New Orleans Info?
 

I'm going to visit New Orleans for the very first time in April! I am going with five other girls, ranging in age from 22-27 and we're looking for fun clubs with dancing. We're staying at the Alexa hotel in the French Quarter, so we would prefer to stay in that area so we can walk (or stumble) ;) back to the hotel. Also, we're planning on going out to a nice dinner Saturday night, so restaurant recommendations are welcome too! Thanks guys! :D

Hmmm...fun clubs with dancing in the French Quarter area...

I have to think about this one. There's a bunch! :)

Restaurant wise, go to a bar!! They have the best food. Mike Anderson's is a bit pricey, but has wonderful gumbo.

Where is aopirose? She knows everything about New Orleans!

OK this is my fav!!! We take weekend trips there SEVERAL times a semester!!

If you make it to Bourbon-- I like Tropcal Isle(get a hand Grenade), Pat O'Briens(dualing pianos and a great hurricane), and The Cat's Meow is my favorite--it's a karaoke bar.

Uptown---F&M, The Boot--they're by Tulane University

Be sure to go to Lucy's for lunch and a Bloody Mary--It's on Tchopitoulas (not sure if that spelling is correct, but it's pronounced Chop-a-tool-us).

Also, if you get tired of being at the bar---go to the casino--Harrah's--it's on Canal

Watch the sunrise at Cafe DuMonde in the French Quarter with some benets (most likely drunk)

I love shopping on Magazine St. Be sure to make it to Hemmlines. There are TONS of cute stores.


People from New Orleans may have some other ideas that I've forgotten...or perhaps places I don't know about

New Orleans native right here.

Bars: Hottytoddy is right about Pat O's and Cat's and Tropical Isle - there some of the can't miss places in the quarter.

Restaurants: The best, cheap food is at Cafe Maspero, right across from the Jax Brewery. They have the best baked ham and cheese sandwiches and french onion soup. And they have awesome $2 strawberry daquiris. It's definitely a local place.

If you're looking for a nice restaurant, there are the standards: Antoines, Brennan's, Commander's Palace, Delmonico...

Mike Andersons is actually out of Baton Rouge and compared to *real* New Orleans food is terrible - its a tourist trap!

Be sure to catch the streetcar on Canal and ride it up to Riverbend and eat at Camelia Grill. They have the best hamburgers! But they only take cash - so be prepared for that!

The best shopping is along Magazine street - lots of boutiques and antique shops.

Everyone just be careful - crime has been on the rise in the city lately - just don't go any place alone and stay alert. Stay in the well-populated areas of the French Quarter and don't go down any of the back alleys!

Have a great time - this is the greatest city on earth!

Thank You!!!
 

Reading all of your suggestions are just making me more excited! You guys are awesome! :D I'm going to forward all this info to my friends.

How far away is uptown by cab? Are cabs pretty easy to catch?

We'll be there April 8th-12th. What is the weather like? Is it humid at all? I'm trying to figure out what to pack.

Thanks again! Please keep the suggestions coming!

Also, use the search feature at the top of the page. Several people have asked about this before. I think TKE or soemone had their National Convention there a few years ago and there was 4 or 5 pages of threads on the subject of what to do there, see there, etc.

Cat's is really dirty and nasty and crowded, like any NOLA bar. And that's if you can get in. When I go to the Quarter, there's always a huge line outside. And only get a Hand Grenade if you've had enough to eat. It's one of the most powerful (and expensive!) drinks here. It's loaded with Everclear.
If you feel like dressing up and going to a bar, go to 360. When my mom still lived here, it was the place to go after work. 735 is a really popular dance club.
Camelia is good. Just don't go next door to the Trolley Stop! There's also a fantastic coffee shop in the Quarter (Not Du Monde), but I can't remember the name of it right now. The best food is in the random bars, though. You can get some great gator there. The Gumbo Shop on N. St. Peter is great. They expanded operations to Biloxi, and my parents are ever grateful for that.
And go to Central Grocery on Decatur! That's where the muffelata was invented.
New Orleans is like any other city-just use common sense and you'll be fine. We've gotten back to normal because the Mardi Gras tourists are gone.
Don't wear beads on your neck out of season-that makes you prey for the scammers. Bourbon is heavily touristed, and that's the really common way that the scammers pick you out.

Yeah one of my friends got knocked out by a homeless guy once...it was pretty bad...and we saw a guy OD in that Krystals on Bourbon St..

Also a restaurant I like is Mr. B's---kinda expensive though.
And the Redfish Grille or something like that.. I like the sanwiches at Felix's. But an absolute MUST is Lucy's...a local showed us this place once and now we go there for lunch and a Bloody Mary every time we wre there.

And she's right, Cat's can be dirty...just depends on when you go. I just like going and singing Karaoke--I usually am there with a bunch of people though...I don't think it'd be as fun if you aren't there with lots of people you know. But I've had fun every singe time that I've been to Pat O's.

It's humid as hell down there, but it'll be warm. Don't wear open toe shoes on Bourbon if you can help it...you'll have AIDS all over your feet. ;)

For your nice dinner on Saturday night, I have one word for you: Galatoire's. The food is incredible and the prices aren't that expensive. Plus its located right on Bourbon Street, so once you're ready to hit the bars, you're practically already there! :)

Enjoy your time there--we've been twice and we just love it! We're looking for an excuse to go back! ;)

Hahaha! Every year for Mardi Gras, if I go to the quarter, I wear a pair of shoes that I'm intending to throw away at the end of the day. It's the phenomenon known as "mardi gras shoes"

The one time I had a hand grenade, it didn't do anything to me. I'd been drinking uptown at Bruno's before, but I didn't think I was at that point yet. But everyone else has said to be careful of them!

All this is making me want to go to New Orleans.

We'll be there April 8-12th if you want to meet up! :)

My friend actually had one the first and only time she went and she only drank half. She got into a catfight (not like her AT all!)and was drunk until 5pm the next day! She didn't know what hit her until I mentioned the everclear! Now it all makes sense to her! :D She doesn't remember much else from her trip, which is why she's going again!

She has a list of restaurants she wanted me to ask you all about. If they are worth it, etc:

*Delachaise-Wine and inventive tapas on Saint Charles
*Wasabi-Marigny bar, Asian Grill(fusion) on Frenchmen
*The Bombay Club Restaurant and Martini Bistro(night club and upscale bar) on Conti
*NOLA-Emeril's trendy spot in the french Quarter, is it really worth the money?

Thanks again!

This girl I know got into a fight with a stripper in New Orleans because the stripper was bent down getting her cigarettes out of a cig machine and my friend accidentally tripped over her. The stripper hit her in the head and my friend like hit her back and took of running yelling "Whore" and the girl that did this is like the sweetest most quiet girl ever...we thought that story was sooo funny!

Yeah, funny how alcohol can do that, huh? ;) Hopefully, there will be no incidents like that on this trip!

I have another question for the experienced. What are good dance clubs that are 21+? I'm a little weirded out by dancing with 18 year old boys (or even worse- a 16 year old with a fake ID!) :D