As for Mardi the final weekend until tuesday is the largest of the parades but each weekend for weeks prior there are events and parades.

Mardi Gras
January 6 – February 24, 2009
The official beginning of the Mardi Gras season is Jan 6, which is called Twelfth Night (12 days after Christmas). On that cold night, a krewe called Phunny Phorty Phellows has their drunken streetcar parade down St. Charles Ave. Most of the big parades start two Fridays before Mardi Gras Day. From this point on, parades will happen everyday until Fat Tuesday.

Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival are world famous events, but New Orleans hosts many festivals and celebrations throughout the year:

There are many sightseeing opportunities in the greater New Orleans area, including carriage rides/tours, plantation tours, swamp tours, ghost tours, and even Katrina disaster tours. The steamboat Natchez also does a harbor tour. There are numerous tour companies and your hotel can help with the arrangements. Try to avoid scheduling an outdoor tour until you know the weather forecast for the day in question.

The 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:

Preservation Hall has traditional live Jazz, and doesn’t serve alcohol so all ages are welcome:

There is always music, but the bands change: Go to and click on Music then Listings or to 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.

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 and click on Historic Attractions). The first 5 blocks of Bourbon Street (starting at its intersection with Canal Street) are where almost all fo the strip clubs are located. The clubs have outside advertisng that is R-rated and pushes being X-rated. The rest of the FQ is fine, but I wouldn’t recommend taking kids to the first 5 blocks of Bourbon Street.

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.)

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 615 Ursulines Street), which is open from 7:00am to 2:00pm and has food in addition to pastry (usually closed from late July to sometime in August).

The Palm Court restaurant is very nice, has moderate prices, and 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 about September 25th 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:

Cafe 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:

New Orleans has ballet, opera, a symphony orchestra, and theatre (seasonal):

There 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:

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: 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 for info on more museums.

New Orleans City Park has a variety of attractions, including an amusement park with rides and attractions for children plus free parking: (www.neworleanscitypark.com).

Check for ideas about other things to do. The website also has an interacitve map.

Hope you have a great time!

There are plenty of drunks on Bourbon Street almost any night and many of them (99.9 percent tourists) are wearing beads.

Other good times to visit and party in N.O. are during the French Quarter Festival and Jazz Fest (both in the spring.) Just google French Quarter Festival or New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for information on either.

While here, be sure to venture out beyond the Quarter. N.O. is an amazing city with lots to offer.

We look forward to your visit! Have fun!