New Orleans with teens

[urquie]

I would love to have your notes!! Hoping to make this trip next summer.

This is a bit long, lots of copy and pastes from Tripadvisor reviews etc. :-)

New Orleans

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday - New Orleans Jazz Market—Wednesdays are open mic night, and you’ll hear the best up-and-coming acts. They’re definitely not amateurs.
• Thursday - valentine’s Day
• Friday - 7pm Krewe Bohème parade (New to Mardi Gras this year)

Trolley - $1.50 per ride or $3 for the day

• get tickets online and use phone to show driver?
• as of 1/29/19 - Many of you may not have noticed that because of the construction of the Four Seasons New Orleans (former World Trade Center), the Riverfront Streetcar route has been discontinued; that's the bad news.
• The good news is that the streetcars were reassigned to the two Canal Streetcar routes, and those routes now run from Canal St. then along the River to Esplanade Ave. Although there is not streetcar service between Canal St. and Julia Street any longer, there are now many more streetcars running along the River between Canal St. and Esplanade Ave. (Frenchmen Street), and that streetcar service continues rather frequently throughout the night.
• So you can now take a streetcar directly from the Old US Mint to the Museum of Art.

Homewood sSuites
317 N. Rampart

• There is a trolley out front of the hotel, but sometimes it is better to walk to Canal Street and then take the trolley to the river
• there is a grocery store behind the hotel, but there are lots of bums/alcoholics… Maybe better to walk to Walgreens a few blocks the other direction

———————

• Oak Alley plantation – opens at 9 AM, first tour at 9:30 AM, leaving every 10 minutes. takes about two hours to see everything, *eat lunch here quickly, to save time for swamp tour. Adults $25, students $10, Sarah $7
• Laura Plantation – admissions store opens at 9:30 AM, first tour starts at 10 AM, Tours leave every 40 minutes. Adults $25, Kid $15, young kid $10 - ***Do this tour first, since it leaves less frequently***
• Swamp tour - small boat is great

————
The OmniMax Theater on the riverfront, Hurricane on the Bayou.
-———-
World War II museum

• Take trolley ($3 for all day?)
• Go on rainy day
• Order tickets online, even while in line, with IMAX added
• Watch Imax video first
• Make sure to see Road to Tokyo
• -USS Tang
• Submarine experience
• has a couple of unique exhibits. One is the 4D Movie "Beyond All Boundaries". Another is "Final Mission" which is an interactive experience about the submarine USS Tang. They also have a rebuilt PT Boat out by the Lakefront Airport.
• Eat lunch nearby, at Merril, an Emeril Lagasse restaurant

Browse magazine street for souvenirs, Better than Bourbon Decatur and Canal

Take a carriage ride around the Quarter, visit Mardi Gras World to see how the floats are made (great picture opportunities - watch Groupon for great savings), take a ride out St. Charles on the streetcar and see the beautiful mansions, then have lunch at the fun Camellia Grill where the streetcar makes a turn around the bend, shop at the French Market and let them buy some inexpensive souvenirs, take the ferry across the river to Algiers (very inexpensive) and have lunch at Dry Dock Cafe. I have taken 5 grandkids in that age range to NO (not all at the same time!) and a favorite of all of them was seeing Hurricane on the Bayou at the Imax Theater. It is the story of a 14 year old girl and her family's experiences during Hurricane Katrina (true story). All of my grandkids have loved seeing that show (only about 45 minutes long). Another thing they loved, which I thought was odd (but free so I am all for it!) was going to Canal Place Mall at the edge of the Quarter, and riding the glass elevator up to the top to get a view of the city.

There is also the zoo, which is very nice, but we have a world class zoo just 100 miles from where I live and I prefer to do things that are more uniquely New Orleans when we visit. There is also an aquarium and an Insectarium where they can eat bugs, if they want.

We also have always taken our grandkids out for one very special meal, and that place for us is always Muriel's Restaurant near Jackson Square. Their pricing is mid-range and the menu has something for everyone (even kids menu). You can take a look at their menu on-line. If you go to Muriel's, be sure to read the story of their resident ghost, Pierre, and take your kids to the second floor balcony that overlooks Jackson Square. Be sure to walk down the hallway and take a look at their wine vault and Seance Room - very unique and interesting.

