I will love some guidance on where to go and what to do in new orleans for xmas i ll be there from 24 to 27 and is a family vacation on a budget.
Almost everything will be closed on Christmas Day but the 24th and 26th 27th will be nearly normal (Celebration in the Oaks at City Park will be closed on the 24th). The Saint Charles streetcar and the river ferry will be operating and you may want to ride them on Christmas Day (also very inexpensive.Not knowing your interests, here is a fairly long list of things to do:There are many tours offered and examples are: www.graylineneworleans.comwww.hauntedhistorytours.comhttp://www.saveourcemeteries.org/tours/i��Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival are world famous events, but New Orleans hosts many festivals and celebrations throughout the year: www.nola.com/festivalsThe Family-friendly things to do in New Orleans:Saint Charles Streetcar is the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world and is a tourist attraction in its own right. It is part of the public transit system, as are the Canal Street and Riverfront streetcar lines: www.norta.comWander around the French Quarter, enjoy the architecture, watch the street entertainers (do tip), and visit some of the historic buildings that have been turned into museums (go to www.frenchquarter.com and click on Historic Attractions).There are many tours, and an example is: http://www.graylineneworleans.com/Assuming the weather is good, you can collect a sandwich lunch and eat in the riverfront park (watch the shipping) or in Jackson Square (a very nice park). The Riverwalk shopping center has an air-conditioned food court with dining overlooking the river (www.riverwalkmarketplace.com). The Canal Place shopping center is in the French Quarter and has a cinema and higher-end shopping (Saks 5th Avenue, Brooks Brothers, etc.). Magazine Street is a miles-long shopping district: www.magazinestreet.comLouisiana is the only US state that offers tax-free shopping for international visitors: http://www.louisianataxfree.com/The lobby for the Westin Canal Place Hotel is on the 11th floor and overlooks the French Quarter. It is a great place for an afternoon drink/snack:(www.westin.com).Preservation Hall has traditional live Jazz, and doesn��t serve alcohol so all ages are welcome: www.preservationhall.comNew Orleans has ballet, opera, a symphony orchestra, and theatre: www.nobadance.comwww.neworleansopera.orgwww.lpomusic.comwww.lepetittheatre.comThere is a free ferry across the Mississippi at the foot of Canal Street. It is a short trip but like a harbor cruise w/o a guide: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/canal_stree��The Aquarium, and Audubon Zoo are world-class attractions (www.auduboninstitute.org) and you should see them if you can. The Zoo is several miles from downtown. You can drive to the Zoo (which has free parking) or take public transit from the French Quarter.The Louisiana State Museum is in the French Quarter: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/ New Orleans is also home to a number of other museums, such as the National World War II Museum (www.ddaymuseum.org) and the New Orleans Museum of Art (www.noma.org). Both can be reached by public transit: The WWII museum is in the central business district but a long walk from the French Quarter. NOMA is not within walking distance of downtown but has free parking. Go to www.neworleansmuseums.com for info on more museums.New Orleans City Park has a variety of attractions, including golf and an amusement park with rides and attractions for children + free parking. City Park also presents Celebration in the Oaks from late November to early January: (www.neworleanscitypark.com). www.celebrationintheoaks.comCheck www.frenchquarter.com and http://www.nola.com/visitor/ for ideas about other things to do.A few restaurant suggestions:Cafe du Monde is in the French Quarter and you shouldn t miss having cafe au lait beignets (www.cafedumonde.com). Another great coffee shop is the Croissant d Or (at 615 Ursulines Street), which is open from 7:00am to 2:00pm and has food in addition to pastry. The Palm Court restaurant is very nice, has moderate prices, and offers traditional live jazz starting at 8:00pm: 1204 Decatur Street, tel 504-525-0200 (reservations are important and they are not open every day). The Palm Court is closed from about July 25th to sometime in August each year.Maximo s Italian Grill has great food and atmosphere: 1117 Decatur Street in the French Quarter, (504) 586-8883.All of the famous restaurants (Antoine s, Arnaud s, Brennan s, Commander s Palace, etc.) have reopened. The Pelican Club (on Exchange Alley in the FQ) is not as well known but is the same type experience. Reservations are a good idea, and probably essential on weekends. Tujaques Restaurant (823 Decatur Street) is very traditional and has moderate prices: www.tujaguesrestaurant.comCafe Degas is a very French restaurant near City Park at 3127 Esplanade - which is not within walking distance of downtown (5 to 10 minutes by taxi). They are closed on Mondays Tuesdays (504-945-5635).The Napoleon House restaurant is at 500 Chartres Street in the FQ, and has a menu of great local dishes: www.napoleonhouse.comThe weekly newspaper ��Gambit�� has a dining guide: http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/More restaurant suggestions: http://www.10best.com/New_Orleans,LA/Res��--------------------------------------��Things for adults to do in New Orleans:There is always music, but the bands change: Go to www.bestofneworleans.com and click on Music then Listings or to www.offbeat.com and click on Listings, then Music. Note that music clubs often advertise No Cover , meaning there is no charge for entering. However, clubs with No Cover often require that customers buy a beverage each for every set of music (which can be every 20 minutes) so KNOW THE PRICE before you sit down. Clubs do that because some people will sit in the club all evening drinking nothing (clubs only make money from the drinks they sell - not from the music). It is also a good idea to pay for each round of drinks (in clubs on Bourbon Street) as it is delivered so there can t be any confusion at the end of the evening.An incomplete guide to bars clubs: www.neworleanscheapdrinks.comhttp://www.10best.com/New_Orleans,LA/Nig��About certain alcoholic beverages: Realize that some famous drinks are VERY potent compared with regular cocktails that have only 1 to 1 ? ounces of alcohol. For example, a Hurricane is basically 3 or 4 ounces of rum in something like red Kool-Aid, and a Hand Grenade has at least 4 ? ounces of Everclear + rum + vodka mixed with melon liquor. They don��t necessarily taste like an alcoholic beverage and it is easy to over-indulge.Harrah��s Casino is in the Central Business District: www.harrahs.com (age 21 required for entry)I hope you have a great time!
