Wow... I don't think I have much to add at this point that hasn't already been mentioned. Acme Oyster House is one of my favorites. It looks and sounds gross, but give a raw oyster a try. And if you don't want to go quite that far, Acme also has a real good chargrilled oyster. The Peace Maker is my favorite meal there (it's a half-shrimp, half oyster po-boy with Tabasco mayonaise). If you want Mexican, try Superior Grill. Head up to Abita Springs and visit the Abita Brewery. They have tours, and down the street from the brewery is the Abita Brew Pub where the food is pretty good and you can try all their beers (ask for the Sampler, and you'll get about six smaller glasses of different beers). If you're on Bourbon Street, do not tell people to meet you by the Mango Mango (a daquiri shop). There are four or five Mango Mango locations on Bourbon. City Park will be having Celebration in the Oaks (used to be called Christmas in the Oaks but they made it PC). There's a driving tour where you sit in your car and drive through the park looking at the decorations, but there's also a walking tour where you can walk through the Botanical Gardens, Storyland (a playland for kids based on fairy tales), and there's an area with some carnival rides and a carousel (restored after Katrina). Good music can be found all over the place. Tipitina's, Howlin' Wolf, Preservation Hall, and even the House of Blues are usually good venues. Good thing I'm going home (yes I live in TX but New Orleans is still home to me) in a couple of weeks because this thread is starting to give me cravings.
Pretty much everything I wanted to say has been said. If you like Jazz, Preservaton Hall is a must. The food in South Louisiana is fabulous. The best in the nation. Some pretty good tips have already been offered. If you want to spends big bucks on food, Antoine's is probably the best. But it is not not necessary to spend big bucks in New Orleans to taste the real flavor of New Orleans. Talk with locals about the best restaurants to go to. Some pretty good places have already been named, and they are very reasonable. If you like museums, New Orleans has a ton of the them. The World War II Museum located on Magazine Street is terrific. There is also the New Orleans Museum of Art located in City Park. The New Orleans Jazz Historical Park is located on St. Peter's Street in the French Quarter and includes walking tours. There is the Tulane Museum of Natural History located in Belle Chasse which is across the river from New Orleans. You might want to check out the old U.S. Mint located on Esplanade Street. There are a variety of beautiful homes and gardens open to the public. There is Longue Vue House and Gardens, the Edgar Degas Home where the artist lived during his time in New Orleans, the Pitot House is a Creole Colonial Plantation and the Beauregard-Keyes House which was the home of writer Frances Parkinson Keyes, and then there is the Gallier House. There are more. If you are into walking tours, there are bunch. If you are into the supernatural, try the New Orleans Spirit Tours that include cemetery tours, voodoo tours, ghost tours and vampire tours. A tour of the unique New Orleans cemeteries is highly recommended. There is also Historic New Orleans Tours, French Quarter Walking Tours, and the list goes on. The cost is usually from $15.00 to $25.00. There are also unguided walking tours. I hope this is helpful. Don't forget to check the internet. That will give you a load of information.
Something else the fans may be interested in. http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/canal_streets_red_streetcars_m.html
You'll probably be bored. Not much to do in New Orleans: Bars and Music Places: http://blog.nola.com/annmaloney/2007/09/we..._bar_guide.html Napoleon House, 500 Chartres Street: http://www.napoleonhouse.com/index.html Mid City Bowling Lanes: http://www.rockandbowl.com/contactPAGE/contactpage.html The Maple Leaf Bar: 8316 Oak Street, 504-866-5323: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maple_Leaf_Bar Tipitina's: http://www.tipitinas.com/default.asp House of Blues: http://www.hob.com/venues/clubvenues/neworleans/ Howling Wolf: http://www.howlin-wolf.com/ Mulatte's: http://www.mulates.com/ Snug Harbor: http://www.snugjazz.com/ The River Shack: http://www.therivershacktavern.com/riversh...ntroduction.htm Pat O'Brien's: http://www.patobriens.com/ Resturants: An invaluable site by New Orleans food writer and restaurant critic, Tom Fitzmorris (who also has some outstanding cook books): http://www.nomenu.com/ Deanie's Seafood: Deanie's evidently now has a location in the French Quarter. I imagine the menu prices will be much higher there than at their original location in Bucktown. http://secure.deanies.com/bucktown.html Commander's Palace, 1403 Washington Blvd., Garden District. The crown jewel of the Brennan family restaurants, and the crown jewel of New Orleans' restaurants. Over the years, Commander's has consistently brought the finest cuisine of the city's finest chefs to diners from all over the world as well as fiercely loyal locals. Many famous chefs began their careers here -- Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse -- and current Executive Chef Jamie Shannon upholds the tradition with truly marvelous food. The turtle soup au sherry is a classic, best anywhere, and highly recommended for a first visit. Choose three courses, prix-fixe, or from the à la carte or specials menu (there's always something interesting on the specials menu). For dessert, you simply must have the legendary bread pudding soufflé, one of the city's best desserts. K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, 416 Chartres St., French Quarter. 