Well, I just got back from New Orleans last night... First of all, the stupid directions I got off the internet screwed me up big time. They told me to take an exit I wasn't supposed to take, and the next thing I know, I'm driving around a bunch of train tracks, then I'm driving through the ghetto asking some old geezer at a convenience store how to get back to I-10. Overall, it's a confusing place to drive...Exactly how many highway 90s does the place have? The French Quarter was OK...There were some fun parts, but most of the places were the same. It was kind of dirty, but not too bad. Pat O'Brien's had some good jambalaya, and a helluva mixed drink called Breeze Punch. Hard Rock Cafe was a big disappointment. I thought about getting a Hard Rock Cafe T-Shirt, but I remembered that those thigs were cool about 15 years ago when I was in Middle School. The one place I wanted to go, The House of Blues, had a line outside...The French Market was pretty good Cafe Du Monde: The Beignets were good, though they tasted vaguely like a funnel cake. Walgreens: Is Walgreens based in New Orleans, or something? There was a Walgreens on every corner. I was driving around, and there were three Walgreens on one street! Sounds kind of fishy to me. Overall, a nice town, but not worth a 6 1/2 hour car trip. Maybe I'll fly next time...
A-Train, how long were you there? I was just in Nawlins from Thursday to Saturday. I had the same observations........very confusing place to drive, there are no frontage roads, and there isnt much to eat there. I liked the French Quarter, but then again I wasnt sober either. We were going to go to The House of Blues, I had heard great things, but the line was around the block, so screw that. It took you 6 1/2 hours from Houston?!?!?!? It only took us 4 1/2 or so, and that was stopping like 4 times, we never went faster then 70 either. Did you take I-10 the whole way?
Well, that 6 1/2 hours DID include about 45 minutes driving around the ghetto...and I'm coming from Texas City which takes longer than from Houston. I was there from Saturday until Tuesday...We would have stayed longer, but my wife doesn't really like to do tours and stuff...
Where did you stay at? Did it cost you alot? I found a decent Ramada like place (Sleep Inn) its basically inbetween Boubon St and the Superdome, so its about 5 blocks away from the French Qtr. It cost 54 a night, which I thought was a great deal. However I did find that drinks and cigs can be quite expensive down there.
I was born in and lived in New Orleans. I could have told you how dirty it is... As for the street layout, my god its awful! i never saw it as a touristy town, unless of course you visit during Mardi Gras! the beignets are infamous, but i never cared for them... i don't mean to diss my birthtown, but I did leave it for a reason! (well actually, the reason was my dad got a job in Houston when I was a kid!)
Man, I went to New Orleans at the end of July and I have almost the same comments as you guys. Of course, I went with my mom so I couldn't totally experience N'awlins. Whatever you do, DO NOT stay at the Canal Street Days Inn. The place looks decent from the outside and everything, but the rooms are a piece of CRAP! I mean it was horrible, and we were right across the interstate from some high rise ghetto blaster projects and a hospital (i think there was a hospital, about every 5 seconds I heard an ambulance)! There were droors missing from the cabinets, all of the buttons on the remote made the channels go up, there were celing tiles IN the room and on top of that most of them were water stained big time. Nasty, nasty. The only thing was the decent location of being ON Canal Street, albeit on the opposite end of all the touristy stuff. The Aquarium is a must see and the Riverwalk is also a very nice shopping mall with a great location on the Mississippi. The French Quarter was really cool and I enjoyed the Ben & Jerry's scoop shop. Bourbon Street is oooooooverrrrr-raaaaaaaaated if you ask me, its just a bunch of touristy gift shops and cheezy bars and some strip clubs. I guess if thats your cup of tea then you'll really like it... We never got out of downtown in the few days that we were there due to the confusing traffic and the fact that my mom drives me nuts when I drive. The only time I got lost was when I couldn't get in the right lane for my exit and I ended up going over that HUGE bridge (the side that hadn't been widened yet, i about crapped my pants on the way over), but luckily I found my way back easily. The cruise ship I got on was much more enjoyable than N.O.
