From: tony@hpspdla.spd.HP.COM (Tony Pillars)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: Re: New Orleans in October
Date: 17 Aug 92 20:02:12 GMT
Organization: HP Stanford Park - Palo Alto, CA


Here's what I consider the best things to see, in no particular order: 

1.  French Quarter:

	French Market -- oldest market in the country, also best place
for cheap souvenirs.

	Jackson Square -- Artists, mimes, etc.  Also St. Louis
Cathedral, Pontalba Apartments (oldest in the US)

	Cafe Du Monde -- Cafe Au Lait and Beignets (a must)

	Jax Brewery -- redone as shops, restaurants, etc.

	Royal Street -- best selection of art galleries and antique
stores 

	Moonwalk -- scenic walkway overlooking the Mississippi River

	Bourbon Street -- A must see.  Best at night, but it's pretty
interesting to see it during the day, especially after you've been
there at night.  Full of bars, strip joints, raunchy T-shirt shops
(most of which sell laughing gas!), restaurants, etc.  Great for
people watching, especially on Fri and Sat nights.

	Aquarium of the Americas -- must see.  Probably the best
aquarium in the country, with HUGE tanks, including one that you walk
through a glass tunnel INSIDE the tank.

	Riverfront Streetcar -- a fun ride along the river, past most
of the stuff mentioned above.  It also goes outside the French
Quarter, to the Convention Center and to Riverwalk.

There is a National Park Service office in the French Quarter near the
French Market.  They give really good (and free) tours of the Quarter.
Highly recommended.

2.  Superdome -- If you are at all interested in sports (even if you
are not) you should see it.  There are guided tours, and it is really
interesting.

3.  St. Charles Streetcar -- Very scenic ride through Uptown New
Orleans, for a very good price (under $1, don't know exactly how
much).  If you catch it Downtown, you will have to pay another fare
for the return trip.  If you catch it Uptown, it will only cost one
fare, and will bring you back to where you got on.

4.  Swamp Tour -- There are several boat tours through swampland
around New Orleans.  A good one is the Bayou Segnette tour, which you
can drive to across the river, or take a tour bus to get to.  This
tour is highly recommended.

5.  Riverwalk -- at the other end of the Riverfront Streetcar from the
French Market.  This is a large indoor development of specialty shops
and restaurants along the river.  It is really very interesting.

6.  Audubon Park Zoo -- a must see.  One of the best in the country.
Be sure and see the Louisiana Swamp section (including the white
alligators).  There is a boat from the Aquarium of the Americas to the
zoo, or you can take the St. Charles Streetcar, then walk about a mile
through Audubon Park.  (Or you can just drive there.)

7.  Garden District -- this is fairly interesting, but if you are
going to see it, take a tour.  It is beautiful old houses in an Uptown
residential area along the St. Charles Avenue.

8.  Plantations -- if you have a car and you are interested in
pre-Civil War era plantations, there are some really nice ones on both
sides of the river between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

As far as night life, that depends on what you like to do.  You should
start with Bourbon Street.  Just walk along until you hear or see
something you like.  There really are some pretty good jazz and cajun
music places along the street.  No cover charge, (1 drink min.), so
you can just wander until you find what you like.  Be sure and check
out Preservation Hall for some classic jazz.  You should also have a
Hurricane at Pat O'Briens, next door to Preservation Hall right off of
Bourbon Street on St. Peter.  You can take drinks out of the bars and
onto the street, as long as they are in paper or plastic cups.  All
bars will put them in cups if you ask.  This is where the term "go
cup" started.

I hope this helps when you take your trip to New Orleans

 Tony
From: pabo@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Eric Pabo)
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 14:16:34 GMT
Subject: Re: MOTEL RECOMENDATIONS ??
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO