Anonymous wrote:The Jazz Festival is over two weekends in April so be careful with your dates. Many hotels will already be sold out and/or extremely expensive.

This.

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and the best Hurricane is at Lafiitte's on the corner of Bourbon and St. Phillip. And they'll deliver to the carriages as you drive by.

That's awesome!! Will definitely look into that!!

Oh, and the best Hurricane is at Lafiitte's on the corner of Bourbon and St. Phillip. And they'll deliver to the carriages as you drive by.

Stay anywhere where you can walk a lot because just walking around is great entertainment and half the fun. There is another Hilton near the water that serves amazing charbroiled oysters at the restaurant downstairs. There are also lots of charming, boutique places to stay and some with interesting histories and ghost stories if that interests you. April should be a good time to take in all the street entertainers. There are lots of tours, if you enjoy them - from Treme to Ghost Stories to architecture. Get a carriage ride around the quarter and if you end up with a good guide, it will be especially fun.

August or Commanders Palace for a nice meal. Oysters at the Hilton near Harrah's. Breakfast at Ruby Tuesday. Casual lunch at Camilla Grill. But really, you can't walk 20 feet without finding a great place to eat!

I've heard the Mardi Gras museum is much better than it appears from the brochures.

I'd recommend staying in the Garden District - there are some great (and affordable) Air BNBs, and it (and Magazine St) can be a nice respite from the Quarter.

Recommend Cochon, Commander's Palace (fancy), Domilise (po' boys), Ignatius, Lily's Vietnamese, and District Donuts for food, although as previous posters have said, it's very, very hard to go wrong.

Activities: Walking tours (including cemetery tours) and the cooking school are great, as others have said. Swamp tours can be fun, and a good excuse to get some air after the crazy of the Quarter. The museum in the Cabildo is great, as is the Ogden (southern art) museum. I've never done a plantation tour, but people seem to enjoy them.

The Jazz Festival is over two weekends in April so be careful with your dates. Many hotels will already be sold out and/or extremely expensive.

Anonymous wrote:Haven't been there in a few years but
K Paul's restaurant, if its still there, was great. Also liked Fins.
Acme Oyster house.

Definitely do walking tour of cemeteries. I didn't like the garden district tour.

Forgot to add New Orleans cooking school was fun (I think that's the name...it was in French Quarter).

Haven't been there in a few years but
K Paul's restaurant, if its still there, was great. Also liked Fins.
Acme Oyster house.

Definitely do walking tour of cemeteries. I didn't like the garden district tour.