We have brought several of our teen grandkids to New Orleans and they all loved it and all want to come back again. They enjoyed shopping at the French Market, a fine dining experience at Muriel's (take them upstairs to see the Seance Room and step out on the balcony for a view of Jackson Square), riding the St. Charles Streetcar, Mardi Gras World (check living social or Groupon for coupons), a tour of St. Louis Cemetery #1 (also check Living social and Groupon for coupons), carriage ride around the Quarter, night time ghost tour, They may also enjoy a Segway tour although I'm not aware of their age restrictions). We also have done plantation tours but we always have our own vehicle.
————————
Restaurants

• must go to Shaya, the best of Inew restaurant in the US 2015- order the hummus, cauliflower hummus and chicken schnitzel sandwich, ask for at least two pitas to start, they are unlimited - http://www.shayarestaurant.com/menu/
• Neyow's Creole Cafe - authentic New Orleans creole food, north of FQ, order char-grilled oysters, fried chicken, carrot soufflé, - hush puppies (drinks - bow wow will knock you out, great lemon drop)

http://www.neyowscreole.com/assets/n...-full-menu.pdf

• The Gazebo Cafe in the French Market area has outdoor music beginning at noon with decent food.
• Legends Park, 300 block of Bourbon St also with daily free music.

• We took our grandkids to Pat O'Briens restaurant (kids are only allowed in the restaurant area, everywhere else there is 21+). They serve decent burgers/wings, etc in their outdoor (with heat lamps) carriageway restaurant which is very charming. From the restaurant, the teens can walk up to the steps that lead into the courtyard (they can't go into the courtyard). From there, they will be able to see the famous flaming fountain in the courtyard. It is beautiful at night, changing colors, etc. My teens enjoyed zooming in on it for pictures.
• West African in the French quarter great reviews, http://www.bennachinrestaurant.com. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/we-...elogue-podcast

——————————-
This is my "canned" list of New Orleans "must see/do“:

Daytime stroll 200 – 1200 Royal St. – See note on Carousel Bar and Lounge below.

Daytime stroll 1200 – 600 Decatur St. – See notes on Café du Monde, Jackson Square and Central Grocery below.

Daytime or early evening stroll Jackson Square, passing surrounding buildings and going through Pirate’s Alley. Carriage rides depart from the Decatur St. side of the Square.

Evening or nighttime stroll Frenchmen St. between Decatur St. and Royal St. (Faubourg Marigny) - Location of musical performance venues.

Nighttime stroll 200 – 1000 Bourbon St. – See note on Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop below.

Experience the River from the River bank, inexpensive Canal St. Ferry, or, time and finances permitting, the Steamboat Natchez or Paddlewheeler Creole Queen.

Ride St. Charles Avenue Streetcar (requires exact fare [$1.25]) – Board across the street from French Quarter on Carondelet St. (Bourbon St.) at Canal St. Time permitting, get off in the Garden District (at Washington Ave.), at The Columns Hotel (at Peniston St. [pronounced like tennis ton]), at the “Bend” (at Carrollton Ave.), or at Oak St. If you anticipate boarding more than 2 times that day (including end of line) get a $3 unlimited ride day pass (exact change) when first boarding (available on streetcar) that day. See Note on Commander’s Palace below.

Laffitte’s Blacksmith Shop – Bar in historic (1770's) building. 914 Bourbon St.

Carousel Bar and Lounge – In the Monteleone Hotel at 214 Royal St.

Café du Monde – Café au lait (coffee with chicory and cream) and beignets (fried pastry). 800 Decatur St. Crowded mid morning; most interesting late night/very early morning.

Central Grocery – Muffuletta (sandwich). Open 7 days 9:00 – 4:00. 923 Decatur St. Get your sandwich, chips (Zapp’s) and drink to go; picnic on the River bank (other side of French Market across the street).

