1. How to get there, when to go: I subscribed to Alaska Airlines and Southwest via email to get deals. We flew round trip with Alaska Air for under $500, for both of us. I'm all about cheap flights. When to go? It's like Disneyland, avoid the busy tourist times if you want free run of the place; weekdays when there aren't any major festivals going on. The weekends are like a little bit of Mardis Gras. Do one weekend night and call it good unless you're into getting tanked, dodging drunk folks and getting beads hurled at you. Also, the weather is awesome during the spring, no hurricanes, and no hot/muggy misery.
2. Hotel: We stayed near the Slidell area at a neat old hotel. We had a rental car, we were only 10 minutes away from the French Quarter, and I am happy with that choice. We had free parking, slept well and felt safe. Some people stay downtown, but the parking and partying in that area tends to be a little outrageous. When I hit the sheets at sometime in the wee early morning hours, I want to sleep, not listen to people hooting and hollering. Just my preference. :-)
3. Side/Road Trips: We drove out along "Plantation Row" and saw three gorgeous plantations/mansions in one day. Our favorite, by far, was Houmas House. Second fave was Nottaway, the white room...oh, so beautiful. Our third fave was San Francisco. I wanted to go to Laura, but we didn't have time, it focuses more on the slave quarters, I recommend hitting that and leaving San Fran out if you do a day trip to see plantations.
We also took off the other way on a different day and went through Biloxi, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola Beach, Florida. SO WORTH IT!!! It was so much fun seeing more of the Gulf Coast, it only takes 3 hours to drive straight through to Pensacola, so there's plenty of time to stop, play and eat. We rented bicycles in Florida, rode along the beach, had a pleasant drive to and from. Pure. Awesomeness.
4. Swamps. Honey Island was beautiful, and we saw tons of wildlife and cool fauna. I researched swamp tours before leaving and everyone said this one was the best, they were right! We saw a 9ft gator, a big ol' hairy wild boar, towering mossy cypress trees, and real bayou homes that are "boat in" only!
5. Best Bars/Live Music. Bourbon street was fun, everyone should see it once with all it's drunken, people-watching wonder. My husband physically got drug into a, um...topless bar by a very large man of color, we rolled with it, beer was super expensive in there. You WILL likely get man-handled, greeted by every other drunk person, and forcibly beaded on Bourbon street at night, so be prepared! If you want some good ol' live Jazz and a fun atmosphere, opt for Frenchman street. The Spotted Cat was my favorite (dive) bar, the soul and the music, I could've stayed there the entire trip. I bought a CD, I wish I lived closer.
6. The sights: Overall, Jackson Square/French Quarter is the hub, spend lots of time there! I loved the Presbytery and Cabildo, they are inexpensive, informative museums. The architecture and style of the French Quarter is so unique, it is like an old European village somewhere between France and Spain, it is magnificent.
Most beautiful church: St. Louis Cathedral. If you know me well, you know I have a passion for churches. This was the 3rd or 4th most beautiful church I have seen.
Coolest cemetery: Lafayette #1 (you HAVE to go on a guided trip to see their interesting above ground crypts and hear the stories behind why they inter the way they do! Do a guided tour because there are muggings in cemeteries.)
Best Bicycle Tour: Buzz Nola, "Complete Crescent Tour". I researched tours extensively, this one was was the best for us! We saw a little of everything in town including the Treme, Marigny, Fabourg districts, a cemetery, along with two parks.
Best Walking tour: Free Walking tours by foot, Garden District. Our guide was full of history, the houses were beautiful! I tipped her $40. :-)
7. The food. Oh my word, I ate the best food I have ever eaten within the contiguous US there. We tried gumbo, Po' Boys, jumbalaya, muffalettas, charbroiled oysters, beignets, gator, grits...you should try every cajun/creole dish you can!
Our favorite breakfast: Envie Espresso, the Breakfast 'n a go cup!
Our favorite lunch: Parkway Bakery and Tavern, fried pickles and oyster Po' Boy (fully dressed).
Our favorite dinner: Acme Oyster House, charbroiled oysters, roast beef po' boy (okay, get every po' boy you order "fully dressed!").
Best Begneits goes to "New Orleans Famous Begneits and Coffee". We tried four different places, all were different recipes and all were delicious!
Best Gumbo, Houmas House cafe, it was like Heaven in a bowl.
8. My final note...Safety and the citizens. I was really concerned about getting mugged/accosted/murdered....okay, that's a bit extreme, but you get the idea. NOLA is the 30th most dangerous city in the world. Honestly, though? I didn't get approached one time, not once was I asked for a dollar, and I never felt remotely unsafe. But, we stayed in people-ridden areas, we stayed out of cemeteries unless we had a tour guide and I left my expensive SLR camera and purse at home. Be smart, stay/park where there's people and you'll be fine. If someone hollers, "Who Dat!", holler back, "Who Der??" And be sure to SMILE at folks, the people of color, especially the young kids and older folks seemed to love me, they talked to me, called me "baby" and "honey" in the sweetest manner, I loved the people in this city!! They are a predominately African-American, impoverished and hard working bunch of folks. Katrina hit these people HARD, many have lost everything, chose to stay, rebuilt and continue on loving NOLA. Tip them well!! The devastation they have endured is incredible, and whats even more incredible is that they choose to be happy through it all. Let their love of life rub off on you!
