Need some options/help.

Normally when I go to New Orleans its pretty much drinking, gambling and sleeping in. However, I'm a little older now plus my girfriend wants to do less drinking/bourbon st and do more visiting sights and such.

Any good ideas, recs on places to go and see?

im guessing bourbon st drinking/gambling is not an option?

[This message has been edited by defroach (edited 5/26/2010 9:19a).]

River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans has a number of plantations to visit/tour.

St. Francisville to the north of Baton Rouge is a neat little town if you don't mind the drive.

Magazine Street, a trolley ride, the WWII museum.

But the drinking is still fun, even if you are older.

Definitely take the trolly ride. Very neat.

cemetery tours. the first time i went to new orleans i was about 15 and i did a swamp tour that i thought was pretty cool if you're into that type of thing. preservation hall jazz band, while technically in the quarter is a cool thing to do.

No doubt we plan on doing some drinking and tables, just looking for some other activities as well.

Thanks for the info, keep it coming

BEST BREAKFAST: stay in the Quarter and eat at Brennan's.

BEST LUNCH: take the streetcar (not called a "trolley" in New Orleans) from Canal St. and eat lunch at Commander's Palace. order the turtle soup and take it with sherry. bread pudding souffle for dessert.

BEST DINNER: make reservations at either Clancy's or Gautreau's. order whatever looks good.

take an afternoon on either Magazine St. Uptown (let her do some shopping) or take a walk in Audubon Park. City Park is actually making a comeback - another nice place to walk around (you'll have to take a taxi out there.)

the cemetery tours are actually a pretty cool way to see the city. another good option is to take a horse-drawn carriage ride. the aquarium is nice. so is Audubon Zoo. the national WWII museum is the best of its kind in the world, but not sure whether it's a "date" kind of place - you decide. if you do it, walk over to John Besh's restaurant Luke. awesome casual food. GREAT bar. the hamburger and fries might be the best i've ever had.

if you have any other questions, message me and I can send you more info.

I highly recommend The Columns Hotel in the Garden District. Definitely a great place to experience Old Nawlins.

nola is my second home!

Breakfast/Brunch:
-Elizabeth's in the bywater (two words: praline bacon)
-The ruby slipper in midcity
-Slim goodies (diner on magazine that is famous for never closing during and after the storm. they still serve the katrina burger that was the only menu item available for months)
-CC's for coffee
-grab some hubig's pies from cansecos and start drinking

Lunch/Dinner
-Slice for awesome pizza
-Crescent Pie and Sausage company (they make their own sausage in house)
-Cochon in the warehouse district (amazing upscale southern/comfort food)
-Luke for $.25 oyster happy hour and Stella for dinner (same owners)
-Bud's Broiler for awesome burgers
-Cafe Reconcile (awesome youth program restaurant...just don't stop enroute b/c central city is dangerous)
-Le Petite Grocery
-St. James cheese company
-Mila in the CBD by the quarter
-if you remember anything: Parkway Bakery in midcity on bayou st. john for the best poboys of your life. be sure to order sweet potato fries and a barqs

Bars not on Bourbon:
-DBA awesome beers (on frenchmen in the marigny)
-R bar in the marigny
-Apple barrel
-Spotted Cat
-Pal's
-Circle Bar
-The Saint
-One eyed jacks

Stuff to do:
-figure out what festival is going on and go to it. yes. there will be a festival going on.
-Freret market
-Hollygrove farmers market
-Rock and bowl. last time i was there kermit ruffins showed up and played all night. and well we bowled also.
-see if gal holiday is playing and go there
-see where DJ soul sister is spinning and go there
-see if Fleur de tease is performing a burlesque show and go (local suicide girls act)
-Roller derby on saturday nights
-drink lots of abita strawberry if its still around
-go buy a shirt at fleurty girl or dirty coast. don't ask questions like, "why does this shirt say neutral ground side and this one says sidewalk side?" then laugh at your friends later b/c they don't get it but you do b/c you went home a googled it. also, sidewalk side is the right answer hth.

and most importantly:

embrace the go cup



[This message has been edited by rdag04 (edited 5/26/2010 1:54p).]

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City Park is actually making a comeback - another nice place to walk around (you'll have to take a taxi out there.)

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go during the day! and maybe with a group!

same with the cemetary tours.

unless you like being mugged

Good list rdag. I would add a couple of spins at the carousel bar at the Hotel Monteleone.

Columns is nice for a drink as well as rdag's list. Snugharbor has some solid jazz and is next to Spotted Cat and DBA.

I eat lunch at MOTHERS everytime we're there. Go for the Ferdi. It's pretty darn good.

And I second that recommendation for Commanders Palace and their bread pudding soufle.

there is also a really great italian place above the apple barrel called Adolfo's. i know most people don't go to nola for italian, but it is seriously off the chain

and if you want chargrilled oysters, the only place to go is Drago's

a plan is coming together, thanks to all. Feel free to add though.

What are good bars close to downtown/French?

circle bar or any of the bars in the marigny. frenchmen is only a 5 minute cab ride from the quarter. its just on the other side of esplanade. you could walk in theory, but i'm not a big fan of just walking around at night in new orleans.

I am a big advocate of walking to Frenchmen. If you decide to walk do the following.


Leave your hotel in the quarter and walk down bourbon. When you pass St Anns take a look around at all of the rainbow flags and realize that you are actually stepping into a different culture. Keep walking until Lafite's, walk in and take 30 minutes to listen to the piano man/woman (better than Pat O's IMO.) After that, take a look towards the river at the shadow on the church while you drink your beer in the middle of a beautiful area ... on bourbon street!

Walk all the way to Esplanade, take a right and make sure to look at the architecture of the area. Two/three blocks down take a left on Decatur and subsequently Frenchmen. My favorite is to start at the Spotted Cat (b/c they close earlier) and then to hit up one of the many nightclubs with Raggae.


Then take a cab home...or to Harrahs

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take a right and make sure to look at the architecture of the area. Two/three blocks down take a left on Decatur and subsequently Frenchmen.

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and this is where things start getting iffy for a minute or two

The homes on Esplanade are pretty sweet. One of the abandoned ones looks like a castle.

After Katrina and Rita we would start at Canal and Bourbon and walk until we got to Frenchman making a few key stops. Dont forget to take advantage of the Big A$$ Beer stands. If you walk down Bourbon to Frenchman you will need one of those for the hike.

Irene's is also an often overlooked restaurant. I highly recommend it if you cant find other options.

GW Fins for dinner

Go to Glorias a few blocks north of Burbon, the best local brass jazz bar in the area!

quote:

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Elizabeth's in the bywater (two words: praline bacon)

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I thought I was the only one who knew about this! I'm not NOLA pro but I ate there years ago and they suggested the bacon and it was
OUT
OF
THIS
WORLD!

An Aggie's Wife

Gal holiday is now playing every Sunday at the BMC on Decatur at Esplanade. Just FYI

Also, check out the Joint for BBQ in the bywater. It was really good, especially the ribs

Let me throw out a second for Irene's. Took my folks there last time I was down and if it wasn't the best service I've ever received, it was pretty dang close.