Now that I am home to my laptop other things to see and do in NOLA.
The Cabildo and the Presbyter they are the buildings on either side of St. Louis cathedra at Jackson Square, one is the LA state museum the other one has the Hurricane Katrina exhibit.
Audubon Zoo is a nice facility, you can ride the St. Charles street car to the park and then walk the 3/4 mile to the entrance or I think there is supposed to be a shuttle van from the street car line to the zoo, it's a nice walk along the jogging trail so I suggest walking. The aquarium of the America's is also excellent, it's right by the river at the end of Canal, the insectarium is slanted towards kids but it's a great display, word of warning the insectarium is in the US customs house it is federal property they do run you through the metal detector no weapons, knives mace etc... they have a great walk through butterfly exhibit. The former US mint at new orleans is also another museum with seeing. Several artists have Galleries down there that are worth perusing, we own a couple of pieces by this guy. http://www.craigtracy.com/ there is also George Rodrigo's blue dog gallery and James Michalopoulos gallery. Speaking of Michalopoulas he also owns the Old New Orleans rum distillery they have a shuttle van that departs the french market 3 times a day with limited seating to take you to the distillery for a tour and tasting or you can catch a cab up to it. NOLA brewery on Tchoupitoulas in irish Channel also has brewery tours check the website for details, fyi that's pronounced "chop a too luss" just cal that street chop and everyone will know what you are talking about. As far as food not much that isn't good down there avoid the restaurants in the pontalba buildings (the apartments that are on either side of jackson square) the food is mediocre and way overpriced, tourist traps. Theres a locals place down on Decatuer that serves a 20oz ribeye with salad and twice baked potato skins for $15 hand it's a really good steak, well worth it if you are looking for a filling inexpensive dinner. The place is called Turtle Bay.
Central Grocery on Decatuer is the place to get your mufaletta sandwich while down there, unless you can scarf down 2.5 bounds of bread meat and olive dressing order a 1/2 sandwich. I hope your hotel is in the quarter, if you haven't booked yet our favorite is a place called the Place D'Armes it's basically next to Jackson square which makes pretty much centrally located to anything you would be doing.
If you are out and carrying parades are off limits, felony to carry along a parade route FYI, not just Mardi Gras parades funeral parades and second lines following a band are also off limits.
We carried while we were out house shopping but other than that we tend to leave the pistols locked in the safe in our room.
Two types of people come back from NOLA, those who love it and those who hate it. some of those who love it get a fever and the only cure is to move there... I been burning up since 1994 and my wife caught the fever in 2007. Just waiting on my son to get through school and off to college before we go so I don't have to fight with his mom over custody, child support and visitation all over again.
The Cabildo and the Presbyter they are the buildings on either side of St. Louis cathedra at Jackson Square, one is the LA state museum the other one has the Hurricane Katrina exhibit.
Audubon Zoo is a nice facility, you can ride the St. Charles street car to the park and then walk the 3/4 mile to the entrance or I think there is supposed to be a shuttle van from the street car line to the zoo, it's a nice walk along the jogging trail so I suggest walking. The aquarium of the America's is also excellent, it's right by the river at the end of Canal, the insectarium is slanted towards kids but it's a great display, word of warning the insectarium is in the US customs house it is federal property they do run you through the metal detector no weapons, knives mace etc... they have a great walk through butterfly exhibit. The former US mint at new orleans is also another museum with seeing. Several artists have Galleries down there that are worth perusing, we own a couple of pieces by this guy. http://www.craigtracy.com/ there is also George Rodrigo's blue dog gallery and James Michalopoulos gallery. Speaking of Michalopoulas he also owns the Old New Orleans rum distillery they have a shuttle van that departs the french market 3 times a day with limited seating to take you to the distillery for a tour and tasting or you can catch a cab up to it. NOLA brewery on Tchoupitoulas in irish Channel also has brewery tours check the website for details, fyi that's pronounced "chop a too luss" just cal that street chop and everyone will know what you are talking about. As far as food not much that isn't good down there avoid the restaurants in the pontalba buildings (the apartments that are on either side of jackson square) the food is mediocre and way overpriced, tourist traps. Theres a locals place down on Decatuer that serves a 20oz ribeye with salad and twice baked potato skins for $15 hand it's a really good steak, well worth it if you are looking for a filling inexpensive dinner. The place is called Turtle Bay.
Central Grocery on Decatuer is the place to get your mufaletta sandwich while down there, unless you can scarf down 2.5 bounds of bread meat and olive dressing order a 1/2 sandwich. I hope your hotel is in the quarter, if you haven't booked yet our favorite is a place called the Place D'Armes it's basically next to Jackson square which makes pretty much centrally located to anything you would be doing.
If you are out and carrying parades are off limits, felony to carry along a parade route FYI, not just Mardi Gras parades funeral parades and second lines following a band are also off limits.
We carried while we were out house shopping but other than that we tend to leave the pistols locked in the safe in our room.
Two types of people come back from NOLA, those who love it and those who hate it. some of those who love it get a fever and the only cure is to move there... I been burning up since 1994 and my wife caught the fever in 2007. Just waiting on my son to get through school and off to college before we go so I don't have to fight with his mom over custody, child support and visitation all over again.
