NOLA

I might be taking my first trip, 3-4 days, to New Orleans later this year. Other than drinking and gambling, what are your 3 must do's?

sight seeing
restaurants
attractions

First a warning: lots of grifters hitting on drunks, tourists, and drunken tourists in the French Quarter.

If you like history, the National Park Service offers a walking tour. Great way to learn about the place. Try this website: https://www.nps.gov/jela/french-quarter-site.htm
A website said this tour has changed from when I took because there are other paid walking tours. Still, a great place to start and the ranger can point you in any direction for further discovery.

Ride the street car up St. Charles.

Food: beignet's at Cafe Du Monde. Got to fit it in once.

If you're in the French Quarter, go to Pat O'Briens, get a seat with the dualing pianos and have a hurricane. (Pat O'Briens sells more alcohol than any other bar in the US).

It's been years since I've been there. I'm not up to date on restaurants.
My favorite restaurants were K-Pauls and Patout's.
The restaurant that would be on the top of my list not to miss: Bayona

Other classic foods: a mufaletta (sandwich) at Central Market. Oysters and/or oyster loaf at Felix's or Acme (they're across from each other).

My favorite jazz club, just outside French Quarter: Snug Harbor (snugjazz.com)

Thank you, I'll be there for my first time in late March.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Cafe du Monde...beignets and cafe au lait is definitely on the list. Thinking about taking the walking tour through the Garden District and a late lunch at Commander's Palace and maybe the walking tour of the French Quarter - I think that one begins at Jackson Square.

Has anyone taken the ferry ride across the river from the French Quarter?
From Neworleans.com travel guide.

Cross the Mississippi
Historic Algiers is a spectacular – and free! –
ferry ride across the river from the French
Quarter, and you’ll see the stunning New
Orleans skyline from a different viewpoint. The
ferry departs from the Canal Street terminal and
operates daily from 6:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m.

I will be there mid-March, before & after CE cruise. CE is charging me (first time ever being charged
at a harrahs prop, even though I have Nola offer for free nites........grrrrr) so were only staying ONE night.

Really disappointed how little they did to help us with our First stay ever.......Didn't work with me at all.
Its AFTER mardi gras........just gave me the runaround that I didn't have history there.

So WHY send us comp offers, and then Not let us use 'em?

So, Instead of continuing our NOLA stay, when the cruise returns?
Were flying OUTTA there, to Vegas, and staying where Free nights MEAN free nights!

Hope YOU enjoy it Lisa.

If there for a sunday then the sunday brunch at Brennan's is a must.

Second Cafe du Monde. The beignets are fried up fresh and rolled in the powdered sugar. And if you like coffee then what I think is some of the best! I love a good strong cup of coffee and Cafe du Monde is reknowned for its coffee with chicory. Chicory is part of the blend and adds an almost chocolate character to the coffee. If you want to cut it then their cafe au lait is delicious too.

Thanks, Marc.

CLV, let us know how the cruise goes.
And speaking of cruises, I was at my local McHarrahs Friday night. Stopped at Total Rewards. She printed me a voucher good for a cruise . . the kicker. . . get this . . .it has to be booked by Feb. 27 and taken by a week later. In their defense, I did receive an email from them early Jan telling me I won a cruise. Deleted it cause I knew I wouldn't be able to take a long trip by the first weekend in March. Offers not transferable - so not able to give to the Twiddles who could probably travel on a minutes notice.

Baclk to our regularly scheduled "Must Do's" in NOLA.

"Rolled" in powdered sugar? They're buried in powdered sugar. You can't inhale as you eat them. Oh, yeah. Laissez les bon temps rouler!!

Some other thoughts I've had since I posted:

I've always stayed away from the old, famous restaurants (Antoine's and Gallitoire's -- excuse any spelling). My tastes are very much Cajun and some Creole, not French.

Emeril's places get lots of attention: Emeril's, NOLA, maybe others.

For a real local's place, go to "Mothers". You want a "Debris biscuit". The people I ran into down there say "DAY-bree" Not "dah-BREE". No idea. https://www.mothersrestaurant.net/

One of the most famous places is Willie May's Scotch House for fried chicken. Is on many lists as one of the best places for fried chicken in the world/solar system/universe. It's on my to do someday list. I think the original was wiped out by Katrina, but the community rebuilt a new spot quickly (or something like that).

My sister (who spends time every year in New Orleans, her daughter lives there) likes John Besh's places. Besh was under the radar for many until he became a Iron Chef. I don't know which of his restaurants she goes to, but I would guess Borgne

I haven't done many of the city activities. When I've been in New Orleans, we usually spend time eating and drinking. With three friends, we spent an entire day eating raw oysters, drinking beer, and watching the college basketball games on the TV. There's an aquarium. There's a zoo. There's a WWII museum (founded by Stephen Ambrose, I wouldn't miss it on my next trip).

For Sunday brunch, Brennan's is the most famous. They serve more eggs than any other restaurant in the country (probably most in the form of benedict). It includes jazz.

Tennis Bum thanks for the suggestions. Someone on another forum recommended the WWII museum.
Sounds like there's more to see and do than I'll have time.

Arnaud's.

Play golf at the Atchafalaya at Idlewild or the great short course at Audubon Park.