524-7394. The one that started the whole Cajun craze. While I'm not a fan of blackening in general, it's really good when it's done right, and this is the best place to get it done right 'cause it's done by the guy who invented it. Chef Paul also makes things a little hotter than I like, which led to the idea that Cajun food is always really hot -- I think this is perhaps because Chef Paul's tastes tend to run toward the hot side. But the food is inventive here, really good in fact, amidst a no-frills, homey setting. Chef Paul is also responsible for training some of New Orleans' best and most creative chefs, like Randy Barlow of Kelsey's, Greg Sonnier of Gabrielle, and Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen's. Come see where they learned what they know. Dooky Chase, 2301 Orleans Avenue, Tremé. Haute Creole from Chef Leah Chase, with down-home cooking in very elegant settings. Don't miss the gumbo. Security parking provided. NOLA, 534 St. Louis Ave., French Quarter. 522-6652. Emeril Lagasse's newest, less pricey, more informal French Quarter restaurant is a companion to Emeril's, his shining star, and might be a bit more accessible to a diner who wants to savor Emeril's cooking for a little less money. Somewhat less extensive menu, but the food is still fabulous. A bit more geared toward locals. Definitely worth a visit. Bayona, 430 Dauphine St., French Quarter. 525-4455. One of the city's top dining experiences, Bayona is well-beloved by savvy New Orleanians. Chef Susan Spicer, who honed her considerable skills and talents in France and at The Bistro at the Maison de Ville, offers elegant eclectic contemporary cuisine with Asian and Mediterranean flavors in a two century-old French Quarter Creole cottage; you may dine indoors where it's dark, quiet and intimate, or out in the courtyard for a charming, romantic meal you won't soon forget -- definitely bring your sweetie here. Begin with one of Chef Spicer's daily soups, always superb, or the cream of garlic soup, a perennial favorite. Appetizers include grilled shrimp with a cilantro sauce and black bean cakes, or delicate veal sweetbreads sautéed with scallions and diced potatoes in a sherry vinaigrette. Don't be hesitant to try the sweetbreads; you don't have to consider it an "adventurous" choice, and you'll be amply rewarded by their incredible flavor. Past entrées that knocked us out have included lamb chop and medallions of lamb loin with a subtly perfumey lavender honey aïoli, and a Zinfandel demiglace sauce; or a grilled pork chop stuffed with fontina cheese, fresh sage and prosciutto. The chop was over an inch thick, perfectly grilled, tender and juicy; the flavors of the stuffing were intense, and there was a beautifully flavorful seasoning crust on the outside. Heaven. The entrées are also served with a well-balanced selection of sides, such as herbed sautéed new potatoes or gnocchi, puréed butternut squash, fresh sweet corn or steamed haricots verts. The wine selection is extensive, and the wait staff is extremely helpful in assisting you in choosing the right wine for your meal. Desserts are varied and exciting, and range from towering creations like a triple-layered stack of pistachio meringues alternated with a rich, intense chocolate-orange mousse to such simple pleasures as a coffee crème brulée or a fresh watermelon sorbet. After a quiet, romantic evening at Bayona, sampling some of the best food our city has to offer, you may well applaud next time you pass by. Casamento's, 4330 Magazine Street. The best fried oysters in town. This classic, black-and-white tiled establishment still unapologetically fries their erstas in lard, and lemme tell ya, talk about good. Closed annually during June, July and August -- these folks have sense and get the hell outta town when it's miserably hot! Pascal Manale's, Founded in 1913, this family-run, Italian-Creole restaurant is located in uptown New Orleans. It is famous for creating barbecued shrimp (not cooked on a Bar-B-Que, but cooked in a juicy sauce of butter, lemon, pepper, worcestershire sauce, herbs...) http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/pascalsmanale/ Semolina's: http://www.semolina.com/site.php Po-Boy Shops and World Class Sandwiches: Central Grocery, 923 Decatur St., French Quarter. Owned by the Tusa family, this is the home of the famous muffuletta sandwich: ham, genoa salami, mortadella, provolone, seasoned olive oil drizzled on the inside of the specially baked seeded round Italian loaf, and the crowning touch - a marinated olive and vegetable salad in a thick layer on the sandwich. The pinnacle of the sandwich-maker's art. There are plenty of places that serve muffs, but Central was the first and is still the best. Don't try to eat one of these by yourself, or it could be incapacitating. Or what the hell, be a pig and do it at least once. This is also a terrific little Italian grocery store, with lots of imported products. Domilise's, 5240 Annunciation St., Uptown. Home of the world's greatest hot sausage 'n gravy po-boy, a sandwich to die for. Make sure you get it with Creole mustard, too. Also good fried shrimp and oyster po-boys, but I come here for the hot sausage and gravy. Mother's, 401 Poydras St. at Tchoupitoulas, CBD. Many call it the best po-boy joint in town, home of the "Ferdi Special": piled high with their baked ham (the best anywhere), roast beef, gravy, and roast beef "debris" (the little tiny bits that fall off the roast beef and float in the gravy as it cooks). Fantastic breakfasts (try the ham biscuits), jambalayas and gumbos, and the best turtle soup in town (better than Galatoire's). Worth the wait in line, anytime. Parasol's, 2533 Constance St. in da Irish Channel. Best roast beef po-boy anywhere, and the heart and soul of the Irish Channel (and THE place to be in/near on St. Patrick's day, if you can get anywhere close). You want characters and local color? Go to Parasol's, have a beer and a po-boy and strike up a conversation. Plantation Homes: http://www.destrehanplantation.org/ http://www.sanfranciscoplantation.org/ http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/ http://www.nottoway.com/ http://www.lauraplantation.com/ National Park Service French Quarter Tours: http://www.nps.gov/jela/french-quarter-site.htm Other Tours: http://www.tour-new-orleans.com/cemeteries.htm http://www.tour-new-orleans.com/garden-district.htm http://www.neworleansghosttour.com/ http://www.honeyislandswamp.com/ http://www.tourneworleans.com/ Parks, Museums, Aquarium, Zoo, Attractions: Historic French Market - http://www.frenchmarket.org/ Cafe du Monde - http://www.cafedumonde.com/ City Park: http://neworleanscitypark.com/ (2nd largest municipal park in the US to Central Park in NYC - designed by the same people) New Orleans Museaum of Art: http://noma.org/ National World War II Museum: http://www.ddaymuseum.org/ Confederate Museum: http://www.confederatemuseum.com/ Cabildo: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/ Chalmette Historic National Battlefield: http://www.nps.gov/jela/chalmette-battlefield.htm (site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1812) Aquarium of the Americas: http://www.auduboninstitute.org/site/PageS...cility_Aquarium Audubon Zoo: http://www.auduboninstitute.org/site/PageS...me=Facility_Zoo (I don't know if it still exists, but you used to be able to take a riverboat from the acquarium to the zoo, then take a streetcar back to the French Quarter.) Mardis Gras World: http://www.mardigrasworld.com/ (This is where floats for Mardi Gras parades are made - you can take a free ferry across the river from the French Quarter) Riverwalk Marketplace - http://www.riverwalkmarketplace.com/html/
Herb, that list deserves a SHOUT OUT!!! Dat's a goooooood list, yea! Givin em a little cajun brogue... :wink:
Thanks, man. I put that together a couple years back when one of my customers was heading down to NOLA for the Voodoo Music Festival. Some of the info might be a bit behind the times. It just freaking kills me that the Dixie Brewery and Nick Castrogiavonni's Original Big Train Bar are still closed and can not be added to the list.
Cops If a cop tells you to put your stuff back in your pants, do so. If a cop tells you to get out of the street before you get your drunk #%@ run over, do so. If a cop tells you to calm down and back away from the other drunk dude you're about to fight with, do so. Never, ever mess with the cop's horse! The cops in NOLA are very experienced with dealing with large crowds of drunk idiots all jacked up because of mardi gras or the sugar bowl. They're usually outnumbered about 100:1 in any given situation. They will not let things get out of hand. If that means crushing you face first into the asphalt with their knee in your back, well, that's what it means. Don't get me wrong. The cops are generally very forgiving. They know that everyone is coming to NOLA to get drunk and crazy. They don't have time to bother with a few boob flashes -- and who could possibly be offended by that anyway? But, they will put down any violence quickly. During big events, especially mardi gras, the system can't keep up. It may take a couple of days of sitting in a big holding pen before you get processed. You might miss the game and all the fun because you were too hotheaded/drunk/stupid. Never, ever mess with the cop's horse! Make it home without asphalt abrasions on your face.
