Advice needed for visit with elderely

This will be my first trip to New Orleans. I%26#39;m visiting in late June for 3 nights with my parents and my father is just recovering from bypass surgery. They both can walk fine but I need help planning a laid back and ';easy'; first timer itinerary for us. I know it will be hot and humid so we will take it slow and we don%26#39;t mind using cabs when necessary. We will be staying at Harrah%26#39;s since parents like to gamble and we have a free room. I%26#39;m thinking lot%26#39;s of things like a carriage tour, boat ride, streetcar rides etc. to limit the walking. Any suggestions for an itinerary would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Advice needed for visit with elderely

I%26#39;d suggest also a swamp tour as they provide hotel pickup and dropoff and we prefer the Honey Island Swamp tour. www.toursbyisabelle.com also have comfortable vans with large windows and air conditioning for tours of the city/Katrina etc.

Keep in mind house tours would include steps or tours of the plantations have long walks from the parking lots to the house and stairs.

Advice needed for visit with elderely

Ride the St. Charles Streetcar to the end, then return to Washington and have lunch at Commander%26#39;s Palace. If they want to see a cemetery, go right across the street from Commander%26#39;s. They won%26#39;t have to walk far at all, and it is small.

Also take the streetcar to City Park for a ride through a different neighborhood and a view of the park. There is a sculpture garden, benches all around and a great Art Museum. Be sure to read the signs at the top of the car so that you get on the correct one...or ask the driver.

Thanks for the suggestions. This is a good start.

You didn%26#39;t mention your father%26#39;s age or whether he%26#39;s a veteran, but the National D-Day Museum may be of interest to him (and you).

http://www.ddaymuseum.org/

My mom and step dad came for my wedding, and the things they enjoyed were

1) D D museum-Step dad loved it, and mom liked it. It was very cool inside, and plenty to see.

2) They loved the beignets at Cafe Du Monde and being able to enjoy havind dinner at the RedFish Grill with us.

3)We walked up Bourbon and had hurricanes at Pat O%26#39; Briens courtyard in the evening. They had a blast and mom loved it.

The thing was, they did alot more than my family thought they%26#39;d be able to do...at the time they were 81 and 76...this was last June. My mom passed away this April, and one of the last pictures I have of her smiling was walking up Bourbon Street after catching some beads someone had tossed from a Balcony.

I hope you and your parents have a blast! It sounds like you have a great time planned!

Thanks for all the good suggestions.

Have a great trip. Our two favorite places to visit every year are New Orleans and Cape May. Both are like stepping back in time.

HI Mrobert!

to echo the p.p%26#39;s a nice cold iced tea (or whatever you choose) and a ride on the streetcar is a great way to get around without having to walk too much.

As far as a carriage tour is concerned, my favorite tour guide, Bloody Mary%26#39;s husband is now doing carriage rides, you can reach her through www.bloodymarystours.com to set one up. He%26#39;ll give you a little bit of background on the haunted history of new orleans.

I also really enjoyed the WW2 Museum, and benefitted from calling ahead to find out when the guied tour started. Our docent for the tour was a veteran himself and he led us through the European side of the museum with expertise and charisma. There were several older gentleman (who we found out along the way were also veterans) who used both walkers and wheelchairs and got along fine. There are plenty of places to stop and rest along the way.

For evenings, there is plenty of entertainment that you don%26#39;t need to be standing/walking too much for. %26#39;Big Al Carson%26#39; who preforms at the %26#39;Funky Pirate%26#39; is a family favorite of mine. He%26#39;s both talented and entertaining with his flirtatious banter

have a great time!

-kel

Took my 89 year old mother to NOLA in December. One of our favorite things was Mardi Gras World. Take the free ferry across the river (%26amp; the

landing is literally across the street from Harrah%26#39;s) %26amp; a shuttle picks you up %26amp; takes you to the place.

http://www.mardigrasworld.com/

Any of the 3 streetcar lines from start to finish give an interesting tour - each a bit different. by the 3 day visitor pass to make decent use of the transit system. Again a stop is literally right outside Harrah%26#39;s. The Riverfront line is the shortest %26amp; ends on Esplanade for a short walk to tons of great food (although that can be said anywhere in NOLA!) The drivers of both the buses %26amp; streetcars are VERY encouraging %26amp; patient with seniors %26amp; handicap.

http://www.norta.com/

Other than a cab from the airport to Harrah%26#39;s the streetcars %26amp; buses will comfortably get you where you need to go. Avoid during the height of rush hour and you%26#39;ll have no problems getting around.

