3 days in New Orleans with elementary school kids

[Anonymous]

We are planning a trip for Memorial Day weekend, and staying at the Homewood Suites on Poydras Street with our 4 kids. The plan is a swamp tour, aquarium, Cafe Du Monde, WW2 Museum, street car, and just exploring.

[Anonymous]

Get snowballs.

[Anonymous]

We did this trip in 2021 with a 14, 12 and 10 year old. This is what we did —
One day was beignets at cafe du Monde and walking around French quarter. We got the junior ranger badge at the NPS visitor center and participated in a drumming lesson there for free. Other half day was a plantation tour—we did the one with the oak tree tunnel and I would say it was pretty good about also discussing the lives of the enslaved residents. But there’s one that is more focused on that—can’t remember the name but it is easy to find.

Another day we did a swamp tour.

Another day we did brunch at Brennan’s and the aquarium. We also got lunch at mothers which is a thing to do but I was disappointed in that I thought the food wasn’t as good as it was many years ago. Anyway, if not mothers, find a place to get a good po boy. Go to some praline shops and sample the wares.

Things we thought about but didn’t have time to do included the ww2 Museum and the Mardi Gras warehouse. Also when I was a kid in the 1980/ my favorite memory was going into preservation hall to listen to the old men play jazz—you just stood in a line until there was space and then you squeezed in and paid some small fee like a few dollars and stayed as long as you wanted. We didn’t do it because it seemed like it had gotten more complicated and expensive but that might be a fun thing to do.

We did not stay in the French quarter because it is very loud there. I’ve stayed there for work and you can have people playing the trumpet outside your window until 3 am.

There are a ton of hotels that are just off th French quarter on the other side of canal. Don’t stay at the big Hilton that does conventions — it is pretty run down. But the others are all fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get snowballs.

This, in addition to beignets. If you have a car, go here: https://snobliz.square.site/

Also, Parkway for po boys. Just eat. A lot.

[Anonymous]

Mine loved the swamp tour--they still talk about it years later. They also liked the Mardi Gras museum.

The WWII Museum is amazing but you know your kids and their tolerance. They do a good job making it interactive and kid-friendly but kids are different--my older one liked it, my younger one was ready to go after the first hour.

We stayed in the Garden District and that was fine--easy to get to the French Quarter using public transportation.

[Anonymous]

The World War 2 museum is incredible, even for DC people like us who do museums all the time. Definitely worthwhile.

I would research ghost tours and see if you can find one appropriate for your kids, if they would like that. Some elementary school kids do, some would be too scared.

Second the suggestions on Audubon Park and the zoo.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the swamp tour, and just go to one of the other locations for Cafe du Monde, it is a local mini chain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did this trip in 2021 with a 14, 12 and 10 year old. This is what we did —
One day was beignets at cafe du Monde and walking around French quarter. We got the junior ranger badge at the NPS visitor center and participated in a drumming lesson there for free. Other half day was a plantation tour—we did the one with the oak tree tunnel and I would say it was pretty good about also discussing the lives of the enslaved residents. But there’s one that is more focused on that—can’t remember the name but it is easy to find.

Another day we did a swamp tour.

Another day we did brunch at Brennan’s and the aquarium. We also got lunch at mothers which is a thing to do but I was disappointed in that I thought the food wasn’t as good as it was many years ago. Anyway, if not mothers, find a place to get a good po boy. Go to some praline shops and sample the wares.

Things we thought about but didn’t have time to do included the ww2 Museum and the Mardi Gras warehouse. Also when I was a kid in the 1980/ my favorite memory was going into preservation hall to listen to the old men play jazz—you just stood in a line until there was space and then you squeezed in and paid some small fee like a few dollars and stayed as long as you wanted. We didn’t do it because it seemed like it had gotten more complicated and expensive but that might be a fun thing to do.

We did not stay in the French quarter because it is very loud there. I’ve stayed there for work and you can have people playing the trumpet outside your window until 3 am.

There are a ton of hotels that are just off th French quarter on the other side of canal. Don’t stay at the big Hilton that does conventions — it is pretty run down. But the others are all fine.

Everyone should be very mindful about their choice to go on these tours.

I lived in New Orleans (now live in the DMV) and I wish the plantations were not still used as tourist attractions. Even where the histories of enslaved persons are centered appropriately, it is still the commercialization of suffering. And if you do go, please do not use the place as an aesthetic background for pictures. These places should be considered memorials if they are even considered an attraction for the public to visit at all.

[Anonymous]

Whitney Plantation. Intense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are little kids why does it matter if the activity is lesser known?

We liked the hop on hop off bus and the Mardi Gras float company warehouse.

You can skip beignets at Cafe Du Monde if you don't want to be too touristy. It was so crowded there that someone bumped our table and sloshed my chicory coffee all over the tabletop and we had to sacrifice all our napkins just to avoid getting coffee stains on our clothes.

Oh no!!!!!!

Did this ruin the entire trip?

OP wanted to do lesser known things. Beignets at Cafe Du Monde is a 100% of tourists do activity. And the beignets weren't special. They'd probably lose against Tim Horton's Timbit donut holes in a blind taste test. I also wasn't impressed with Magnolia Bakery's overhyped cupcakes (NYC Sex and the City tourist trap).

Agree that swamp boat tours are fun. We did that before getting to New Orleans.

[Anonymous]

Why was this location chosen for little kids? It is high crime, and very alcohol-centric.