New Orleans

trainlady · #1 (**permalink**) 01-06-2012, 10:58 PM

Has anyone visited New Orleans? Was it pre or post Katrina? Did you like the city? What did you see? Would you recomend New Orleans for a vacation?

hugs, train

BigBearsWife · #2 (**permalink**) 01-13-2012, 10:21 AM

I went to New Orleans Twice before Katrina. I loved it! The French Quarter of course is the best place to be for activity. We did a few ghost and vampire tours, visited the Audubon Zoo and there were a ton of Parades. (Went around Mardi Gras)

We stay in the City Slidell tho. It's about 20 minutes outside of new orleans, but saves you a TON on hotel money!

Amayesing · #3 (**permalink**) 05-04-2012, 11:52 AM

I just visit the Big Easy last summer and it was HOT!!! We went to Bourbon ST and French Quarter and had a blast. But the heat was unreal and I'm from GA. I would really recommend riding the street car and maybe bus to see more of the city

jokir · #4 (**permalink**) 05-04-2012, 12:31 PM

Train, are you planning another rail trip? I have been wanting to go from here )M0.), to the northwest coast area and right back but there is no connection without an overnight layover. The sights look beautiful on that northern Amtrak route.

trainlady · #5 (**permalink**) 05-30-2012, 02:53 PM

Sorry Jokir, I just now saw this.

No, no planned train trips out that way but would like to see that part of the country someday.
Once while I was travelling thru I had an overnight layover (like you mentioned) but would like to have a few days there to really explore.

hugs, train

Catwoman · #6 (**permalink**) 08-19-2012, 12:36 PM

We have been to New Orleans twice with the kids, and as long as you stay away from Bourbon Street (which is dirty and nasty in more than one sense of those words), you'll have a great time. I could write a ton on that city. I'll just say there is a lot to do: places to eat, museums, window shopping, riding the trolleys, cemetery and ghost tours, the zoo, events at the colleges there, aaaallll kinds of things.

One of our favorite places there is Jackson Square in the Quarter. The regional cathedral is there (which is gorgeous, take a look inside), and it is flanked by two museums. One museum is The Cabildo, which houses the room the Louisiana Purchase was signed in, and is the very building where Plessy v. Ferguson (Supreme Court case) was argued. There's lots of local and regional history in that one. The other museum has a Katrina exhibit and a Mardi Gras exhibit. You can buy a ticket that gets you into both museums for a discount. There will be street musicians, artists, and vendors camped out all around Jackson Square, which has a park in the center of it with a statue of Andrew Jackson. You can walk up the side of the park to do window shopping, go into the park for scenery and photos, and then walk across the street to the famous Cafe du Monde for iced coffee and beignets. It's a very nice way to spend a long morning or afternoon.

Newdaawn · #7 (**permalink**) 05-26-2013, 04:42 AM

We went in May of 2004 and still have great memories of that trip. We stayed right in the French Quarter and it really wasn't that much more expensive and handy to lots of things to do and great restaurants. I wouldn't want to be there in the hottest months as it averaged about 85 in May. I agree with the other poster that St. Louis Cathedral is beautiful. We were on St. Ann Street and about half a block from it. Cafe DuMond is a must for coffee and beniets (sp?). It can rain suddenly in NO so carry an umbrella. We took a trolley out to see the Garden District and on the way it hit a car, no one hurt, but we never did get out to the GD. We visited the Aquarium - within walking distance - also visited the Art Museum and it's outdoor sculpture garden, and took another trolley to do this. Taking the trolleys is an inexpensive way to see the city. We found it better not to have a car. We flew there from Northern New England. Have always wanted to go back and we may yet. I would love to take a swamp tour. Oh yes I just rememberd the name of the hotel we stayed. It was Place deArms. If it hasn't changed in the past 9 years I certainly would recommend it.

cau · #8 (**permalink**) 06-01-2013, 03:06 PM

We 've been there twice, loved it both times. So much history, we were there before Katrina. Great food, tons to do. We visited all the main sites, ate at neighbor hood places as well as the well known ones. I do love shrimp porboys! We also did a swamp tour & some plantations. We took a cooking class at a grocery somewhere in the French Quarter and still make the bread pudding form there

**seleach** · #9 (**permalink**) 06-07-2013, 11:28 AM

I've been there 4 times. My dd lived there 19 yrs. Went for Mardi Gras once. All visits were before Katrina.

Loved the French Quarter. Enjoyed sitting in Jackson Square. Took tours to a Plantation, the Bayou, Lafayette, rode the trolley out to the Garden District, went to the Zoo, Cementaries, Aquarium and took the carriage ride through the French Quarter. Went to a lot of the shops in the Quarter, ate at some well known restaurants like The Three Sisters, Brennan's, Antoine's as well as small neighbor restaurants for Po'Boys, and other good things to eat. And many times at Cafe du Monde for Cafe AU Lait and Beignets. You cannot go to New Orleans without going there. Went to Pat O'Brien's for Hurricanes.
Mardi Gras was fun going to the parades and the fashion show in the French Quarter. We always left around 10 PM to catch the last ferry to the West Bank where dd lived.

I would recommend a vacation in New Orleans.