First Time in New Orleans

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Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest are great fun, but for your first visit you may want to avoid festival times. After all, a normal week in New Orleans is anything but normal! Festivals make everything a little bit more congested, and for your first trip to the Big Easy, you'll want to get around town easily and take advantage of all the fabulous things New Orleans has to offer. Newbies to New Orleans should concentrate their time in the French Quarter and Uptown, but if you have more than a few days, check out the Marigny and Mid-City neighborhoods, and maybe even travel outside of New Orleans to Jean Lafitte Swamp and the River Road plantations. Here is an itinerary of musts for your first trip to New Orleans.

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Author: emlang


Day 1 - New Orleans


After coffee and beignets at Café du Monde, take the Le Monde Creole tour. This will get you familiar with the history and geography of the French Quarter. After lunch in the beautiful courtyard of Café Amelie, window shop down Royal Street and enjoy the street performers in and around Jackson Square. Have dinner at the famous Brennan’s Restaurant then head to Bourbon Street for a night out. Start the party with a Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s then do some karaoke at the Cat’s Meow.


1

Cafe du Monde

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Location:

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813 Decatur St
New Orleans, LA 70116-3306


2

Le Monde Creole Tour

Location:

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624 Royal St
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

504 232 8559


3

Café Amelie

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Location:

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912 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

5044128965x


4

Royal Street

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Location:

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417 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

800 672 6124


5

Jackson Square

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Location:

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Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

+1 504 410 2396


6

Brennan's

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Location:

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417 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

504 525 9711


7

Bourbon Street

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Location:

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Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70116


8

Cat's Meow

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Location:

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701 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504 523 2788


Day 2 - New Orleans


Take a tour of St. Louis Cathedral then do some shopping at the French Market. Have lunch at the Marigny Brasserie and explore the beautiful, historic Marigny neighborhood. Enjoy live music and a great burger at Snug Harbor, and on Fridays check out the NOmadic bellydancers at the Dragon's Den. They usually start performing around nine. At night live music pours from Frenchmen Street clubs such as dba, Café Brasil, and The Spotted Cat. Check the local New Orleans magazine, The Gambit, for music listings, or just follow your ear!


1

St. Louis Cathedral

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Location:

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615 Pere Antoine Alley
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504/525-9585


2

French Market

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Location:

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1008 North Peters Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504 522 2621


3

Marigny Brasserie

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Location:

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640 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504 945 4472


4

Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro

Location:

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626 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504 949 0696


5

Frenchmen Street

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Location:

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Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116


6

Dragon's Den

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Location:

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435 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504 949 1750


7

d.b.a.

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Location:

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618 Frenchmen St
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504/942-3731


8

The Spotted Cat Cocktail Lounge

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Location:

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623 Frenchman St
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504/943-3887


9

Le Chat Noir

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Location:

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715 St. Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70163

Phone:

504/581-5812


Day 3 - New Orleans


Today explore Uptown New Orleans! Take the St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District. After strolling past breathtaking Victorian mansions, walk through Lafayette Cemetery Number One. Be sure to go early! The cemetery closes at two-thirty on weekdays and noon on Saturdays. For lunch, have a roast beef po-boy at Ignatius Eatery or contemporary Creole cuisine at Cafe Atchafalaya. Spend the afternoon window shopping on Magazine Street then take the streetcar further uptown to Audubon Park. When you need a break from all your walking, relax with a mint julep on the wide southern veranda at the Column’s Hotel. Have dinner at the incredible, five-star Commander’s Palace then watch live music at Tipitina’s.


1

St. Charles Streetcar

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Location:

New Orleans, LA 70115

Phone:

504.248.3900


2

Lafayette Cemetery

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Location:

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1400 Washington Ave
Washington Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

+1 504 566 5011


3

Ignatius Eatery & Grocery

Location:

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4200 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115

Phone:

504 896 2225


4

Cafe Atchafalaya

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Location:

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901 Louisiana Ave
New Orleans, LA 70115

Phone:

504 891 5271


5

Magazine Street

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Location:

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Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

504 342 4435 / 1 866 679 4764


6

Audubon Park

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Location:

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6500 St Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70130-3145


7

Commander's Palace

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Location:

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1403 Washington Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

