Need some locals or veterans advice about NOLA

[terrymo]

We are currenty booked on a cruise out of New Orleans for April 11-15 on the Triumph. We are going to be there on the 9th as none of us have been to New Orleans which was the reason we booked so we could sail down the Mississippi. When I booked I did not know is was the "French Quarter Festival" could some of you recomend a area to stay at that is nice, safe, and not a bad drive to the French Quarters. It will be my wife and I and 3 kids ages 13,17, and 22. Everything is booked and the cheap hotels are outrages would rather spend my money on eating,drinking and visiting the city than to give it to a motel. I was thinking about New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway ?

 

Also a few place I was thinking about eating. If you ate there could you tell me if was good and how expensive it was.

Dragos

Gumbo Shop

Mothers

 

Thanks in advance

[lsu2fan]

We are currenty booked on a cruise out of New Orleans for April 11-15 on the Triumph. We are going to be there on the 9th as none of us have been to New Orleans which was the reason we booked so we could sail down the Mississippi. When I booked I did not know is was the "French Quarter Festival" could some of you recomend a area to stay at that is nice, safe, and not a bad drive to the French Quarters. It will be my wife and I and 3 kids ages 13,17, and 22. Everything is booked and the cheap hotels are outrages would rather spend my money on eating,drinking and visiting the city than to give it to a motel. I was thinking about New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway ?

 

Also a few place I was thinking about eating. If you ate there could you tell me if was good and how expensive it was.

Dragos

Gumbo Shop

Mothers

 

Thanks in advance

 

Hi terrymo,

 

It will probably be less expensive if you stay in Metairie. The drive into town is not far. Getting a parking place in the French Quarter itself is more of a challenge as quite a few of the streets are closed to traffic. We go every year and park at the Riverwalk parking lot and take the Riverfront streetcar to the FQ; it's $1.25 pp one way and saves us a lot of walking; (bring bills and quarters as the conductors don't carry change). http://www.riverwalkmarketplace.com/

 

Dragos - Must do for the charbroiled oysters. The original is in Metairie on N. Arnoult which is a few blocks from the Lakeside Marriott. There's also one downtown in the Hilton on Canal St. but it will be packed

Gumbo Shop - Good food not very expensive

Mothers - You can do a whole lot better

 

During the French Quarter Festival most of the world class restaurants set up booths throughout the FQ and sell their renowned dishes. My suggestion is wait until you get down there and then sample everything :D.

 

Here's the link:

http://www.fqfi.org/frenchquarterfest/fqfi_food.html

 

BTW if you decide to eat in Metairie try Crazy Johnnies, we call it the poor man's Ruth's Chris. It's right across from Drago's. Great steaks, great prices.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jorge

[World Gallery]

Metairie would be a good option if all of the hotels are booked in the French Quarter area. Just be prepared to pay a lot for parking. It is unheard of to get a free parking spot in New Orleans during even minor events.

 

Just stay away from any hotel in "New Orleans East". You would probably find some there and the marketing may make it seems like you are in New Orleans but it is very different from New Orleans and I highly suggest not staying there.

 

Have you checked to see if the Drury in New Orleans has rooms? They usually tend not to go up in price as much as other hotels do during special events.

[lsu2fan]

Just stay away from any hotel in "New Orleans East". You would probably find some there and the marketing may make it seems like you are in New Orleans but it is very different from New Orleans and I highly suggest not staying there.

 

100% in agreement with World Gallery. If Metairie and Downtown/FQ are sold out or way out of budget, try the Slidell area. It's not much a longer drive than from Metairie but it's a much better alternative than NO East.

 

Jorge

[jgmpuma]

You can pretty much forget about parking anywhere downtown. FQF has grown to be a huge event. It started back in the early 80's as an event mainly for locals but is now a big tourist attraction as well.

 

My wife and I park on Canal Street in the suburbs and catch the Canal Street streetcar to downtown.

[bayou cruiser]

Last year for the French Quarter Fest, there was parking across from the convention center and buses to bring you back and forth to the French Quarter. Parking wasn't free but it was definitely reasonable. The Fest is definitely worth a visit and the food booths will give you a great variety of what's offered all over New Orleans.

There are a few hotels in Metairie near the Galleria that are fine and in a safe area. Be aware that there is a lot of road construction going on in that area right now so it may be a slight inconvenience.

[Lynda59]

French Quarter Fest is wonderful!! Not to be missed - but allow extra time for parking. We have been several times and one time we just turned back because we could not get near the regular parking areas (like Canal Place).

 

Metairie is fine for hotels. If there are road closures at Causeway & I-10 just take Causeway south to Airline Dive (Hwy 61) and head east (towards New Orleans) and pick up I-10 about 4 miles down (just before Carrollton). Your front desk clerks can give you options.

 

Allow extra time to get to the port, too.