What do you do with young kids in NOLA?

[shellgoodman]

My family and my MIL will be in NOLA Thanksgiving weekend before our Conquest cruise on the 28th. We are staying at the Holiday Inn French Quarter and are lucky to have a room due to a huge football game.

 

Besides the aquarium, where should I bring my kids (6 & 4)? Are there any kiddie haunted house tours? Also, what restaurants are kid friendly? I have never been to NOLA and am not sure what to expect for my girls.

 

Thanks.

[zydecocruiser]

Oh, my Gawd. I avoid Downtown and the French Quarter at almost all costs at Thanksgiving because you are correct - there is a huge college football game between Grambling and Southern. They have threatened before to relocate the game to Houston and I wish they would.

http://www.statefarmbayouclassic.com/

 

The traffic will be unbelieveable and something to avoid on Canal Street. What day and time do you actually arrive?

 

I'm not sure you could find a different location at this point (away from downtown) and will have to think about if you would even want to do that.

 

Because of the game, I doubt there will be too many other events, but here is a calendar:

http://www.nola.com/haunted/halloween/?/haunted/halloween/content/hcalendar.html

 

 

This is certainly not the best time to see New Orleans for the first time visit, but maybe this list can get you through it.

 

The aquarium is good. There is an Imax theater also. A river cruise to Audubon Park. I think the restaurants downtown are just going to be jammed.

 

I wish I had a good answer for your question but am going to have to ponder this for a while.

[shellgoodman]

Do you know when the game is? What do you think the traffic will be like on Sunday from the Holiday Inn French Quarter to the pier? Unfortunately, 80,000 other people booked rooms and the Holiday Inn was practically the only reasonably priced hotel I could get.

 

In terms of my visit, I will not expect much due to the masses of people that will be there.

[zydecocruiser]

The actual game is Saturday afternoon, but there will be events most of Friday and Saturday. A number of people that drive in the for the game will be driving out after and those that stay will probably be up late and sleeping late. Here is the schedule:

 

http://www.statefarmbayouclassic.com/explore.cfm/scheduleofevents/cal112004

 

I don't think there will be a problem getting to the boat on Sunday. The hotel is not far from it. Are you driving? I know taxi drivers that refuse to work that weekend, but Sunday should not be a problem getting one.

 

I will go ahead and apologize for any madness and insanity your family witnesses that weekend - it is going to be crazy and I hope you give the city another chance at a less hectic time.

 

I would go ahead and start thinking about restaurant reservations as well. Not sure if Verti Marte will be open then, but if so, they deliver food 24 hours. Might be a backup.

[Cotton]

It does get quite hectic during this particular wknd. However, you've selected a good hotel in a good area. Hope y'all get some sleep.:rolleyes:

 

There is a children's museum at 420 Julia St. I've taken my grandson, and he really enjoyed the hands-on activities, as well as seeing the interesting aspects of the museum.

 

You mentioned the aquarium. It's a good one to visit. They also offer a package - Aquarium, a fun boat ride to Audubon Zoo (great zoo), and back. The zoo has a really nice area that shows cajun life - complete with white alligators, white tiger, and a natural swamp.

 

Take the kids to Brocato's Ice Cream Shop, near Jackson Square. Cafe du Monde is usually crowded all the time, but get beignets and cafe au lait, hot chocolate for the kiddies, to-go, and take with you up the steps to the river. Great view and benches to sit on.

 

I don't know if you would consider a cruise before your cruise:D, but the steamboat "Natchez" offers a really nice lunch cruise down river. Also a dinner cruise, but the kiddies would probably enjoy the day time cruise better.

 

Traffic should be easy to the pier on Sunday. Most of the football crowd will have left the city when it's time to check in - as the Conquest doesn't leave till late.

 

I agree with above poster - Please do come back to our wonderful city when there isn't so much going on. It shouldn't be too busy in the Quarter while the game's in progress....so try to walk around the Quarter (particularly Decatur St.) while the crowd's at the game.

[Budget Queen]

I have stayed at this hotel, just have them call you a cab to the ship- $7pp unfortunately for all persons. As for activites, the Aquarium as mentioned, maybe the zoo, with a ride on the St. Charles Streetcar- get an all day pass if your kids like the ride. Go to Jackson Square and look at street preformers, The free Alger's ferry and Mardi Gras World. But print out some coupons that you may use from the Good Times Guide web site. And no probably no kids haunted activities?? You are on a very quiet street even though you are only a block from Bourbon. Plenty to do- also take a look at activities listing at the NO convention web site.

