Going to NOLA what are some must do's

[shutterfire]

going to NOLA for the first time what are some must do's on the way other than the usual french quarter and bourbon st?

[dwilliams35]

I've always enjoyed the big aquarium on the levee, and the D-Day museum is pretty interesting: Bourbon street is pretty commercialized and trashy now: the real deal as far as music has moved down to Faubourg Marigny or however you spell it: it's really not far away from Bourbon. I always go do some shooting in the St. Louis #1 cemetery as well. Most of where I just do my "wander around and take pictures" as my wife calls it is between Bourbon and the river... The garden district and audobon park is pretty cool, too...More money down there so it got cleaned up first...

[venchka]

If you are up early, or still out late, the river at dawn is nice. Anywhere between the Acquarium and the French market. Followed by coffee and biegnets at Cafe du Monde before it gets crowded. Palace Cafe, Bourbon House or Redfish Grill if you are eating in the Quarter. Of the three, Bourbon House is my favorite.

Magazine Street from Canal to Audubon Park is trip. More good places to eat than you could get to in a lifetime. Great "street" photography.

I'm almost missing it.

[utdbear]

Hi speed swamp tours sound like fun too. I was down there a year ago and wish I could have gone on one.

[lscottpht]

We did the swamps by canoe one time, and it was awesome. The guide we hired made his own canoes. Great for photographers. Def. get coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde, despite how long the line looks. It moves fast. NOMA had an INCREDIBLE photography exhibit the last time we went there. The cemeteries are always cool since they are above ground.

[jcopes]

La native here.
In Shreveport: at exit 3 in LA, there is a petting zoo and gator farm called: Gators & Friends. It is really neat, and cheap.

On your drive down, you can take river road, tons of plantations to take pics. Most ate free grounds, just cost to go inside.

In baton rouge is the state Capitol.

On new Orleans, take pics of the river boats is neat, night is better. Cenetaries are closed at night. I have a cousin that is a guard, so I can get in, but general public on allow during the day.

Bourbon street is not as bad as it was before Katrina. I love just hanging out in one spot and shooting the wild life!

You can take hourse buggy ride and they give you the history. Most will stop and allow you to take pics.

Super dome gives tours if that is of interest. Swamp tours are fun, but do your homework on them,

The one place to eat is Midindorffs off I-55 north in Manchac! Best thin fried catfish ever!!! Also some cool photo ops around there.

There is tons more to do, but not sure how long you are staying.

Hope this helps.
Jen

[Tom]

Bignets at Cafe Du Monde
Dinner at Commander's Palace
Tour the graveyards
Get a real PoBoy.

[venchka]

The nice thing about Commander's is the cemetery across the street. The bad thing about Commander's: they require a coat. The 3 places I mentioned don't. They are all run by the Brennan family and they are all good. Ralph's on the Park should be on the list also.

Real Po-Boys: Just about any place in the Irish Channel.

Domilise's
5240 Annunciation St., 504.899.9126

As good as it gets.

Domilise's | New Orleans Dining Guide - - NOLA.com

Camellia Grill, 1am. Bring a camera. Ride the St Charles car to get there.

The Camellia Grill

Chilli Cheese Fries:



Cooter Brown's on Carrolton near Camellia Grill. 300 flavors of beer and chilli cheese burgers & fries. Fat Harry's on St. Charles at Napoleon.

Now I'm missing it.

[venchka]

Now I am really missing New Orleans. SWMBO and I must go back. We will make a list. Check it twice. All the places we have to go and eat.

Bourbon House from my table.




All of New Orleans is a photo-op.

[Tom]

he nice thing about Commander's is the cemetery across the street. The bad thing about Commander's: they require a coat.

Yeah, the nice thing other than having the best food.

Chef Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse both got their starts there.

[Tom]

he nice thing about Commander's is the cemetery across the street. The bad thing about Commander's: they require a coat.

Yeah, the nice thing other than having the best food.

Chef Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse both got their starts there.

[Dobick]

Last time I was in New Orleans was back in November 1995. There was a little place that shared the courtyard with the New Orleans PD in the french quarter. Not sure of the name, but a google search turns up that the name might be Cafe Beignet.

I just remember sitting there on a Sunday morning hung over and getting a very nice breakfast and having a guy with a classic acoustic guitar playing the longest sweetest sounding version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" and sitting at a table next to me was Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet)

It was a pleasant morning.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Ride the Street car lines- the one into the garden district and the zoo (great zoo) and the other that goes to city park and the art museum.

Walk the Quarter- this can take a couple days if you take the time to look around and soak in the scenery. The French Quarter Photo Gallery by pgkps at pbase.com

If you have your car drive over to the 9th Ward during the day and see the new Habitat Musicians Village and the houses that Brad Pitt is behind. Make It Right Foundation in the Lower 9th Ward Photo Gallery by pgkps at pbase.com

Second going to Magazine Street -not the section in the French Quarter but the other part that is full of shops and food places (all are not setdown places).

One word of advice be careful if you go into the cemetaries-plenty of tourists have been relieved of their wallets and cameras in them even at high noon.

Have fun!

