First Time in New Orleans

Description:

This French-market coffee stand, established in 1862, offers a menu of dark coffee and chicory, beignets, white or chocolate milk and freshly-squeezed orange juice. The cafe is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day (except Christmas Day) and is one of the most popular places in New Orleans for singles, couples and families. You may have to wait for a table during the busiest morning hours. While the coffee is certainly good, most people come for the famous, fresh-from-the-fryer beignets. They are brought to your table in such a hurry that they are still hot when you take that first melt-in-your-mouth bite.

Description:

Based on the journals of Laura Locoul (1861 - 1963) , a Creole woman and owner of Laura Plantation, this fascinating walking tour takes you through the streets of the French Quarter and into the homes and secret courtyards of Laura's prominent family. You'll see grand townhouses, cottages, and slave quarters while learning the history of New Orleans Creoles, Free people of Color, and slaves. The tour also takes you through the Pharmacy Museum and to St. Louis Cemetery Number One to see Laura's tomb.

Description:

Located in the heart of the French Quarter inside the Princess of Monaco Carriage House & Courtyard, Cafe Amelie offers a welcome refuge from the busy streets. As the former home of Alice Heine, the first American Princess of Monaco, the courtyard and carriage house provide an exquisite, romantic dining atmosphere. The kitchen uses only fresh, local ingredients for its small, but mighty menu which captures the flavor of the city with its southern Creole and Cajun cuisine. Try the New Orleans Pan Fried Crab Cakes with citrus drizzle or the Creole Lamb Chops. Dinner can get pricey, but you get what you pay for in service and ambiance. Patrons can also enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Our Local Expert Says:

One of the best things about Royal Street is that some blocks are closed to traffic and talented performers entertain you as you window shop. The Spanish and French architecture is beautiful, and Royal Street is the perfect place for a stroll – day or night.

Description:

Royal Street in the French Quarter is the perfect place to go for window shopping and a daytime stroll. On this beautiful and historic street, visitors will find art, antiques, specialty shops, and restaurants, as well as dozens of street performers. On any given day you might hear a jazz ensemble, bluegrass group, brass band, or just a boy and his guitar. Magicians, tap dancers, saxophone players, and men in head-to-toe metallic costumes are also common sights. The art galleries are breathtaking, and the street boasts some of the best restaurants in the city, such as Brennan's and The Court of Two Sisters. Other excellent Royal Street points of interest include Painted Alive Gallery, Cornstalk Bed and Breakfast, and the Carousel Bar, located inside Hotel Montelone.

Our Local Expert Says:

The street performers and fortune tellers in Jackson Square are great, but if a man asks you to make a bet about where you got your shoes, don’t fall for it! He’ll say “you got your shoes in Jackson Square in New Orleans, Louisiana!”

Description:

Jackson Square is a beautiful little park that sits in front of the commanding St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in America. Presiding over the park is a statue of Andrew Jackson on his horse, and surrounding the square are artists and street performers, as well as horse-drawn carriages waiting to take you on a tour of the Quarter. Have the fortune tellers look at your palm, or let a local artist draw your caricature. Of course, there are also museums, shops, and restaurants surrounding Jackson Square, including Muriel's, a five-star haunted restaurant where each day the wait-staff sets a table and pours wine for their resident ghost. "We don't know who drinks the wine," they say, "but every morning it's gone." In Jackson Square at night, you really can feel the presence of the ghosts of New Orleans past. During the Christmas Season, Jackson Square is the spot for nighttime caroling, and in the spring the park blooms with bright flowers.

Description:

This building, which dates back to 1798, was acquired by the Brennan family in 1943 and transformed into a stunning restaurant with 12 elegantly decorated dining rooms. A beautiful courtyard of magnolia trees and picturesque fountains create the perfect dining atmosphere. Begin breakfast with a Brandy Milk Punch, followed by any one of exquisite entrees, such as Eggs Hussarde, a Brennan's original. Dinner also offers a delightful assortment of delectable options. For dessert, try the famous Bananas Foster, another creation of Brennan's epicureans. Jackets are required for dinner, and reservations are recommended.

