I'm going to be in New Orleans for a day -- recommendations?

Cafe Society
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In a couple of weeks I’m going to attend a conference in New Orleans. The conference starts on Monday, and I’m flying in on Sunday, due to arrive at around noon. So I’ve got Sunday afternoon and evening to kill. My hotel is over near the Superdome. I’ve never been to New Orleans.

I figure I want to go and walk around the French Quarter, but I don’t know what specifically I want to see/do. Any suggestions? In general, I like historical things/sites, and I’m going to be alone, so if you have any food recommendations, I’d love to hear them, but I’d prefer places where dining alone isn’t unusual (and I’m always happy to eat at the bar).

Thanks!

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I enjoyed the Louisiana State Museum. Not too big, not too small, easy to get through in an hour. The D Day museum is on my bucket list and is open till 5pm Sundays. I’d get the museums while they’re open, then find a restaurant in the French Quarter. I advise do not talk to the street guys and fall for their cons.

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Walk up and down Esplanade Avenue. I think it’s the prettiest street I’ve ever seen.

Spend some time on Frenchmen St. That’s where the good music is nowadays. Alfredo’s is supposed to be a great restaurant (I’ve never been but hear good things).

Hang out in Jackson Sq. The people-watching is exceptional. Check out the Faulkner Book Store nearby. Stroll Royal St. for great street music.

Despite Bob’s advice, I’ve always found everyone to be extremely friendly (been 9 times). I haven’t run into too many of those “I can tell you where you got those shoes” types of scams lately.

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I always point people to the Erin Rose bar on Conti to get a Killer Poboy. Great bar, nice people.

If you’ve never been, walk down Bourbon St, then get off it and never go back.

There should be buskers all over the place to watch.

Some places may have free crawfish boils for patrons (check the R Bar in the Marigny ).

The French Market can be good for souvenirs. It’s usually cheaper than the stores.

Walk along the Mississippi, maybe take the ferry over to Algiers for a great view of the city.

There is typically so much going on, you’ll have no problem killing the day.

You are close enough to walk to the Quarter, but you might want to Uber after dark.

Have fun!

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If I ever get back, my first stop will be for a muffaletta at Central Grocery.

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Sound advice.

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Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter for your morning espresso and beignets. Then a po’boy for lunch somewhere. For a unique gift for someone, try Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo on Bourbon Street.

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Thanks everyone! I’ll keep this thread bookmarked when I’m there. Also, thanks for the advice on Ubering after dark – I’ll definitely be doing that. My first instinct is always to walk if it’s close enough, so that’s probably what I would have done had no one mentioned this.

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Try to fit seven meals in.

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This. Tell Angie I said hi.

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I enjoyed my trip to the Aquarium when I was down there.

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I’m honestly surprised no-one has mentioned jacques_Imo’s restaurant. Plus as an added bonus you can take the St. Charles trolley to get there.

Or, for that matter, The Camellia Grill, also on the St. Charles line.

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If you ride the St Charles trolley, a stop at Cooter Brown’s is a must. Great beer list, fresh seafood, hundreds of tv screens, and a weird-ass mensroom.

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Some “interesting” suggestions above, although some of the places listed are certainly great ones for places where you are 100% Gar-On-Teed not to meet a single Crescent City local eating, that is if you are desperately trying to avoid actual contact with people who really live there.

For a good place off of the Tourist Trail, Pascal’s Manale (in business since 1903 or something?) is worth checking out for excellent fresh oysters and maybe the world’s best BBQ shrimp. It is Uptown, out of the Quarter, but the food is some of the best in town, for extremely reasonable prices.

Cooter Brown’s is also OK, a good beer selection, right alongside the levee, and as mentioned, a nice excuse to ride the St. Charles trolley.

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OfFBeat is a free publication (both print and on-line) that tells everything that’s going on in the New Orleans music scene.

New Orleans Menu is a free site about the food scene in New Orleans, including many restaurant reviews.

Since you have only one day to see the city, I suggest sticking to a relatively small area and doing things that are unique to New Orleans. The city has its own cuisine, its own architecture, and its own music. Try to go to restaurants that feature creole food, and New Orleans specialties like mufulettas.

You can spend a lot of time wandering around the French Quarter. It’s like nothing else in the country. Bourbon Street is the most famous part of the Quarter, but it’s mostly bars and mediocre music. Royal Street is more interesting, in my opinion, especially because that’s where a lot of street musicians play. You can see some really good bands on Royal Street.

I agree with jaycat that most of the best clubs are on Frenchmen Street. It’s in a neighborhood just east of the French Quarter called “Fabourg Marigny.” You can check OffBeat for which bands will be playing on the day you’re there, or you can just walk down the street and see for yourself.

Some good places to eat in and around the French Quarter:

Mr. B’s - Gumbo Ya Ya, BBQ shrimp, Wood-grilled fish, Shrimp & grits. Don’t order both the Gumbo Ya Ya and the BBQ shrimp at the same meal - too rich.

Drago’s - Best known for char-broiled oysters. In the Central Business District just outside of the French Quarter. Sit at the bar for a free show - the process of grilling the oysters is pretty spectacular.

Muriel’s - Contemporary creole. Crawfish and goat cheese crepes. Pecan-crusted fish.

Cochon - Cajun. One of the best restaurants in New Orleans, in my opinion and in the opinion of many food critics. A bit outside of the French Quarter in the Warehouse District. Everything is house-made, including pickles and cured meats. Menu changes frequently. Reasonable prices, especially considering the high quality of the food.

Cochon Butcher - Next door to Cochon. Informal service, simpler menu. They make the best mufuletta in New Orleans, in my opinion. Smaller than the mufuletta at Central Grocery, but better quality ingredients and much less salty.