New Orleans virgin...advice?

[sfmarine]

I need to get out there. It sounds like a good time.

[curse]

make sure you hit up bubba gump shrimp co... great food there if they are still in busness post-katrina.

[sfmarine]

Originally Posted by curse

make sure you hit up bubba gump shrimp co... great food there if they are still in busness post-katrina.

I hit Bubba Gump @ citywalk in Universal...it's a good time especially if you are a fan of the movie.

[JasonR]

Make sure you bring your camera!! We forgot ours and had to get some stupid throw aways. Anyway, some highlights!

Oak Alley Plantation





Laura Plantation



French Quarter









Saint Louis Cemetery



Beer and gators at 9AM!

[curse]

also if you are interested.. couple hours west is avery island. Not everyone likes tabasco but if you do, well.. thats your place!

[mikejet]

I might go for Mardi Gras next year since my Uncle lives just outside the French Quarter.

[Uniquely]

A wedding march I saw go through Jackson Square. They had a traditional jazz band, and all the women were swinging white hankies.

[Teabaggins]

the white hanky thing is called "second lining"

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by mikejet

lose your virginity...

You know, this comment shouldn't be creepy, but with your avatar it gets there with room to spare.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

the white hanky thing is called "second lining"

What's the symbolism?

[Teabaggins]

no clue.

all I can guess is that it started with the jazz funeral processions where they would play somber music to the graveyard and after the burial they play fun upbeat tunes and everyone would dance and celebrate the person's life.

[curse]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

no clue.

all I can guess is that it started with the jazz funeral processions where they would play somber music to the graveyard and after the burial they play fun upbeat tunes and everyone would dance and celebrate the person's life.

pretty sure thats it.

Used the white hanky to mourn, then the music switches and everyone cheers.

[evnash]

We picked out Hotel.
Chateau Bourbon, A Wyndham Historic Hotel. Great reviews. Anyone stay there?

http://www.hotels.com/property.do?property=280610

[nycomet]

Great advice from everyone. Let me chime in...

I was a de-virginized last summer (on the July 4th weekend).

It was my first visit to New Orleans. I had never been to a hotter place ever. When I arrived my glassed fogged over in 1 second.

I visited the French Quarter flea market, then walked over to the famed Bourbon Street booze strip. I am not a big drinker, but it was a fun area to walk around. Plenty of gift shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. There was even a strip club.

One aspect of the visit I thoroughly enjoyed was taking photos of the unique architecture. I wanted to jump on a trolley, but my friends didn't want to. The mighty Mississippi was an interesting sight, and there was a beautiful paddleboat steamer near the downtown area not far from the Mississippi River bridge.

I also noticed a Harrah's casino (I don't gamble so I didn't go in) and it was very close to the aquarium. I also went to the City Park - very nice.

Since I drove to New Orleans from Long Island (NY), I had my car -- so getting around was easy. I also enjoyed driving across Lake Ponchartrain (it is HUGE) and going to various locations around the downtown area.

Be prepared to eat some of the fattiest food on earth. All in all I havd a fun time in the Big easy. I hope to go there again. Next time, I will go in the winter.

[evnash]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Be aware that many of the strippers on Bourbon St are not actually female. It's amazing what can be done with hormones and duct tape.

lol yeah i heard about that...we wont be hitting up any strip clubs.

[Diesel]

I live about 45 minutes to 1h 15m from there

If you AREN'T bar goers, you want to avoid burban street at all costs, unless you like seeing drunk people fall down


If you like mexican food, swing by Pancho's mexican buffet without hesitation. It recently re-opened after 3-4 years of closure because of Hurricane Katrina. The new location is on Airline I believe, but if you can't find it just ask around, I'm sure just about anyone in the city will know.

The zoo and the aquarium are great if your the kind of person who enjoys those sorts of things, highly recommended.

Check out the French Quarter as many have recommended.

Also, don't believe all the "southern hospitality" things you hear. Not everyone is the nicest person in the world in New Orleans.

[JimShaw]

Great thread.

Just last night my wife said she would like to travel to New Orleans and I linked on to this thread.

Thanks

[Marquoz]

Originally Posted by Diesel

If you like mexican food, swing by Pancho's mexican buffet without hesitation. It recently re-opened after 3-4 years of closure because of Hurricane Katrina. The new location is on Airline I believe, but if you can't find it just ask around, I'm sure just about anyone in the city will know.

Causeway and Airline Hwy for Panchos. I'm mad that they don't have the pictures of my group for the grand re-opening. I was there with a group of like 10-12 people when they re-opened there. It was some fun times, but the line was insanely long. It was outside the building and wrapped around the parking lot.

(Disclaimer, Pancho's is _cheap_ mexican buffet, but it's oddly good)

If you like Sushi/Japanese, there's Shogun and Little Tokyo out in Metairie. Shogun is on Veterans near Causeway, and Little Tokyo is on Causeway a bit past I-10/Veterans.

Also thinking about transportation, look into http://www.norta.com (New Orleans RTA which is the bus system/streetcar system) that will give you schedules and maps for them. Also if you go into Metairie, http://www.jeffersontransit.org/ is the bus system there.

As JasonR showed in the pictures, don't skip out on the cemetaries, they are all above ground crypts/burial plots. Some of them are very extravagent and a sight to see. It's easy to get to them on the Canal St. streetcar/bus. There's three good ones right within walking distance of the end of the Canal St.

There's also the D-Day museum in downtown New Orleans which I've yet to see but everybody I know that has been say is very good. There's the New Orleans Museum of Art in the middle of City Park, which last time I went was very good (I haven't been post Katrina though, so not sure what they have anymore).

[crackinhedz]

drink lots and lots of hand grenades.

[Forrestandjen07]

http://www.cafedumonde.com/