New Year's Eve in NOLA

[GummyBear]

My wife and I will be sailing out of NOLA on the Conquest, Jan 2nd and will be in the city Dec 31 and Jan 1. We’re looking for New Year’s Eve suggestions that don’t include trolling Bourbon Street. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[zydecocruiser]

Not much to go on. Are you excluding the fireworks on the river? There are several places that would offer dinner and a view for a price.

 

If the target is away from downtown, there will be lots of music. Not sure the club listings are out yet. Tipitina's? RockNBowl will no doubt be having a party upstairs and down.

 

Or did you have a quiet dinner away from all of the crowds in mind?

[Cotton]

For a nice quiet atmosphere, I suggest dinner at Bella Luna restaurant on the river - located off the little walkway behind Cafe du Monde. All tables have a view of the river, and you could watch the fireworks display. The food and ambiance are hard to beat.

[zydecocruiser]

and romantic atmosphere...

 

If interested, I would suggest reservations - now would not be too soon. Don't expect to just walk into most places New Year's Eve or you may be trolling. Not sure what they are offering that evening.

 

http://www.bellalunarestaurant.com/

 

If you want to contrast the heck out of that the night before, you might try zydeco night at RockNBowl:

 

http://www.rocknbowl.com/

[jgmpuma]

As Zydeco says, the restaurants (especially those in the French Quarter) are really crowded on New Year's Eve, so decide where you want to go and make reservations early.

 

Where you greet the new year depends on weather and whether or not you will be drinking. We hang out at a bar on Decatur Street called Tujague's. Inexpensive drinks, by French Quarter standards, and an available bathroom. It is about two blocks from Jackson Square, where there are bands playing, and a pretty good spot to watch the fireworks. Lots of people, but not too crowded.

 

One year when it was extremely cold and windy we watched the fireworks from the 6th floor lobby of the Wyndham Hotel on Decatur. Another good spot is Spanish Plaza, at the northern end of the Riverwalk mall. Shelter is there if you need it, and there is a bathroom that almost no one knows about.