Our Local Expert Says:

Bourbon Street in the French Quarter is one of the best places for people watching. It bright, crazy, and loud – a party for all the senses. No matter when you go, you know there will be something happening on Bourbon Street!

Description:

It wouldn't be a trip to New Orleans without Bourbon Street! The party never stops on this crazy, colorful street that runs through the heart of the French Quarter. Any time of day or night, you can hear live music, dance in the streets, drink a daiquiri, or dangle Mardi Gras beads at passersby from one of the many balconies. Closer to Canal Street are the adult entertainment clubs, closer to Esplanade Avenue are the gay-friendly venues, and in between are blocks and blocks of bars, clubs, shops, and restaurants. Don't miss Pat O'Brien's famous four-shot rum Hurricane and their outdoor patio with the beautiful fiery fountain. Check out Fritzel's for great jazz, Razoo's for sweaty dancing, and the Cat's Meow for karaoke, as well as Jean Lafitte's, a dark and cozy bar located in the pirate's historic blacksmith shop. Go ahead and have a drink (it's five o'clock somewhere!) and saunter down Bourbon Street, the greatest adult playground in the country.

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There's always someone singing at The Cat's Meow! Located right on Bourbon Street, this is the largest Karaoke bar in New Orleans, and a lot of fun whether you're singing or watching. The staff keeps things lively on stage, and there are plenty of costumes and props to help you spice up your performance. Sing along or with a friend, and cheer on other singers. The club features a large dance floor surrounded by an elevated stage, several elevated bars, and a back patio. Upstairs on the balcony, take a break from the crowd and look out over Bourbon Street.

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The St. Louis Cathedral prides itself on being the oldest continuously active cathedral in the United States. What usually doesn't get mentioned is that it is also one of the ugliest. The outside is all right, but the rather grim interior wouldn't give even a minor European church a run for its money.

Still, its history is impressive and somewhat dramatic. The cathedral formed the center of the original settlement, and it is still the major landmark of the French Quarter. This is the third building to stand on this spot. A hurricane destroyed the first in 1722. On Good Friday 1788, the bells of its replacement were kept silent for religious reasons rather than ringing out the alarm for a fire -- which eventually went out of control and burned down more than 850 buildings, including the cathedral itself.

Rebuilt in 1794, the structure was remodeled and enlarged between 1845 and 1851 by J. N. B. de Pouilly. The brick used in its construction was taken from the original town cemetery and was covered with stucco to protect the mortar from dampness. And just when you think that's all, along comes Katrina. The roof leaked, ruining the $1-million organ, currently off getting rebuilt in Ohio...

Our Local Expert Says:

The t-shirts and other New Orleans souvenirs are cheaper at the French Market than at the other stores in the Quarter.

Description:

Running between Decatur Street and the Mississippi River, the French Market in New Orleans is the oldest city market in the U.S. Located on the same spot since 1791, the market now houses restaurants, shops, bars, and free live music (don't miss the praline samples at Aunt Sally's Praline Shop!). Near the end of the stretch is the farmer's market where visitors will find local produce as well as local delicacies such as alligator jerky, kettle corn, and an enormous collection of hot sauces. The final leg of the French Market is the open-air community flea market where merchants from all over the world sell art, crafts, jewelry, luggage, and much, much more. This is a great place to buy souvenirs, and don't be afraid to bargain!

Description:

Original dishes such as the Strawberry-Walnut Salad combined with the elegance of French doorways and high ceilings creates the inviting environment of Marigny Brasserie. The menus are seasonal, designed to exploit the local flavors of New Orleans while ensuring a variety dishes. After sampling from the broad wine list, be sure to try out the crawfish and ravioli.

