Going to New Orleans after Christmas, any suggestions?

[zabuni]

Myself, along with an aunt, my mother, and my sister, and a cousin, are heading to New Orleans after Christmas, for vacation. Has anyone been there, and could recommend things for a couple of 20m something males to do? I really don't want to spend the time going antiquing with the rest of my family, and at the very least would like to go to some good cheap resturantes.

[Jim Preston]

Uhh...before, after, or during the Sugar Bowl? LSU is playing, so expect TONS of people from Baton Rouge down to get drunk and vomit purple and gold along Bourbon and Royal streets. If you're going during the Sugar Bowl, stay the hell away from the Quarter unless you really, really like big crowds.

If you're going before the big game, Jackson Square (just off the quarter) can be nice in a Christmas-y sort of way, and you can make your way down with your women folk to the flea market down towards elysian fields. A few years ago that would actually have some interesting crap down there, and not just clothes and candle holders and other junk women seem to pick over.

There are plenty of good little restaurants, but it depends on how adventurous you are, and how willing you are to stray from the city center. The garden district has some nice little bistros and cafes and whatnot, and there are always good cheap eats near Loyola and Tulane, along with cool record and bookstores, if you're into that sort of thing. You can take the St. Charles streetcar there, and wander around or take it down to Canal for all the big touristy stuff.

Sorry to be so vague, but I haven't been back to N.O. in a few years and I'm hesitant to recommend old haunts for fear that they have been packaged into yet another "New Orleans in a bag" experience (i.e. the Napoleon House where Tennesse Williams used to drink and write).

[zabuni]

Should be well before the game, thank goodness. Never liked large amounts of drunk people, I get enough of them at college.

Thanks for the advice. I've always been a wander around type of person, so a good general direction is usually good enough.

[DennyA]

Normally I recommend Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens, but that's large amounts of drunk people...

However, what usually follows that is still recommendable: Go to the waterfront and Cafe Dumond for coffee and beignets. Great waterfront view, super french donuts, and there's often a guy there with two awesome huge telescopes. Fun stuff.

[Bill Dungsroman]

Don't ask anyone, "How 'bout that kicker?"

[Jim Preston]

Normally I recommend Hurricanes at Pat O'Briens, but that's large amounts of drunk people...

However, what usually follows that is still recommendable: Go to the waterfront and Cafe Dumond for coffee and beignets. Great waterfront view, super french donuts, and there's often a guy there with two awesome huge telescopes. Fun stuff.

Just to be a jerk, it's Cafe du Monde, you can't actually see the water while you're sitting there, and it is usually packed with tourists. :lol: However, DennyA is right, you should check it out. Most natives do not go there when it is crowded (weekends, especially Sunday mornings), but it is open 24 hours and is the place to go for the late night munchies and to just hang around all the other colorful people. Many times late at night it is taken over by groups of teenagers who want to seem grown up by sipping coffee with chicory and eating beignets while talking loudly about Camus, art noise bands, politcs, etc. At least, it was like that when I was in high school...

[DennyA]

Just to be a jerk, it's Cafe du Monde, you can't actually see the water while you're sitting there, and it is usually packed with tourists. :lol: .

In my defense:

1) Drunk college students -- even journalism majors -- aren't really that concerned about spelling. :)

2) Okay, but it's right next to the riverwalk. Get coffee, beignet, and walk. :-)