Will be in New Orleans in July for the first time....anything.....

[QuickLearner]

NOLA is my favotite city. If in town for two nights I would eat at The Gumbo Shop on St. Peter. It's right on Jackson Square. The food is inexpensive and fabulous. Try the gumbo as an appetizer and the red beans and rice with smoked sausage as the main course. The other night I would eat at Mulate's down by the Morial Convention center. It's known for cajun food, music and dancing.

I agree with the piano bar at Pat O'Brien's, just off Bourbon St. One small bar to see is Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. It was the bucaneer's blacksmith ship and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It survived both times that the French Quarter burned. To fnd it walk up Bourbon St. (away from the Canal St. end) until it starts to look like a residential neighborhood. It will be on your left. Order a drink called a Sazerac and sip it. Order another. You'll swear that Long John Silver is sitting in the back. There are no electric lights except behind the bar. Just candles on all the little tables.

For lunch get a Mufaletta at the Central Market or Franks Restaurant, both down near the French Market. Skip Emeril's, Margaritaville, and the other tourist traps. The cemetary tour is good; consider the Haunted History walking tour that runs each night. You'll wish you had an extra week...

 

[sherman]

 

[Jarbo]

House of Blues is usually fun.

 

[Brock Landers]

Mike Anderson's on Bourbon St has one of the best dishes i have ever eaten! Try this, you will not be dissapointed


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=372 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=347>[size=-1]The Guitreau*[/size]</TD><TD width=25>[size=-1]18.95[/size]</TD></TR><TR><TD width=340 colSpan=2>[size=-1]Grilled fresh fish filet topped with sauteed crawfish, shrimp, and mushrooms in white wine, butter and spices.[/size]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Also a little whole in the wall on Conti called "Oceana" has an excellent cajun ribeye and what my wife claims are the best BBQ shrimp in New Orleans, thoguh when they say BBQ don't expect what you see on ribs, its cajun style and is something out of this world!

Food is the ticket here, nothing will dissapoint.

 

[MrTeaser]

Any city known for having a high number of drunken tourists will have its share of pickpockets.

Crime is horrible there. If you are in the French Quarter don't stray to far off the Bourbon Street ESPECIALLY at night.

 

[Brock Landers]

Crime is horrible there. If you are in the French Quarter don't stray to far off the Bourbon Street ESPECIALLY at night.

That is a bit of a myth, the streets in the quarter are plenty safe, its a residential area, and a high priced one at that. Probably a better chance of getting your ass kicked in a bar ON bourbon street than anywhere else in the quarter. No if you venture into the Iberville housing projects, well all bets are off LOL

 

[MrTeaser]

That is a bit of a myth, the streets in the quarter are plenty safe, its a residential area, and a high priced one at that. Probably a better chance of getting your ass kicked in a bar ON bourbon street than anywhere else in the quarter. No if you venture into the Iberville housing projects, well all bets are off LOL

I speak from experience. A friend wandered a couple streets off and got mugged. We had both been warned over and over not to stray.

 

[Brock Landers]

I've been up and down the quarter at all times, and like i said, from experience also, unless you are near Iberville, you should be just as safe as anywhere you would go out at night.


Its not a HIGH crime area in the quarter.

 

[tryingtofade]

best advice you had so far:

For lunch get a Mufaletta at the Central Market

If you've never had one of these sandwiches, it is a must.

In the resturant category, its been at least 7 years or so since I was there, but a place called Mike's On the Avenue on avenue St Charles about a mile from the quarter was so outstanding we ate there 3 out of 6 nites.

Crayfish and a fried oyster po' boy are great at a place just a few doors from Central Market above.

 

[TTinCO]

There's nothing like the smell of Bourbon Street. Raw sewage, urine and vomit.....all under that raging summer sun.

BTW--My vote goes with "not that dangerous". I wandered (literally) every block of the quarter during the day and at night. There is a pretty heavy police presence, but I did not see a single incident outside of a few drunks getting told to settle down & some dice hustler getting popped by the cops on Canal street.

 

[gopherbob]

went to school there many years ago.
one of the best restuarants that i've ever eaten in was commanders palace.

 

[GreyGoose+]

Stay at the W hotel across from harrahs and make sure to eat at JR Brannens on Decatur Street one up from Burbon

 

[sherman]

unfortunately i do not get to pick where i am staying for this trip...it'll either be the ramada or days inn...are those nice places?

 

[TTinCO]

Sherman, neither hotel is really nice. They are both kind of low\mid priced "basics only" hotels. Don't expect anything special, and they're just fine.

They are a definite big step down from the Sheratons, Hiltons and Marriots.

 

[sherman]

thanx tt, i must admit i like staying at nice hotels but as long as it is clean etc ill be cool....

 

[HiloBoy]

try pat obriens in the courtyard for a hurricane. cemetaries a must. find some jazz music on or off bourbon st. take a trolly ride from the quarter all the way through the garden district to tulane univ. near the zoo and back again. take coffee and beinget (a must at jackson square. if these places still exist try antoines and t patari for lunch or dinner. brennans for brunch. get a poor boy sandwhich. stay away from algiers very dangerous.

 

[Brock Landers]

When you go to New Orleans you MUST eat here

http://oceanagrill.com/index.php

Its about as good as it gets, a small little place too with a nice atmosphere...


right off bourbon st on Rue Conti, the BBQ shrimp our "out of this world"

 

[TTinCO]

Brock, that place is DA BOMB--the shrimp scami is absolutely to die for.

A hurricane on Pat O'Briens patio is also a must do (Just don't drink 3 of them....even if it is your birthday-trust me :baba: )

 

[sherman]

Sherman, neither hotel is really nice. They are both kind of low\mid priced "basics only" hotels. Don't expect anything special, and they're just fine.

They are a definite big step down from the Sheratons, Hiltons and Marriots.

As it turns out, we'll be staying at the Best Western AVALON Hotel which I THINK is new.....can anyone tell me about this hotel?

Also I am flying into MSY which by my research is about 1/2 hr from N.O......best way to get there a taxi?

thanx.....leaving on the 12th, can't wait.....

 

[Derek12]

You will defenetely have a good time there....just like they told ya...stay in the main streets watch your wallet...go over Bourbon Street and enjoy my friend...and if you're looking for a casino drive to Biloxi....everything you need its right there I spent some time myself in that town and its cool...for gambling check on places like The Beau Rivage or Casino Magic..............farewell .........enjoy yourself

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