Description:

This is the most intimate jazz venue in New Orleans. Combine the intimacy with an ever-changing line up of some of the best musicians in the world and you end up with an up-close and personal music experience that cannot be matched anywhere else in the city. On almost any night you are guaranteed to be witness to the forefront of contemporary jazz in the making. The small wood-paneled bar room holds several tables for dining where dim lighting and exposed wooden beams give off the feeling of being in a cabin in the woods. The performance hall boasts of 25-foot ceilings and several tables lined up in front of an elevated stage. Menu items include the Seafood Pasta (oysters, shrimp and crawfish with penne rigate pasta, sauteed in extra virgin cold pressed olive oil), the Crawfish Etouffe, and the freshly cut and grilled Filet Mignon.

Our Local Expert Says:

Frenchmen Street is unique and fun and not to be missed! Go to Frenchmen Street during the day to admire the Marigny architecture or go there at night to hear great live music. On Fridays around nine p.m. the fabulous N.O.madic belly-dancers perform upstairs at the Dragon’s Den.

Description:

The four blocks of Frenchmen Street between Esplanade and Elysian Fields are sort of like the Bourbon Street for locals. Just past the French Quarter, on the edge of the hip Marigny neighborhood, this is where the real music is being played! The little stretch is packed with intimate jazz and blues bars like The Apple Barrel and The Spotted Cat, and high-energy music clubs like d.b.a. and Blue Nile. Some of the most unique and eccentric people in New Orleans hang out on Frenchmen Street, and there's always something going on, especially late at night. You can dance salsa at Café Brazil, have a smoke at the upscale Hookah Café, or enjoy great music and a killer burger at Snug Harbor. And at the end of the night, when you're feeling like a snack, try a local favorite - totchos (tater-tot nachos) at Monaghan's 13.

Our Local Expert Says:

Down a dark, narrow brick passage and up a steep, winding staircase, you'll find the Dragon's Den, which feels somewhat like a cross between a Thai opium parlor and a 60s go-go bar. Catch experimental and unconventional performances here, or take a cocktail out on the tiny balcony and take in the view of the scene below on Esplanade. On Friday night check out the free NOmadic Belly Dancers' performance around 9pm.

Description:

This hippy den, with pillows on the floor for lounging, is transformed after dark into one of the funkiest jazz venues in the city. You never quite know what to expect in a place that functions as a bar, coffee house and performance venue, so take your chances... It could be, and usually is, quite fun!

Description:

It's been around long enough that its prefab yuppie patina has worn off, aging it into another excellent New Orleans bar. Better still, their live bookings are increasing in profile, with a wide variety of excellent local acts, including magnificent crooner John Boutte as a frequent performer. It helps that when they say an act goes on at 7pm, they usually do. Early shows are often free, but get to the later shows early if you want to see the band, because the stage is set fairly low and the talkers at the bar can be loud. The list of 160 beers (best selection in the city), wines, and other drinks is most impressive.

Description:

Right now, this is our favorite live-music venue in New Orleans, but that's because of our particular New Orleans aesthetic bent: We are partial to cramped rooms where the band plays without much (if any) amplification, and what they play is usually fresh takes on classic and big-band jazz. To be honest, the interior has been a bit neglected and is a little on the shabby side. Don't come here for faboo design, but rather for some of the most reliable live music on Frenchmen. You'll have to hang around a bit to grab those few seats by the window, and in the meantime endure some space-crowding from the enthusiastic jitter-buggers, but once you've settled down, you may not want to leave for a long while. Traditional and gypsy jazz is regularly featured in both early and late shows. On Fridays, you'll find us hanging around the doorway, listening to the New Orleans Jazz Vipers, not to mention other nights for Va-va-voom and more.

Description:

This cool-cat, swanky, cabaret-style theater in the Warehouse District (with tables and candles) features rotating performances of a variety of entertainment: jazz, cabaret shows (think Broadway tunes), musical revues, and plays. They usually, but not exclusively, feature local talent (Thurs-Sun). They also have live piano music in their Bar Noir Tuesday through Sunday from 6pm. Prices run $5 to $21, depending on the act featured, and reservations are suggested.

