those are kinda neat. Bourbon is kinda touristy and it can be cheesy. House of blues has a lot of concerts with local bands and some bigger ones.

I don't go into the city as much as I could, but there's a ton to do. Another good restaurant is k-pauls. While you're there, you have to eat at cafe du monde on decatur while you're in the quarter. You can go to pat o'briens, tropical isle, and club razzoo while on bourbon. On sunday mournings, you can go to the court of two sisters for brunch.

Lots of stuff

 

[Airplanedoc]

St. Louis Cemetery #1 still on the nogo list?

 

[user 30639]

St. Louis Cemetery #1 still on the nogo list?

I think it's #1 you should only go with a tour group and #2 should be avoided period.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I think it's #1 you should only go with a tour group and #2 should be avoided period.

So its improving then

 

[Beer-lord]

Don't walk from the hotel to the FQ--that is a shady part of town if you don't know which block to avoid. Stay between bourbon and the River at all times. Don't trust anyone.

Brunch at Commander's Palace
Cocktails at Columns Hotel and/or Hotel Monteleone
Mass at St. Louis Cathedral if you like
A Pimm's Cup from The Napoleon House while shopping Royal Street antique shops (don't buy anything else). The muffaletta is pretty good there, too.
Music on Frenchman Street...especially Snug Harbor--a place the Marsalis family is known to frequent
WWII museum--this is an all -day affair. The restaurant on-site, The American Sector, is owned by John Besh, an award winning chef. It is reasonably priced as far as gourmet americana food goes and damn good too.
St. Charles by Streetcar is a good way to spend two or three hours.
The aquarium and insectarium are good places to go when the weather works against you

Hit me up if you want to know anything else.

+1
Look, every city has it's bad spots and we're known for tourists. You know, the folks that don't pay attention to what's going on around them and acting like they've never been able to carry a beer outside legally.
But, tourist traps are tourist traps and we still have beautiful architecture, great food and lots to do.
As for pubs, check out Avenue Pub on St. Charles ave. You will pass it if you take the street car. It'll be a good time since everyone will be chilling after Mardi Gras is over. Great balcony but just so-so beer food. Lots of stuff on tap.
Have fun and just pay attention to where you are and you'll be fine.....really.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

I dont know if you are liberal or conservative (dont care either) but almost every business on St. Ann's st. (the gay part of the quarter) had a sign that said "be nice or leave". I dont care who you are or what you stand for, that pretty much sums it up. Be nice, otherwise leave.

I'm a New Yorker to my core, but I love NOLA.