Visiting New Orlean's April 16-19th (New Orleans, Breaux Bridge: low income, fit in, rent)

[bumpylemon]

Just went through about 7 pages. got some good insight. got some confirmed good places to go from you locals and with people that visited....im kind of a "off the map" guy. i love nature...i love to see animals that aren't in my region (mass). I am addicted to Cajun food....i make jambalaya weekly and Cajun Alfredo sauce all the time as well. so basically all i wanna do is eat some good jambalaya...and see some alligators and some nice cypress trees and explore the bayou's. I saw the tours and what not...but i dont wanna be on a boat or do drive byes....i wanna be able to go to the water and look in it and explore and take pics at my own leisure. my wife is like i dont wanna get a rent a car cuz i know you'll just drive to the 9th ward and all the places we aren't welcome....im like its not like we will just get shot for being white and in a low income area. I wanted to just drive around and take pics and explore myself. i also wanna do some cat fishing or something of the sort. ive yet to find an "Affordable" place for that. up here we have party boats that go out and its like 30 bucks a person. im sure ill have more questions. basically im the guy who likes the pictures of history, countryside, palm trees, oceans ect. thanks!!


edit:
i do see that the pyratecon will be in town...how is that gonna add to the bourbon street flavor? we are staying at the hilton on st charles just so people know.

currently this is what i have listed to do or go

St Louis Cemetary #1
Canal Street Ferry
Jackson Square Ferry Cats lol (i have to see this)
Pat O'Briens
St Charles Street Car
Zoo
Aquarium
Central Grocery
Johnny's Po Boy's
Coops Place

[ReluctantGardenStater]

Originally Posted by bumpylemon

Just went through about 7 pages. got some good insight. got some confirmed good places to go from you locals and with people that visited....im kind of a "off the map" guy. i love nature...i love to see animals that aren't in my region (mass). I am addicted to Cajun food....i make jambalaya weekly and Cajun Alfredo sauce all the time as well. so basically all i wanna do is eat some good jambalaya...and see some alligators and some nice cypress trees and explore the bayou's. I saw the tours and what not...but i dont wanna be on a boat or do drive byes....i wanna be able to go to the water and look in it and explore and take pics at my own leisure. my wife is like i dont wanna get a rent a car cuz i know you'll just drive to the 9th ward and all the places we aren't welcome....im like its not like we will just get shot for being white and in a low income area. I wanted to just drive around and take pics and explore myself. i also wanna do some cat fishing or something of the sort. ive yet to find an "Affordable" place for that. up here we have party boats that go out and its like 30 bucks a person. im sure ill have more questions. basically im the guy who likes the pictures of history, countryside, palm trees, oceans ect. thanks!!




edit:
i do see that the pyratecon will be in town...how is that gonna add to the bourbon street flavor? we are staying at the hilton on st charles just so people know.

currently this is what i have listed to do or go

St Louis Cemetary #1
Canal Street Ferry
Jackson Square Ferry Cats lol (i have to see this)
Pat O'Briens
St Charles Street Car
Zoo
Aquarium
Central Grocery
Johnny's Po Boy's
Coops Place

Here's my advice: New Orleans is a great city, but it's still obviously a city so to see the kind of stuff you're talking about, the best spots are a few hours outside of the city. I had my own car and I drove all over the lower part of that beautiful state: Go to Avery Island, where you can drive around at your own leisure and see some of the sights that are iconic to Louisiana: bayous, alligators, live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss, and the like. It's not too far from a great small town named Breaux Bridge, the Crawfish Capital of the World, a historic town with some great Cajun and Catholic heritage. There you'll be positioned along the Atchafalaya, which is the largest swampland in North America. You can take boat tours if you want, but you can also explore on your own, by car or foot. While you're in Breaux Bridge, stop at the legendary Cafe des Amis, a great Cajun restaurant in the heart of Acadiana. Don't forget to get the crawfish cornbread or the gateau sirop for dessert!

In New Orleans, I liked Preservation Hall for music, as I'm a huge jazz fan. It's off Bourbon street, it's open late, and they have a great bar in which I had some fantastic hurricanes and the best mint julep I ever had in the South. The French Quarter is great for food, but with a car, do yourself a favor and go one night to Jacquimos, on Oak Street (I believe), where you can get some delicious alligator sausage cheesecake, and also a great selection of steaks, fish, spicy and mild dishes, as well as great Louisiana beer (You must try Purple Haze - the raspberry wheat beer!) in a friendly atmosphere.

[knoxgarden]

Do make time to people watch and eat beignets at Cafe du Monde. It's a great way to start the day but more entertaining in the late evening. There's an interesting voodoo shop not far from there on one of the side streets off Bourbon.
Avery Island is worth the trip -- or pilgrimage, depending on your feelings about Tabasco sauce.
History of Avery Island, Louisiana | TABASCO® History | TABASCO.COM

[Bluesmama]