Description:

Starting at the edge of the French Quarter, the historic St. Charles Streetcar takes you up one of the most beautiful streets in New Orleans. St. Charles Avenue is shaded by live oak trees that still have Mardi Gras beads tangled in their branches, and this stately boulevard is the place to see enormous, breathtaking mansions built around the turn of the 20th century. There are plenty of restaurants and bars along the way, including Voodoo BBQ, Sushi Brothers, and Emeril's Del Monico. You can admire the architecture of the Columns Hotel, or stop there and have a mint julep on their sweeping southern front porch. The streetcar takes you past Audubon Park and Tulane and Loyola Universities. You can get off at the end of St. Charles Avenue and have a daiquiri at New Orleans Original Daiquiris, or keep riding up Carollton Avenue, another beautiful street, until you get to City Park!

Our Local Expert Says:

Taking a tour of Lafayette Cemetery is definitely worthwhile. There are a lot of fascinating things to learn about the cemetery and the burial customs of New Orleans.

Description:

Lafayette Cemetery in the Garden District is one of the oldest cemeteries in the country, and has been in operation since 1824. New Orleans residents quickly learned that because of the high water table and unpredictable flooding, coffins cannot be placed six feet underground; their dead must be buried in above-ground tombs. These rows of sarcophagus tombs are the reason New Orleans cemeteries are often referred to as "Cities of the Dead." Lafayette Cemetery may look strangely familiar - it has been used in several movies, including Interview with a Vampire. Author Anne Rice lives nearby and wrote about Lafayette Cemetery in many of her vampire books. Visitors can take a tour and learn the history of Lafayette Cemetery (you can even take a carriage ride there from the French Quarter), or you can explore on your own. See the wall vaults and the "Secret Garden," a square of four tombs built by a secret society of friends who wanted to be buried together. As for lunch after touring, the Commander's Palace, one of the best restaurants in the city, is right across the street.

Description:

New Orleans is home to world famous, first-class restaurants. But the locals know some of the best food can be found at little neighborhood places. The casual, old New Orleans neighborhood feeling of Ignatius Eatery & Grocery is unmistakable. The Crawfish, Corn and Potato Soup serve up all of the flavors of a crawfish boil in one bowl and the Roast Beef Po' Boy is arguably one of the best in New Orleans. A delectable brunch menu combines breakfast favorites with New Orleans traditions to create tasty treats like Jambalaya and Crawfish Etouffe Omelets. Check the chalk board on the sidewalk for a daily special that has been known to feature dishes like a Sautéed Shrimp Remoulade Po' Boy or Boudin Meatloaf.

Description:

This old white clapboard building is located near the uptown riverfront. Frills are few and far between in this dining room of bare top tables and walls covered with fish prints. Specialties of the house include fresh vegetables, hearty fruit pies, fried green tomatoes, stuffed pork chops and boiled beef brisket. It is a great place for a weekend breakfast or brunch.

Our Local Expert Says:

Magazine Street is where the Uptown locals go to shop and hang out. There are so many fun things to see and do on Magazine Street!

Description:

Magazine Street is a six mile stretch of shops and eateries, beginning at the edge of the French Quarter and ending at Audubon Park. The fun, trendy street is loaded with specialty stores, galleries, restaurants, and bars. Between Canal Boulevard and Jackson Avenue visitors will find many antique stores and art galleries, including the Glassworks and Printmaking Studio. Closer to Jackson Avenue are funky stores, along with great, cheap restaurants such as Juan's Flying Burrito for Mexican fare and J'anita's for breakfast and BBQ. Between Washington and Louisiana are no less than twelve restaurants, three bars and two coffee shops, as well as tons of clothing boutiques, including retro and "recycled" fashions at Funky Monkey and Buffalo Exchange. Past Louisiana, the shopping continues down Magazine Street - antiques, art, books, apparel, and plenty of restaurants and bars along the way for when you need a break. Have a roast beef po-boy at Ignatius, near Napoleon Avenue, or sip a blueberry mojito on the back patio at St. Joe's, near Jefferson Avenue.

Our Local Expert Says:

Audubon Park is alive with nature – ducks, geese, egrets, and squirrels. And if you walk from Audubon Park to Riverview Park on the side of the stables, you will be able to see the giraffes inside Audubon Zoo!

Description:

Audubon Park is really several parks in one, spanning St. Charles Avenue all the way to the Mississippi River. A fitness trail circles the Audubon Golf Course and runs alongside live oak trees and lush lagoons that are home to ducks, geese, egrets, and turtles. Cross over Magazine Street, and you'll come to the Audubon Zoo and Cascade Stables. Keep walking alongside the zoo, past the Audubon Labyrinth and across the train tracks, until you get to Riverview Park. Known to locals as "the fly," this is a great spot for playing soccer, or just laying in the sun with a daiquiri, admiring the waters of the Mississippi. The park is a great place to play or picnic, and if you don't want to drive there, you can get to the park from the French Quarter on the St. Charles Streetcar or by the John James Audubon ferry boat.

Description:

Voted "Best Restaurant in the United States" in 1996 by the James Beard Foundation, this eatery lives up to its reputation with exceptional cuisine and a dining experience you will not soon forget. One piece of the package here is the wait staff; the efficient men and women smother guests with attention. Dining rooms vary in size from large to intimate in this 1880s Victorian house in the heart of the Garden District. Jackets are required for dinner and Sunday brunch. Each night features a seven-course fixed price menu with changing specials and the option to mix and match off the regular menu. The Turtle Soup is famous. Other standouts include Mississippi roasted quail stuffed with Creole crawfish sausage. There is also an excellent wine list with suggestions for each entree.

Description:

New Orleans made a mistake when it tore down its famous bordellos. If somebody had turned one of the grander ones into a hotel, imagine how many people would stay there! The next best thing is The Columns, whose interior was used by Louis Malle for his film about Storyville, Pretty Baby. Built in 1883, the building is one of the city's greatest examples of a late-19th-century Louisiana residence. The grand, columned porch is a highly popular evening scene thanks to the bar inside. The immediate interior is utterly smashing; we challenge any other hotel to match the grand staircase and stained-glass-window combination.

The Columns is another hotel that benefited from Katrina. The building lost part of its roof during the storm, creating a waterfall effect inside. The resulting new carpets, drapes, paint, and bedspreads have freshened up a musty place that sorely needed it. We wish still more had been done to make the upstairs match that smashing downstairs; it's still a bit too dark and the color schemes not that great. The totally renovated third floor looks more modern, mostly to good and comfortable effect. The Pretty Baby room has no discernable nods to its ostensible theme (nor...

Description:

Dedicated to the late piano master Professor Longhair and featured in the movie The Big Easy, Tip's was long the New Orleans club. But due to circumstances both external (increased competition from House of Blues and others as well as the club's capacity being cut in half by city authorities) and internal (some gripes about pre-Katrina booking quality) its star has faded some. It remains a reliable place for top local bands, though, and if you can catch Troy Andrews or especially Dr. John on one of his excursions back to his city, it's a must.

The place is nothing fancy -- just four walls, a wraparound balcony, and a stage, all of it overseen by a giant drawing of 'Fess his own self. Oh, and a couple of bars, of course, including one that serves the people milling outside the club, which as at other top locales is as much a part of the atmosphere as what's inside. Bookings range from top indigenous acts (a brass-bands blowout and a jazz piano night are the perennial highlights of Jazz Fest week) to touring alt-rock and roots acts, both U.S.-based and international. It's uptown and a bit out-of-the-way, but it's definitely worth the cab ride on the right night. A stop can make for a...

Description:

Two Creole sisters who originally owned a notions shop serving only the finest of ladies established this appropriately named restaurant. Constructed in 1880, the restaurant stands on the same site as their first establishment. This historic building is enveloped in an ambiance found only in the Vieux Carre. The main reason to visit this restaurant is for its Jazz Brunch Buffet. It features more than 60 dishes including meat, fowl, fish, vegetables, fresh fruits, homemade bread and pastries. Overall, this Creole dining experience will capture your heart as well as your tastebuds. World-renowned food and a courtyard equally impressive makes this a dining experience not to be missed.

