2 Nights in New Orleans with Teens - what to do?

[lavenderblue]

I'm taking my kids on a cruise in August and our ship sails out of New Orleans. Since none of us has ever been there, I've decided that we'll fly in on Friday and spend a couple of nights before our cruise leaves on Sunday. Any things that are must do in the short time that we will be there? We'll fly in Friday around lunch time and head to our cruise mid-day on Sunday. Also, is the French Quarter the best place to stay? I'm a Hilton Rewards member so trying to stick to that hotel brand and it looks like they have a few options in/around the French Quarter. 

[followyourarrow]

New Orleans in August is going to be pretty miserable, so I'd stick with inside stuff as much as possible. Cafe Du Monde for beignets of course. Maybe a horse drawn tour, which you can get at Jackson Square by Cafe Du Monde. Look around Jackson Square, there are cool art vendors, but be very smart and safe. If they like history at all, I'd really recommend the WWII museum, it's really fantastic, and air conditioned! I'm not sure I'd do the French Quarter with two teens. Personally, I like the Sheraton or the hotel attached to the WWII museum. The shopping on Magazine Street is lovely, Sucre is a favorite sweet shop. District Donuts are really good.

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

Bourbon Street at midnight if you want a quiet stroll.

[mofongo]

Hilton would be fine, the riverside Hilton is big and central.

It will be unimaginably hot, so stick to indoor activities. Please no horse drawn carriage rides, so cruel! Definitely do at least the 'movie' at ww2 museum.

I can make more recommendations later.

[7costanza]

I would wander around the French quarter and maybe do the WWII museum (it’s huge and could take a full day+, but the movie is cool if you’re on a time crunch.) When I went in June there was an interesting museum at Jackson Square focused on Katrina and Mardi Gras that had cheap entry. If you can handle the heat we also really enjoyed cemetery and ghost/vampire tours. I went with my H but all those activities would be fine for teens. Have fun!

[cville]

I just got back from there! My kids are younger. And I've been there in August. So my list is curated to things older kids will like that will also not kill you from heat related illness:

-WWII Museum is truly awesome

-There are a lot of (indoor) cooking classes in the French Quarter. So you can see the charm and then go in the AC. My kids loved it, I loved it, and you get wine.

-show at Preservation Hall (you can get tickets. Get seats. You don't want to stand in that heat)

-swamp boat tour. It'll be hot but they move fast.

[mofongo]

Feb 28, 2024 16:38:43 GMT -5 cville said:

I just got back from there! My kids are younger. And I've been there in August. So my list is curated to things older kids will like that will also not kill you from heat related illness:

-WWII Museum is truly awesome

-There are a lot of (indoor) cooking classes in the French Quarter. So you can see the charm and then go in the AC. My kids loved it, I loved it, and you get wine.

-show at Preservation Hall (you can get tickets. Get seats. You don't want to stand in that heat)

-swamp boat tour. It'll be hot but they move fast.

EXCUSE ME!? You could have at least told me so I could have attempted to stalk you!!!

[cville]

Feb 28, 2024 16:41:48 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Feb 28, 2024 16:38:43 GMT -5 cville said:

I just got back from there! My kids are younger. And I've been there in August. So my list is curated to things older kids will like that will also not kill you from heat related illness:

-WWII Museum is truly awesome

-There are a lot of (indoor) cooking classes in the French Quarter. So you can see the charm and then go in the AC. My kids loved it, I loved it, and you get wine.

-show at Preservation Hall (you can get tickets. Get seats. You don't want to stand in that heat)

-swamp boat tour. It'll be hot but they move fast.

EXCUSE ME!? You could have at least told me so I could have attempted to stalk you!!!

I know! It was very last minute and I went straight from a business trip so was all scattered. By the time I thought of it, it was the morning of our flight out. 😭 I am mad at myself for forgetting to reach out.

[cville]

Oh, also, NO is the best. It was a great time.

Best: We had fancy brunch. I had 2 glasses of champagne. The server brought a 3rd to my table that I hadn't ordered. I told him. He winked and left it. I got free champagne. Then I went shopping on Magazine Street and did NOT buy a fascinator but tried on at least 89. The end.

[mofongo]

Feb 28, 2024 16:57:02 GMT -5 cville said:

Oh, also, NO is the best. It was a great time.

Best: We had fancy brunch. I had 2 glasses of champagne. The server brought a 3rd to my table that I hadn't ordered. I told him. He winked and left it. I got free champagne. Then I went shopping on Magazine Street and did NOT buy a fascinator but tried on at least 89. The end.