We stayed about a block from where you will be staying (http://hotel-deleauvive.com/index.php) so I know the area well.

The D-Day Musuem is well worth touring, and I%26#39;d allow much longer than the site suggests. I think we spent close to 4 hours listening to all the audio %26amp; watching all the short videos.

Also enjoyed the zoo %26amp; aquarium, but it may be a bit too hot for the zoo for you guys:

http://www.auduboninstitute.org/index.html

Another Hotel Help Victim

Need your help. I have been reading the reviews to help in selecting a hotel. I have never been to NO and I am meeting the hubby for a nice long weekend getaway at the end of his business trip.

I get to pick the hotel.

We are in our mid 40%26#39;s and want to be within walking distance to Garden District, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street. Walking is not an issue. Proximity to alcohol is desired. Quite sleep time is required. Basically a chill/party-crowd-depending-on-our-mood-finally-the-last-one-graduated-from-college getaway type extended weekend. And a pool w/bar would be super. Balcony too.

I checked out the forum suggestions--The Place, Hotel St. Marie, Prince Conti to name a few--but I was wondering if anyone can suggest boutique hotels or something with a contemporary flair? 523 Loft (something like that--is not an option.) Same price range as those listed above.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Maybe I am looking in the wrong area of NO?

Another Hotel Help Victim

well...there%26#39;s so many areas you want to be near to. all are accessible to one another by street car, but the garden district is a loooooong walk to the FQ.

if you%26#39;d be willing to give up the balcony I%26#39;d suggest the Renaissance Arts on Tchoupitoulas in the warehouse district. Its a short walk to the FQ and not a terrible walk into the garden district either. It%26#39;s got a rooftop pool (no bar up there, but you can bring your own cocktails up there) and some really nice bars/restaurants in the area as well. Take a look at it, housed in an old warehouse and teeming with local art, it doesn%26#39;t have the %26#39;feel%26#39; of a standard chain hotel. really. prices are also quite attractive there as well.

Of course, the W (two locations, New Orleans and french Quarter) gives you more of a contemporary feel.

have a blast!

-kel

Another Hotel Help Victim

There%26#39;s not much contemporary in the French Quarter, since this is the oldest part of the city, so most hotels have an old-world ambience, aside from the W as mentioned above.

I%26#39;d recommend staying within the Warehouse District, as it%26#39;s the more contemporary and ';hipster'; part of town. Plus, it%26#39;s only blocks away from the French Quarter. For that price range, check out the Wyndham Riverfront or International House Hotel - not exactly contemporary but more ';modern'; than some of the other FQ hotels.

My pick will always be Sheraton hotel on Canal St. It%26#39;s a nice hotel, maybe not as nice as other Sheraton%26#39;s I%26#39;ve been to, but still good and location can not be beat.

It%26#39;s across the street from French Quarter, and next to the street car line (St.Charles) that takes you into the Garden District. If you want to be equidistant to both FQ and GD, you%26#39;d have to pick a hotel in the middle of Central Business District, which may not be the best place to walk at night, should you stay out on Bourbon Street past 2:00AM.

P.S. Think carefully about staying in a hotel in French Quarter, depending on location, you may NEVER get any sleep, due to street noise.

Strangebrew..please ignore the last posters PS..even in hotels right on Bourbon Street you can get inner rooms and not have a noise problem and anything off of Bourbon Street there is no noise problem. You might get noise from other guests going to their rooms but thats it. I%26#39;ve stayed in over 20 properties in the French Quarter and highly reccommend staying there.

Sorry but WunderlustKing is incorrect. Unless you stay right on Bourbon street most hotels in the French Quarter are very quiet. Not all hotels are like the Inn on Bourbon, right in the middle of all the action. Staying in the Quarter is like stepping back in time, it%26#39;s an amazing feeling.

Well, I suppose you guys feel that ';think carefully'; and ';don%26#39;t do it'; means the same thing. There%26#39;s a reason it was worded the way it was.

Also, I was there at the end of March when a huge underground transformer exploded around Chartres and Iberville streets and half of FQ was left without power all of Friday night and until late Saturday night. I walked by and asked the electricians working by the hole about why it exploded - they gave me that look and said something about the electrical system being installed prior to Louisiana purchase. Either way, I was glad I wasn%26#39;t one of those people dressed in a bath robe dragging my luggage across Canal Street.

