New orleans?

[TCz]

Howdy all, I'm going to be spending a couple of days in New Orleans in a few weeks. Anyone from there?
What are the best things to do/see/eat/drink?

Any particular places to stay away from?

[Shellback]

Any particular places to stay away from?

New Orleans.

I haven't been in a few years but can tell you it's a dangerous city with a very high crime rate. Ask your hotel staff what areas to stay away from and places they'd recommend you go to. If you're not carrying and decide to imbibe be aware that many of the drinks down on Bourbon St. like Hurricanes, Hand Grenades, etc. will F you up severely if you don't have a high alcohol tolerance, as in roofie time.

The local criminals know that tourists go down in and around the French Quarter and it's a mecca for crime from pick pockets and thieves to stick up guys and plenty of murders so be careful and keep your head on a swivel. Situational awareness is your best friend.

[TCz]

New Orleans.

I figured as much. It wasn't high on my list of places to go, but my folks decided the destination.

I won't be drinking (alcohol), but I know we'll likely be going to restaurants that serve it. LA law is ... confusing, but it seems that any place that serves alcohol is a no go for carrying. I will be carrying pepper spray, knife, cell phone and most importantly, trying not to become a statistic.

[tremiles]

New Orleans is a dirty hole, and I love it. I've been there several times before and after Katrina. The downtown area escaped serious damage and was fully rebuilt to it's pre-Katrina condition 6 months after the hurricane, but outside of the tourist areas are still decrepit.

As far as restaurants, Commander's Palace is excellent, and K-Paul's on Chartres is simply one of the best restaurants anywhere in the world. The beef with debris sauce is what I'm asking for on my death bed. If you're going to be out at night, prearrange a cab to and from your hotel to the Quarter, stay in a group, and be aware of your surroundings. With most big cities at night, you can have an excellent time or a really bad time.

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[RoyGBiv]

My two favorite places to eat are:
Harbor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g40247-d464562-Reviews-Harbor_Seafood_Oyster_Bar-Kenner_Louisiana.html)Seafood Restaurant in Kenner : MAP (http://events.gotsport.com/events/schedule.aspx?eventid=22481&FieldID=0&applicationID=1251351&action=Go).
Mother's (http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/), on Poydras : MAP (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Mother%27s+Restaurant,+Poydras+Street,+New+ Orleans,+LA&hl=en&sll=29.981869,-90.153498&sspn=0.230767,0.325127&oq=mother%27s+rest&gl=us&hq=Mother%27s+Restaurant,+Poydras+Street,+New+Orle ans,+LA&t=m&z=15)

Harbor is a hole in the wall that's both a fish market and restaurant. Great specials on Oysters and crawfish in season, and the Artichoke/Oyster soup is TDF.! If it's crowded when you get there, just grab a beer and hang outside in the parking lot with the locals. Mothers is THE place for Jambalaya, they're famous for their "Debris" po-boy, and if you like butter, biscuits, bacon and grits, it's a great place for a weekday breakfast.

MY rule of thumb on New Orleans restaurants.... NO Chains... NONE. And.. The seedier the better.
Although, Commanders Palace is a treat.

Not sure where the hot spots are for music these days, but, check out http://www.offbeat.com/ and http://www.nola.com/music/ for who is playing where. You just missed Fat Tuesday (Yesterday), so it's the relatively quiet period from now to St. Paddy's Day.

Used to be O'Flaherty's for great Irish music and atmosphere in the FQ, but alas, they're closed for a while now.

Have fun...

[SouthNarc]

Best steak in town is Mr. John's Steakhouse on St. Charles.

[JeffJ]

New Orleans can be a lot of fun - it's much better post-Katrina IMO. If you stay around people and keep a decent degree of SA you should be fine. I would avoid dark alleys and unpopulated areas, which are easy to accidentally wander into if you get too far off the beaten path (Bourbon, St. Charles etc.) You are much more likely to run into street hustlers than you are to stick up guys - street hustlers are just part of New Orleans so don't take it personally - just don't engage with them.

If you don't go to the World War II museum you're really missing out - there is a movie presentation that they offer there which is absolutely incredible. They built the theater around the movie and I think the Band of Brothers production crew did it or the same director or something like that. I spent 3-4 hours there last time I was there and could have spent longer.

[PT Doc]

ACME Oyster House in the Quarter
Central Grocery for a muffuletta sandwich
Commander's Palace
K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
Galatoire's Restaurant
Cafe DuMonde for coffee and beignets
French Market
French Quarter to people watch
Tipitina's for live music

[derekb]

New Orleans is a city I can't wait to get back to. I actually responded to a listing for someone in my field at the WWII Museum, but never heard back. The city is dirty, and loaded to the gills with tourists pretty much constantly, but the fact that you can walk down a street and see a dozen different establishments, all with live music pouring out the doors... I love it.

