Hi, all. I’m heading down to New Orleans for ten days of volunteer work, and I’m going to have quite a bit of time to muck about in the city. Any NOLADopers with thoughts on what I should absolutely not skip?
• Catch a traditional New Orleans-style jazz performance at Preservation Hall.
• National Park Service daily walking tours of the French Quarter. Free!
• Coffee and fresh beignets (square doughnuts) 24 hours a day at Cafe du Monde.
• Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.
• The National World War II Museum.
• The Cabildo museum traces the history of Louisiana from exploration through Reconstruction.
• Ride the St. Charles Avenue streetcar through the Garden District, past gracious 19th-century mansions, ending at Tulane University. $1.25 each way.
Port of Call for the best hamburgers found ANYWHERE.
How much Katrina damage is left in NOLA? My wife and I were discussing it, and based on the average media presentation, it would appear there are areas still wiped out.
How’s the population numbers compare to pre-Katrina, at this point?
As of December, there are currently an estimated 200,000 residents within New Orleans city limits. That’s about 41 percent of the pre-Katrina population of the city which was about 484,000.
The flood-devastated areas were primarily in low-lying residential neighborhoods. The two areas most often visited by tourists — the French Quarter and the Garden District — were built on highlands above the river level and were among the least affected by flooding.
I don’t think the streetcar line is running down St. Charles yet. I’m pretty sure they’ve only got them up working as far as Canal.
-Lil
Ha, I’m wrong, it just started up St. Charles on the 19th.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/12/19/neworleans.streetcar.reut/
That’s a start anyway.
The Central Business District loop of the St. Charles streetcar line (from Carondelet and Canal Streets to Lee Circle) resumed operation starting December 19, 7 days a week. But the rest of the route won’t be completed until 2007. Until then, the RTA St. Charles bus operates on the same route.