lafayette louisiana and new orleans

Thanks for all the suggestions for Lafayette, it is our last major stop on our fall road trip.

I agree with Wadcutter about New Orleans. We have been twice, we stay out at Pontchartrain Landing, and have spent a week each time. We still have not made it out to the river plantations, perhaps in October. We have journeyed down to Chalmette, location of the Battle of New Orleans, we've taken tours of the cemeteries, walking tours of the Garden District, toured the cathedral, did a Jazz tour, a food tour, and a few others. We have gone to Bourbon street and listened to some great jazz at Fritzel's European Jazz Club, really good local bands and food at The Maison and cold beer and Jazz at the Spotted Cat. We also did a tour of the Lower 9th Ward. There is a small museum there showing the before and after of Katrina. Near by is Fat's Domino's home and music studio.

When I was there several years ago we toured the factory where the Mardis Gras floats are designed and created and we were fortunate to be there the weekend of the Halloween Parade. Tons of fun without the huge crowds. On one trip to the city there was a Second Line parade past the restaurant where we were having dinner.

Get off the beaten path and explore the city and surrounding area.

jplante4 wrote:

Big Katuna wrote:
We stay at Poches Fish and Camp.

+1 for Poche's Fish and Camp and Poche's Market. Lunch buffet is great.

Here's another Poche's lunch pic to get the mouths watering.



(Resized image to fit the page.)

Wadcutter wrote:
Go into the small local restaurants and businesses where the real Cajuns go and you'll hear the Cajun French still being spoken by some. We have never met an unfriendly Cajun.

I can recommend the Pont Breaux in Breaux Bridge for this and great fried oysters.

When in the Lafayette area check out Whiskey Landing south of Breaux Bridge. Local place. Great Cajun music and dancing. Only open Sunday afternoons.
Isaac-1 gave good advice. Run south of Lafayette to the smaller towns for great Cajun food. Knowing a bit of Cajun French language can be fun. Go into the small local restaurants and businesses where the real Cajuns go and you'll hear the Cajun French still being spoken by some. We have never met an unfriendly Cajun. Isaac-1 is correct about the Creole and Cajun food. If you want real Creole food go outside the French Quarter. Locals can direct you to places where you can get authentic real Creole food.
On Bourbon St in the summer you're going to get the smells that mockturtle described. Rest of the year not so much or at all.
If you go to NOLA and only go to Bourbon St then you've missed NOLA. The other streets in the French Quarter have some very interesting shops and none of the rowdiness of the few blocks on Bourbon. The street performers are generally great entertainment. Grab a muffaletta, sit at Jackson Square and watch the people.
Frenchman St is just on the edge of the French Quarter. Smaller bars and restaurants. Not the crowds and all the such as on Bourbon. Some excellent performers in a lot of the places and few have a cover charge and cheaper drinks.
When done in the French Quarter explore rest of NOLA. Take a drive, or the trolley, into the Garden District. Some beautiful old homes.

mockturtle wrote:
My grandson went to New Orleans on his way to Florida last week and said that Bourbon Street was disappointing and smelled of 'hot garbage and vomit'.

Pretty much sums it up.
Twenty years ago you could go and have a good time and not go broke.

Now every bar has a not cheap cover and drinks are $10 each, often a minimum is required.

Good music though.

Around Lafayette the food is great, the people are nicer and way more laid back.

My grandson went to New Orleans on his way to Florida last week and said that Bourbon Street was disappointing and smelled of 'hot garbage and vomit'.

Big Katuna wrote:
We stay at Poches Fish and Camp.

Us too

Big Katuna wrote:
We stay at Poches Fish and Camp.

+1 for Poche's Fish and Camp and Poche's Market. Lunch buffet is great.

If you want to see real cajun culture head south or east of Lafayette, Henderson, New Iberia, Abbeville, etc. Lafayette itself is where all the oil drilling companies have their offices, and as such many of the residents are recent imports to the area. So if you want Greek food, try Lafayette, if you want Cajun Food and culture go to one of the other smaller towns mentioned above.

Also note you don't find much if any cajun food or culture in New Orleans, at best you find some cajun/creole mash up (and no creole is not cajun). The quick way to tell creole food from cajun food is if it has tomatoes in it chances are it is creole, as very few cajun dishes contain tomatoes. So gumbo with tomato and okra = creole not cajun.

I'd spend a week in Lafayette and an evening in NO.