Commander’s Palace – Traditional and famous restaurant. Corner of Washington Ave. and Coliseum St. (2 blocks off St. Charles Streetcar route). Consider lunch (M-F 25 cent martinis) or brunch (S-S) to allow for Garden District walking tour, including Lafayette Cemetery (closes at 3 PM) across the street.

Other popular activities/locations: City Park/Museum of Art (Sculpture Garden), Preservation Hall (traditional New Orleans jazz), National World War II Museum, Napoleon House Bar & Café (warm muffuletta and Pimm’s Cup), dueling piano players and/or flaming patio fountain at Pat O’Brien’s, Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World, free History of French Quarter morning lecture given by Jean Lafitte Park and Preserve’s Folklife and Visitor Center, various French Quarter walking tours (ghost, haunted, voodoo, pub crawl, historical, cocktail, culinary, architecture, etc.), demonstration class at New Orleans School of Cooking, daytime Magazine St. shopping and/or restaurant/bar hopping via Magazine St. bus, Audubon Park/Zoo via St. Charles streetcar and/or Magazine St. bus, St Louis Cemetery No 1 (close to the French Quarter [requires a tour guide]), Bywater neighborhood including Bacchanal (courtyard, wine, food, drinks and entertainment), and outside of the City swamp and/or plantation tour.

Edited: 11:50 am, January 25, 2019
First time, any places that are an absolute must?! - New Orleans Forum - Tripadvisor
Attractions
New Orleans Deals - Best Deals & Coupons
Ferries in New Orleans
You can board the ferry at the foot of Canal Street – right next to the Aquarium of the Americas. The ride is for pedestrians and bikers only and costs $2. You can download the free RTA GoMobile app to pay for your fare instantly on your phone. Those traveling by car may park in the in one of the nearby lots for a fee.

Ferry Schedule

The ferry leaves Algiers Point every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour, and leaves Canal Street every 30 minutes at a quarter until and a quarter after the hour. It takes about 30 minutes from boarding to get to the other side.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans
The Day Plan -- It’s not necessary to make a plan for the big day, but it might help. Get your hands on the latest edition of Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide, through www.mardigrasguide.com or at nearly any store. Download the app, since schedules and routes occasionally change at the last minute. Also download the real-time parade-tracker app from WWLTV.com. Resolve that you’ll probably adjust the plan, or throw it out altogether—and that you’ll chill and go with it. The fun is everywhere—but with limited transportation and facilities available (and until you’ve done it enough to determine a satisfying routine), you’ll have to make some choices about what to do, in advance and on the fly. Read the rest of this section and check the route maps. Then decide if you want to head uptown, downtown, to the Quarter, the Bywater, Claiborne Avenue, or some combination of the above, as your shoes and stamina dictate.

—————-///————-
Mardi Gras parade while we are in town Friday 7 PM


https://www.nola.com/mardi_gras_nola...as_new_or.html


The proliferation of charmingly eccentric DIY marching groups such as the Merry Antoinettes and the others mentioned above has been a hallmark of post-Katrina Carnival. To see several of them band together to produce a new parade is yet another evolution of the greatest party on earth. All hail Krewe Boheme.
Krewe Bohème

Krewe Bohème Parade Route


Fri Feb 15 at 7:00pm in the French Quarter

The Krewe Boheme starts at the corner of Royal St and Franklin Avenue.

• It follow Royal Street west as it crosses Elysian Fields Avenue, and then takes a left on Esplanade Avenue.
• The parade goes down Esplanade for 2 blocks, and then turns right onto Decatur.
• Then, the krewe takes a right onto Dumaine Street, where it continues until it reaches North Rampart street.

New this year!
Introducing Krewe Bohème, the fantastical, free-spirited krewe. For their first year parading, the theme will be "La Vie Bohème" and the Supreme Fairy this year will be Vinsantos

[jgenie]

This is awesome - thank you!!

