It's been a long time since I was there, so others need to chime in. Definitely take in a show at the Preservation Hall. Jackson Square and the St Louis Cathedral (oldest Catholic church in the US) are nice to check out. If you like oysters, a visit to Drago's is a must. You can do a swamp tour at the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park Preserve and see alligators, birds, fish and other local wildlife.

 

If you like 'em raw, does not make much difference, but if you like 'em grilled on the half shell, as I do, IMHO Acme is better than Drago's. In the summer, oysters may be a little soft and milky because of the warm water and spawn, and I am more careful about getting them cooked rather than raw in the summer because it is a matter mostly of chance on how long they have been on the boat and how carefully they have been chilled in our hot summer weather.

If you like Traditional jazz you can find good music on the River on the Natchez Steam Boat or in the Quarter, but the panhandlers in the quarter have gotten to be such a nuisance I rarely go there. If you like more contemporary music, try Frenchman's Street, just a few blocks from the quarter. I personally enjoy the Traditional Acadian French music (Cajun) offered at Mulates. If you can catch Lee Benoit, he is my favorite. He plays there Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Again, that is Traditional Cajun Music sung mostly in French. Nice dance floor, family place, good food, especially their Blackened Alligator. Somebody needs to eat the damn things, they are getting to be a serious nuisance.

I like, and recommend to my friends, the Cajun Pride Swamp Tour in LaPlace, you can get there with a tour bus out of the Quarter or rent a Harley from http://www.eaglerider.com/neworleans. More alligators per square mile than any place I have seen. Brandon is a very good guide if you can get him. The southern plantations at Oak Alley and Laura are also close to there, and served by tour buses out of the Quarter, or rent a bike and ride the River Road to the plantations. Great Fun, also, to take the ferry across the River (River means Mississippi River of course) at the Edgard/Reserve Ferry. Strange feeling to sit on your bike and watch the River roll by.

 

Thanks for all the New Orleans info.

How about Memphis , Nashville, Atlanta and the smoky mountains national park? Something interesting that is not in tourist guides?

 

All advices and tips about Nashville Memphis Atlanta and smokey mountains are welcome :-)

 

I did the Smokes in November and loved it. Stayed a month on the "Quiet Side" of the Smokies, Townsend, Tenn., at Tremont camp ground. Great place to stay for what I wanted to do, but if you want night life you may like it better closer to Gatlinburg or Dollywood. Mostly Blue Grass, Country, and Gospel music, but that is what I like. Smokies are heavily publisized, and probably very crowded in the summer. I don't like crowds, so Fall and early Spring work well for me. Of course you will have no trouble finding information on the Dragon (129) and Cherohala (143) with a search on this forum or Google. For instance,

http://www.m.cherohala.org

http://tailofthedragon.com

For less-publicized rides, all good, just look for any squiggly lines on a map or on Google Earth. I especially enjoyed New Found Gap road, Cades Cove, Little River Gorge Road between Townsend and Gatlinburge, Wear Cove Gap, Fighting Creek Gap, etc. Dragon is low in my priorities; have to focus on the road too much and watch out for the crotch rockets; I like to enjoy the scenery without having to worry so much about the folks who want to take their half of the road out of the middle.

Want to see something really special go in early June and catch the Synchronous Fireflys.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/fireflies.htm

Elkmont is famous for them, but they "Happen" in other, less crowded places as well. Won't give my secret away on that, but if you make friends with a Park Ranger they can help you avoid the crowds.

 

Thanks :-)

 

Is it Memphis so dangerous as people say? I want to visit the zoo, Graceland, Beale street, Gibson factory and sun and stax studios. I don't know if it's a good idea to carry a big reflex camera... I know carrying big cameras is like shouting out "I'm a tourist" but I would like to make a few night pics of Beale st

 

You should be fine in Memphis, and all the attractions you point out are good things to do - including the zoo. Pick a hotel downtown close to Beale Street, and enjoy yourself. I haven't been to Graceland yet, but the people I know who did the tour really enjoyed it. You'll see all kinds of people on Beale Street, so you should get some really good photos.

 

Thank you! All the hotels in downtown are full or have prices over 400 per night so we made a reservation in east Memphis about 15 miles from Beale. Being "impossible" to make a reservation in downtown I thought east Memphis is a good option and it only take 20-30 minutes to get to downtown. Anyway even being in downtown I should have driven to almost everywhere.

I hope I didn't make a mistake making a reservation in east Memphis...

 

East Memphis is a safe area, albeit far from your attractions. You made a good choice.