Best things to do in New Orleans

A buddy of mine has been there several times and highly recommends seeing this band...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X22N4IGqRJA

Looks like a good time to me!

Depends how old you are.  The stuff I couldn't wiat to do when I was 21, you couldn't pay me to do today. 

I do still enjoy walking around in the Quarter, but I tend to do that more in the mornings and afternoons than at night these days.  Go to Cafe du Monde.  You can walk across the street from there and you're practically in the River. 

As much as I love boat rides (as mentioned above), I'm not sure threre's much you see on the boat that you can't see off the boat.  If you're dying to say you've been on the River, take the Algiers Ferry.  It might even be free. 

It's the best food city in the world.  Some of my favorites include:

cheap: Port O Call (Esplanade Ave; Quarter); Liuzza's By the Track (over by the Fairgrounds); Parkway Bakery (in the Fauberge, I think); Gumbo Shop (right next to Pat O'Briens - a tourist trap you should also totally go to, probably my favorite tourist trap in the world); Little Dizzy's for breakfast; nothing wrong with the Acme Oyster House either.

more expensive: Nola, Bayona, Jaques Imo's (probably my favorite; great food, very relazed atmosphere; Nine Inch Nails was at the table next to us the last time I was there); and literally hundreds of others.

If you want to stay close to the Quarter (and sometimes, logistically, that's just what you want to do) but want to go where there are actually some locals (and locals in New Orleans are often the best part), try the bars on Magazine or T-Chop. 

I would strongly recommend Central Grocery. I might have had the best sandwich of my life there - an outstanding muffuletta.

https://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=122

Have Fun

Quote Originally Posted by S_A_I_N_T_S:

I'd have to disagree. I've traveled extensively and N.O. has some of the nicest people in the world. You obviously didn't meet many locals. You probably ran into other asshole tourist such as yourself who visit the city, drink till they're stupid b/c they're not used to it, piss in the street and lay in it, and make a fool of themselves. However, that's what makes it great. People let go of being uptight and conservative as they do in their home city. 

Now if you want to find many assholes, local and tourist alike, 

go to Vegas.  

I think it is worth noting that, although I've never really had a bad experience in New Orleans, you should always (and by always, I mean ALWAYS) know where you are and where you are going.  You are never (and by never, I mean NEVER) more than about two blocks away from some place you don't want to be in the Crescent City. 

If you've got some time to kill, you can pick up the streetcar line at Canal, and take it up St. Charles.  It's fun, and safe, just to walk around the Tulane/Loyola area, and you can grab lunch at Cooter Brown's, up where the streetcar line hits the river. 

If I can swing it, I get one to go on my way out of town and toss it in my luggage.  By the time I'm home, it's perfection. 

The French Quarter is a cesspool!  Is it to late to cancel and get your money back.

MaineRoad provided so much good advise but I want to highlight this part here where he mentions that you need to have some caution.  Travel in groups.  Know where you are and where you are going.  Have fun but be smart.  This city is the most dangerous city in this country that I have ever frequented and it feels that way to me too.  This city is where curiosity WILL KILL the cat!  Be smart.

That being said I really enjoy the history of this city.  From their unique graveyards, to their articulture, etc it is just a good city from that prospective.  This city is also perhaps known best for their very lively accult activity.  Not encouraging you to get involved with this but it never hurts if you treat it as entertainment to go into a reputable place and have your fortune read.  It is worth a hoot to play the tape back ten, twenty years later and see how much is spot on.  The last time my wife and I went to New Orleans we did this and it was fun listening back to how they described the kids we will have.  They were right about the sexes and the order but when pushed to give specifics they were wrong.  But again purely entertainment but a fun bit of entertainment.  BOL!

Mother's is a must .. I waited in line and spoke to Mr. Swinging Dick at Espn (Sean Salisbury ) ..THe Shrimp PO Boy

NOLA is Terrific too...One of Emeril's .. had a birthday dinner there with friends in 2003 when we went for the Final 4.

Pat O Brien's is good too.

holy smokes Frank, you get around!