This is a bit long, lots of copy and pastes from Tripadvisor reviews etc. :-)

New Orleans

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday - New Orleans Jazz Market—Wednesdays are open mic night, and you’ll hear the best up-and-coming acts. They’re definitely not amateurs.
• Thursday - valentine’s Day
• Friday - 7pm Krewe Bohème parade (New to Mardi Gras this year)

Trolley - $1.50 per ride or $3 for the day

• get tickets online and use phone to show driver?
• as of 1/29/19 - Many of you may not have noticed that because of the construction of the Four Seasons New Orleans (former World Trade Center), the Riverfront Streetcar route has been discontinued; that's the bad news.
• The good news is that the streetcars were reassigned to the two Canal Streetcar routes, and those routes now run from Canal St. then along the River to Esplanade Ave. Although there is not streetcar service between Canal St. and Julia Street any longer, there are now many more streetcars running along the River between Canal St. and Esplanade Ave. (Frenchmen Street), and that streetcar service continues rather frequently throughout the night.
• So you can now take a streetcar directly from the Old US Mint to the Museum of Art.

Homewood sSuites
317 N. Rampart

• There is a trolley out front of the hotel, but sometimes it is better to walk to Canal Street and then take the trolley to the river
• there is a grocery store behind the hotel, but there are lots of bums/alcoholics… Maybe better to walk to Walgreens a few blocks the other direction

———————

• Oak Alley plantation – opens at 9 AM, first tour at 9:30 AM, leaving every 10 minutes. takes about two hours to see everything, *eat lunch here quickly, to save time for swamp tour. Adults $25, students $10, Sarah $7
• Laura Plantation – admissions store opens at 9:30 AM, first tour starts at 10 AM, Tours leave every 40 minutes. Adults $25, Kid $15, young kid $10 - ***Do this tour first, since it leaves less frequently***
• Swamp tour - small boat is great

————
The OmniMax Theater on the riverfront, Hurricane on the Bayou.
-———-
World War II museum

• Take trolley ($3 for all day?)
• Go on rainy day
• Order tickets online, even while in line, with IMAX added
• Watch Imax video first
• Make sure to see Road to Tokyo
• -USS Tang
• Submarine experience
• has a couple of unique exhibits. One is the 4D Movie "Beyond All Boundaries". Another is "Final Mission" which is an interactive experience about the submarine USS Tang. They also have a rebuilt PT Boat out by the Lakefront Airport.
• Eat lunch nearby, at Merril, an Emeril Lagasse restaurant

Browse magazine street for souvenirs, Better than Bourbon Decatur and Canal

Take a carriage ride around the Quarter, visit Mardi Gras World to see how the floats are made (great picture opportunities - watch Groupon for great savings), take a ride out St. Charles on the streetcar and see the beautiful mansions, then have lunch at the fun Camellia Grill where the streetcar makes a turn around the bend, shop at the French Market and let them buy some inexpensive souvenirs, take the ferry across the river to Algiers (very inexpensive) and have lunch at Dry Dock Cafe. I have taken 5 grandkids in that age range to NO (not all at the same time!) and a favorite of all of them was seeing Hurricane on the Bayou at the Imax Theater. It is the story of a 14 year old girl and her family's experiences during Hurricane Katrina (true story). All of my grandkids have loved seeing that show (only about 45 minutes long). Another thing they loved, which I thought was odd (but free so I am all for it!) was going to Canal Place Mall at the edge of the Quarter, and riding the glass elevator up to the top to get a view of the city.

There is also the zoo, which is very nice, but we have a world class zoo just 100 miles from where I live and I prefer to do things that are more uniquely New Orleans when we visit. There is also an aquarium and an Insectarium where they can eat bugs, if they want.

We also have always taken our grandkids out for one very special meal, and that place for us is always Muriel's Restaurant near Jackson Square. Their pricing is mid-range and the menu has something for everyone (even kids menu). You can take a look at their menu on-line. If you go to Muriel's, be sure to read the story of their resident ghost, Pierre, and take your kids to the second floor balcony that overlooks Jackson Square. Be sure to walk down the hallway and take a look at their wine vault and Seance Room - very unique and interesting.