I was all over the city last weekend, if that’s when you were here! Some of H’s family was in town. I, TOO, was on Magazine!

[cville]

Feb 28, 2024 16:59:25 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Feb 28, 2024 16:57:02 GMT -5 cville said:

Oh, also, NO is the best. It was a great time.

Best: We had fancy brunch. I had 2 glasses of champagne. The server brought a 3rd to my table that I hadn't ordered. I told him. He winked and left it. I got free champagne. Then I went shopping on Magazine Street and did NOT buy a fascinator but tried on at least 89. The end.

I was all over the city last weekend, if that’s when you were here! Some of H’s family was in town. I, TOO, was on Magazine!

Weekend before. I left some fascinators for you.

Next time, I will try to remember. My sweet husband did all the planning because I had so much work travel so I wasn't thinking about the visit until I was there, practically. And then I was overindulging in champagne.

[dish2501]

The New Orleans School of Cooking (https://neworleansschoolofcooking.com/) was so much fun. We did the more expensive hands on class and really enjoyed it. If that’s too pricey, our friends also loved the demo one. They suggest you arrive early to get good seats facing the instructor.

We mostly ate our way through New Orleans. NOLA Po’boys was so good.

The Pharmacy Museum was cool if you like old medical stuff. We are nerdy and spent a few hours there. pharmacymuseum.org/

Like PPs said, the WWII museum is phenomenal.

[turkletsmom]

I've never been, but there's a place called JAMNOLA that's supposed to be fun art installations that are "instagramable" (and indoors). That could be fun for teens.
Mardi Gras World is where a lot of MG floats are made and it has stuff on the history of the holiday and how they set it all up, etc.
Another vote for the WWII museum.

Outside ideas that might not be great due to the heat:
Cemetery Tour
Ghost tour
Swamp tour
Riverboat ride on the Steamboat Natchez

I'd walk around the FQ early in the morning before the heat sets in.

[sparty04]

I would assume they allow kids on the bike tours so if you're lucky to have a mild day, I highly recommend Confederacy of Cruisers. I've done two with them and they're amazing

[jlt19]

Love this thread! DD (13) wants to go badly so I told her I’d take her for an 8th grade graduation trip. But wasn’t sure what to do, some of these are perfect! Cooking, eating, shopping? All up her alley. But I guess really, they can all be done anywhere…

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

PSA mofongo is a good time. Very soft boobies. Look her up y'all.

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

Christ almighty yes it will be ungodly hot but most of the stuff you need to see involves outside. Just do it.

[wanderingback]

Feb 28, 2024 17:01:39 GMT -5 cville said:

Feb 28, 2024 16:59:25 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I was all over the city last weekend, if that’s when you were here! Some of H’s family was in town. I, TOO, was on Magazine!

Weekend before. I left some fascinators for you.

Next time, I will try to remember. My sweet husband did all the planning because I had so much work travel so I wasn't thinking about the visit until I was there, practically. And then I was overindulging in champagne.

Oh wow, we were there at the same time!
We also had a nice time I hadn’t been in a few years so it was nice to be back.

[HRH Queen Dick I, Orphan]

Remember the days when people used to meet each other en masse? We ain't doing that but if we did it would be NOLA not fucking Minneapolis. Agreed?

No offense.

[mofongo]

Feb 28, 2024 22:41:47 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Feb 28, 2024 17:01:39 GMT -5 cville said:

Weekend before. I left some fascinators for you.

Next time, I will try to remember. My sweet husband did all the planning because I had so much work travel so I wasn't thinking about the visit until I was there, practically. And then I was overindulging in champagne.

Oh wow, we were there at the same time!
We also had a nice time I hadn’t been in a few years so it was nice to be back.

I mean!!!!! YOU TWO!!

[ellipses84]

The National WWII museum is amazing!

The Mardis Gras Museum is fun because you get to tour the warehouse where they make and store parade floats.

Staying in the French Quarter is fine and walkable to most things you’d want to do, but I’d prefer to stay at least a couple blocks away from Bourbon St. with kids. You can stay a little further as long as you are on a trolley line. It’s fun to take the trolley to the French Quarter.

There’s a mall on the riverfront and some little boutiques by Cafe Du Monde. There’s lots of amazing restaurants. There’s an aquarium and some other museums but I haven’t been to those.

[Monica Geller]

I was in NOLA last weekend with my BFFs!! It was our first time there and we loved it!! The weather was perfect!! I didn’t want to leave!

I wouldn’t know what to do in August because that sounds hot as hell. We stayed on Canal Street and enjoyed being right on the trolley line! With teenagers:

WWII museum
Cafe Du Monde
Jackson Square