Originally Posted by bumpylemon

Just went through about 7 pages. got some good insight. got some confirmed good places to go from you locals and with people that visited....im kind of a "off the map" guy. i love nature...i love to see animals that aren't in my region (mass). I am addicted to Cajun food....i make jambalaya weekly and Cajun Alfredo sauce all the time as well. so basically all i wanna do is eat some good jambalaya...and see some alligators and some nice cypress trees and explore the bayou's. I saw the tours and what not...but i dont wanna be on a boat or do drive byes....i wanna be able to go to the water and look in it and explore and take pics at my own leisure. my wife is like i dont wanna get a rent a car cuz i know you'll just drive to the 9th ward and all the places we aren't welcome....im like its not like we will just get shot for being white and in a low income area. I wanted to just drive around and take pics and explore myself. i also wanna do some cat fishing or something of the sort. ive yet to find an "Affordable" place for that. up here we have party boats that go out and its like 30 bucks a person. im sure ill have more questions. basically im the guy who likes the pictures of history, countryside, palm trees, oceans ect. thanks!!


edit:
i do see that the pyratecon will be in town...how is that gonna add to the bourbon street flavor? we are staying at the hilton on st charles just so people know.

currently this is what i have listed to do or go

St Louis Cemetary #1 Terrific choice. If you have a camera that can shoot black 'n' white, go for it. It makes for very dramatic, eerie shots. It's safest when there are tour groups around, which is frequent.
Canal Street Ferry You can ride it to the Cemetery.
Jackson Square Ferry Cats lol (i have to see this)
Pat O'Briens
St Charles Street Car
Zoo You sure you want to fit it into such a short stay?
Aquarium
Central Grocery
Johnny's Po Boy's
Coops Place

We always rent a car when we're there; however, we typically stay for 10 days, so we always fit in drives. 9th Ward would be okay during the day as long as you didn't venture around on foot; however, it wouldn't be worth the time. Use your three days for better things.

Your wife would probably enjoy the French Market. And ya gotta' experience Cafe DuMonde'.

Are you into museums? Right next to the St. Louis Cathedral (which you should step inside to view ~ breathtaking!) is the Presbyterie Mardi Gras Museum. It is EXCELLENT, very thorough. But plan on being there 1 to 2 hours. (OR you could take the ferry to Mardi Gras World in Algiers; however, that would kill more time. And that one provides less history.)

Try a Ramos Gin Fizz at the Carousel Bar inside the Monteleone Hotel. It's another signature local drink.

Hope you have the time of your lives. It's a great, feel-good city.

[Mrs. Fury]

If you decide to have a car I'd recommend going to Spahr's restaurant in Des Allemands. They have good food and behind the restaurant is a gator viewing area. Another spot is the spillway off Airline Drive in Norco. They have a long bike trail beside the water. On the west side (just cross the spillway and you will see where to drive down the levee to the parking lot) there's a boardwalk out over the water where people are likely to be fishing. I have not seen any gators out there though.

[hey teach]

I would definitely recommend the World War II museum. Also eat at Margaritaville, we think its good and lots of fun. Also take a trolly ride through the garden district.

[jacq63]

Margaritaville is great if you want to tourist-watch. But for a New Orleans experience I'd head for 'Thirteen' on Frenchmen St. It's handy to some great live music venues and has more of a local feel to it. Frenchmen is where locals hang out, rather than Bourbon St.

Also, I wouldn't bother with Pat O'Briens, their Hurricanes are pre-mixed, and again, it's more for tourists. Stop in and have a beer so at least you'll see the place, then head further down Bourbon St, away from the pardy-hardy crowds, to Lafittes Blacksmith Shoppe. Rumored to be so many things, including the oldest functioning bar in the U.S, a smugglers hangout; all I know is, they make the best Hurricanes this side of the M-D Line!

Btw, Mardi Gras World, as mentioned earlier, is worth a visit, but it's since moved from Algiers. I'd still take the ferry over, and stop in at the Dry Dock, or the Old Point Tavern. Great local vibe, nice people, and the ferry ride is wonderful.

Here's a link to M.G world
Contact - Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World - New Orleans, LA

Have a look at booking one of the ghost tours too. Not really my thing, but it's so suited to the atmosphere there. I've been told there are better ones than "Haunted History", which is a well-known one. Then you can stop in at the absinthe bar in Pirates Alley..you may just see a few ghost hosts hanging out, and maybe a pirate or two!

A carriage ride as soon as you arrive is really a great way to orient yourself to the city. Our favorite driver has a carriage that takes 12 people, it has purple awnings, and the mules' name is "Knucklehead".

Pity you only have 3 days, but you can still do a lot in that time. I'm sure it won't be your last visit, enjoy!

Edit: Hm, none of the above is very nature-related, which you said you're into. If you can book a swamp tour, I think that'd give you some fantastic photo ops, and you'll get a really close look at the amazing swamps just out of town. We did the Honey Island tour, well worth it even if we didn't see any 'gators. They just happened to have a baby one on board, so at least we could say we saw one. The swamps are incredible though, it's well worth it. They pick you up at your hotel and take you out to the boat.

[Drouzin]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Fury

If you decide to have a car I'd recommend going to Spahr's restaurant in Des Allemands.

My mom LOVES that place! She goes on and on about the food there!

[bumpylemon]

thanks guys for all your info....im researching all this now. great idea's. can you still drink on bourbon street in the streets year round? im so excited to go!!!

[jacq63]

You can get a go-cup anywhere in the French Quarter year round. I understand it's an exciting idea, but there is a lot more to New Orleans than that. I think you have to see Bourbon St at least once, but try Frenchmen St for local nightlife.