I’m going to a conference in New Orleans on May 1, 2, 3 a Thursday, Friday and Saturday). I’ll be busy with the conference Thursday night, but as I understand it, we’ll have a good part of Friday free. So, I only have this one day, I guess, to roam the French Quarter, free as a bird (except for money restraints, cuz I’m kinda broke, but not real broke). So, what do I do for one day in the non-tourist season in the French Quarter? I’ve never been to New Orleans before, and I’m pretty excited about it!
Swelter along with me!
Um…beyond that…let’s see. I don’t know the Quarter at all, because I generally don’t go down there. But if your convention is going to be at the huge convention center, you’ll be near the aquarium, which is nice if you enjoy such things. And…um…well, I guess Harrah’s is pretty much out for you, which was another thought, though you might want to keep it in mind for getting out of the heat for a few minutes. I recommend Mother’s for local food, which is right in that neighborhood, (mmmmmmmm) but do be aware that for some reason they have a tradition of being very…abrupt. Just know what you want to order BEFORE you get to the counter. It’s not a glamorous sort of place, but the food is great.
I’m drawing a blank otherwise, which is a bit embarassing, because I’ve been here for a year. Maybe I can come up with more later when I’m more caffienated. 
There are lots of places to listen to music, but I don’t know of any specific ones off the top of my head. And if you like sugary stuff, get yourself to Cafe du Mond for beignets. YUMMY!
If you are a Music Person, you must carouse the Tower Records Store (very near
the French Quarter) On my first visit, I asked the salesperson,“Where’s your oldies
section”. I was directed upstairs,where I encountered the Largest selection of
“oldies” (3 1/2 hugh rows) that I have ever seen in a Retail store. Selections I never new to exist…remarkable!
Okay, you may officiall regard me as dumber than dirt. I was talking to the friend I’ll be going with, and said, “I’ve put out the question, and apparently, New Orleans is very hot in May” to which she replied, “Uh, we’re going in April”. duh. So, we’ll be there the first of April, not the first of May.
FTR, I am a music person.
BTW, I don’t eat white rice; how much of a problem do you think this might be?
Also, I apparently can’t spell "officially correctly. 
That’s too bad. Had it been the first of May, you’d catch the tail end of Jazzfest.
My suggestion would be to walk down to Canal street and ride the street car through the Garden District. It isn’t expensive and saves your feet for travelling around the French Quarter. If you really like Dixieland Jazz, Preservation Hall in the French Quarter is fantastic, no atmosphere whatsoever but true dixieland. I personally feel some of the more touristy things like Bourbon street (just too tacky for words), Pat O’Briens (too crowded) can be given a miss but you may want to pass by just so you can say you did. Most of the food in The French Quarter as well, they have catered to tourists so long it seems to be as overpriced as the hotel rooms. I love to wander the streets of the French Quarter and look in the windows particularly Royal, grab some begnieits from Cafe Dumonde, watch the river go by, listen to the street muscians at Jackson square. There are some great books on restaurants in New Orleans, the one we were looking at recently mostly recommended leaving the Quarter to eat.
Not eating white rice, you will find lots to eat without white rice although some really good stuff comes with white rice. Shrimp creole, gumbo, jambalaya, etoufee and red beans and rice all have white rice in almost every place I have been, you maybe can find someplace through research that has these things with brown rice. I never use white rice at home but make an exception while away.
Do you eat white bread? Shrimp and Oyster po’boy sandwiches or boats are really good as is a muffaleta but are on white bread.
If you are really heath concious there is always raw oysters or boiled shrimp can’t get much more basic than that.
There are plenty of things to do in New Orleans, even in the off season. They have a huge music scene. To find out what’s going on in the city, see the web sites NewOrleans.com and OffBeat Magazine. The former has club and concert listings, and also restaurant reviews. Pay attention to the food reviews of Tom Fitzmorris - he knows what he’s talking about. He has a list of the top 100 restaurants in New Orleans here.
OffBeat magazine is a free periodical devoted to the music scene in New Orleans. I don’t know your musical tastes, so it’s hard to say what you’ll be interested in. Read the reviews there and look at the listings, and I’m sure you’ll find something you like.
You should also look at Louisiana Music Factory - it’s a music store in the French Quarter devoted to music from Louisiana. The people who work there are very friendly and knowledgeable. They have free in-store performances by local musicians even during the off season. They carry OffBeat, so you can pick up a copy there. Ask the staff for recommendations of which performers to see and which clubs to go to.
The fact that you don’t eat white rice is not a problem. You won’t want to order jambalaya, and some gumbos are ladled over white rice. There are so many other food choices, though, that it will be easy for you to eat well while avoiding rice. Some of my favorite places are:
-
Uglesich’s at Baronne and Erato. This is not in the French Quarter, but is easily reached by taxi or the St. Charles streetcar. It’s a hole-in-the-wall seafood joint. It’s like the restaurant on the moon - great food but no atmosphere.