Texas City!!....I'm in Texas City as I type this. Anyway, New Orleans can be a lot of fun, but this is not exactly the best time of year for it. The heat and humidy are worse than Houston's most of the time, and that just isn't fun in a setting where you're supposed to be walking around outside. Beignet's are good, but you're damn right....they do taste like funnel cakes. In fact, I might have had funnel cakes that were better. I will say this, it will probably be better your next time around. As you learn the city, you'll find things you really enjoy that will call you back. When you go back, you'll discover new things. It's also better to go the first time with people who are a little more experienced with the city. Sorry you didn't have a great time. If you want a great experience there without going through the craziness of Mardi Gras, book a room there a few weeks before the Mardi Gras festivities officially start. The city will already be gearing up, and you'll even score some beads at night (especially if you have boobs to show). It's a fun atmosphere, usually good weather, and you won't have the utter craziness of Mardi Gras.
I really want to go to New Orleans and see the D-Day Museum. Also I heard that they have a nice aquarium. http://www.ddaymuseum.org Besides that, I can go to Galveston and get messed up and have a much better/cheaper time. Everyone that I have talked to that didn't go during Mardi Gras was very dissapointed with New Orleans.
I love N'awlins... my in-laws live there and we have a good time everytime we go. The shopping is really good and the eats, oh man, I love to eat! Yes, it's dirty but hey, it's one of the oldest cities in the US! Yes, it's touristy, but hey, it's N'awlins... I can't wait to go back!
I went to Jazz fest this year and it will be my last. The late night shows are cool but the New Orleans seen is well tough to deal with for more than a couple days. I have alot of relatives around Baton Rouge so i'm pretty burnt out on the party scene there. I'm getting old I guess
The walking tours of the Garden District and French Quarter are really interesting. I think New Orleans is one of the coolest places I have ever been to, but I can see how a trip there can take you to some dodgy places. The Hand Grenade has got me into a lot of trouble!
I LOVE New Orleans!!! and please don't speak that blasphemy against beignets comparing them to funnel cakes ever again!!!
New Orleans could be my new home. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I almost went to Tulane for undergrad and now I'm applying there for law school. ROLL WAVE! (ahh that felt good!)
Folks, understand that this is New Orleans, Louisiana we are talking about! There is isnt much to eat there, are you crazy?! Louisiana, my home state(born in Shreveport), my parents were born, raised, and married in New Orleans, and you guys couldn't find a shrimp po- boy or some decent boiled crabs? HOw can you NOT find decent food in New Orleans? Thats the one thing I look forward to when I go to N'awlins(about two or three times per year)- the good old cajun cooking! Anyway- about the funnell cakes/beignets issue: OF COURSE THEY TASTE THE SAME- THEY ARE BOTH ESSENTIALLY FRIED DOUGH WITH POWDERED SUGAR!!! it's the experience of soaking a Cafe Du Monde beignet in your Cafe Au Lait and watching the clown on the balancing ball which makes it taste so good! And as far as spots to visit, I like to take my own personal tour of the aboveground cemetaries, take a walk along the levee or the RIverwalk. The last time I was in N.O., I caught a movie at Canal Place theatres, played the slots at Harrah's Casinos, hit Bourbon Street for some bar-hoppin, and finished off the night at The BLues Club(not HOuse of BLues) as I played my harmonica with the band. one of the best nights I've had in years!
across110thstreet, I know there is food in the French Quarter/Downtown area, but in the rest of the city, I found it impossible. That is, at 1 AM when we went searching for something to eat. In Houston it is a breeze to find something to eat at that time, but not in Nawlins. We drove on every freeway there (there is only like 3), and all we found was a Dennys after an hour of searching.
Internet directions can either be great or aweful. I remember when I visited DC I decided to check out Steve's hometown and high school on my way home to PA. I got directions off of Yahoo Maps, and like 5 or 10 minutes from Steve's town the directions got all screwed up and they basically said to go around in a circle lol. So I decided to forget about going there and just try to help my dad find the exit to get home. It turned out that we ended up going through Silves Springs and Takoma Park. I have 2 pictures that I took while in my car that came out pretty good. It wasn't really worth going an hour out of my way to end up just driving by the town for 30 seconds. .