We have brought several of our teen grandkids to New Orleans and they all loved it and all want to come back again. They enjoyed shopping at the French Market, a fine dining experience at Muriel's (take them upstairs to see the Seance Room and step out on the balcony for a view of Jackson Square), riding the St. Charles Streetcar, Mardi Gras World (check living social or Groupon for coupons), a tour of St. Louis Cemetery #1 (also check Living social and Groupon for coupons), carriage ride around the Quarter, night time ghost tour, They may also enjoy a Segway tour although I'm not aware of their age restrictions). We also have done plantation tours but we always have our own vehicle.
————————
Restaurants

• must go to Shaya, the best of Inew restaurant in the US 2015- order the hummus, cauliflower hummus and chicken schnitzel sandwich, ask for at least two pitas to start, they are unlimited - http://www.shayarestaurant.com/menu/
• Neyow's Creole Cafe - authentic New Orleans creole food, north of FQ, order char-grilled oysters, fried chicken, carrot soufflé, - hush puppies (drinks - bow wow will knock you out, great lemon drop)

http://www.neyowscreole.com/assets/n...-full-menu.pdf

• The Gazebo Cafe in the French Market area has outdoor music beginning at noon with decent food.
• Legends Park, 300 block of Bourbon St also with daily free music.

• We took our grandkids to Pat O'Briens restaurant (kids are only allowed in the restaurant area, everywhere else there is 21+). They serve decent burgers/wings, etc in their outdoor (with heat lamps) carriageway restaurant which is very charming. From the restaurant, the teens can walk up to the steps that lead into the courtyard (they can't go into the courtyard). From there, they will be able to see the famous flaming fountain in the courtyard. It is beautiful at night, changing colors, etc. My teens enjoyed zooming in on it for pictures.
• West African in the French quarter great reviews, http://www.bennachinrestaurant.com. https://www.cntraveler.com/story/we-...elogue-podcast

——————————-
This is my "canned" list of New Orleans "must see/do“:

Daytime stroll 200 – 1200 Royal St. – See note on Carousel Bar and Lounge below.

Daytime stroll 1200 – 600 Decatur St. – See notes on Café du Monde, Jackson Square and Central Grocery below.

Daytime or early evening stroll Jackson Square, passing surrounding buildings and going through Pirate’s Alley. Carriage rides depart from the Decatur St. side of the Square.

Evening or nighttime stroll Frenchmen St. between Decatur St. and Royal St. (Faubourg Marigny) - Location of musical performance venues.

Nighttime stroll 200 – 1000 Bourbon St. – See note on Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop below.

Experience the River from the River bank, inexpensive Canal St. Ferry, or, time and finances permitting, the Steamboat Natchez or Paddlewheeler Creole Queen.

Ride St. Charles Avenue Streetcar (requires exact fare [$1.25]) – Board across the street from French Quarter on Carondelet St. (Bourbon St.) at Canal St. Time permitting, get off in the Garden District (at Washington Ave.), at The Columns Hotel (at Peniston St. [pronounced like tennis ton]), at the “Bend” (at Carrollton Ave.), or at Oak St. If you anticipate boarding more than 2 times that day (including end of line) get a $3 unlimited ride day pass (exact change) when first boarding (available on streetcar) that day. See Note on Commander’s Palace below.

Laffitte’s Blacksmith Shop – Bar in historic (1770's) building. 914 Bourbon St.

Carousel Bar and Lounge – In the Monteleone Hotel at 214 Royal St.

Café du Monde – Café au lait (coffee with chicory and cream) and beignets (fried pastry). 800 Decatur St. Crowded mid morning; most interesting late night/very early morning.

Central Grocery – Muffuletta (sandwich). Open 7 days 9:00 – 4:00. 923 Decatur St. Get your sandwich, chips (Zapp’s) and drink to go; picnic on the River bank (other side of French Market across the street).

Commander’s Palace – Traditional and famous restaurant. Corner of Washington Ave. and Coliseum St. (2 blocks off St. Charles Streetcar route). Consider lunch (M-F 25 cent martinis) or brunch (S-S) to allow for Garden District walking tour, including Lafayette Cemetery (closes at 3 PM) across the street.

