[damnitBobby]

Wife and I will be spending 3 nights in New Orleans. I've done some quick research and it seems French Quarter area is a decent place to stay. Do you guys have recommendations on where to stay and things to do? Also any particular restaurants we must try while we are there? Thanks!

[wtwo3]

Cafe Du Monde is the standard tourist attraction for Beignets.

We really enjoyed Mr. B's Bistro. The seafood there was awesome.

We took a plantation tour - actually visited the plantation that was featured in Django, and that was a pretty interesting experience. Also did a swamp tour that was pretty unique.

[///MPhatic]

My favorite vacation spot.

We stay at the Omni in the quarter, it's a bit expensive, but with so much walking, we like to be close.

- The garden district
- The cemeteries
- Magazine street
- The insane shops on Royal street
- Wicked Orleans shop
- Cafe du Monde
- Mona Lisa pizza

Those are the standard highlights for us.

Our favorite time of year is Halloween, that's when NO comes alive, and is the only time to go IMO. Skip Mardi Gras altogether, too many people, too much of everything.

[rebekahb]

I live here. When will you be visiting? Also, I'm sure you are aware you can not eat in restaurants unless you are vaccinated.

[damnitBobby]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

I live here. When will you be visiting? Also, I'm sure you are aware you can not eat in restaurants unless you are vaccinated.

I will be there Feb 3-6. I'm vaccinated.

[happyjack]

frenchman street for live music. it's a bit less touristy than bourbon street, and all the best bands play here if you're into live music.

[ASAP]

I have been going to NO for 25 years... all I can say is that it is no longer what it once was.

[rebekahb]

As far as hotels, anywhere in the Quarter works. If you have a few that you have narrowed it down to I could help if you weren't sure which property.

Restaurants:
-GW Fins: they get fresh fish everyday and make their menu for the day around 4pm. My favorite.
-Steak: I prefer Mr. John's on St Charles.
-Commander's Palace: I love the ambiance of the restaurant and service is great. Food is good. Never had a bad meal. It's a nice ambiance.
-Saffron is uptown for Indian. Silk Road is on Royal for Indian.
-Oysters: if you like charbroiled Drago's inside the Hilton. You can also get them at Felix's or Deanie's Seafood (both in the quarter).

If you tell me what type of food you like I can make a few more suggestions. I would make reservations.

Bars
-Carousel Bar at the Hotel Montelone.
-We have a few rooftops if you're interested.
-If you or the Mrs. like champagne Effervescence on Rampart is a great spot for drinks and they have small bites.
-Frenchman St has a lot of great local bands that play.

On Royal St, there are a lot of cool galleries you can pop in and out of.

We never go to the quarter anymore and definitely don't eat lunch there. It's more fine dining if we do.

The quarter is beautiful with architecture but it's a dumpster fire. Bourbon somehow has gotten trashier. If you haven't been you probably wouldn't know. Petty crime is very bad right now. I wouldn't walk anywhere at night and if you do stay on a main road.

[happyjack]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

The quarter is beautiful with architecture but it's a dumpster fire. Bourbon somehow has gotten trashier. If you haven't been you probably wouldn't know. Petty crime is very bad right now. I wouldn't walk anywhere at night and if you do stay on a main road.

a group of 14 of us did 4 nights for a close friend's 50th birthday in 2019 before covid shut down the world and our general MO was to spend the days on bourbon st and the nights on frenchman st (took an uber to & from 'the pelham'), and we didnt run into any problems. that said, i can only imagine how covid has made this area worse than ever.

been to new orleans at least a dozen times over the past 30 years and it has definitely had its ups and downs...but all-in-all i think it's really fun city if you go in with the right attitude and keep your wits about you if walking around late night off of any of the main thoroughfares.

we *might* have patronized a couple of gentleman's club really late night / early AM on bourbon and didnt have any issues there either...even walking back to our hotel at 3-4 AM.

[rebekahb]

Any big city has crime and you have to be careful but it's gotten bad. We don't have enough police presence. Mardi Gras will be interesting and they are shortening routes to reflect that.

This about sums it up.

https://www.facebook.com/latoya.davi...s/953722017391

OP, you will be here in the height of King Cake season so make sure you have a slice or two.

[kscarrol]

As a local I stay away from the FQ for the most part. As mentioned, Frenchman St for music or Tipitina's has Perpetual Groove playing on the 5th. GW Fins is a great choice as is Saffron (eating there Saturday!). We prefer smaller local restaurants like Patois in Uptown.

For shopping, Royal St is fun to look but be prepared for the sticker shock. Magazine St is a long stretch of eclectic shops and galleries. Cities of the dead (cemeteries) are interesting to wander through.

For cocktails, I recommend Hot Tin on the roof of Pontchartrain Hotel on St Charles Ave. Great drinks and view of the city. Carousel Bar is fun as well. For some local color try The Chart Room on Chartres in the FQ. Also in the FQ is Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop.

