New Orleans (Audubon) Aquarium & Zoo

[bqkali]

Maybe a local or someone who's been here before can help :)

 

My sister is an animal lover and would love to see both the aquarium & zoo while we're in New Orleans. We will be there one night pre-cruise, so we will have Saturday afternoon and a bit of time Sunday morning before actually embarking. We are staying at the Embassy Suites in the Riverwalk area (Julia & S Peters).

 

How long does it take to see the aquarium? I'm having trouble judging how large it is, but it doesn't look like it has any animal shows (other than feedings). Would it be realistic to do the aquarium 10am-12pm, get our luggage from the hotel, and still get to the port by around 2pm (Spirit leaves at 5:30)? According to the hotel website, it is 3 blocks to the aquarium and 4 blocks to the cruise terminal, so "transfer" time should be minimal. Our preference would be to see the aquarium than to simply board the ship earlier if it's possible.

 

Also, if you buy the zoo/aquarium combo ticket, do you have to visit both in the same day or can you split it up into two days? We're guessing that would be too good to be true and that we'll just have to buy separate tickets.

 

On a sidenote, we are also staying two days post-cruise to do the things that I want to do ;) We are still deciding between the Holiday Inn French Quarter (124 Royal) and Holiday Inn Chateau Lemoyne (301 Rue Dauphine).

 

Thanks in advance!

[steamboats]

As far as I remember we were able to split the combo tickets on different days but I don´t know whether you can do it with a week inbetween.

 

2 hours might be a bit too short. I´d say app. 3 hours but if you´re rushing a bit. Anyway you can make it and be at the cruise terminal by 2 pm.

 

steamboats

[bqkali]

As far as I remember we were able to split the combo tickets on different days but I don´t know whether you can do it with a week inbetween.

 

2 hours might be a bit too short. I´d say app. 3 hours but if you´re rushing a bit. Anyway you can make it and be at the cruise terminal by 2 pm.

 

steamboats

 

Thanks for the advice.

[map70065]

Maybe a local or someone who's been here before can help :)

 

We are staying at the Embassy Suites in the Riverwalk area (Julia & S Peters).

 

How long does it take to see the aquarium? I'm having trouble judging how large it is, but it doesn't look like it has any animal shows (other than feedings). Would it be realistic to do the aquarium 10am-12pm, get our luggage from the hotel, and still get to the port by around 2pm (Spirit leaves at 5:30)? According to the hotel website, it is 3 blocks to the aquarium and 4 blocks to the cruise terminal, so "transfer" time should be minimal. Our preference would be to see the aquarium than to simply board the ship earlier if it's possible.

 

Also, if you buy the zoo/aquarium combo ticket, do you have to visit both in the same day or can you split it up into two days? We're guessing that would be too good to be true and that we'll just have to buy separate tickets.

 

On a sidenote, we are also staying two days post-cruise to do the things that I want to do ;) We are still deciding between the Holiday Inn French Quarter (124 Royal) and Holiday Inn Chateau Lemoyne (301 Rue Dauphine).

I'd say it's more like about 7 blocks from the hotel to the Aquarium - but still an easy walk. 2-3 hours should be a good amount of time there. The only shows ARE the feedings, except for the IMAX theater shows. If you have time I'd highly recommend Hurricane on the Bayou there. Even if you take 2+ hours you'll still have plenty of time to get to the port by 2 - it is about 4 blocks from your hotel - you could easily walk it if you didn't have to wrangle luggage.

 

Can't say much about how they split the tickets, we're members so I don't know what the rules for single tickets are.

 

Of the two Holiday Inn's you mentioned I'd recomment the Chateau Lemoyne a little more highly than the HI French Quarter. Both are passable hotels, but Lemoyne is a little more personable.

[bqkali]

I'd say it's more like about 7 blocks from the hotel to the Aquarium - but still an easy walk. 2-3 hours should be a good amount of time there. The only shows ARE the feedings, except for the IMAX theater shows. If you have time I'd highly recommend Hurricane on the Bayou there. Even if you take 2+ hours you'll still have plenty of time to get to the port by 2 - it is about 4 blocks from your hotel - you could easily walk it if you didn't have to wrangle luggage.

 

Can't say much about how they split the tickets, we're members so I don't know what the rules for single tickets are.

 

Of the two Holiday Inn's you mentioned I'd recomment the Chateau Lemoyne a little more highly than the HI French Quarter. Both are passable hotels, but Lemoyne is a little more personable.

 

Thanks for all your help!

[TML1101]

I see this post is over a month old, but I just wanted to chime in. If you buy the zoo+aquarium combo ticket, you have 1 year to use it. Also, I think 2 hours is enough time to see the aquarium. It took me less that 2 hours which included about 15 minutes playtime in the kiddie play area.

 

www.auduboninstitute.org

 

This website will have info on the Aquarium, Zoo, IMAX, and the new insectarium that opened this month.

[bqkali]

I see this post is over a month old, but I just wanted to chime in. If you buy the zoo+aquarium combo ticket, you have 1 year to use it. Also, I think 2 hours is enough time to see the aquarium. It took me less that 2 hours which included about 15 minutes playtime in the kiddie play area.

 

www.auduboninstitute.org

 

This website will have info on the Aquarium, Zoo, IMAX, and the new insectarium that opened this month.

 

Thank you so much for the info on the combo ticket. It sounds like it will be possible to do the zoo on Saturday and the aquarium Sunday morning.