OT: New Orleans

[AdventureHasAName]

The WWII museum was awesome.

It's one of the best museums in the world - right up there with any of the Smithsonians in Washington DC.

 

[RuSnp]

It's one of the best museums in the world - right up there with any of the Smithsonians in Washington DC.

Do they still run the PT boat out of there?

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Do they still run the PT boat out of there?

I'm not sure I understand your question. The last time I was there (probably five or six years ago), they were restoring the PT Boat in the warehouse facility across the street. Did they move it once it was restored? I just assumed once it was finished they'd move it into that building with all the other vehicles.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

One of the best things I've done in New Orleans was take the steamboat (from across the street from the Harrahs Casino) up the river to the site of the Battle of New Orleans. It's now a national park. At the time (maybe four years ago), the boat employed a tour guide who had a PHD in History from Princeton ... and the whole ride to the battle site, he told the history of the Battle of New Orleans (which is arguably the greatest military victory in American history). And then you got off the boat and could tour the site for an hour. And then the ride back down the river, the same guy gave a day-by-day history of everything that happened when Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Super interesting if you're into the city's history.

 

[MulletCork]

One of the best things I've done in New Orleans was take the steamboat (from across the street from the Harrahs Casino) up the river to the site of the Battle of New Orleans. It's now a national park. At the time (maybe four years ago), the boat employed a tour guide who had a PHD in History from Princeton ... and the whole ride to the battle site, he told the history of the Battle of New Orleans (which is arguably the greatest military victory in American history). And then you got off the boat and could tour the site for an hour. And then the ride back down the river, the same guy gave a day-by-day history of everything that happened when Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Super interesting if you're into the city's history.

I did something like this, but maybe 20 years back. I thought it was one of those paddlewheel boats we took, but the whole tour was a Civil War tour. I didn't know much about the Battle of New Orleans so I found it very interesting. Definitely was worth it.

Did a few fun tours there. As others mentioned the air boats in the bayou were awesome. The ghost tours are touristy, but I did a good one once that was very cool in that we got to go into many old and historic sites. Did a tour of the Superdome which was ok, but I've done better. Saw Springsteen way back around 2000 I guess at the New Orleans Arena soon after it opened (now Smoothie King Arena). Saw WrestleMania XXX at the Superdome back around 2014 which was just a great time. The whole city is something else when a big event comes to town

First time I was down there around 1999 right out of college my buddy had the bright idea to stay in Gretna across the river and just take the ferry to New Orleans each day. Now staying in Gretna was an adventure in and of itself. There were projects there and even though the hotel served its purpose, man it felt shady being in that town.

Had some unsavory times back in the day with women of the night and purchasing illegal substances and somehow never got rolled thankfully! But definitely a place to be careful.

Oh one other tour I enjoyed in order to get out of the city one day was a basic tour of the Abita Brewery. Probably was about a half hour away or so though.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

Had some unsavory times back in the day with women of the night and purchasing illegal substances and somehow never got rolled thankfully! But definitely a place to be careful.

First time down there a few years back, during New Years (Sugar Bowl was that weekend also - Auburn/Oklahoma) was trolling around the French Quarter looking for some of the green stuff... Notice there are these brightly painted vans parked on some street corners that say "Weed World Candies", obvious scam for anyone dumb enough. But get talking to the driver of one of the vans and tell him I'm from Highland Park - come to find out, he was from Piscataway! Needless to say, he hooked it up haha...

 

[e5fdny]

One of the best things I've done in New Orleans was take the steamboat (from across the street from the Harrahs Casino) up the river to the site of the Battle of New Orleans. It's now a national park. At the time (maybe four years ago), the boat employed a tour guide who had a PHD in History from Princeton ... and the whole ride to the battle site, he told the history of the Battle of New Orleans (which is arguably the greatest military victory in American history). And then you got off the boat and could tour the site for an hour. And then the ride back down the river, the same guy gave a day-by-day history of everything that happened when Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Super interesting if you're into the city's history.

I did something like this, but maybe 20 years back. I thought it was one of those paddlewheel boats we took, but the whole tour was a Civil War tour. I didn't know much about the Battle of New Orleans so I found it very interesting. Definitely was worth it.

Did a few fun tours there. As others mentioned the air boats in the bayou were awesome. The ghost tours are touristy, but I did a good one once that was very cool in that we got to go into many old and historic sites. Did a tour of the Superdome which was ok, but I've done better. Saw Springsteen way back around 2000 I guess at the New Orleans Arena soon after it opened (now Smoothie King Arena). Saw WrestleMania XXX at the Superdome back around 2014 which was just a great time. The whole city is something else when a big event comes to town

First time I was down there around 1999 right out of college my buddy had the bright idea to stay in Gretna across the river and just take the ferry to New Orleans each day. Now staying in Gretna was an adventure in and of itself. There were projects there and even though the hotel served its purpose, man it felt shady being in that town.

