# New Orleans bound: Suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 5, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473 "2013-10-05T23:41:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/21 "2013-10-08T17:08:49Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > The jambalaya thread in CS got me thinking about the best I’ve ever had which was at Coop’s Place in the FQ. Most Quarter restaurants are pretty mediocre tourist fare, honestly, but Coop’s is one of the rare exceptions. Their jambalaya has rabbit in it and they burn the edges a bit to give it little hard burnt bits which is pretty amazing. > > Just don’t go there hoping for friendly service or cleanliness. You’ll probably see a roach, or like the last time I was there - a restroom with blood smeared all over the walls. I know, I know… Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? Love that place. Didn’t we have someone posting here that was a bartender at Coop’s? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/22 "2013-10-08T17:50:25Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Love that place. Didn’t we have someone posting here that was a bartender at Coop’s? Yes! It was [**listedmia**.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15766981#post15766981) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/23 "2013-10-08T18:25:21Z")
Be wary of con men. If someone comes up and says he’ll bet you he can tell you where you got your shoes, do NOT engage him. If someone comes up and says you’re being stopped for not having enough fun, he’s going to hit you up for a donation. Definitely see the St. Louis Cathedral. There is also a Louisiana history museum that is quite nice. The WW II museum is a bit off the beaten track but try to get there. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/24 "2013-10-08T18:30:36Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Be wary of con men. If someone comes up and says he’ll bet you he can tell you where you got your shoes, do NOT engage him. If someone comes up and says you’re being stopped for not having enough fun, he’s going to hit you up for a donation. Or, do what I do. Laugh and tell him you gotcher shoes on Bourbon street, then invite him/her to join you for a drink. You get free color commentary for the price of a drink. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/25 "2013-10-08T18:42:08Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Yes! It was [**listedmia**.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15766981#post15766981) After realizing I said the same thing in that thread, I actually did a search and found the [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=662646) I was thinking about. There was a poster named **kyogi** who said she was a bartender there. How many French Quarter bartenders are on this board? The WWII Museum is really cool, as is the 4D movie feature (hint - do not do it with a hangover). The restaurant there is a John Besh creation and actually has a great happy hour. Give us some likes and the dates you’re going. We have enough people here to plan out your whole week 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/26 "2013-10-08T19:07:34Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Or, do what I do. Laugh and tell him you gotcher shoes on Bourbon street, then invite him/her to join you for a drink. You get free color commentary for the price of a drink. The exchange goes like this: “I bet you a dollar I can tell you where you got dem shoes…” “Oh yeah, where?” “You got dem on your feet!” At which point you chuckle and give the guy a couple bucks. You can’t walk anywhere in the FQ without hearing this question multiple times a day. I either don’t engage them at all or just answer correctly that I got them on my feet and move along. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/27 "2013-10-08T20:03:34Z")
For good music without the crazy drunks in the French Quarter, go one neighborhood over to the Marigny District. [Crossing Esplanade | The Marigny Near the French Quarter](http://www.frenchquarter.com/nightlife/FaubourgMarigny.php) For a really cool bar on Bourbon Street check out LaFitte’s Blacksmith Shop. It’s lit up with candles. The only electricity is to run the cash registers and a few televisions. It’s seriously very cool. It’s at the ‘far’ end of Bourbon street past what some call the gay district. [http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/Homepage.html](http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/Homepage.html) ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/28 "2013-10-08T20:07:00Z")
Just got back from NoLa trip in July. We arent gamblers or drinkers so we didnt hang about the usual tourist trap places. • Was disappointed in the WW2 Museum. The WW1 Museum in KC was much better imho. The displays at the NoLa Museum are tiny and hard to read. Confusing flow of traffic too. Pass. • Forget Commander’s Palace. Huge hype and not really that good. Brennan’s is better if you want haute NoLa cuisine. IMHO. • We stayed far out of the downtown area at the Microtel in Belle Chasse, which is essentially the dormitory for oil riggers. Dont expect a vacation vibe there, and dont expect anything to dry EVER. You are in southern LA, humidity = 1000%. • Avery Island/The Tabasco Factory is a fun afternoon esp if you like tabasco sauce. Tabasco ice cream is pretty good too! ---
**Author:** ![Shadowfyre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfyre/32/9972_2.png) [@Shadowfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadowfyre)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/29 "2013-10-09T20:55:07Z")
I did a similar [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=674426) last December. I meant to update it when I got back but completely forgot about it until now. In post #29, I pretty much laid out my itinerary. The only change was rather than doing Cochon on Saturday night, we went to the Original Pierre Maspero’s by the courthouse. All in all, a great experience. I was quite happy with all my dining choices. I’d recommend all the places we went. My son, one of the most finicky eaters I know, loved the charbroiled oysters at ACME. When we were there the streetcar service down St. Charles was out of service due to construction on the line, but was supplemented by bus service. Lafayette Cemetery was amazing as was the garden district. Some amazing architecture in that area. We also did the Mardi Gras World tour. That was very informative to someone not from the area. Don’t do what I did and walk down Bourbon St with your 12 year old son. You know you made a parenting mistake when your son says, “Dad, I don’t think I should be here.” Being from Chicago, I loved walking around NO in my shorts and sandals, sweating in the heat and humidity, two days before Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/30 "2013-10-09T20:55:17Z")
I’m just jealous & reading the comments. I only ever got to go once (it was by car), and while Ive always wanted to go back, the airlines price tix stupidly high. A few times I saw fares higher from Newark to NO than Newark to LA, which always always priced me out. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/31 "2013-10-10T14:31:24Z")
Suggestion: plan an entire day for walking around the French Quarter. Spend a couple of hours hanging around Jackson Square, watching the magicians, musicians and artists. There are some seriously talented people there. ---
**Author:** ![gms453](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@gms453](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gms453)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/32 "2013-10-25T14:34:35Z")
> [@gms453](#): > > Will be in New Orleans for the first time for a week later this month (October). What should I wear, do, see, hear, eat, drink? I love good food, good drink and good music (don’t we all)? Any cautions or safety tips? Great trip! Great music, food and drink, and weather (was told Oct. and Apr. are the best times to visit). Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions and advice. ---
**Author:** ![rbienvenu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@rbienvenu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbienvenu)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/33 "2013-11-23T00:52:00Z")
I live in New Orleans, born and raised here, and if you really want to get the scoop about the best places to go, you need to know the kinds of places locals go to most regularly. You want to find out what restaurants, bars, hotels and sights to see to get that quintessential experience of the Crescent City. People come here to eat, for one thing, and after Katrina 200 more! restaurants opened. :eek: So that’s a huge list of choices!! Those big thick travel books with list after list of things to do and places to go are not put together by locals but by visitors. Only a local can tell you what are really the best places to go. This NOLA book [Your Own Personal New Orleans Tour](http://amzn.to/1clCWDw) is a Kindle book you can get instantly. It’s short so is easy reading and you’ll know exactly where to go and how to get there. Those other books are useful to a point, but in my experience there’s just too many choices. This book narrows the choices. Hope that helps. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473/34 "2013-11-23T01:03:58Z")
Reported as spam. Um, that’s the post immediately above mine btw. Not the whole thread or anything. Just sayin’ 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-orleans-bound-suggestions/670473.md?page=1)