You must visit the Aquarium Of The Americas, located at 1 Canal StreetNew Orleans, LA 70130. This is the best aquarium I have ever seen!!! My family visits it every time we go to New Orleans.Also visit the Jackson Square Cathedral... it s beautiful, inside and out!The cemeteries are interesting too.And of course.... the food! Try the po boys, gumbo, and etouffee. Also get some beignets from Cafe Du Monde.
Miracle on Fulton and see the lights in city parkhttp://blog.nola.com/updates/2008/11/mir��Go to a revillion dinner: The revillion dinners are a new orleans tradition.. With a revillion you can get 3 course 4 course meal for about 35 bucks. It all depends on what restaurant you chose.There is a decent amount of restaurants OPEN on Christmas Eve and Christmas day Use the website for a list.. One restaurant that is open that is not on this list is Olivers in the Quarter... La Cote Brasserie is my favorite on that list http://www.nomenu.com/christmas/index.ht��My favorite restaurant not on that list that is open on christmas is Cafe Adelaide!There is alot going on during Christmas holidays you can see a Chef Demonstrations at Le Petit Theater, bonfires, teas, caroling, tours, brunches, concerts, etc. This Website will help you find something to do! Have fun and have a Good Holiday!http://www.neworleansonline.com/christma��Drink!Pat O s, Lafittes Blacksmith shop, Columns Hotel Bar( Not in Quarter But has awesome big porch on st. charles avenue), Absinthe House, , Bombay clubFavorite FQ BAR- Lafittes and Pat o s, Carousel BarRestaurantsBrennans, ( Best Brunch) Awesome redfish and turtle soupJaquimos( Best Alligator Cheesecake and blackened red fish),Rio MarCoopsNapolean House- Famous for the Pimms Cup DrinkCommanders Palace(MY FAV)Muriels(Turtle Soup, Goat Cheese Crepes, and Pecan crusted drum),Clover GrillCoffee Pot (FAVORITE RED BEANS and breakfast),Upperline, Yummy turtle soup and fishLiletteGumbo Shop,Napolean House( FAV. LUNCH SPOT),One on Hampson( BEST DUCK GUMBO)BrennansCrepe Nanou (Grilled Amberjack with Bearnaise awesome)Tommys RestaurantBrigtsens( Everything is AWESOME),Yo mama bar and grill( BEST HAMBURGERS)Palace Cafe( BEST PECAN CRUSTED FISH AND BLUE CRAB LEGS),Domileses(awesome poboys, FRIED SHRIMP and Roast Beef are my fav!),Cochon( BEst cochon du lait)Favorite coffee- Cafe du mondeFavorite dessert- CommandersJackson Square, St Louis Cathedral, Cafe Du Monde, Rvierboat(don t eat there the food is terrible) Zoo, Aquarium, Historic New Orleans Collection, Royal St. Antiques, Magazine Street Shopping, Airboat Swamp tour, Mardi Gras World, Ride the Streetcar,Museum- Historic New Orleans Collection, Ogden, Dday, the cabildo, Pharmacy, Confederate Museum, US Mint...Music- Frenchman st!!(snug Harbour, DBA, Spotted Cat) Check out what is playing at tipitinas, HOB, Howlin Wolf. Tipitinas has cajun dancing every sunday night. Go to Preservation Hall.Haunted Places; Le Petit Theater, The Pontalba, Pirates Alley, The Lalaurie House, St. Louis Cathedral and Lafittes Blacksmith shop, The Pharmacy are a few.
My son and I are going there too. In fact , the same days you are too. We are going to take the cemetery tours and take a tour of a plantation. Its not too easy to find a restaurant open on Xmas day but, we found one. It is expensive though. I heard the casino restaurants will be open too.