Actually, if you plan on staying in a hotel if you come down, then look in the lobby. There is always a rack with pamphlets for all kinds of things including Ghost Tours, Swamp Tours (which you may have to go a little out of town for, but not very far), and all kinds of things. Also there s the aquarium, zoo, IMAX, not to mention some great shopping in uptown on Magazine St. I recommend stopping at Sucre (dessert and confections shop). Good stuff, lol.Oh, and there are the cemetery tours. They have these for the Lafayette cemetery where Voodoo queen Marie Levou is buried. I think the reason for these is because a lot of people freak out when they see our cemeteries because most of our dead are above ground (due to flooding). Its really cool if its not something you re used to seeing (or so I m told).
History Heritage Get information on the people places that helped make New Orleans the city it is today. Restaurants Cuisine View our restaurant guide, try one of our authentic New Orleans recipes, learn about our famous chefs, and more. MusicJazz, zydeco, blues, Cajun funk. Find out where to hear great music 365 days a year. FestivalsJoin us for the celebrations that take place throughout the year in the Crescent City. Museums The Arts Take a walk through history and visit the museums homes that chronicle our past. Attractions Museums, theaters, plantations, and parks �C you��ll find a unique and exciting experience around every corner. ToursWe ve got tours for everyone from the French Quarter historic homes to voodoo swamps. ShoppingAntiques, cool art, vintage clothing, one of a kind jewelry. We ve got it all in the bag. Nightlife and Harrah sThe party doesn t end in the Big Easy. Get info on the city s most exciting hot spots. ArchitectureWhat s the difference between a creole cottage and a camelback? Find the answer to this and more. Sports and RecreationPro football basketball, golfing, fishing, AAA baseball, horse racing and more. French Quarter From the elegant hotels and restaurants to the fantastic music clubs, shopping and more��all are found here. Mardi GrasMake plans to attend the greatest free show on earth with dozens of parades, lots of beads and plenty of fun. Holiday Happenin sNo matter what the holiday may be, New Orleans has got something going on to help you get into the spirit. Romantic New OrleansA love affair with romantic New Orleans will be sure to sweep you and your loved one off your feet. FamilyNew Orleans isn t just for grown ups anymore. Discover a world of family fun. MulticulturalLearn about the people cultures that helped shape the New Orleans we know and love. GLBT New Orleans Check our travel deals, GLBT special events and nightlife tips for a unique New Orleans experience. VoluntourismWant to do some good will during your next vacation? Discover the satisfaction of using your time off to help others.
Not knowing your interests, here is a fairly long list of things to do in New Orleans:Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival are world famous events, but New Orleans hosts many festivals and celebrations throughout the year: www.nola.com/festivalsThere are many tours offered and examples are:www.graylineneworleans.comwww.hauntedhistorytours.comThe 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.comThere 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.comAbout 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.Wander 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).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.). http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/N��Magazine Street is a miles-long shopping district: www.magazinestreet.comLouisiana is the only US state that offers tax-free shopping for international visitors, but not all merchants participate in the program: http://www.louisianataxfree.com/ Purchases of art may be tax-exempt: http://www.crt.state.la.us/culturaldistr��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).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 617 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 mid-July 25th to sometime in August each year: http://www.palmcourtjazzcafe.com/Maximo s Italian Grill has great food and atmosphere: 1117 Decatur Street in the French Quarter, (504) 586-8883. www.maximosgrill.comAll 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). www.cafedegas.comThe Napoleon House restaurant is at 500 Chartres Street in the FQ, and has a menu of great local dishes: www.napoleonhouse.comPreservation 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, Audubon Zoo, and the new Insectarium 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 (http://www.nationalww2museum.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.Harrah��s Casino is in the Central Business District: www.harrahs.com (age 21 required for entry)New Orleans City Park has a variety of attractions + free parking. (www.neworleanscitypark.com).Check www.frenchquarter.com and http://www.nola.com/visitor/ for ideas about other things to do.Hope you have a great time!
Lots! There are all kinds of tours (I like Haunted History tours), French Market, artists at Jackson Square, great restaurants and bars, the free ferry to Algiers to see Mardi Gras World, the aquarium, the street car to the garden district to see amazing homes! It s an amazing place!
do some bar hopping on bourbon street!!