Dverstra, we purposely avoided Mardi gras as it seemed to be a bit too much commotion for us. Have you been to Mardi Gras before? What?s it like for restaurant seating / reservations and getting into and out of the city? Now that I know my way around a bit, I wouldn?t cross this off in the future.
Blue Skies, I received a lot of helpful advice here when planning this trip. The more experienced New Orleans visitors here can give you some good insights, but here?s a few observations..
Staying north of the city in the Mandeville / Slidell area is calmer, less expensive, and prettier surroundings than staying downtown. There is an RV park in the french quarter that looks OK but is very expensive. We?re staying in Fontainebleau state park that is less money for a weeks stay than 2 days at this RV park. You need to make reservations early as there are only 6 sites with sewer.
It?s a $3 toll across the pontchartrain bridge and 35 minutes into the french quarter. The first time I drove to the french quarter was a white knuckled experience. The streets are narrow, pedestrians are everywhere and finding parking is a challenge. But after getting your bearings, it becomes easy. Public parking is available toward the river on N. Peters / Decatur Street. A local told me to always use the legit public parking with a gate and a pay booth. Some places just have a small open lot with a sign, which I am told can get your car stolen. We had to hit Bourbon Street but it?s crazy there no matter what day of the week or time it is. 20 minutes of that was enough for me. My wife is a planner, but there are so many excellent restaurants and things to do / see it?s almost an overkill of information. Plenty of locals and visitors here in the park with good suggestions. There are also stores and good restaurants in the Mandeville area. We mixed our time between here and downtown. From the park, there is a paved bike trail that will take you east or west into Mandeville or Slidell. I ride my bike every day to pick something up at a store, or just see the sights. For me, Nawlins is all about the food!
Roni ? Wasn?t us in Lafayette. We came down 55 from Memphis. I have seen quite a few MN folks down here. Not surprising given our extreme winter.