I have stayed at many hotels in the French Quarter, some on Bourbon Street, and have never had a problem with noise interrupting our sleeping. However, on a trip where we stayed on Frenchmen Street, our suite was directly above a music club...now that night I didn%26#39;t get much sleep!

http://hotel-deleauvive.com/index.php

This hotel has both an ';old'; %26amp; a ';contemporary'; side. The main building is full of charm %26amp; quirks. The Casino Annex building was completely rebuilt after a fire - so it%26#39;s rooms are very contemporary. The pool is a refreshing pool (translate: it%26#39;s about 8 x 7 by 3%26#39; deep) but you can bring your beverages (no bar there but liquor store about 1.5 blocks away on Canal).

Easy to walk to the Qtr, easy to catch buses %26amp; streetcars nearby, the Aquarium %26amp; Riverwalk is also a quick walk away. And if you%26#39;re into Casinos, so is Harrah%26#39;s.

Have fun it%26#39;s a great town!

Thanks for all the advice so far! I plan on doing some research on the suggested hotels later this evening. I am sure we will have a blast. I just wanted some great advice. We can enjoy ourselves anywhere. It%26#39;s all about the attitude!! This is so exciting!!!

Loved the new Mid-City Rock and Bowl!

Just returned from my first time to JazzFest (loved it), and one of the highlights was going to the new location for Mid City Rock and Bowl. What an amazing job John has done! A little bit bigger dance floor, bowling lanes still right near the action. Great, great sound system for the live music and a nice big circular bar for when it gets crowded. Keep this place in mind if you%26#39;re heading to NOLA and want to see some of the best bands in the state!!!! Also go to the website for calander and the new address.....on two trips there this week the cabs all seemed to know about the move.

Loved the new Mid-City Rock and Bowl!

I read the local articles and saw the pictures of the new Rock and Bowl location. It looks really nice. I applaud John and wish him the best of luck in his new place. I loved the original, (and am sad that we won%26#39;t be there again), but can certainly understand the need to get out of the old building. Although where else have you been to a bowling alley on the second floor?

Did you notice if he moved all the cracked, thirty year old balls with the chunks out of them and the wonky finger holes to the new place, or are brand spanking new balls included in the move? ;D

I can%26#39;t imagine rolling a new ball on new lanes instead of the clunker balls on grooved, old, stained wood lanes. It just won%26#39;t be the same. Scores are sure to skyrocket from the old place.

Nothing more fun than taking a time out from dancing down in the pits, then rolling a ball down the lane, seeing the ball hit the pins, and not being able to hear the impact nor the pins drop %26#39;cause Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, or Rosie, or Sonny, or Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, or __________ are tearin%26#39; it up behind you.

Loved the new Mid-City Rock and Bowl!

The new Rock N Bowl is quite nice, but I do miss the divey feel of the old place. Lots of good memories, birthday parties, and the like...

I always blamed my poor bowling scores on the wonky balls at Mid-City Lanes! Surely it couldn%26#39;t be that I%26#39;m just not a great bowler. LOL.

I can%26#39;t wait to try the new place.

Looking for B&B w/ a swimming pool

We%26#39;re coming back in July (CANNOT WAIT!!!) and would like to stay at a B%26amp;B in the Garden District, Uptown, French Quarter that has a pool. Are there any? Just a wild guess, but I%26#39;m thinking it%26#39;ll be warm enough in July to lay by the pool!

Looking for B%26amp;B w/ a swimming pool

Does it have to be a B%26amp;B? I know two larger hotels on Canal St. (Next to FQ) that have swimming pools, but even those pools are small.

Looking for B%26amp;B w/ a swimming pool

H.H. Whitney House has a pool. So does Lion%26#39;s Inn in the Marigny. I had to ';phone a friend'; just to find out that information! I don%26#39;t believe most others do.

Here are a few. You should be aware that the Green House Inn is clothing optional in the pool and patio areas.

http://www.hhwhitneyhouse.com/

http://www.lionsinn.com/

http://www.thegreenhouseinn.com/home2.html

Here%26#39;s a good resource for you. I forgot to include this link in my last post. All members of this association are licensed.

http://www.bbnola.com/

Thank you all so much for your help!!

The House on Bayou Road also has a pool, but they are in the Esplanade Ridge area.

Lunch near Convention Center

Would love advice on restaurants for lunch near the Convention Center in NOLA. Thank you for sharing!

Lunch near Convention Center

Rio Mar is right by the convention center and has great ceviche and other Spanish style seafood.

Lunch near Convention Center

Rio Mar was going to be my first suggestion, too. There%26#39;s also Emeril%26#39;s, La Cote Brasserie, Cochon and a few dozen smaller places within 2-3 blocks of the Morial Center.

