Heading to New Orleans Next Week - Need Recommendations on What to Check Out

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

I’ve got a conference to go to in New Orleans next week. I will bringing my wife along with me, though she will not be attending the conference. We’re staying at a hotel in the French Quarter that I believe is also hosting the conference. I’ve kind of dropped the ball in preparing for this trip, I’ve done basically no research about the city. I just know about Bourbon Street and that’s about it. I’m looking for recommendations for things she can do during the day on her own, probably touristy stuff, but she also likes to shop.

Also looking for recommendations for things my wife and I can or should do together in the evenings when I’m not busy with the conference. Places to eat (I want to experience some really good authentic creole food) as well as any touristy things to see and do in the evenings.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

I’ve got a conference to go to in New Orleans next week. I will bringing my wife along with me,

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

LOL. It’s our first trip away from the kids since 2022.

 

[Pittie Petey]

I heard the Walmarts out there be poppin'

 

[Swiftie]

It's going to suck as far as the intense heat and humidity goes. I made the mistake of going there is the summer. I thought New Orleans was a dirty ghetto town.

On a positive note, it's a great party town and the food is delicious. A great place to go for breakfast is a place called Mother's. To beat the heat, check out the World War 2 Museum. We also took a New Orleans cooking presentation class. A chef showed how to make dishes and you got to eat some yummy food. The best part was escaping the intense heat and humidity.

 

[liner]

Walk up and down Bourbon st once and that will probably be enough for you. A few blocks down from Bourbon there are lots of art galleries to buy originals during the day if that's your thing. I was just there, had some real good butter parm oysters at a random restaurant on bourbon. It was really hot and humid. A bar off bourbon called Erin Rose had tasty frozen Irish coffees.

 

[ROKKO]

Cafe du monde is like their staple in the French Quarter. It's always busy but it moves fast just coffee and beignets (ben-yays). I thought they were just alright but I've never tried them anywhere else.

Central bakery. Again just ok but I'm a pretty plain guy. I'm not sure what it takes to knock my socks off. Their sandwich was on one of those food traveling shows. It has muffulettas in the sandwich which is like an olive salad.

I went to the bug museum. They do a 20 min cooking presentation where you can eat baked crickets with cinnamon and sugar. They are crispy. I ate some and it was delicious! Just kidding but it wasn't bad and cookies with baked meal worms on them. This was all in 2012 so I'm not sure what changed

I liked the WW2 museum too. Still got my shot glass that I should use soon.

Then eat the standard gumbo or jambalaya

 

[Sonny Qc]

Go for a nice massage.

2536 Canal St New Orleans
That Place is simply called Asian Massage.

Ask for Kitty.

 

[PBAC]

Vibe with the music and hunt down cartel bosses in an airboat. If you can't find one you aren't looking hard enough.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Honestly, just walk around. We had a great time just doing our own thing and exploring. Your hotel is in the French Quarter, so you're pretty much set in terms of location.

You can also go on boat tours, visit museums, hit up the usual food spots etc. There's plenty written up about those things. Just comes down to what you're interested in.

 

[TeTe]

Just don't go wandering up and down Bourbon St. at night away from the crowds. Also, only go into the cemeteries with guided groups.

Other than common situational awareness, just wander around the Quarter. There are some great ghost/haunted tours. Make sure you get Muffuletta at Central Grocery as well. Frenchman St. Runs adjacent to to the East end of the Quarter and a lot of locals party in that area too cause it has great live music.

Lastly, the French Quarter is cool and great, but try to get to the Garden District. It's way more laid back and there's awesome home and landscape architecture there. Also more laid back bars and restaurants. If you can, get a reservation at Commanders Palace if you do make it over that way. You just need to dress nice.

 

[Cajun]

Just don't go wandering up and down Bourbon St. at night away from the crowds. Also, only go into the cemeteries with guided groups.

Other than common situational awareness, just wander around the Quarter. There are some great ghost/haunted tours. Make sure you get Muffuletta at Central Grocery as well. Frenchman St. Runs adjacent to to the East end of the Quarter and a lot of locals party in that area too cause it has great live music.

Lastly, the French Quarter is cool and great, but try to get to the Garden District. It's way more laid back and there's awesome home and landscape architecture there. Also more laid back bars and restaurants. If you can, get a reservation at Commanders Palace if you do make it over that way. You just need to dress nice.

Agree with this. Commander's Palace is incredible. The food in New Orleans is hard to beat. From the hole in walls to the fine dining. I would say barbecue shrimp at Mr B's cannot be missed. It's not barbecue as in barbecue it's more of a gravy but it's phenomenal. Hit up Acme or Drago's for oysters. Obviously getting Beignets in the French Quarter at Cafe Du Monde. Places like Heard dat kitchen and mothers are great. Since you're going to be there during the week because it's a conference Bourbon Street will not be so crazy which is nice and you can wander up and down. Catch a hurricane at Pat O'Briens with the Dueling Pianos it's all in good fun. To be honest the food is really what drives everything in New Orleans. You can find small places that serve great food. Also agree with the guy above about some night tours of the cemetery where you can see Marie laveau's grave Etc there's some fun but it is hot this time of year so maybe not. They have some riverboat casinos that you can go up and down the river looking at the city which is nice at night. Can't wait to hear your report back.

