new orleans advice please

[ClaireNJ]

Think I remember showing my passport at a Service desk at a Shopping Mall to get the tax back,you have to show your receipts
Just go on Sky scanner for flights, it’s short flight 1hr 30 or so, most flights get you to New Orleans just after lunch, we parked at MCO for 4 days too, really easy to do.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by sunny1

Karen can you tell me where you looked for flights please and also any restaurants that I should research
Thank you 😊

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I will post my short list later! (It’s not very short )

Our hotel is also in the CBD

I always use Google flights / Skyscanner etc to find flights. I got some flying from my local airport (one mile away from my house) via Manchester & Atlanta. The flight times are great for me and saves the cost and hassle of getting to Heathrow - which can be a pain from Devon.

[tiggertastic]

restaurants - gumbo shop in the french quarter is amazing for some reasonably priced local food! Not been, but for something more fancy try commanders in the Garden district.

Beyond Bourbon Street is a podcast that is very useful for planning trips to New Orleans

[Pino_Spetzberg]

Originally Posted by KarenG

Our hotel is also in the CBD

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Anybody with a car should compare parking garage rates especially if staying in CBD hotels.
FQ hotels mostly use valet only parking. They typically whizz your car across Canal Street into CBD garages.
We stayed at a Hampton Inn & Suites in CBD next to a parking garage.
Through the hotel it was $30 per 24 hrs for self-parking. If you paid in the same car park they had a special rate of $12, or you could pay $20 for 48hrs.
Instead of $150 plus hotel taxes and fees we only paid $52 total.
CBD hotels can be quiet at week-ends and have offers. FQ hotels tend not to have parking offers.

Walking back to some CBD hotels can be very quiet late at night depending where they are.
Hampton isn't so bad as it's not far from Canal Street.
Once you cross Canal everybody disappears including the police.

[traceyt]

I visited 2 plantation houses last time I was there - Laura and Whitney. Both amazing, took a full day to do them both though.

[sunny1]

Originally Posted by theCMG

I would go the extra night and do 4, especially if you're going to have a late night or two and need to take a day easy. And I will always say Frenchman Street > Bourbon Street unless you're in hen/stag/mardi gras mode

Oh and restaurant-wise, GW Fins

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can i ask do you mean avoid frenchman and bourbon street ? is it ok in the afternoon we don't plan on staying out all hours

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Pino_Spetzberg

Anybody with a car should compare parking garage rates especially if staying in CBD hotels.
FQ hotels mostly use valet only parking. They typically whizz your car across Canal Street into CBD garages.
We stayed at a Hampton Inn & Suites in CBD next to a parking garage.
Through the hotel it was $30 per 24 hrs for self-parking. If you paid in the same car park they had a special rate of $12, or you could pay $20 for 48hrs.
Instead of $150 plus hotel taxes and fees we only paid $52 total.
CBD hotels can be quiet at week-ends and have offers. FQ hotels tend not to have parking offers.

Walking back to some CBD hotels can be very quiet late at night depending where they are.
Hampton isn't so bad as it's not far from Canal Street.
Once you cross Canal everybody disappears including the police.

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We are not getting a car but good advice otherwise. Our hotel is by Mother’s (which seems to be a place people know where it is?). If it’s really quiet I’ll get Ubers if I’m worried about safety, but I’ve not yet met a city which worries me (assuming wits are about me!)

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by sunny1

can i ask do you mean avoid frenchman and bourbon street ? is it ok in the afternoon we don't plan on staying out all hours

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I read it as Frenchman before Bourbon (ie Frenchman is preferable).

[Caroian]

This thread is useful - thank you! We're off to New Orleans for 3 full days as part of a longer trip next April. We'll be joining a 7 night Western Caribbean Cruise from NOLA afterwards.

Definitely looking for top tips, especially if anyone has travelled with a young (ish - he keeps getting older!) child. Our son will be 8 at the time.

[tiggertastic]

Originally Posted by sunny1

can i ask do you mean avoid frenchman and bourbon street ? is it ok in the afternoon we don't plan on staying out all hours

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Absolutely do not avoid frenchman Street! It's fab and some fab live music there.