New Orleans

[TheDeuce]

Going for a long weekend at the end of June. For those that have been, give me all the tips and tricks to enjoying NOLA. 

[bugatti]

I've been multiple times.

Bourbon Street stinks. Literally, it smells. It can be a good time but can also be a pain getting around on the weekend. There are so many people jammed in at spots.

I think a trolley ride to the Garden District is cool.

Food wise. It's hard to go wrong here. Just off the beaten path a group of us rented a VRBO in October 2019. Around the corner was an amazing place called Willie Mae's. Pretty well known for a neighborhood establishment. https://williemaesnola.com/

Obviously you have your famous dine-in spots I'm sure you will hit (eg. Cafe du Monde).

We also went to the WWII museum when we were down. I highly recommend it. It is really cool.

[tcjkbt]

I went there on my honeymoon but the French still owned it, so I won't be of much help, I'm afraid.   Seriously, we did eat at a restaurant called (I think) Pasqual Minale's . I've butchered the name, I'm sure.     It was out of downtown toward Tulane as I recall.   They were known for their barbecued shrimp.

[Runcible Owl]

1 hour ago, TheDeuce said:

Going for a long weekend at the end of June. For those that have been, give me all the tips and tricks to enjoying NOLA. 

I'd recommend staying at a low key B&B for some local flair and one of a kind architecture. The French Quarter is fine if your plans center there. Weve found quaint accomodations Uptown and in the Garden District preferable. Catching a trolley down St. Charles in the area is a must do.

We've really enjoyed the Audubon Park/Nature Institute. They're going through some renovations and moving parts of it (the butterfly house), so plan ahead. There's a ton of good, local, and reasonably priced arts and crafts outside of the touristy areas.

Start a day with beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Mond. For lunch, eat on the cheap - grab a po' boy or muffaletta and an ice cold Abita. 

Quality music is everywhere, even at small clubs. If this is a once in a lifetime trip, go big - catch a set at Preservation Hall for Jazz, and Tipitina's for Cajun-Zydeco. 

The city's very walkable. I've been there spring, fall, and summer. In June, be prepared for mid-day hot and humid.

We haven't been there in a half dozen years, so the dining scene is sure to have evolved. I like the small, independent spots. Eater does an excellent job covering local restaurants. Their latest for NOLA ~ https://nola-eater-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/nola.eater.com/platform/amp/maps/best-restaurants-new-orleans 

I think you could experience all you would need to of Bourbon Street in a couple of hours. Even in my party days, I found much of it - crowded, noisy, and smelly, a little overwhelming.

It's a fabulous city. We've loved our time there. Enjoy the experience.

[TylerDurden]

Boudin. Eat the boudin. And if you find deep fried boudin balls anywhere, eat those too.

[Irish Cat]

A bit of an off the wall suggestion but check out the St. Louis Cathedral which is located across from Jackson Square.  The older portions of the current building date back to the late 1700's and the parish itself originated in the early 1700's when the area was still under Spanish rule.  Even if your not Catholic, I think you would appreciate the architecture and history of this beautiful building.  

And to echo what others have said taking the streetcar down St. Charles into the Garden District is an enjoyable time.  There are some fabulous homes in that area.  The beignets at Cafe du Mond are perhaps a bit overrated but still pretty good and I guess that's the thing to do in New Orleans so might has well check that off your bucket list if you havent' already.  Get a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's, where the drink was invented, or grab a drink at Laffitte's Blacksmith Shop which is purported to be the oldest bar in the United States, dating back to the early 1700's.   

   

 

[The Raven]

Cafe Du Monde, Louis Armstrong Park, Preservation Hall

[TheDeuce]

This is all great stuff, I'm making a list!

Thanks everyone. 

[bugatti]

My friends have done a cemetery tour before and they loved it.

I also did a cocktail tour at some of NOLA's most famous establishments. Could have done without that.

I always hit up Acme every time for oysters. I dominate them.

Antoine's is known as the birthplace of Oysters Rockefeller. Whether you get that or not, the restaurant is good and I enjoy the vibe of the bar. We went down for a friend's 30th birthday a few years back and rented out a room for our group. See if you can get a tour of their wine cellar.

[PurplePride92]

The Hurricane Katrina Museum.  
 

Grab a hurricane and take a tour of the city on one of their double decker tour buses.   

[nkypete]

15 hours ago, Irish Cat said:

A bit of an off the wall suggestion but check out the St. Louis Cathedral which is located across from Jackson Square.  The older portions of the current building date back to the late 1700's and the parish itself originated in the early 1700's when the area was still under Spanish rule.  Even if your not Catholic, I think you would appreciate the architecture and history of this beautiful building.  

And to echo what others have said taking the streetcar down St. Charles into the Garden District is an enjoyable time.  There are some fabulous homes in that area.  The beignets at Cafe du Mond are perhaps a bit overrated but still pretty good and I guess that's the thing to do in New Orleans so might has well check that off your bucket list if you havent' already.  Get a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's, where the drink was invented, or grab a drink at Laffitte's Blacksmith Shop which is purported to be the oldest bar in the United States, dating back to the early 1700's.   

   

 

I echo the comments about St. Louis Cathedral.  We went to Mass there and when we left we walked right into the opposite culture where a lady asked us if she could read our palms!  That was a shock for us!  That's New Orleans.

That particular Sunday, the Saints were playing a home game at the Superdome.  Imagine the oddness that one normally sees on Bourbon Street any other day magnified by wearing Saints garb.  Very entertaining to say the least!

After that, we headed to our cruise ship.

[The Raven]

If you are a JFK assassination conspiracy guy, you can go to Lafayette Square on the Corner of Camp and Lafayette Streets.   It's a federal court building now, I believe.  But that was where Guy Bannister's office was, where apparently Oswald hung out and the plot to assasinate JFK started.

[MBWC41]

We’ve been 3 times. Absolutely love New Orleans.

Be prepared for brutal heat in June....

Bourbon Street is what it is...A bunch of bars. I like to get drunk so I’ve always enjoyed it. The street performers make the area a lot of fun. 
Jean Laffite’s Blacksmith Shop towards the end of Bourbon is my top choice.

As for restaurants in the French Quarter, it’s hard to go wrong. Oceana Grill, Mr Ed’s, Acme Oyster House and Dragos have always been favorites of mine.

Ernst Cafe is a bar close to Harrahs. When we were there in February, they had $2 bottled beer all day. Insanely cheap beer for New Orleans. You’ll pay $5+ everywhere else you go.

I’d skip Cafe Du Monde. A 30 minute line for a powdered doughnut...

[MBWC41]

Get a trolley pass. They are just a few dollars a day and will be worth it especially in July.Take the trolley through the Garden District. The houses are beautiful.

Theres a place called Saints and Sinners on Bourbon Street that had great crawfish if you like them. I wouldn’t really really recommend much else on the menu but the crawfish were some of the best we had during our trip. 

[TheDeuce]

26 minutes ago, MBWC41 said:

Get a trolley pass. They are just a few dollars a day and will be worth it especially in July.Take the trolley through the Garden District. The houses are beautiful.

Theres a place called Saints and Sinners on Bourbon Street that had great crawfish if you like them. I wouldn’t really really recommend much else on the menu but the crawfish were some of the best we had during our trip. 

I've actually never had crawfish, so that is 100% on my list for this trip.