Restaurants:
Commander’s Palace, Antoine’s

Lots of good advice.

I spend a week there every year for a conference that my employer hosts.

I’ll add a few to the restaurant list:

G W Fins - fresh fish menu is printed daily. In the Quarter but close to Canal.
Mother’s - casual lunch spot on Poydras.
Orleans Grapevine - further into the Quarter
Felix’s - in the Quarter - great raw bar.
Brennan’s - great brunch
The Ruby Slipper - several locations - fantastic breakfast.

Not a fan of the security issues, but like most any large city, just be aware.

I have been there a couple of times, most recently a few weeks before Mardi Gras last year. We stayed at the Monteleone, which is an old school hotel that's in a good spot on Royal St., 1 block off Bourbon.

There is a restaurant across the street called Mr. B's Bistro; go for dinner and get the shrimp and grits!

JP

As far as tourist attractions there are several I like, the WWII museum, St Louis Cathedral, the aquarium and Audobon Zoo. There are a few riverboat cruises that dock at the Quarter. There's also the streetcar line that runs through uptown New Orleans down Canal Street from the CBD to Mid City.

I don't know much about Marriott properties but there is a Marriott on Canal street in the Quarter. Harrah's casino is a couple of blocks away.

Lot's of great restaurants already mentioned here.

Bourbon street will have music, strip and booze joints. Royal street will have art and antique shops.

As far as safety goes I don't really think there are really any safe areas in the city.

I would avoid New Orleans east, the Treme area and I wouldn't go into the quarter at night.

I was born in New Orleans and lived in this area all my life. I ran service calls throughout the city for roughly 37 years and the only time I was attacked was when a homeless man's Chihuahua bit me on the ankle while I was walking to a service call in the French Quarter. The man apologized for his dog, the bite didn't even break the skin.

If you do go to New Orleans I hope you enjoy your stay.

My advice is to go to the touristy areas at touristy times. See the French quarter, listen to some jazz, get a hurricane at Pat O’Briens, walk around Jackson Square, get beignets at Cafe Dumonde, take the streetcar up St Charles. WWII museum is very highly rated if that interests you.

Maintain situational awareness, and you’ll be fine. Stay with the crowds. The crowds are there for a reason. Don’t walk back to your hotel down a side street after the crowds are gone.

My advice on food is to check Google reviews and hit smaller places. There are some old school nice restaurants in New Orleans, but you can get some great food at hole in the wall or smaller places. Get some oysters, eat a PoBoy, get some gumbo and etouffe. If you have the budget and like to eat at a higher end restaurant, that’s fine. But completely unnecessary in New Orleans and most of south Louisiana. You can get great food here at local gas stations.

Go to the Central Grocery and get a muffelata.

I went to Deanie's Seafood for the first time a few weeks ago . It was great . Casual , family atmosphere . There's a location in the French Quarter .

Stay at Ritz and Uber everywhere.
Plenty of great dining outside perimeter of the Quarter.

Yes, the Monteleone, it has a cool carousel bar. It's where I had a $175 shot of 20 yr Pappy

Sazerac House is cool if you are in to that, take a tour

WW2 museum

We have done River Paddle Boat dinners a couple of times

We always enjoy the carriage ride tours

Never had a bad meal there, even the shithole bars have good food. Landry's Seafood is great

Last time I was in NOLA was in 2016.

WW2 Museum is the biggest must.

All the food there is good. I would make a point to go to Antoine's in the French Quarter.

Do one of the touristy bus rides around the city on your first day (make a point to go to the Garden District) and you'll figure out what you want to do.

We really are thankful for all of the suggestions and “warnings.” Turns out that our likely dates in NOLA may coincide with part of the jazz festival. Honestly don’t know if that is a positive or negative. Rooms in many of the suggested B&B’s are a little hard to come by.

My N.O.L.A. story.

Back in "78"
Farmer Artis was retiring in four years.
He purchased a $78,000.00
Then top of the line motor home to go to Marde Gras.

Four of them went down with a car in tow, Artis his wife and their neighbors of 45 years.


They got a very nice camp spot only 30 minutes away from the festivities.

The second night they all took the car in too town to party , celebrate and "live big"

All four were pretty well lit,
So they hired a car to get back to the camper at 01:30..

They looked and looked and looked some more.

Their 2 week old camper had been stolen.

They drove back home and they neighbors flew back.

Five days later the state police called and said they found the totally burned out remains , 160 miles away.

Artis was bummed for two years, it was very well insured