+1 504 899 8221


8

The Columns

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Location:

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3811 St. Charles Ave
Uptown
New Orleans, LA 70115

Phone:

504/899-9308


9

Tipitina's

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Location:

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501 Napoleon Ave
Uptown
New Orleans, LA 70115

Phone:

504/895-8477


Day 4 - New Orleans


After jazz brunch at the Court of Two Sisters, drive across the Crescent City Connection bridge towards Jean Lafitte Swamp. You can take an air boat tour or just walk through Barataria Preserve on your own. Be sure to ask the ranger for maps and recommendations on the best places to spot alligators! In the afternoon, drive down River Road and visit Oak Alley Plantation, one of the most recognizable southern mansions in the country. Back in the city, have dinner at Stella! for a truly unique dining experience, or GW Fins for some of the best seafood in New Orleans. Top off the night with jazz and a cocktail at Fritzel's on Bourbon Street.


1

Court of Two Sisters

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Location:

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613 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

504 522 7261


2

Jean Lafitte Swamp

Location:

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6601 Leo Kerner Lafitte Parkway
New Orleans, LA 70072


3

Stella!

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Location:

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1032 Chartres Street
Hotel Provincial
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504 587 0091 / 504 581 4995 Hotel


4

GW Fins

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Location:

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808 Bienville St.
New Orleans, LA 70112

Phone:

5045813467


5

Fritzel's European Jazz Pub

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Location:

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733 Bourbon St
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504/561-0432


Day 5 - New Orleans


After a walk through Woldenberg Riverfront Park, take the free Algiers ferry across the Mississippi to Mardi Gras World. Have lunch at the Dry Dock Cafe in historic Algiers Point, or head back to the east bank for a meal at Angeli or Mother’s. Try your luck at Harrah’s Casino and eat dinner at the historic (and haunted) Muriel’s. After dining with the ghosts, take the Haunted History Tour through the French Quarter. For a night cap, have a drink at the dark and mysterious Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop.


1

Woldenberg Riverfront Park

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Location:

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1 Canal Street
Along the Mississippi from the Moonwalk at the old Governor Nicholls St. wharf to the Aquarium of the Americas at Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

504/861-2537


2

Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World

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Location:

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1380 Port of New Orleans Place
Next to Convention Center, on the Riverfront
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

800/362-8213


3

Angeli on Decatur

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Location:

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1141 Decatur Street
At Gov. Nichols St
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

+1 504 566 0077


4

Mother's

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Location:

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401 Poydras Street
Tchoupitoulas
New Orleans, LA 70130

Phone:

+1 504 523 9656


5

Harrah's Casino

Location:

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#8 Canal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130


6

Muriel's Jackson Square

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Location:

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801 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

5045681885x


7

Haunted History Tours

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Location:

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97 Fontainebleau Drive
New Orleans, LA 70125

Phone:

504 861 2727


8

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop

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Location:

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941 Bourbon St
New Orleans, LA 70116

Phone:

504/593-9761


Day 6 - New Orleans


Today take the Canal Streetcar to Mid-City. You can spend the whole day in City Park. For the young (and young at heart) there are live oak trees to climb on, as well as Storyland and Carousel Gardens amusement park to explore. You can also enjoy the Botanical Gardens, New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Besthof Sculpture Garden, all located within City Park. Have lunch at Liuzza’s or Cafe Degas, both famous Mid-City spots and local favorites. In the evening, head to the Riverbend area for a fun dinner at Jacques-Imos and live music at The Maple Leaf.


1

New Orleans City Park

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Location:

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1 Palm Drive
New Orleans, LA 70124

Phone:

504 482 4888


2

Liuzza's by the Track

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Location:

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1518 North Lopez Street
New Orleans, LA 70119

Phone:

504 943 8667


3

Café Degas

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Location:

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3127 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119

Phone:

504 945 5635


4

New Orleans Botanical Gardens

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Location:

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1 Palm Drive
New Orleans, LA 70124

Phone:

504 482 4888


5

Jacques-Imo's

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Location:

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8324 Oak Street
New Orleans, LA 70118

Phone:

504 861 0886


6

Maple Leaf Bar

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Location:

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8316 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118

Phone:

504/866-9359


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