Hello All, Yesterday I decided to drop down to New Orleans for a couple days with absolutely ZERO specific plans aside from dinner at Bayona and oysters at Lüke. Any thoughts for interesting things aside from the normal debauchery would be appreciated! Thanks L
Music, music, music. Check out Frenchman Street around 8pm. You can walk from club to club and see legendary act after legendary act. There are better individual spots, so if you are really in to music I would ask your hotel concierge if they have a schedule of some kind. Also, if you eat meat, check out a restaurant called Cochon. If you like cocktails, check out a bar called Tonique. Touristy things suck, but there are historical tours of the French Quarter and Garden District that I thought were fascinating.
My in-laws live in NOLA so we usually go about once a year. First, my NOLA experience relies on being able to enjoy a laid-back relaxed attitude. It is the "Big Easy" after all, so take time to stroll leisurely through the streets of the French Quarter and drink it al in (both figuratively and literally). Second, a highlight for me is the National WWII Museum. http://www.nationalww2museum.org
I love New Orleans - drove down there from Maryland last year. For some food recs...: Cafe Du Monde for non-stop beignets and cafe au lait Domilise's Po-Boy -> Some of the best po-boys I've ever had I also second the National WWII Museum suggestion by @gostang9
Drinks to go and throw yourself a parade! Every time I go to New Orleans I think of this Hannibal Buress standup: Never actually contacted the Parades Department myself (usually too busy eating po' boys), but it sounds amazing...
late to the party...you mentioned my favorite Bayona... There is also Peche or Revolution...but for a good time try out Jacques-Imo’s Cafe. This is an old blog post...but still some of my favorite places: http://www.digitalfx.tv/2009/07/20/off-bourbon-st-hidden-gems-inside-and-outside-new-orleans/
I forgot to mention my favorite place in New Orleans: http://www.agallery.com I can spend hours in this place. The owner is Joshua...tell him hello. and yes the WWII Museum is spectacular...worth a trip to NOLA on its own.
Have spent the last few days down here in NOLA. Visited the National WWII Museum again (always impressive) and the same-ole-same-ole with my wife and almost-13 y/o daughter. If anyone has never been, I would definitely recommend a visit. This city has a very unique vibe within North America, one I quite enjoy.
Shrimp at Pascal's Manale is mandatory.....plus it gets you out into the garden district and away from the madness of the french quarter.
Beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde Shrimp Po' Boys almost anywhere, Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens
I live in mandeville (across the lake) but work in nola most days since most of my clients are in the city. Its definitely different here that's for sure...we are gearing up for twelfth night on January 6 which will kick off the Mardi Gras season. Decorations are going up...
My favourite is a boulevardier at Lilette, or anything on the menu at Shaya. http://m.liletterestaurant.com/ http://www.shayarestaurant.com/ Great ice cream stop near both restaurants at the Creole Creamery, which perfectly complements a walk or lazy afternoon reading in Audubon Park. Also, Henri cafe in the Marigny for brunch, and the Spotted Cat on Frenchmen for some tasty brass. http://henri.cafe/ https://www.spottedcatmusicclub.com/
All good ideas...but cafe Henri closed a few months ago. Too many air BNBs in the area and not enough locals living in the neighborhood to keep it open. It's the 3rd restaurant in that space in 5 years and I doubt anyone makes another go of it anytime soon.
Definitely a popular activity in NOLA, but my wife and I prefer enjoying the city with our daughter so we prefer the quieter and less debaucherous establishments.
Our daughter had beignets at NOLA City Park (lines are too long at Cafe Du Monde during holiday periods) and my wife and I opted for Mimosa’s over coffee last week. I’m not a fan of Po’ Boys but my wife had quite a few at various stops around the city. I much prefer the local gumbo, jambalaya and bean/rice dishes. Years ago I asked a bartender at one of the Atlantis bars what drink was pictured on the wall behind him. I didn’t understand his Bahama’ian (sp?) accent but thought he said something like “Who Hey”. When I asked again, I heard something like “Her ah Hey”. I finally figured out he was saying “hurricane” but from then on my wife and I refer to the drink as “who heys”. At any rate, I did enjoy several “who heys” while in NOLA. My favorite was the one prepared by the bartender in the Delta lounge before leaving the city for home yesterday. I quite enjoy the method of layering the drink so that the taste changes from start to finish.
My parents-in-law live about 20 minutes North of the Quarter (just a few blocks from the Lake) so they are both close enough to get downtown easily and yet far enough enough away to fully escape the night-time partying crowd. We visit NOLA almost annually and have varied the timing from as early as the first week of December to as late as the 2nd week of February. This year the weather turned cold as we arrived and it made for not as nice a time walking around outside. Our favorite time is being there just prior to Mardi Gras, when we can enjoy the many weekly parades and witness the beginning of the celebrations yet escape prior to peak madness. I think next year we will again try for a February visit for both improved weather and the Mardi Gras build-up. The downside is taking our daughter out of school...