My favorite place to visit is the Voodoo Experience.
I won’t be going this year, but maybe 2011.

I have never been to New Orleans yet but I heard it is really good.

How is it for you by the way? What particular places there would you recommend? I might consider going there soon.

I live 2 1/2 hours away from New Orleans. It’s fun but can also be a very dangerous city. For a while, it led the nation in murder rate. Being from the UK, you are probably used to walking around safely. In New Orleans, you cannot just go walking around anywhere. If you go, try to go during Mardi Gras. It’s one of the top ten parties in the world. Jazz Fest isn’t bad either.

A good place to eat, just outside of New Orleans: http://middendorfsre…

A touristy place in New Orleans: http://www.cafedumon…

I asked a guy where it was and he said he didn’t know because only tourists go there. It’s coffee with chickory and beneits. Not the greatest but you can get a t-shirt.

The food is the best anywhere.

That guy was an idiot. EVERYBODY knows cafe dumonde. Its right in the heart of the French Quarter, in Jackson Square (across from the big cathedral). Plenty of tourists go there, but locals as well, its a great value, very tasty, and some of the best street musicians play on that corner.

Actually, if you stay in the french quarter, its safe at any hour. From there, if you are on foot, you would really have to walk a very long distance to somewhere dangerous. Two places I suggest you see outside of F.Q.: take a drive down Magazine street and St. Charles street (the full length of them). There are some great houses and architecture to see, can find some above-ground cemeteries, and some trendy shops and such.

Most people say that the food is great everywhere. If you want to eat upscale, its hard to make a bad choice. But when eating on the cheap I’ve had some pretty disappointing meals in the Quarter. If you have to eat there, get a poboy or muffeletta, hard to screw those up. For other foods, i suggest getting away from anything that looks the slightest bit touristy.

A less common, but worthwhile, place to go within F.Q., Esplanade Ave and Marigny.

Another tip: Don’t come during summer. The heat index typically reaches 100F by 9am, and does not come down until after dark.

I can just imagine how hot it would be in New Orleans right now—it’s plenty hot here.
I’ve only been there in late October, when it was very pleasant indeed.

We never felt unsafe or weirded out. Halloween night was amazing and very fun.

Magazine Street was not only interesting in itself, but we met some really cool people there as well as on St Charles. We went to Lafayette Cemetery. I like to go to cemeteries wherever we go, but in the South they can be especially fascinating—lots of history.

The last time we were there (2009) I wanted to get breakfast at Cafe du Monde but my husband balked because he said it was going to be “too touristy.” We ended up feeling ripped off at a different place. Won’t make that mistake again.

We ate twice at the Palace Cafe on Canal St. It was so good and so reasonably priced (not to mention a convenient location.) We also had delicious fried oysters at Pearl’s on St Charles.