Didn't make it down for Mardi gras this year and don't look like I will get down for Jazz fest either but I love that town!

As for food- Tujagues http: Tujagues Restaurant, New Orleans is a great place to eat at about 1/2 the cost of other places with comperable meals. (no coat required)

[L Stegall]

Having lived in the Garden District many years ago, I'll throw in a few recommendations as well, because there is just no reason to go to New Orleans and not have an amazing time! And, for the most part, it's all about the food.

I have to disagree with Venchka on one thing (sorry Wayne) - I don't know about the Bourbon House or Redfish Grill, but we had the absolutely worst service ever at Palace Cafe and I would never, ever go back. Just way too many excellent restaurants to choose from as is without it.

That said, you want the real deal po-boy's, then his recommendation of Domilise's is on the money. More hole-in-the-wall joints recommended further down.

Commander's Palace is always a classic - especially for Sunday brunch - which, to me, is the meal that should always be devoted to a Commander's visit. And, last time I was there (post-Katrina) they had 25 cent martini's at lunch during the week. Given how my husband's oral argument went before the 5th Circuit earlier that morning, it was definitely a martini lunch for him and a bargain for me.

The cemetary across the street is interesting, but as others have said, be very careful. It doesn't matter what time of day you are there, people have been robbed in broad daylight.

Wandering around the Garden District is always one of my favorite things to do, as is wandering down Magazine Street. In the GD, Anne Rice used to live @ 1st and Coliseum (huge house) and Jefferson Davis (Pres of the Confederacy) died at 1st and Camp (I lived a block away on Camp & 2nd, not that that is a tour highlight itself :-D).

As previously said, lots of cool shops and restaurants on Magazine - the traffic is a drag, but I've walked it several times with camera in tow.

The Zoo is a great choice if you have kids along - and I don't know if they still have it, but you used to be able to take a paddlewheel from the Riverfront to the Zoo, which kids love. I haven't been to the Aquarium since Katrina, but it was great before that, so I hope it has recovered well by now.

Another fun thing to take kids to see (or even if you just love Mardi Gras) is heading over the bridge and visiting Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World - they do the floats for the parades and they have lots of cool stuff to see in their warehouse. Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World - New Orleans, LA

I also love just riding the street car up and down St. Charles. As Venchka suggested, Camellia Grill is right on the line, just after St. Charles turns into Carrollton and if you aren't digging the chili cheese fries, it's other specialty is pecan waffles. And yes, if you go late at night, you'll see every strata of New Orleans society. The Camellia Grill

Around the corner from Camellia Grill, you'll find Brigtsen's - in a little house right off the river. Always a treat! Brigtsen's Restaurant Award Winning New Orleans Restaurant

To me, the D-Day Museum is a must see. It's fascinating and you could easily spend a good part of a day there. I also love to just wander the Quarter and the Fauberg Marigny neighborhood, but again, be aware of where you are and when you are there! And, no stop is complete without beignets @ Cafe du Monde, no matter how touristy it is. I always stop in this gallery - I like his work a lot and, in fact, have a print of his in my house: Photo Works New Orleans

Another absolute institution in New Orleans is Galatoire's - with everyone waiting in line for it to open for brunch or lunch and sipping bloody mary's from the corner bar while standing in line. You will feel like you stepped back in time by generations: Galatoires Restaurant New Orleans, Louisiana

Live music? Check out: Tipitina's - New Orleans, Louisiana or Rock 'n Bowl (it opens to the store link, but you can get to the events from here): store .

My top food picks:

Restaurant August - to me, hands down, my favorite upscale restaurant in town - love Chef Besh. It's an elegant restaurant, the food and service are always top notch. Pricey, but worth it. In the CBD (Central Business District) on Tchopitoulas, basically across from the Windsor Court Hotel. Restaurant August | Chef John Besh | New Orleans Lousiana

Bayona - in the Quarter. Chef Susan Spicer always has a menu of simple, but perfectly prepared choices. A small, but pretty dining room. Great service. Not as pricey as Restaurant August, but not inexpensive. Bayona Restaurant

Delmonico's - on St. Charles. To me, it is the standout of Emeril's restaurants. It's old school New Orleans. I also like Emeril's in the Warehouse District, and they are very different restaurants - Emeril's setting is edgy, warehouse, Delmonico's is classic. NOLA is, to me, the tourist restaurant in his group. Restaurants : Emeril's Delmonico | emerils.com

Parkway Bakery - for lunch - always one of my favorite "joints" - although it's been discovered by the Food Network fans. Parkway Bakery & Tavern Worth the drive there!

Parasol's - another well-loved classic hole-in-the-wall. Parasol's Restaurant & Bar | Parasol's Bar & Restaurant

Cheezy website aside, the best burger around is here: New Orleans Best Hamburger - Port Of Call - New Orleans Restaurants


I assume you have a hotel reservation? If not, I can make some recommendations there as well. Have fun, report back and take lots of images.

[Tom]

Yeah, I forgot to mention the D-Day museum. I went there for the first time over Christmas and really loved it. I'm a big WWII nerd, so that was part of it, but even my pacifist wife enjoyed it.