-
Mr. B’s. This is in the French Quarter. This place has nice atmosphere and great food. I really like the BBQ shrimp and the gumbos (although you will want to ask whether they serve the gumbos over rice).
-
Jacque Imo’s. This is far outside the French Quarter, but I’m pretty sure the St. Charles streetcar goes very near the restaurant. Wonderful creole food. It’s a young people’s hangout and has a very lively atmosphere.
-
Palace Cafe. Very near the French Quarter (on Canal Street, if I remember right). A less formal branch of Commander’s Palace, which is one of the highest-rated restaurants in New Orleans. Palace Cafe isn’t as highly rated, but I don’t go to jacket-and-tie places.
-
Begue’s. In the French Quarter. I had a fantastic meal when I went there a couple of years ago.
-
Gamay. Also in the French Quarter. I ordered duck when I was there a couple of years ago, and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had anywhere.
Leave some time to just wander around the French Quarter and look at things. It’s unlike any other neighborhood in the U.S.
It’s not so much that I’m health conscious as that I’m a sugar junkie. White rice, white potatoes and white bread pretty much set up almost undeniable sugar cravings, and once I start, it’s hard as hell to stop! But, yeah, seafood is great!
Jeff Lichtman, wow! That’s some impressive list of resources! Thanks!
All this input is great, and we’ll definitely be sure to ride the streetcar, I’ve never ridden one before.
Oh, and since when Whiterabbit replied, she was thinking I’d be there in May, but I’ll be there in early April, what kind of weather can I expect?
I lived in New Orleans for 4 years, about 10 years ago. If I had a Friday afternoon free to explore, I would do one of 2 things. Either I would start on Canal and walk down Royal Street through the French Quarter to Jackson Square, returning via Bourbon street if I had the time, maybe grabbing a cab back to my hotel from Jackson Square if time were tight. If you have a nice day, there is just a lot of people watching and window shopping, maybe stopping for a snack that you could do to enjoy the Quarter on a nice Friday afternoon.
As an alternative that might work better if you aren’t having a beautiful day, take the streetcar up St. Charles to the end of the line and eat at Camellia Grill. The streetcar will take you past all of the historic Garden District mansions on St. Charles. You’ll also pass Audubon Park and Tulane University. Camellia Grill is a great local diner. A lot of non-rice options. If you are especially health conscious, you might do better at the nearby La Madeleine, with more French cafe type food.
If you’ve never been to New Orleans before, either of these will make a memorable afternoon and they’ll fit any budget.
I loved visiting New Orleans! I went there in 1992 for Carnival.
-
Have coffee and beignets (bin-YEA, square doughnuts with powdered sugar and no holes) at the famous outdoor Café du Monde, at 813 Decatur St. by the riverfront in the French Quarter.
-
Take one of the National Park Services’ free walking tours of the French Quarter. The Jean Lafitte National Park’s French Quarter Visitor Center is at 419 Decatur St., four blocks from the Café du Monde.
-
Ride the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line from Canal Street (the southwestern border of the French Quarter) all the way out and back. Great way to see all the beautiful old homes and neighborhoods of the Garden District, which is where the wealthy non-Creoles built their mansions. Only $1.25 each way. Avoid rush hours (3-6 p.m.).
-
In the evening, walk the length of Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, and stop in for genuine New Orleans jazz at Preservation Hall (726 St. Peter St.). Get in line early if you want a seat, at least 45 mins. before the doors open. A bargain at $5.00.
-
Finish up the evening at one of the oldest (1772) bars in the U.S., Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, corner of Bourbon and St. Philip, a great piano bar.
This should be lots of fun. I’ve been to New Orleans four times, including once for Mardi Gras in 2000, but this streetcar tour takes you through a beautiful part of the city, and the Camellia Grill really is that damn good. It has even been featured on one of those Food Network “Best Diners” shows.
As for the French Quarter, you can’t go wrong with hanging out at Cafe du Mond and having coffee and beignets and listening to jazz, like everyone else has mentioned. There are some great places to eat in the Quarter, although with my budget, I admit I’ve never been anywhere super-fancy. You MUST go to the Central Grocery Store on Decatur Street and order a muffaletta sandwich and an ice-cold Barq’s root beer. Best sandwich ever, I kid you not It isn’t far from Cafe du Mond, either. Check out the French Market while you’re over there, and bring back some Louisiana souvenirs for friends, or snacks for your trip home.
There are several little record shops in the Quarter, which I could spend days just browsing in. Of course you also have the colossal Virgin and Tower Records stores near each other on Decatur, which are great simply because they have EVERYTHING. There is live music everywhere, but I’d avoid the touristy sing-along bars and Jimmy Buffett cover bands and sample some real blues and jazz. I’ve never made it to Preservation Hall for a show, but I would go if I were you.
