Trip to New Orleans (Metairie, Lafayette: rentals, hotels, big house)

[TAM88]

So I am about to make my first trip down to New Orleans. I am heading down for 4 and a half days. I have been looking online at the big things to see and do in the city.

Here is what I have so far:

Bourbon Street
French Quarter
Jackson Square
St. Charles Street Car
Audubon Zoo
Mardi Gras World
National WWII Museum
Cemetery Tour (which is the best?)
Aquarium of the Americas

Does anyone have a low key bar/club to go and see some local jazz?


Is 4 and a half days enough to get to see and do all the main things? Is renting a car necessary? As in, is there something outside of the city worth seeing?

Where in the city was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button filmed?

[rburnett]

That's a good list for your first time here. 4.5 days should be just right.

I would avoid the car. Everything you want to see is in walking distance or right off a bus/streetcar line. Just take the bus or cab downtown from the airport.

See: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-o...onteleone.html

[Jimbo_1]

I think the house where The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was on the 2700 block of Coliseum which is in the Garden District(an attraction by itself). But it is just a big house, so I dont know how exciting that would be. But around the house on the same block is Commander's Palace which is a well known (kind of expenisve but maybe not for lunch) restuarant, and there is a nice cemetary called Lafayette cemetary #2, and a little shopping area called the Rink. This is all two blocks off of the St. Charles street car line. Then many other parts of the film were filmed in the French Quarter area.

For the cemetary you could visit the one I stated above. Or you could go to St. Louis #'s 1 and 2 which are right on the other side of Rampart Street on the edge of the French Quarter. This is the oldest cemetary in the city and is very dense but is near a housing project but you should be fine with a tour group and during the day. Also if you like the more ornate tombs you could consider St. Louis #3 or Metairie Cemetary but really the other cemtaries will be no slouches either.

[tinalimey]

Best place for jazz would be one of the bars along Frenchman St. The Laughing Cat, the Blue Nile, Snug Harbor... they all have good jazz on any given night. Laughing Cat doesn't usually have a cover before 8pm.

Frenchman is easy to get to from the harbor. just take Decatur all the way to Esplanade, Frenchman starts on the other side of Esplanade.

[mnr3]

Originally Posted by tinalimey

Best place for jazz would be one of the bars along Frenchman St. The Laughing Cat, the Blue Nile, Snug Harbor... they all have good jazz on any given night. Laughing Cat doesn't usually have a cover before 8pm.

Frenchman is easy to get to from the harbor. just take Decatur all the way to Esplanade, Frenchman starts on the other side of Esplanade.

+1
head to Frenchmen street around 10 pm and grab a dring at any of the joints, walk the street and choose a venue, rock out until you're tired. can't go wrong.

there's also Preservation Hall in the French Quarter next to Pat O'brien,s bar, a touristy, but good bar in the quarter. the Hall is the ONLY place to see jazz in the quarter, and it's great, but Frenchmen is adjacent to the quarter and so much more happening. if you want to venture uptown, there's always the Maple Leaf and the Columns Hotel, both great places (very different) but somewhat off the beaten path. (though the columns is directly on the streetcar line and just a beautiful old house. movies were filmed there too. enjoy.

[TAM88]

Thanks for the advice.

I wasn't looking for the Benjamin house specifically, just the area of the city is sits in. It looked very nice in the movie.

What about Magazine street? I have been told Sucre, Stein's Market and Deli and St. Joe's Bar are good option from a co-worker who lived down there many years ago.

Also, I will be staying right on Canal street, good location for a lot of things in New Orleans?

[rburnett]

Canal is a good place to be. It's right next to the Quarter and the CBD plus most of the bus lines and streetcar lines terminate there.

See: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-o...ola-march.html
See: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-o...ggestions.html

[tinalimey]

Steins is great, I haven't been to either of the others on Magazine that you mentioned. But there's so much shopping and dining on Magazine, you're sure to find something.

If you're a beer lover, don't miss The Avenue on St. Charles. My husband and I are total beer snobs and love the place. They have a great balcony overlooking St Charles, but it doesn't open until 5pm. The downstairs bar is open 24/7.

[tinalimey]

Originally Posted by tinalimey

Best place for jazz would be one of the bars along Frenchman St. The Laughing Cat, the Blue Nile, Snug Harbor... they all have good jazz on any given night. Laughing Cat doesn't usually have a cover before 8pm.

Frenchman is easy to get to from the harbor. just take Decatur all the way to Esplanade, Frenchman starts on the other side of Esplanade.

I don't know why I typed harbor! I meant that Frenchman is easy to get to from the Quarter. Derp!

[slowlane3]

You can get plenty of information and advice here Reviews of Hotels, Flights and Vacation Rentals - TripAdvisor