NOLA

This post feels long overdue, but it's summer and majority of my awake time is spent outside having fun!

Ok New Orleans with a 14 and 19 year old. Very glad we went. As always the kids and I have so much fun with the experience of traveling together. That being said, I'm not sure I would go back to vacation. If a conference or class brought me back, for sure, but to vacation again probably not. However, I do feel like everyone should see it at least once. It is unlike ANY U.S. City.
Now the details. We went mid June a Tuesday-Saturday. It was CHEAP. It was HOT and HUMID. So humid Lo's glasses would fog up anytime we'd step outside. I've been a lot of hot and humid places before but this one takes the cake for the most humid experience. This however does not bother us, if it does I wouldn't recommend going in the summer. What was harder for me was how cold the air conditioning inside anywhere was, I quickly learned to pack a sweater.
We opted to stay in the French Quarter, it proved to be very easy to walk or take the street car anywhere we wanted to go. I absolutely loved our hotel http://www.hotellemarais.com/ the staff was amazing, it was a cute boutique hotel, with a decent breakfast every morning, and clean for such an old building. If you want to be in the heart of things this is definitely it. The location is on Conti Street right between Bourbon and Royal (by the end we made sure we were walking back on Royal instead of Bourbon). They say things are always going on in the French Quarter, and this is true, however I noticed it really ramp up on Friday and was kind of glad we were flying out Saturday.
Food, well it's great! A few of the note worthies were the Bourbon House, Red Fish, and the Royal House. The last is in a really old building, which is part of the charm, great staff but does have a bit of a musty smell to it (a lot of place do because of the age plus humidity). Of course Beignets from Cafe Du Monde. I believe they were $3 of a plate (plenty for the three of us to share), and truly offered a nice little break from walking in the heat. We'd get a plate, share it and they give you water, we quickly guzzled down. We did get them to go one day, but they weren't as good. My son got a muffuletta from the Central Grocery and said it was awesome. I don't eat meat, and do not like olives. This thing was filled with both.
Tours we did the Grayline walking ghost tour. It had pretty good reviews, I think we just didn't get a good guide. There was some good history, but not very good ghost stories..... I'd do another one again with a different company.
We did a airboat gator tour with Grayline as well. Depending on what you are looking for this could be good. Gators, we saw a lot. A little scenery in the bayou was also pretty cool. I had a hard time with a few things. I quickly realized this was NOT the most natural setting, the alligators clearly know what the boats mean and swim right too it, and are fed Marshmallows. I don't know, because I am not a gator expert but this does not seem like a good thing. Then at one point our boat driver pulls out a baby alligator and passed it around, this also was all cute and great until my curiosity got the better of me and I asked (after noticing other boats had baby alligators too), why they have them. They are farmed. Again I had a sick feeling like I should leave it alone, but I couldn't, and truly was hoping this was some sort releasing back into the wild program. It's not, the guide informed me when they are three feet long most get killed to make the souvenirs in the store (was really wishing he would've even said for food). Needless to say at this point my $70 pp tour didn't feel like such a good thing to be supporting.
The World War II museum was excellent! We spent around 4 hours in there. Watching the 4-D movie shortly after arriving added to how wonderful it was. This is a must if you love history and are there. We were going to take the street car that day, but it was actually faster to walk...maybe a mile. I felt safe enough, and it was pretty easy to get to.
We did take the street car to the Layfette Cemetery. If you are there walking through a cemetery is a must. The oldest one right in the French quarter is locked and can only be toured with a tour. Going out to the Layfette Cemetery is worth it to see the garden district (beautiful homes). There's also a restaurant that was recommended to us across the street the Commanders Palace, just check the times. We missed it because they close for a few hours mid afternoon.
We covered the entire French quarter by foot, this was awesome. I LOVED the old buildings and architecture of the time. Plus they are restoring many to their original charm.
The downside to New Orleans. Poverty. Unlike anywhere I have ever been. It was destitution. I'm fairly certain this is why crime is rampant there. The explotation of child, was horrifying. The streets smell of urine and vomit. You get used to this and I was warned ahead of time, but by the end of our trip it was hard to stomach anymore. They do hose the streets off every morning, this was the nicest time for walking around.
There you have it, the good the bad and the ugly!

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