New Orleans, LA

This is the War and Peace of southern cities...The best of times and the worst of times, and you could also write a thousand pages about it! It is both one of my favorites and also one of the places where you can see poverty, crime, and destruction at levels not seen in other U.S. cities.

Every time I go, leave, or think about New Orleans, I am moved.

To Do--There is no shortage of sights, sounds, and experiences in the Crescent City. There are already lots of lists out there of things to do and see in New Orleans, but for me...Every trip must include...A walk through the French Quarter (where there are lots of cool shops, especially for Antiques) ending up in Jackson Square and strolling over to Cafe Du Monde for one of the best bargains around, an order of Beignets and a Chicory Coffee. They have a nice Casino right downtown, Harrah's. Take a riverboat or swamp cruise, golf, ride a carriage, or just about anything you could want to do, it can be done in New Orleans. End up on Bourbon Street and ignore the girls and head for one of the several great music establishments featuring live jazz and blues nightly. The Hornets and Saints feed the pro sports appetite, and Tulane also sports some solid teams as do the minor league baseball Zephyrs the AAA affiliate of the NY Mets. There's also a Zoo, aquarium, and several museums including the World War II museum. The most fun filled, always open, city in the South.

To Eat-- What they have to do is eclipsed by what they have to eat, I would place it second only to NYC in the U.S. for access to world class food. Of course there are the Brennan's, Emeril, and where Ruth got her Chris Steakhouse, but there are also some PHENOMENAL spots not associated with any of the aforementioned. In the Garden District, a neat primarily residential area of the city with some AWESOME mansions and squares, there are a couple great eats including Commander's Palace (25 cent martini lunch!), Brigtsen's, Gautreau's, and Jacques-Imo's. In the French Quarter there is an overwhelming array of gastro-decisions to be made, the best can be found at GW Fins, Louisiana Bistro, and Yo-Mama's (Not a joke). There's also the famous Acme Oyster House and one of my favorites for a good meal and some fun people watching, Brennan's Bourbon House Seafood...speaking of Dickie Brennan, he is also the purveyor of my favorite steakhouse in the city, the aptly named Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse. Muriel's on Jackson Square is a cool spot too. It's tough to find a bad meal in New Orleans!

To Stay-- Like the things to do and eat, there is no shortage of great options to lay down at the end of a fun and food filled day in the Big Easy. My favorites include the Homewood Suites, Crowne Plaza Astor (on the corner of Bourbon and Canal), and Riverfront Westin. Harrah's, Hilton, and Marriott also have flagship properties right in the middle of the action. Unlike a bad meal, you can find a bad bed here, so spend a few minutes checking this piece out, but there are lots of great options to help complete an all around great trip to New Orleans.

Enjoy it(I know I have)... This place is the BEST!