I am visiting New Orleans for the first time next weekend, what are the "must do's"?!!?

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Julia S

People Who have no idea about what is going on in NO should keep their mouths closed. Saying that it is not a good place to visit is the worst thing you can do to them right now. The tourist spots are almost back in full swing and you will have a blast if you visit there. Right now what NOLA needs is tourist money to help rebuild.

Someone from Yahoo Answers said this on another Q/A spot.

"I live and work in the City.

Here is what you will find:

1. The French Quarter did not suffer as badly as the rest of the parts of the city. In fact, most of that area had no flooding. The nearby Faubourg/Marigny area, had a little more damage due to fires in warehouses, but for the most part it has made an amazing recovery. These two neighborhoods are the heart and soul of New Orleans.

2. The uptown area, home to a lot of antique shops, art galleries, and overall bohemian neighborhood feel was also largely unaffected by flooding. Some businesses remain closed, but I'd say about 70% of them are back in full swing. Please do note, that the streetcar line running uptown is still out of order.

3. If you were thinking of visiting Six Flags/Jazzland, it is closed for the time being, but there are plans to reopen for the spring of 2007.

4. The New Orleans museum of art is open.

5. The Audubon Zoo is open but some areas are damaged.

6. We have the world's second largest aquarium and it reopened two weeks ago, but some exhibits remain closed.

7. Our D-day museum is open.

8. The bars, the music clubs, cafe' du monde, the strip joints, the carriage rides, and all the usual tourists stuff is open.

9. All public transportation, i.e. city buses and the street cars running on the canal street line is free of charge through mid-July.

10. Some restaurants are still closed, notably Commander's Palace is still closed until August. Many of the other Brennan restaurants are open. Tons of French Quarter eateries are also reopen.

11. There is a fireworks display being held on the riverfront along with outdoor music and bands for the fourth of july.

12. You will need to find out about the airline schedule. The airport is fine, but some of the flight carriers have limited the amount of flights coming to N.O. and you will have to check on this.

13. Please come back to my city, your tourist dollars will help us recover.

14. Finally, you can take a tour of the devastated areas if you wish for some small fee. Please, when you return home, let others know of the devastation you have seen. We want the nation to understand our plight.

15. If you come, have fun and be safe."

r_suend111

I've been to New Orleans three times,before Katrina however.***
uming you'll be staying in or near the French Quarter there are some neat things to do and great places to dine at.Brennan's is
great for breakfast,their specialty being Eggs Benedict.The Rib Room at the Omni Royal Orleans is great for prime rib.For a fun
lunch try Margarittaville or the Crescent City Brew House.Avoid
Court of the Two Sisters as it's over rated.Another good place
for dinner is Carmello's (Italian).As far as things to do there's
the aquarium,the zoo,the French Market,ghost tours,horse and
buggy tours,cemetery tours(St Louis Cemetery #1,etc.),Garden
District tours,endless shopping,swamp tours(airboat or pontoon
boat)etc.,etc.I especially liked what I have mentioned.

Cindy A

If you like a good hamburger, go to Clover Grill. They cook the meat under a hubcap to preserve the juices and flavor! They also make a great pecan waffle for breakfast. Desire is a restaurant on Bourbon Street that has the best bread pudding with whiskey sauce. The Gumbo Shop is a good place to go for gumbo. Of course, don't miss having beignets and cafe' au lait at Cafe' du Monde. Be sure you go to the Aunt Sally's to buy pralines. Jackson Square and Pirates Alley is a good area to go to also. The horse and buggy tour is good and also Pirates Alley has different artists and other vendors. You can take a cemetary tour that will tell you a lot about the history of New Orleans and how they bury their dead. The French Market has all kinds of fresh produce and also lots of jewelry, incense, etc....lots of different vendors like a flea market. Hope this helps some.

NEW ORLEANS IS NOT GONE!!!

What you see on the news is like 30% of the city, and it's the part of the city you would not have gone to anyway.