[Tommy-G]

I really want to visit NO but to be honest, I don’t know when I’ll ever travel again. I’m not scared, just don’t know if it will ever be like it was

[jsf721]

Brunch at commanders palace.

Watch your wallet. Love this town but it is gritty and it preys on tourists. Be warned.

[Val Long]

Thanks for the tip, how cold is at that time?

[Tyga11]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

Any big city has crime and you have to be careful but it's gotten bad. We don't have enough police presence. Mardi Gras will be interesting and they are shortening routes to reflect that.

This about sums it up.

https://www.facebook.com/latoya.davi...s/953722017391

OP, you will be here in the height of King Cake season so make sure you have a slice or two.

That's one thing we noticed when we were staying downtown a few years ago. Virtually no police presence.

Great city though. We really enjoyed ourselves. We stayed at the Aloft for 4 nights for a wedding. I loved the food. I ate Po Boys everyday and never got sick of them lol.

I never did feel unsafe. The French Quarter was fun but I could see how that could get old if you live there.

[Cajun1]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

As far as hotels, anywhere in the Quarter works. If you have a few that you have narrowed it down to I could help if you weren't sure which property.

Restaurants:
-GW Fins: they get fresh fish everyday and make their menu for the day around 4pm. My favorite.
-Steak: I prefer Mr. John's on St Charles.
-Commander's Palace: I love the ambiance of the restaurant and service is great. Food is good. Never had a bad meal. It's a nice ambiance.
-Saffron is uptown for Indian. Silk Road is on Royal for Indian.
-Oysters: if you like charbroiled Drago's inside the Hilton. You can also get them at Felix's or Deanie's Seafood (both in the quarter).

If you tell me what type of food you like I can make a few more suggestions. I would make reservations.

Bars
-Carousel Bar at the Hotel Montelone.
-We have a few rooftops if you're interested.
-If you or the Mrs. like champagne Effervescence on Rampart is a great spot for drinks and they have small bites.
-Frenchman St has a lot of great local bands that play.

On Royal St, there are a lot of cool galleries you can pop in and out of.

We never go to the quarter anymore and definitely don't eat lunch there. It's more fine dining if we do.

The quarter is beautiful with architecture but it's a dumpster fire. Bourbon somehow has gotten trashier. If you haven't been you probably wouldn't know. Petty crime is very bad right now. I wouldn't walk anywhere at night and if you do stay on a main road.

All excellent advice and very real!! I’m headed back next month and will probably follow the Drago’s and Commander’s suggestion for dinning and certainly be aware of my surroundings.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by ASAP

I have been going to NO for 25 years... all I can say is that it is no longer what it once was.

I'm very close to the same, first trip 1998. I remember telling my brother about it when I got home, he's 9 years older than me. He had been there quite a few times as a young man, and said that it was completely different back then.

[kscarrol]

^^ That's why I'm moving...

[rebekahb]

I wish we could move. Maybe one day. Unless you've lived the city or visited multiple times I don't think you would realize the change.

My friend stayed at the Doubletree last night in the city. He said he was working and realized it was 8:30pm and he hadn't eaten. He went out to get oysters and everything was closed. He said there was barely anyone walking around which surprised me. He said it was a very weird feeling. He ended up at Shake Shack:

[BMWGUYinCO]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

I wish we could move. Maybe one day. Unless you've lived the city or visited multiple times I don't think you would realize the change.

My friend stayed at the Doubletree last night in the city. He said he was working and realized it was 8:30pm and he hadn't eaten. He went out to get oysters and everything was closed. He said there was barely anyone walking around which surprised me. He said it was a very weird feeling. He ended up at Shake Shack:

The last time I was in New Orleans, it was in 2016 I think....the city had pretty much rebounded after Katrina.

I found the people exceptionally nice, the city was clean and safe, and the food/entertainment was great. It was such an organic vibe, as opposed to Vegas, which is a different kind of fun (I call Vegas "manufactured").

I really loved that experience - I remember taking the walking tour from the official tourism app on my iphone and loved the history too (it was narrated by John Goodman).

I'm sad to see your comments Rebekah, especially since you've witnessed the recent decline.

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

I wish we could move. Maybe one day. Unless you've lived the city or visited multiple times I don't think you would realize the change.

I hear ya. Almost every friend we have spoken with tells us "you're so lucky" and "we would leave if we could". They have family businesses, older parents, kids still in school and feel like they can't leave. I love NOLA and we will visit frequently for Mardi Gras, JazzFast and to just eat and visit friends, but the day-to-day reality of life here has tipped our scales to NOLA being a city we want to visit but not live in.

[evil-G-nius]

That place is grimey AF! I was there in 2019 and man I forgot how gross it was. With that said, I love the architechture, the history & the food! Like someone said, be aware of your surroundings and watch for drunk dudes peeing in the streets! Sadly that is not a joke. LOL