[zydecocruiser]

I think the St Charles steetcar is a good idea also. I can't imagine the kids/MIL wanting to walk all day but your mileage may vary. If you get a pass, there is the Canal Street streetcar as well, and a Riverfront line.

http://www.norta.com/

 

Here is a websight put together by Ed Branley (not part of RTA and of course mentioning his book!):

http://www.canalstreetcar.com/welcome.html

 

Another of Ed's websites:

http://www.citiesofthedead.net/

 

I still am curious if you are driving or flying, because parking is going to be at a premium. Your hotel has parking and I would think they would reserve enough for the guests, but... . If driving, I would be tempted to park it and leave it until Sunday morning.

 

And what was I thinking - Halloween is this month, not next.

 

Not sure what your plans are after the cruise, but when the ship returns to New Orleans, it will be a completely different season. The Angel Hair Christmas Lobby at the Fairmont comes to mind among others...

 

http://www.frenchquarterfestivals.com/index.php?id=10,61,0,0,1,0

 

 

bill

[zydecocruiser]

I took a quick survey and yes, the Children's museum seems to be a winner.

 

I had to quote this one:

 

"There are a couple of kid friendly attractions besides the aquarium. The Zoo is excellent and on Julia there is a Children's museum. Also if you are at the Holiday Inn on Royal there is a TGI Fridays attached to it. I expect that it is a good place to eat now. 60 Min or 20/20 just had a feature on it as being one of the worst 10 restaurants that they inspected. :-) My wife and I stop at Mulates on Convention Blvd and Julia at least once a trip. The food is so so but the music and dancing are fun... I think the kids would like it. "

 

And this one:

"Saints Hall of Fame in Kenner? (g) Where grown men have been known to cry. Actually, my 8 yr. old girl, a brainwashed fan, would enjoy the place in moderation. As a bonus, isn't a Mardi Gras museum next door?"

 

{what he is talking about is Rivertown in Kenner }

http://www.rivertownkenner.com/saints.html

[jgmpuma]

It isn't really that bad, and the Bayou Classic has never kept us out of the French Quarter on Thanksgiving weekend. What you have are a bunch of college students cruising, mainly on Canal Street and on Decatur Street. They are noisy (lots of rap/hip-hop on the car sound systems) but they generally behave themselves. Nothing like Mardi Gras. Bourbon Street will be packed, but you probably wouldn't be taking the MIL and kids there anyway. There are usually no conventions and few tourists in town that weekend.

 

The restaurants aren't crowded. Some of them close because most of the people in town are eating mostly fast food. There are a couple of good kid-friendly restaurants in the warehouse district, not far from the Holiday Inn. Mulate's is pretty good and so is Praline Connection, a little further away.

 

If the weather is nice, do the zoo cruise. We have been to the zoo a bunch of times and on our last visit we took the boat trip, and that was a lot of fun. The Natchez might be a better trip if the weather is cold. Never been to the Children's Museum, but have heard good things about it. There is an IMAX theatre next to the aquarium, which is also nice. I think the kids would find the stretcar ride a little boring.

[SadieQ]

"I think the kids would find the stretcar ride a little boring."

 

The streetcar is probably my kids' favorite thing to do. They always want to ride it when we're in New Orleans.

 

They also loved the Algiers ferry, which is free for pedestrians. We could just cross the river and come back and they'd be happy. Really.

 

The Children's museum is nice.

[zydecocruiser]

Happened to trip over this:

 

http://www.neworleanskids.com/

 

I will say that while I used to like Sid-Mars restaurant, it is no longer on my list. Not that is bad, just that I think there are better restaurants in the area to say nothing of better value.

 

Never been to Canon's, but it has been there for a while.

 

 

I hear some kids like this (adults, too):

http://www.noma.org/html_docs/sgarden/

[shellgoodman]

Thanks for the recommendations! 32 more days!!!

[Bunkie103]

Just returned from NOLA and while riding the street car my husband and I agreed how much our granddaughters would LOVE IT! (They are 8 and 5). Especially the Garden District older cars with the windows open and the bell clanging--it's a lot of fun. Too bad there is so much going on while you're there, but I'm sure you will enjoy it! Have a great trip!