The French Quarter was open when I was there at Christmas and that was 6 months ago.

Two things New Orleans has to see that rank as the "Best in the World" are the National D-Day museum and the Audubon Zoo.

ASH

You still have to just walk down burbon st.-clubber or not! Also, jackson square is beautiful-there is an ampitheater in that area near the river that there are always performers at....I hope im not mixin that up-im not from there, but family is and Ive been back several times since katrina, and while parts are still pretty rough, so much is doing so well, and they need our support!

Cosmic I

The N.O. Museum of Art has a display of photos taken by people during and after Katrina. City Park is regaining its beauty. The zoo, aquarium, and the Children's Museum have all reopened. The Gumbo Shoppe in the Quarter is great. If you want a good muffaletta, go to Central Grocery on Decatur Street, best in the city. Ignore those people who haven't actually been here, they don't know what they are talking about.

muncie birder

Not too far from New Orleans there is a boat tour through the swamps. And I do not mean a large boat. Sort of a small boat. It is a lot of fun. The hotels will have fliers for the tours. As you tour the city on foot in the French quarter, you will come across people playing musical instruments for hand outs. They are good musicians, if they are still there. Try the craw fish gumbo. It is better than shrimp.

nola_cajun

THERES MUCH TO DO ..

i agree.. all u other pplz needa shut ur mouth if you dont know what ur talkin bout...

anywayz.. i went on a few tourist tours for Valentines day with my boyfriend.. i'm a local.. but he's from Michagan.. and he loves all the tourism we do of the city.. and so do i.. SOooo..

heres a list of a bunch..
http://www.neworleans.com/cgi-bin/oracle...
i would suggest calling to make the reservations .. just to confirm everything through the phone. clik on 101 cool things.. then in purple click on tourism.

we took some tours provided by a French Quarter shop called Reverend Zombie's Voodoo Shop hauntedhistorytours.com
I went on the Haunted Ghost Tour... and it was great.. very well done. as i'm sure you heard of all the mystic things being part of New Orleans history.

i've also been on the Natchez River Boat Cruise..
steamboatnatchez.com... which i would highly recommend. You can pick the time of day .. the tour is 2 hours long. You get to have a great lunch with a live local cajun band while touring on the Mississippi.

.. i would also recomend a plantation tour.. and garden district tour..

say Hi to john goodman for me if you see him around.. i have yet to meet him =(

HAVE A GREAT TRIP .. and eat alot of gumbo

silverbluillusiion

Find Ductch's alley and you will have found the heart of the art and the people of New Orleans. There is almost always something going on there. If not you will see historic markers, local art. Eat off the street or in a small pub. You will have found shops like no other. If you're lucky you may catch a glimpse of a true to life vampire in the early morning hours of the alley. Such intrique...WOW! Too Fun!!! Wish I was going with you, S.

panda

bring a broom...

Shari S

Do you not know that Hurricane Katrina took most all of N.O. away? They have however opened the Aquarium of the Americans back up as well as the Zoo. Other than that, New Orleans was a tourist sight for its structures and history, which is now all gone.

Pask

A friend of mine and I went last year just before the hurricane (my first trip down there). I fell in love with the Frech Quarter
A couple of favorite spots were Musical Legend's Park on Bourbon St - where there's a live show every night, and of course Cafe du Monde on Decautur

mountainmom1973

Just wanted to add you should check out Preservation Hall, assuming it is open. Great jazz music. Also don't forget to try a praline! Also went on a swamp tour which was fun.

DesignR

a MUST DON'T is stay out of the 9th Ward... its a free for all there.

Lacey

Ok you have to go have beignets at Cafe Du Monde and you have to eat at Landry's or the Cresent City Brewery

countdown

If you don't like to party go somewhere else because that's what New Orleans is about. Also I don't think they have the crime under control in a lot of areas the gov just sent Nat. guard troops there to help relieve the local police that are over worked from the destruction and gangs that are roaming the streets. At least that is what I read about three days ago.

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