[phidelta308]

My two favorite music spots on bourbon st: Maison Bourbon and Fritzel's. Maison Bourbon is traditional early jazz (think Louis Armstrong), and Fritzel's is dixieland jazz. Frenchmen Street is another great area for music. I saw some great bands at Maison (on Frenchmen St).

Aside from the booze and music, New Orleans is a great town to eat in. Hard to find a bad restaurant. Yo Mama's on St. Peter Street has great burgers, and cheap drinks. It's a great place to stop for grub if you're out and about near Bourbon Street. Also, there's a pretty vibrant art scene in the French Quarter. I bought a small painting the last time I was down there.

As far as crime goes, situational awareness is your friend. I was unarmed except for a swiss army knife and a flashlight. And I was drinking. My friend and I didn't have any problems. Pay attention to your surroundings, and maybe don't keep your wallet in a back pocket that doesn't have a snap or button.

[EMC]

New Orleans is a city I can't wait to get back to. I actually responded to a listing for someone in my field at the WWII Museum, but never heard back. The city is dirty, and loaded to the gills with tourists pretty much constantly,
but the fact that you can walk down a street and see a dozen different establishments, all with live music pouring out the doors... I love it.

I had the honor of visiting the New Orleans D-Day Museum during a few days leave while at pre-deployment training at Ft. Polk (Rotting at the staging area known as the ISB at Alexandria Louisiana). One of the best museums I've been to. I wonder how it held up during Katrina.

[WDW]

You def. need to stop by and see the World War II musuem. It is amazing. I went to it again in Nov. Katrina didn't touch it. It is in perfect shape.

[EMC]

You def. need to stop by and see the World War II musuem. It is amazing. I went to it again in Nov. Katrina didn't touch it. It is in perfect shape.

Good to hear. Looks like they updated the name since I've been (The National World War II Museum, formerly known as the National D-Day Museum). The quality of the exhibits and the number of artifacts was outstanding, not to mention the combat veterans giving tours. I'll go again next time I'm near there.

[RoyGBiv]

If you spend all you time in the French Quarter, you've missed it.

[Korenwolf]

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the U.S. It has a vibe that is fantastic, however I second the head on a swivel advice!

A grimy and cheap place for odd hour snacks is Daisy Dukes (horaaah for 24-hour a day breakfast) MAP (http://maps.google.nl/maps?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=daisy+dukes+new+orleans&fb=1&gl=nl&hq=daisy+dukes&hnear=0x8620a454b2118265:0xdb065be85e22d3b4,New+Or leans,+LA,+USA&cid=0,0,11054111167736084958&ei=SrBKT9GCKYq20QWjveC0Dg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBYQ_BI). Be warned this place is the definition of a greasy spoon. The breakfast and shrimp po-boys were however very good.

Head over to the Hilton near the river for the original char-broiled oyster recipe at Drago's. The thought of those oysters still makes my mouth water. Beats the ridiculous queue outside of ACME. Towards the river from ACME on the corner of the same block there is Mr B's bistro which was overpriced for what was served. Oceana Grill has fantastic crab-cakes, MAP (http://maps.google.nl/maps?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=oceana+grill+new+orleans&fb=1&gl=nl&hq=oceana+grill&hnear=0x8620a454b2118265:0xdb065be85e22d3b4,New+Or leans,+LA,+USA&cid=0,0,4230305135027442277&ei=kL1KT4K6O9SV8gO70rSbDg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBcQ_BI).

I fully second the earlier recommendation by PT-Doc for Central Grocery' Muffuletta MAP (http://maps.google.nl/maps?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=daisy+dukes+new+orleans&fb=1&gl=nl&hq=daisy+dukes&hnear=0x8620a454b2118265:0xdb065be85e22d3b4,New+Or leans,+LA,+USA&cid=0,0,11054111167736084958&ei=SrBKT9GCKYq20QWjveC0Dg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBYQ_BI). And of course Commanders Palace, one of the best kitchens in New Orleans, period.

-The weather permitting do rent a bike and ride along Magazine Street. Tons of little stores and restaurants, a great alternative to another day of the French Quarter.
-Do take the streetcar and get off at the Audubon Park, and return from there. the zoo is nothing spectacular. The albino gators were however quite interesting.
-Again ,depending on the weather, take an airboat swamp tour. Make sure the weather is warm and sun blazing or you'll be disappointed about the absence of gators.
-Do go to the WWII museum, It is a once in a lifetime experience.

Do not under any circumstances venture out at night outside of the French Quarter. One 5 minute stroll can land you smack in the middle of a third world country. West of the superdome there is Central City, a place you have no reason on this earth to visit.

On a side note one of the best travel tips I ever got was: "Ask local police officers for places to eat" this little tip will serve you well everywhere! Shared some good lunches with beat cops and a detective in New Orleans following this advice.