Description:

Only twenty-five minutes from downtown New Orleans is Jean Lafitte Swamp. There are plenty of swamp tours that explore the watery lands by airboat or ferry, including some that provide transportation to the swamp from the city. You can also go to the Barataria Preserve National Park and walk through the swamps for free, either on your own or with a ranger guide. Sometimes the rangers even do moonlight swamp tours by canoe! Jean Lafitte Swamp is beautiful and mysterious with it's cypress trees and winding bayous. It is also home to hundreds of animals, including alligators, egrets, frogs, snakes, and over 300 species of birds.

Description:

An almost colonial façade yields to elegant dining rooms with a rather romantic ambiance. Part of the huge Hotel Provincial, the restaurant has undergone several facelifts to emerge a chic dining spot. Acclaimed Chef Scott Boswell digs into his Louisiana roots to come up with tantalizing recipes that he brushes up with his creative streak. A recommended meal would start with sashimi or a crab'n'shark soup, a leafy salad and a glass of sparkles from the extensive wine list. For mains, try the Duck Five Ways; it is bound to leave you quite sated. Or, go for the delicious lobster curry and Tempura Scallions for a lighter meal. The Bolivia 68 Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Sauces and Blueberry Shooter make a scrumptious dessert. Comfort, cleanliness and excellent service earn the restaurant its much deserved praise.

Description:

Award-winning seafood restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter, GW Fins provides comfort, elegance and top service. The unique menu changes daily as fresh products are flown in from around the world. Enjoy an appetizer of Crispy Fried Lobster Tail or Crawfish Pie and move on to an entree such as Braised Monk Fish, Pesto Crusted Halibut or Wood Grilled Mahi. Save room for a slice of classic Apple Pie or Grand Marnier Chocolate Mousse. GW Fins also has an extensive wine list including over 100 wines. Stop by on a Wednesdays from 6:30pm for the complimentary martinis.

Description:

You might walk right past this small establishment, but that would be a big mistake because the 1831 building brings some of the city's best musicians to play on its tiny stage. In addition to the regular weekend program of late-night jazz (Fri-Sat from 10:30pm, Sun from 10pm), there are frequent jam sessions in the wee hours during the week when performers end their stints elsewhere and gather to play "musicians' music." The full bar also stocks a variety of schnapps (served ice-cold) and German beers.

Description:

Made up of just under 20 acres of newly repaired green space, Woldenberg Riverfront Park has historically been the city's promenade; now it's an oasis of greenery in the heart of the city with numerous works by popular local artists scattered throughout. The park includes a large lawn with a brick promenade leading to the Mississippi, and it's home to hundreds of trees -- oaks, magnolias, willows, and crape myrtles -- and thousands of shrubs. That greenery got beat up, but nothing like a rainy tropical climate to help foliage thrive again.

The Moonwalk is a paved pedestrian thoroughfare along the river, a wonderful walk on a pretty New Orleans day but really a must-do for any weather other than pouring rain. It has steps that allow you to get right down to Old Muddy -- on foggy nights, you feel as if you are floating above the water. There are many benches from which to view the city's main industry: its busy port (second in the world only to Amsterdam in annual tonnage). To your right you'll see the Greater New Orleans Bridge and the World Trade Center of New Orleans (formerly the International Trade Mart) skyscraper as well as the Toulouse Street wharf, the departure point for excursion...