Cochon Butcher (around the corner from Cochon)has awesome sandwiches and a few hot items. They have a small seating area. And there%26#39;s a wine bar too!

I love Cafe Adelaide in the Loews Hotel. It%26#39;s the sister restaurant to Commander%26#39;s Palace, so you know it%26#39;s good!

Another vote for RioMar and their lunch tapas! If you%26#39;re going on Friday, then I like Rock N Sake, since their sushi has some great New Orleans inspired selections. For seafood, get the chargrilled oysters at Drago%26#39;s in the Hilton Riverside.

Ugly Dog Saloon

lips

Dauphine Orleans or Place D'Armes

Okay - which is the preferred hotel between Dauphine Orleans and Place D%26#39;Armes if staying in the French Quarter? We%26#39;d like to be somewhat close to Bourbon Street, but would like to be within reasonable walking distance to everything else as well. Also, is one hotel nicer than the other?

Dauphine Orleans or Place D'Armes

I would go with the Place d%26#39;Armes. Both hotels are similar in terms of quality and service, but the Place d%26#39;Armes has a more central location and is a favorite of this forum.

Girls trip Apr. 30th - May 3rd

Well, we%26#39;re back and, as predicted, my bff%26#39;s and I had a great time at Jazz Fest. This isn%26#39;t your typical trip report in that I%26#39;m mostly remembering the silly stuff we did as a group more than covering the places we were. It%26#39;s been five days since getting home and my head%26#39;s still a little fuzzy, so excuse that!

We were eight women traveling from Ohio. We had been talking about going to JF since Katrina and actually booked the trip six months ago, giving us plenty of time to build ourselves up for the fun we knew we would have. (Thanks to all of you!) One of us used to live in NOLA, so this trip is long over due. This is our eighth girls trip and on every one we laugh until we cry. We are from 35 - 55 years old. Big partyers, no drama, no stupid crap, no drunk left behind.

Because of the time change, we landed around 9:30 a.m. Our initial reaction to the city (once we got to downtown. The ride from the airport reminded me of any town in Florida) was ';This is a beautiful city';. I was unprepared for the beauty of it. We stayed at the Astor Crowne Plaza at the corner of Canal and Bourbon. There are a lot of reviews of this hotel on this website, but I will briefly give you my impressions. It was 10:30 am when we walked in and were immediately greeted by the bell captain John, who introduced himself, became immediately engaged with us and showed us a picture or his six year old, ';Big John';. A truly beautiful person. We expected to check our bags with him and were surprised when our rooms were available.

Our rooms were spacious, clean, quiet,(10th floor) and the price had actually gone down from when we booked it. Remember to book through the hotel and the flexible room rate, so that if it goes down you get a cheaper rate, if you check the website and ask. We actually switched from a suite when the price of a regular room went from $249 to $161. The $450 suite rate didn%26#39;t change. Location here is the best if you%26#39;re there to party on Bourbon St.

One thing we learned quickly about NOLA is that the drinks are a little stronger there. We found the daquiri bar Jesters, about a block away really quickly after checking in. They give you free shots if you get a drink, and there was a sweet bartender there who remembered us immediately after our first trip and throughout our probably 12 stops at THAT bar. They put 191 in some of the drinks, so it doesn%26#39;t take long to get real happy.

O.K., so we%26#39;re not pacing ourselves at this really early point. We%26#39;re in NEW F______ Orleans! Yee Haw!

Rookie Mistake. By noon a guy had flagged us down in front of the Bourbon St. blues co. and had us onstage singing, shaking our butts, and generally making it quite the show already. In our defense, he was really cute, and good at his job (making forty somes feel like twenty somes) This ended up being ';our bar'; for the weekend. If you were there last weekend, I%26#39;m pretty sure you remember at least one of us. We found out that in the evening, this is a good spot to hang out on the balcony upstairs.

This was the scene our entire first day. In fact we didn%26#39;t even make it all the way down Bourbon St. as we were having so much fun. We did have dinner in a beautiful courtyard somewhere. Crawfish cakes, best I recall, though the food wasn%26#39;t the best as I recall. Definately, the first day wasn%26#39;t about the food!

We managed to stay up and out till after 12:30. I know this early by NolA standards, but would prove to be the latest we were out, after having spent our reserve alcohol funds and energy the first day there.

The weather was warm and mostly sunny. So were we. I think I%26#39;ll break this review up as it%26#39;s getting long.

Girls trip Apr. 30th - May 3rd

Thanks for your report! Looks like you had a blast! Looking forward to reading the rest!