New Orleans info wanted

[Wayne Maybury]

Hi All

My wife and I will be going to New Orleans for a week in early April. I know that city has some very good and some very bad areas. We want to take in some of the great food, jazz, and fun that New Orleans has to offer but of course we want to steer clear of any trouble spots. I was planning on booking in a hotel right in the French Quarter as this is a real tourist area so it should be a good place to stay. Comments?

Also does anyone have any "must see" or any "stay away" areas or comments? My wife wants to go on a plantation tour if possible and I would like to take a river boat tour. We also plan on visiting Preservation Hall one evening.

Wayne

[DougD]

If it's still there after Katrina, plan to hit the Acme Oyster Bar on Bourbon Street. Order a platter of crayfish and of course you gotta have some oysters on the half shell.

[redchief]

The French Quarter is relatively safe for tourist. Bourbon St. is full of people even late into the evening. I don't recommend walking around after 1:00 AM as most of the crime seems to take place after this time. Eat at Commander's Palace in the Garden Distinct. This is the best bang for the buck for a great meal (still not cheap). For the best hamburger, there is a bar called your Momma's on St. Peter St. There are many clubs in the Marigny area on Frenchmen Street which is below the French Quarter. I have walked from Canal to it but it is about 1 mile. Take a cab if it is late. There is a paddle wheeler that goes up and down the Mississippi and you can catch it at the River Walk. It last about 3 hours.

There are plenty of tour buses and the hotel you stay at can help you. There are walking tours of some of the famous homes also.

[Wayne Maybury]

Thanks for the input. I will be staying at a Holiday Inn as I have lots of points. There are 3 in the French Quarter at 124 Royal St., 739 Canal St., and 301 Rue Dauphin. Any comments about which location may be best?

Thanks,
Wayne

[redchief]

Never stayed at any of the Holiday Inns. Went to Orbitz and this is they say about one of them. It is rated as a 3 star place. I normally stay at the La Richelieu hotel when I plan on a late Friday or Saturday night in the quarter (I live on the North Shore and do not like to drive the one hour home after drinking).

New Orleans hotel with quaint style in the Central Business District The Holiday Inn French Quarter -- Chateau LeMoyne offers visitors the charm and feel of old New Orleans, with the familiarity of an international hotel brand. This hotel is just steps from the revelry of Bourbon Street and minutes from the Royal Street antiques and art galleries. The hotel was built in 1847 and offers vacationers easy access to all that is New Orleans. Business travelers will also enjoy proximity to the Central Business District. Highlights Charming hotel in a convenient location Historic.

Terry
SPF Daytona 140

[elmariachi]

We generally go there once a year as a weekend getaway. I was there last spring and you'd never know that anything happened around Bourbon or Canal Streets other than the ominous red spray paint lines about 18 feet up on the side of buildings that say "Katrina Water Line." Even after the great douching New Orleans has a way of just getting "dirty" again.

The Harrah's New Orleans is the nicest casino I have seen outside of Vegas and Tahoe. Just my 2 cents but I would pass on the Holiday Inn and stay at a nicer hotel like the Ritz, the Bourbon Orleans or Hotel Monteleon where you can get some of the local charm. You can always get your points when you are in Des Moines, Iowa or Burbank, Cali.

With regard to being safe, New Orleans has always had its rough spots and nothing has changed. Don't wander off the beaten path at night where there are no lights or crowds. Don't engage strangers when crowds aren't around, and don't carry a lot of cash. There is TREMENDOUS music and nightlife there that lasts until sun-up. If you have eaten your Wheaties and can stay up late its really fun to party with the locals.

Be glad you are going in April. I made the terrible mistake of taking my then soon-to-be fiancé there years ago over Labor Day weekend to propose to her. Little did I know that it was the Decadence Festival weekend. Google it and you'll see what I mean. It was an interesting weekend for this big white Okie and his tequila-swilling babe to say the least.

Plantation Alley and Oak Alley in particular are well worth seeing. I wouldn't suggest trying that in half a day. Get up early, leave the cell phone in the room and commit an entire day down there and take your time. Its an incredible "Southern" place unlike any other. Laissez les bon temps roule!