Bourbon Street (and the Quarter in general) is like Disney World for alcoholics. You can walk around with open containers on the street if you want! Everyone will tell you to try a Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s, but my advice, if you really want a great drink, is to try the Hand Grenade at Tropical Isle. This bright neon green tasty beverage is definitely a kick-ass concoction.
Since this is your first trip, I have a feeling you might not make it too far out of the French Quarter, and that’s OK. Take lots of pictures, especially in the Garden District. The only thing I ask is DON’T eat at chain restaurants while you’re in New Orleans. No McDonald’s, no Taco Bell, no T.G.I Friday’s. You may be in the best culinary city in the country (New Yorkers have the only other possible contender), so definitely go with an hearty appetite and make the most of it.
Do not, for the love of Bacchus, get a Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s. They’re unspeakably vile: nasty, cheap-ass alcohol mixed with nasty, cheap-ass fake red Kool-Aid. All I could really taste was red food coloring tinged with bad alcohol.
What you should do is go to the Sazerac bar (I think it’s in the Fairmont Hotel, just on the edge of the French Quarter) and order a Sazerac cocktail; they’re fabulous. The Sazerac (the drink) was arguably the original cocktail, so the Sazerac (the bar) is kind of a Mecca for alcoholics.
Also, there are a lot of neat little shops scattered around the FQ; ISTR that the street one block over from Bourbon (closer to the river) had some interesting ones.
I’m guessing that norinew doesn’t drink, judging by her sig quote, so I don’t think alcohol recommendations are going to be useful for her. (I had some friends who were Baha’is, so I know the rules.)
Why didn’t I think of the streetcar? That’s a nice thing to do, and it’s cheap. I think my favorite thing about the streetcars is that they are not just a tourist thing; people commute on them. It seems like such a classy way to commute.
Early April? It’ll be warm and humid. It may be hot for you, depending on where you come from. It’ll DEFINITELY be humid no matter what. Ick.
Other people here obviously are far better versed in the music scene than I am. Listen to them.
And have fun. It is pretty much impossible NOT to have fun here in some way, shape, or form.
You absolutely must go to Preservation Hall. One of the finest places for music in all the world. But for the love of og, don’t make them play “When the Saints Go Marching In” for the six millionth time. Hand 'em the cash and ask them what they want to play.
For daytime entertainment, the Aquarium of the Americas is world class. The shark tank is extraordinary. Just keep in mind that all those snaggle-toothed sand tigers look mean as hell, but are actually completely harmless.
Me again. A few additional notes.
- The Café du Monde is cheap, only $1.35 for three of those fresh, delicious beignets.
- The National Park Service’s free walking tour of the French Quarter begins at 9:30 a.m., so plan accordingly.
- After the walking tour, you will want some lunch. The best inexpensive restaurants in the French Quarter:
[ul]
[li]Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar (seafood, Creole)[/li][li]Angeli on Decatur (Italian)[/li][li]Acme Oyster House (seafood, sandwiches)[/li][li]Johnny’s Po-Boys (sandwiches)[/ul][/li]4. Pat O’Brien’s, on Bourbon Street, is a tourist trap. Avoid.
I can vouch for Johnny’s Po-Boys being a wonderful (and inexpensive) restaurant. But I still say give the Central Grocery muffaletta a chance!
Another restaurant I had a world-class meal at (for less than $15) was Frankie and Johnny’s, but I know this is not in the French Quarter. I was in college, and a friend of a friend who went to Loyola took us there. I honestly don’t know where it is. If you look around for it online and read reviews, you may find it worth a cab ride there and back. Just a thought, not that you won’t have great options closer at hand.
If pizza’s your thing, stop in Mama Rosa’s on the north side of the French Quarter, across from Armstrong Park. The Vieux Carre is home to one of the best pizzerias in the country! Go figure.
Go to New Orleans and not drink? Is that legal?
OK, the streetcar is definitely in! It’s also good to know it is there as a cheap form of transportation, as a lot of us are probably going to be renting one van, and I don’t think it will be available to me.
WhiteRabbit, you’re half right about the drinking. Baha’is as a rule don’t drink; but I do get to drink beer, because my urologist recommends it on account of my tendency to develop kidney stones. But I don’t get drunk (OK, I almost never get drunk; I’ve passed that limit maybe twice in the past 6 years, which is how long I’ve been Baha’i, and had to beg God’s forgiveness; fortunately, it would seem He’s good at that ).
Minty Green, Preservation Hall sounds like a go!
I don’t travel often, but when I do, I try to make it a rule not to eat the same stuff I could stay home and eat!
The aquarium sounds like a definite possibility, too!
Thanks for all the info, Dopers; once again, you’ve all come through in fine style! 