Description:

Few cities can boast a thriving float-making industry. New Orleans can, and no float maker thrives more than Blaine Kern, who makes more than three-quarters of the floats used by the various krewes every Carnival season. Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World offers tours of its collection of float sculptures and its studios, where you can see floats being made year-round. Yes, they were back at work on the 2006 Mardi Gras, despite losing many already-completed floats, shortly after Katrina. (Nothing can stop the party!) Visitors see sculptors at work, doing everything from making small "sketches" of the figures to creating and painting the enormous sculptures that adorn Mardi Gras floats each year. You can even try on some heavily bejeweled and dazzling costumes (definitely bring your camera!). Although they could do more with this tour, the entire package does add up to a most enjoyable experience, and it is rather nifty to see the floats up close. All tours include King Cake and coffee.

Description:

Angeli specializes in both Italian food and Mediterranean food, both considered delectable delights that you would normally find in a first class restaurant. Angeli is instead a bright and electric one-room establishment located in the French Quarter that is always buzzing. The activity here is due to the 24 hours service on Fridays and Saturdays. Angeli is open until 4a on other days of the week. Decor includes flashy disco balls from the 70s and lots of neon lights. It is the perfect place for a party, late night dinner or early breakfast. Menu items include veggie pitas, breakfast pitas and pizzas, hummus, salads, sandwiches and calzones. Delivery service is available to local hotels in the area.

Description:

"Good food" and "cheap" are words that foodies in New Orleans love to find all under one roof. The lines here are a true testament to the food, if not to the great prices. The lines really are long- sometimes out the door. So if you're going and it's cool, wear a coat.Things like atmosphere and decor would only increase the overhead expense so they are not relevant here. Pictures of numerous famous patrons line the plain walls; but no one comes for the scenery. It's all about the food, especially the overstuffed po-boys. Also available here some of the best breakfasts in the Crescent City.

Description:

Harrah's Casino is so beautifully decorated, you might want to wander through the glittering rooms even if you don't like to gamble. If you do like gambling, there's plenty of it: Poker, Roulette, Blackjack, and lots of slot machines. In the middle of Harrah's Casino is Club Masquerade, a nightspot for lounging or dancing. Enjoy a cold drink at the Ice Bar, and look up - the ceiling is studded with hundreds of fiber-optic stars, so it's always a beautiful night. If winning all that money makes you hungry, check out Harrah's twenty-four hour buffet.

Description:

The Bistro at Muriel's Jackson Square offers New Orleans classics like Gumbo, BBQ Shrimp, Oysters "Muriel", Turtle soup, Fried Gulf Shrimp Po-boy, Stuffed Flounder, Shrimp Remoulade & contemporary Creole cuisine like Pecan Crusted Drum & Wood Grilled Tuna while the Courtyard Bar is the perfect place to drop by for drinks & appetizers. The Séance Lounge is the place for a relaxed, comfortable meeting before or after dining. Comprised of two areas, The Outer & The Inner Séance, the Séance also tells the story of a mystic & checkered past. The Outer Séance addresses the New Orleans era of Storyville & when Muriel's Jackson Square was one of the French Quarter's best bordellos! The Inner Séance is the preferred domain of the resident ghost, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan, & is the perfect spot for an intimate conversation & a drink amongst its plush surroundings.

Our Local Expert Says:

Make sure you have someone to walk back to the hotel with afterward. The dark French Quarter streets make the ghost stories seem all too true!

Description:

Learn why New Orleans is known as America's most haunted city on a ghost, voodoo, or vampire tour. On the ghost tour, you will follow your guide through the dark, misty streets of the French Quarter to see the houses of documented hauntings. You'll also visit a haunted bar. The tour guides are both theatrical and informative, and the tours are largely historical, which make the stories all the scarier - these things actually happened!

Description:

It's some steps away from the main action on Bourbon, but you'll know Lafitte's when you see it. Dating from the 1770s, it's the oldest building in the Quarter -- possibly in the Mississippi Valley (though that's not documented) -- and it looks it. Legend has it that the privateer brothers Pierre and Jean Lafitte used the smithy as a "blind" for their lucrative trade in contraband (and, some say, slaves they'd captured on the high seas). Like all legends, that's probably not true.