 

[I Am Legion]

Its a place for eating and drinking. Check out Pat O'Briens for an original Hurricane. Go get Oysters. Acme might have a line, if they do go to Bourbon House. Awesome bourbons and mixed plates of oysters. I love the energy of Bourbon and love the bar hopping, but it is dirty and it is ghetto. For more classy vibes and great music, Frenchman ST. is great. Magazine ST. is also cool and where the locals go to get out of the mess of Bourban. Razzou's on Bourban is a party with a DJ and 3 for 1 beer specials and drink specials. The outside patio is more tame.

Have to:
Get a Po'Boy--Everyplace has them.
Get Beignets (Katies, Beignet Cafe, Mondays)
Get Oysters (Acme, Bourbon House)
See Live Music (Google Foundation Room)
Do a Ghost Tour it's a cool way to see N.O.

 

[HomeCheese]

The WW 2 museum was really good as someone else mentioned. Definitely worth a few hours.

There are also a lot of excellent auction houses and antique stores in New Orleans. If you are into this sort of thing there is some really cool stuff available.

There is a trolly that runs in a circle that is fun if you gotta an hour to kill. Might be too hot for this.

 

[mb23100]

World War 2 museum for sure.

I did one of those true crime walking tours and it was pretty interesting.

Night-time Riverboat cruise was really cool.

If you can squeeze it in, we did an airboat tour through the swamp and saw a ton of gators which was pretty awesome. Tour picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel.

Bourbon Street is a disgusting shithole. DO NOT ORDER DRAFT BEER FROM ANYWHERE THERE.

 

[Jacket time]

Do Frenchmen street instead of Bourbon...imo
It's way to hot to go day drinking this time of yr, the heat will sit you down with the quickness

 

[HUGHPHUG]

Just don't go wandering up and down Bourbon St. at night away from the crowds. Also, only go into the cemeteries with guided groups.

Other than common situational awareness, just wander around the Quarter. There are some great ghost/haunted tours. Make sure you get Muffuletta at Central Grocery as well. Frenchman St. Runs adjacent to to the East end of the Quarter and a lot of locals party in that area too cause it has great live music.

Lastly, the French Quarter is cool and great, but try to get to the Garden District. It's way more laid back and there's awesome home and landscape architecture there. Also more laid back bars and restaurants. If you can, get a reservation at Commanders Palace if you do make it over that way. You just need to dress nice.

What's the deal with the cemeteries?

 

[fingercuffs]

I’ve got a conference to go to in New Orleans next week. I will bringing my wife along with me, though she will not be attending the conference. We’re staying at a hotel in the French Quarter that I believe is also hosting the conference. I’ve kind of dropped the ball in preparing for this trip, I’ve done basically no research about the city. I just know about Bourbon Street and that’s about it. I’m looking for recommendations for things she can do during the day on her own, probably touristy stuff, but she also likes to shop.

Also looking for recommendations for things my wife and I can or should do together in the evenings when I’m not busy with the conference. Places to eat (I want to experience some really good authentic creole food) as well as any touristy things to see and do in the evenings.

If you like history do all the walking tours, if you arent't into Ghosts or The Occult they're still brilliant for immersing yourself in history. Do an Alligator tour if you have time, they're great fun.

You're of a certain age where Bourbon Street is more of a one night thing, it gets too hectic after. The aquarium is nice.

If you ARE a bit witchy Marie Laveaux's shop is a treasure trove and check out the dastardly history with Nick Cage's house.

Never leave without going for a Sazerac at the rotating hotel bar Hotel Monteleone, it's beautiful.

The paddle steamer for a dinner cruise is also lovely.

 

[fingercuffs]

If you fancy a quick cocktail The Dungeon is great fun. Make sure you use the restroom.

 

[Big Burly]

You can get great food and drinks damned near anywhere. We were there 2 weeks ago. Be careful to avoid getting too far from the main drags. There are signs for properly disposing your needles/syringes all over the place. My son nearly stepped on one when we were walking around. Plenty of bizarre folks, but they tend to keep to themselves.

Lots of cool shops with neat shit. Lots of souvenir shops with the same cheap shit.

It tends to smell of stale, spilled beer.

With that said, it is a fun place to visit when not in Mardi Gras. Yes, it is hot and humid. You can get a boozy drink and walk all over with it. I love the old architecture and overall vibe of the historic areas.