Had some unsavory times back in the day with women of the night and purchasing illegal substances and somehow never got rolled thankfully! But definitely a place to be careful.

Oh one other tour I enjoyed in order to get out of the city one day was a basic tour of the Abita Brewery. Probably was about a half hour away or so though.

Did the battlefield too.

Also the Superdome as well.

 

[RuSnp]

I'm not sure I understand your question. The last time I was there (probably five or six years ago), they were restoring the PT Boat in the warehouse facility across the street. Did they move it once it was restored? I just assumed once it was finished they'd move it into that building with all the other vehicles.

Found it. No more tours on Lake Pontchartrain unfortunately. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/give/pt-305

 

[willisneverrana43]

Thank you. I thought I was going nuts, wondering whether the city I've been to twice in the past few years (and gotten off the beaten path of Bourbon Street quite a bit) was the same place being described here.

It's not.

Yes, it's true that everyone in the French Quarter is trying to pick your pocket -- most figuratively but some literally -- but the vast majority of that is playful: "Where did you get those shoes?" will ring familiar to anyone who has ever been swindled out of ten dollars. You need to stay on your toes, but not for mortal fear of your life. That's silly.

The city is incredible, and with so many different types of areas. Yes, there are sections with high rates of violent crime -- the statistics are readily available -- but no one there is going to kill the golden goose of massive tourism. But the Garden District is beautiful and with some of the nation's best restaurants (Commander's Palace has a top-three national wine program, too). The neighborhoods are breathtaking, the universities are gorgeous, and even the cemeteries seem magical (take a tour with a local).

The French Quarter is its own thing. It's dirty and somewhat amoral and there is a lot of crap there -- the pulsing techno coming from the open fronts of many places doesn't do anything for me -- but there are a ton of great bars and restaurants and jazz clubs. Frenchmen Street has a good concentration, with different types of music and variations of jazz. One of my favorite things to do is day drink in a half-filled place and buy some struggling (but very good) band a round. They will love you for it.

New Orleans is great.

 

[ManasquanMike]

I was there last year. Fun, but as a jazz fan, I was disappointed. Most clubs are geared for young, "spring break" type travelers (with no musical taste, ha ha). Loud techno dance music was pouring out of every building. I thought there would be jazz everywhere. It's there, but you have to find it.

I got pretty good at throwing beads.

Fun city, though!

Did you go to Frenchman St?

 

[dconifer0]

Did you go to Frenchman St?

Hi Mike,

Yeah I did discover that, and hung out there my last few nights. Thanks...

 

[dconifer0]

It's one of the best museums in the world - right up there with any of the Smithsonians in Washington DC.

Those were nearly my exact words on the way out. Just incredible...

 

[yesrutgers01]

One of the best things I've done in New Orleans was take the steamboat (from across the street from the Harrahs Casino) up the river to the site of the Battle of New Orleans. It's now a national park. At the time (maybe four years ago), the boat employed a tour guide who had a PHD in History from Princeton ... and the whole ride to the battle site, he told the history of the Battle of New Orleans (which is arguably the greatest military victory in American history). And then you got off the boat and could tour the site for an hour. And then the ride back down the river, the same guy gave a day-by-day history of everything that happened when Hurricane Katrina hit the city. Super interesting if you're into the city's history.

I’m laughing but not at you- a PHD in History = Tour guide?

 

[miket007]

Back in 1996 while i was in the Air Force I was supposed to be on the trip to take VP Quail to NO but i got taken off the trip and hopped out to California for vacation. My classmate Daniel Womack went down, got drunk on Bourbon street and got his brains blown out trying to buy some weed in a alley. He was a real good dude who had just had a daughter. This is the first thing i think about whenever NO is mentioned...

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I’m laughing but not at you- a PHD in History = Tour guide?

My father and I said the same thing while we were there. And it wasn't like the guy was a retired 75 year old man spending his afternoons this way a couple times a week - this was a guy in his 40s. On one hand, it's akin to working as a tour guide in a museum, but I can't imagine it pays very well.

 

[Retired711]

My father and I said the same thing while we were there. And it wasn't like the guy was a retired 75 year old man spending his afternoons this way a couple times a week - this was a guy in his 40s. On one hand, it's akin to working as a tour guide in a museum, but I can't imagine it pays very well.

There's no way of knowing if it's his full time job. It may be comparable to being a docent in a museum -- something an individual does for a few hours a week for the pleasure of it and maybe a little pay.