If you know about New Orleans!! Enough kid stuff to do for 5 days?

[magnoliaparadise]

A very urgent and quick request! Moderators, I would very much appreciate if if you could keep this on the main board for the time being given traffic.

My parents want to take us on a last minute winter vacation to New Orleans this December. They want us to all go for 5 days.

While I'm grateful for their offer, I want to make sure that there is enough to do in New Orleans (or close surrounding area) that is kid-friendly. I've learned the hard way that although I love going on vacation, I also need my kids to be engaged enough not to be bored. If they are going to be bored, it's easier just to be home (with access to games, activities, friends)!

- Would you stay for 5 days with 10 and 7 year old daughters in late December around Xmas or is that way too long for kids? Is there THAT much for kids to do there? Is it somewhat dead on Xmas?

- Is there a great hotel to stay that you recommend? I'd like a pool and to be near the French Quarters / walkable.
My parents want the Ritz Carlton, which sounds nice, but gets surprisingly meh reviews.

I've googled this, but would love your views, which I value more than the other reviews!

Thanks in advance.

[ahisma]

I'd go in a heartbeat. It's one of our favorite kid destinations. If you search the boards you should find some comments in the anywhere but Disney board.

[StantonHyde]

This is my trip report from a vacation I took with DH. We are history/science nerds so a lot of what we did would be stuff that would be fun to do with kids. The bug museum is really cool!! If you do stay somewhere, I wouldn't stay in the French Quarter--it stinks so bad there every morning when they are washing down the streets and taking out the garbage from the bars. I would stay in the Garden District. And I would rent an apartment. But then you don't have a pool--which is a must have with younger kids!!

https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...eport-1077790/

[SnuggleBuggles]

For sure! You'll have no trouble filling your days. Might have to get creative but there are more than enough things to do. Look at creating a scavenger hunt. Take on a food adventure like trying as many different beignets as possible, for example. Take some Free Tours by Foot (you should tip so they aren't really free- just a catchy name...they could be free but it'd be pretty poor taste not to tip ). There is a lot to do.

eta- I really think you'd regret going! I mean, your parents want to do this with you. How can too many days really be a bad thing? Just go and cobble together an itinerary. I always google "x city with kids" and get a ton of great ideas. Your kids can suck it up if they get bored too. They are part of a family unit and not everything is for them. When mine were younger, we used to each get a day to plan and NO one else was allowed to complain. It really worked well.

[SnuggleBuggles]

The average Ritz review is 4.6/5. That's pretty solid. Let your parents go with their pick.

[essnce629]

We went for at least 5 days two years ago for Thanksgiving break. The boys were 13 and 7 at the time and we had a jammed packed itinerary. We had a great time. We stayed in an Airbnb 2 bedroom apartment in the French Quarter. We wanted a full kitchen and my mom was with us. I'll see if I can find our itinerary.

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[essnce629]

New Orleans Itinerary (looks like we were there 6 days). I don't have it broken down by day.


The French Quarter


Cafe Du Monde *(long lines)

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...e/new-orleans/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/caf%C3%A9-d...ns-12?q=gluten


Cafe Beignet (no long lines and beignets are just as good or better than Cafe du Monde. Coffee is better too.)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...Louisiana.html


French QuarTour Kids Tour

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...s/new-orleans/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

http://www.frenchquartourkids.com/



Jackson Square (covered in tour)

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...e/new-orleans/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html



St. Louis Cathedral (covered in tour)

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...l/new-orleans/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

http://www.stlouiscathedral.org/



Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...m/new-orleans/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

http://audubonnatureinstitute.org/insectarium


The Arts/Warehouse District

National WII Museum

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...m/new-orleans/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/


Uptown/Garden District


Take St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District


Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (tours daily at 10:30am)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...a.html#REVIEWS

http://www.saveourcemeteries.org/laf...ery-no-1-tour/


Audubon Park

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

http://audubonnatureinstitute.org/audubon-park


Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World

http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/...d/new-orleans/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

http://www.mardigrasworld.com/


Plantation and Swamp Tour


https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...partner=Viator



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[m4nash]

We love New Orleans and I grew up there. I think there is plenty to do with kids. If you go in December, don't miss Celebration in the Oaks in City Park.
http://neworleanscitypark.com/celebration-in-the-oaks

[icunurse]

I’d go in a heartbeat! We went last year with kids ages 10 and 13 and felt like we didn’t have enough time. There is so much to do! Between just wandering and the many tours available, never mind the great food...you’ll never be able to do it all.

We stayed at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, got the side just off Bourbon Street. It’s old and historical, but very nice and clean inside. Great pool that never seems very crowded when we were there. We were able to walk to everything (it heaving rained when we were supposed to do a Garden District your, but we would have taken a cab for that). We did a cemetery tour, ghost tour, swamp tour, and a carriage ride through the French Quarter. We walked to the French Market and along the river. Ate at all the wonderful local places. Honestly, it was my favorite trip.

[chemnerd]

We went for 4 days a couple years ago with a 9 and an 11 year old. We stayed just off a main Street in the heart of the city and walked all over the city. So much good food and interesting things to do. We also rented a car for a day and drove to the swamps and toured a plantation. That day was my favorite.

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