The owner managed to maintain the exposed brick interior when he rescued the building from deterioration in the 1940s. At night when you step inside and it's entirely lit by candles ( Offbeat magazine claims Lafitte's patented the word dank), the past of the Lafitte brothers doesn't seem so distant. (Unfortunately, the owner's penchant for treating good friends such as Tennessee Williams and Lucius Beebe to refreshments was stronger than his business acumen, and he eventually lost the building.) In other towns, this would be a tourist trap. Here, it feels authentic, though a renovation on the outside ended up falsifying the previous genuine plaster-and-exposed-brick look, turning it into something rather plastic...

Description:

Located in Mid-City, near Lake Ponchatrain, is beautiful 1300-acre City Park. City Park is the home of the Botanical Garden and the New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as the Besthof Sculpture Garden, through which visitors can wander for free. Kids can meet life-size replicas of fairy tale characters in Storyland, enjoy rides at the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, or take a train ride around the entire park. City Park also has tennis courts, walking trails, a golf course and driving range, stables, and paddle boats. If you're looking for something simpler, take a walk around the duck pond or just stroll through the grounds, admiring the bald cypress trees and live oaks. City Park has more live oak trees than anywhere else in the world, some of which are several hundred years old. Although there is a playground, kids might rather explore the low, sweeping branches of these beautiful trees.

Description:

Take a short bus ride down Esplanade Avenue and discover this cafe near the racetrack. Locals have been keeping this favorite haunt a secret for far too long. The no frills appearance offers a Mardi Gras decor, with memorabilia that is never taken down. The kitchen here quite possibly serves the best gumbo in town. You may follow that with fried shrimp, catfish or a platter of oysters. The homemade salad dressings are also delicious.

Description:

The 19th-century French Impressionist, Edgar Degas, once lived in the fashionable Creole district. This is a charming place to eat outdoors, but with all the comforts of indoor dining. Located on Esplanande Avenue, this chic neighborhood restaurant provides a pleasant atmosphere whether you dine on a cool evening or a sunny afternoon. This casual but classy experience offers a variety of French fare. Try the Chicken Bouchee or the Coquelet Aux Herbs et Aioli, which are excellent. If you have vegatarian tastes, try the Melange De Legumes. Reservations for parties of three or more are required.

Description:

This 10 acre garden is a tropical conservatory including a water lily pond, formal rose garden, azalea, camellia gardens and a horticultural garden. Scattered throughout are fountains and sculptures by world renowned artist Enrique Alfreez (a New Orleans local). Take a guided tour or browse through the library and gift shop, The Pavillion of the Two Sisters.

Description:

Still a relative newbie on the competitive restaurant scene, this little cafe is conveniently located next to the popular Maple Leaf Bar. The cafe is under the direction of Jacques Leonardi and his right hand man, Austin Leslie. Plastic flap walls and tables with floral, plastic tablecloths give it a casual feel. Despite the decor, crowds flock to this café. The food is delicious and the prices are even better. Entrees of Chicken-Fried Venison in Wild Mushroom Gravy, and Grilled Duck Breast in Orange Soy Glaze come specially recommended. All entrees include a house salad and two side dishes.

Description:

This is what a New Orleans club is all about, and its reputation was only furthered when it became the very first live music venue to reopen, just weeks after Katrina, with an emotional, generator-powered performance by Walter "Wolfman" Washington. It's medium-size but feels smaller when a crowd is packed in, and by 11pm on most nights, it is, with personal space at times becoming something you can only wistfully remember. But that's no problem. The stage is against the window facing the street, so more often than not, the crowd spills onto the sidewalk and into the street to dance and drink (and escape the heat and sweat, which are prodigious despite a high ceiling). You can hear the music just as well, watch the musicians' rear ends, and then dance some more. With a party atmosphere like this, outside is almost more fun than in. But inside is mighty fine. A good bar and a rather pretty patio out back (the other place to escape the crush) make the Maple Leaf worth hanging out at even if you don't care about the music on a particular night. But if the ReBirth Brass Band is playing, do not miss it; go and dance until you drop.