Other popular activities/locations: City Park/Museum of Art (Sculpture Garden), Preservation Hall (traditional New Orleans jazz), National World War II Museum, Napoleon House Bar & Café (warm muffuletta and Pimm’s Cup), dueling piano players and/or flaming patio fountain at Pat O’Brien’s, Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World, free History of French Quarter morning lecture given by Jean Lafitte Park and Preserve’s Folklife and Visitor Center, various French Quarter walking tours (ghost, haunted, voodoo, pub crawl, historical, cocktail, culinary, architecture, etc.), demonstration class at New Orleans School of Cooking, daytime Magazine St. shopping and/or restaurant/bar hopping via Magazine St. bus, Audubon Park/Zoo via St. Charles streetcar and/or Magazine St. bus, St Louis Cemetery No 1 (close to the French Quarter [requires a tour guide]), Bywater neighborhood including Bacchanal (courtyard, wine, food, drinks and entertainment), and outside of the City swamp and/or plantation tour.

Edited: 11:50 am, January 25, 2019
First time, any places that are an absolute must?! - New Orleans Forum - Tripadvisor
Attractions
New Orleans Deals - Best Deals & Coupons
Ferries in New Orleans
You can board the ferry at the foot of Canal Street – right next to the Aquarium of the Americas. The ride is for pedestrians and bikers only and costs $2. You can download the free RTA GoMobile app to pay for your fare instantly on your phone. Those traveling by car may park in the in one of the nearby lots for a fee.

Ferry Schedule

The ferry leaves Algiers Point every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour, and leaves Canal Street every 30 minutes at a quarter until and a quarter after the hour. It takes about 30 minutes from boarding to get to the other side.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans
The Day Plan -- It’s not necessary to make a plan for the big day, but it might help. Get your hands on the latest edition of Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide, through www.mardigrasguide.com or at nearly any store. Download the app, since schedules and routes occasionally change at the last minute. Also download the real-time parade-tracker app from WWLTV.com. Resolve that you’ll probably adjust the plan, or throw it out altogether—and that you’ll chill and go with it. The fun is everywhere—but with limited transportation and facilities available (and until you’ve done it enough to determine a satisfying routine), you’ll have to make some choices about what to do, in advance and on the fly. Read the rest of this section and check the route maps. Then decide if you want to head uptown, downtown, to the Quarter, the Bywater, Claiborne Avenue, or some combination of the above, as your shoes and stamina dictate.

—————-///————-
Mardi Gras parade while we are in town Friday 7 PM


https://www.nola.com/mardi_gras_nola...as_new_or.html


The proliferation of charmingly eccentric DIY marching groups such as the Merry Antoinettes and the others mentioned above has been a hallmark of post-Katrina Carnival. To see several of them band together to produce a new parade is yet another evolution of the greatest party on earth. All hail Krewe Boheme.
Krewe Bohème

Krewe Bohème Parade Route


Fri Feb 15 at 7:00pm in the French Quarter

The Krewe Boheme starts at the corner of Royal St and Franklin Avenue.

• It follow Royal Street west as it crosses Elysian Fields Avenue, and then takes a left on Esplanade Avenue.
• The parade goes down Esplanade for 2 blocks, and then turns right onto Decatur.
• Then, the krewe takes a right onto Dumaine Street, where it continues until it reaches North Rampart street.

New this year!
Introducing Krewe Bohème, the fantastical, free-spirited krewe. For their first year parading, the theme will be "La Vie Bohème" and the Supreme Fairy this year will be Vinsantos

[KrisM]

Thank you! I read StantonHyde's trip report and made some notes and Urquie's notes are great! It's so much easier to have good starting points!

[jgenie]

Here is my trip report from a week in New Orleans. 2 adults, but take a look to see what things the teens might enjoy

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

Great trip report! Any chance you have specifics on the VRBO you rented? The link won’t come up for me.

[StantonHyde]

Great trip report! Any chance you have specifics on the VRBO you rented? The link won’t come up for me.

I wonder if it is no longer a VRBO? It isn't in my "past trips" so I can't see it either. Sorry.

Glad you liked the trip report.

[jgenie]

I wonder if it is no longer a VRBO? It isn't in my "past trips" so I can't see it either. Sorry.

Glad you liked the trip report.

Thank you for checking. It’s usually user error on my part…


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