French Quarter, New Orleans

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larrypowellnc

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Jan 21, 2013
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306
Location
Central NC
We will be in New Orleans for only 1 day and want to tour the French Quarter.  Anyone have experience with any of the tour companies?
 
We have never been disappointed with Gray Lines in other cities, although we have not toured New Orleans with them.


Our experience is that its a great way to orient to a specific city and then you can go back and hit the high spots or those you are more interested in spending time in.


We are actually on our way over tomorrow and we'll try to reconnoiter the tours for you!  8)
 
there are many horse drawn carriages available for tours. just flag an empty one down or walk over to jackson square on the decatur street side is usually a whole line up of them waiting for visitors. its been awhile they were very informative and it sure beat walking. 
 
Will be there next week for a few days..great city!  One day? just walk around the quarter. A carriage ride works.  Take in the inner city.  There is a lot to see in the Big Easy.

Music, food, music food Hurricanes, food, did I mention music, food and Hurricanes?
Enjoy...

Let the Good Times Roll!!
 
To Do
The National World War II museum
A ferry ride to Algiers (just for the experience of crossing the river on a boat with the cool breeze)
Shop along Magazine Street
A Street Car ride along St. Charles - get off at the Columns hotel and have a drink at the bar (http://www.thecolumns.com/)
Do a tour of the garden district (http://www.tourneworleans.com/garden_set.html)
Harrah's Casino for a little gambling
Aquarium of the Americas
Cigar Factory - I like to watch them roll the cigars here, and then usually I smoke one of their Churchill's http://www.cigarfactoryneworleans.com/
Mardi Gras World - this is the place where they make the floats for the Mardi Gras Parades.  They have hundreds of neat floats here (no beer though) http://www.mardigrasworld.com/
old opera house - zydeco music played here
DBA - great music
French Market - do a little tourist shopping outdoors
The Odgen Museum of Southern Art- I love this museum
St. Louis No. 1- You should probably take a cab here as the surrounding area is sketchy. Park/get dropped off at the Basin St. visitors center well before 3:00pm when they lock the gates. Shuffle through the visitors center (and use the bathroom because you can never turn down a nice bathroom in N.O.) and then head out back into the super old cemetery. There are several supposed voodoo graves here including that of Marie Leveau (you'll know it when you see it).
Walk around St. Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square, and then the Cabilldo where the French handed over the Louisiana purchase (a great place to take your friends from France...make sure you tell them thanks for give us such a great deal on the Louisiana Purchase)
Finally, tour the Superdome
 
Bars
Here is a great itinerary for Frenchman street on the East side of the French Quarter (http://www.nola.com/bar-guide/index.ssf/2012/07/new_orleans_bar_guide_2012_fre.html)
Snug Harbor - old school music venue...an absolute must.  Winston Marsalis' brother plays there along with a few of the Neville Brothers now and then (http://www.snugjazz.com/site/)
Jean Laffite's Blacksmith shop on Bourbon - it is the pirate's old Blacksmith shop and one of the oldest bars in the U.S.
Napoleon house on Bourbon
Pat O'Brien's - check out the piano bar and have a Hurricane. 
Tropical Isle - have a hand grenade (the max I had was 3 and I was done for the night)
Preservation Hall - Jazz
Funky Pirate - blues and a variety of music
Haunted Tiki Bar, best Halloween-decorated dive around (cash only, great jukebox)
Pravda, best Communist-themed bar that serves absinthe
Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. Jimi Hendrix stayed here in like 1969 or something
BMC at midnight or anywhere where there is a good brass band playing.
Another list of great bars in the French Quarter it will help you find what you are in the mood for.  (don't share this with anyone, instead, just surprise everyone with your bar knowledge when making recommendations on where to go next http://www.nola.com/bar-guide/index.ssf/neighborhood_french_quarter/index.html)

Now you wished you had more than a day.... This came from a local who grew up in the BIG EASY..
 
Just get on the St Charles trolley and ride thru downtown, the Garden District and Audubon (Tulane).  Eat at Camelia Grill at the trolley turn.  Be sure to try soft shell crabs. 
 
I agree, take the trolley cuz it goes most everywhere, is inexpensive and handicap accessible. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Big Easy last Spring with our teens.
 
If you are staying one night theFrench Quarter RV Resort is very nice and convenient. They were a Passport America Park the last time we were there.
 
larrypowellnc said:
We will be in New Orleans for only 1 day and want to tour the French Quarter.  Anyone have experience with any of the tour companies?

No shortage of tour operators along Decatur at Jackson Square. Every kind and type of tour you can imagine. I suspect you will find most of these operators have been vetted to appear here.


We even watched a guide running a tour with everyone on Segways on Bourbon Street.  :eek:


Laissez les bons temps rouler!  8)
 
Igor's Lounge, best bloody mary's ever.  Plus you can do laundry.
 

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