Hey I'm going to NOLA

*Every once in a while I'll get an e-mail from a friend, like hey I'm going to (Paris, Puerto Rico, NYC ect.) what do you recommend, so I think I'm going to try to turn these e-mails into some sort of organized list of suggestions/ideas for their trip...and yours too, so here is another
 "HEY I'M GOING TO_____ SERIES"
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HEY I'M GOING TO NOLA

Some things to know...
New Orleans is not your personal drunken playground. Please be respectful people live and work in this amazing city. Sure you can drink on the street and in general there is a “laissez faire” attitude that lets you get away with more than you would in another city, but don’t push it.

Ok that’s my disclaimer, now laissez les bons temps rouler!

Where to Stay- There are a million sweet neighborhoods in The Big Easy. I personally love the posh Garden District with its impressive mansions. For something more “hip” stay in The Bywater, or Faubourg Marigny. If you need a swank roof top pool check out the Central Business District. Otherwise Air B&B is full of amazing houses. No matter where you stay be aware of your surroundings at all times, New Orleans like many other cities is a “block by block” kinda place, meaning you could be strolling through the mansions of the Garden District and go one block north and find yourself in an area of town where you shouldn’t be.

What to Do- Mostly you’ll just be eating and drinking! But we’ll get to that in a second. MUSIC, plan to see as much live music as possible, either at Preservation Hall, or Le Bon Temps Roule where The Soul Rebels have a standing gig on Thursdays. The cemeteries should also be on your list, some you can wander at your leisure, others require you be on a guided tour. Last but not least, I highly recommend a Bayou tour. A few are within the city limits but Bayou Lafourche is about 25 min away by car and is amazing.

Eat Drink and be Merry- Finally it’s time for a list of where to eat and drink. You could walk into 

any ole place and have a great meal in NOLA, but for the full experience don’t forget to eat your way through the city with these items: Po Boy at Domilise Sandwhich Shop and Bar, A muffuletta at any of these places, Beignets of course at Cafe du Monde, Gumbo at Commanders Palace, A Sazerac at Carousel Bar, a Daiquiri from New Orleans Original Daiquiris (a bunch of locations), Oysters at Acme Oyster House (either raw or charbroiled) most likely there will be a line out the door. and finally a Hurricane, if you can stomach that much fruity booze.