New Orleans is open for business! While much of the city is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, there are still plenty of frugal things to do should you ever find yourself down in “The Big Easy”.
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Mardi Gras
- One of the greatest free celebrations in the U.S., Mardi Gras lasts for about two weeks preceding Mardi Gras Day, or Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras Day is the culmination, and the last hurrah before the beginning of Lent. The weekend before Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Day are the biggest days, with parades going all day. Check out the French Quarter the weekend before through Mardi Gras Day for a look at the wild side- although I would not recommend bringing kids-especially at night! Most parades follow the traditional uptown route down St. Charles to Canal St. (Adjacent to the French Quarter) in New Orleans. For a more family oriented version, head out to the suburbs to Metaire, (only about 15 minutes from downtown) where parades and the Mardi Gras atmosphere are a little more family friendly. You can bring food and beverages out to the parades with you, as many locals do, and don’t forget to bring a few chairs!
Dates for the next few years (Mardi Gras Day)
2009-February 24, 2010-February 16, 2011-March 8, 2012-February 21
Audubon Zoo
-One of the better zoos in the country, located right next to beautiful Audubon Park. Check out the elephants, white tiger, white alligator, and the swamp exhibit. Playground areas available for children as well. Make a day of it!
Admission $12.50 adults, $7.50 for kids (Note- you can bring your own food and drinks)
Ride the Streetcar
-The New Orleans streetcar system was expanded in the late 90’s but suffered during the flooding of Hurricane Katrina. The price is the same as bus fare, $1.25. You can go from Audubon Park uptown, to the French Quarter, and then south down Canal Street and end up at City Park.
Walking tour of the Garden District
- For about $10 to $15, you can take a 2 hour walking tour along the stately oaks in one of New Orleans’ most beautiful neighborhoods. A little pricey, but well worth it.
Nighttime Entertainment-Go Where the locals go (Fauborg Marigny-Frenchman Street)
-Right off the edge of the French Quarter, is a little hidden gem of nightclubs, bars, and restaurants, much of which is located on Frenchman Street. Away from the tourist-oriented French Quarter, prices of food, drink, and admission are quite a bit lower.
Minor League Baseball
- The New Orleans Zephyrs, a Triple A affiliate of the New York Mets, play in their own baseball stadium in Metaire, LA. Tickets are priced from about $6-$8, and the concessions aren’t as high priced as at professional sports stadiums.
Parks
- New Orleans has two great parks,1300 acre City Park and Audubon Park. Have a picnic, and relax under the stately oak trees. City Park has a great Botanical Gardens, Sculpture Garden, picnic areas, lagoons, and lots of oak trees. Audubon Park is home of the Audubon Zoo, and includes a gold course as well.
Fishing
- The Greater New Orleans area has great fishing just about year round, both fresh and saltwater. Lots off people fish and crab right off of the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, which can be done very cheaply. You can fish for speckled trout, redfish, offshore for tuna , grouper, and other big game fish (although offshore fishing can be expensive) or freshwater for bass.
Beignets and Cafe Au Lait at Cafe du Monde
- Located down in the French Quarter, get your cafe au lait and beignets for just a few bucks.
French Quarter Festival
- One of my favorites, a two day music festival that is free. There are 4 or 5 stages in the French Quarter and along the Riverfront with free live music, and great food and drinks available at fairly reasonable prices.
For Frugal Things to Do in other Cities, Check out the Money Life Network’s Frugal Things to Do In Series
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PT 08.04.08 at 9:51 am
Great job, RC. I love N.O. Been down there many times to enjoy some good times for sure. I hope to make it to a Mardi Gras in the next few years.
Adele 08.04.08 at 1:29 pm
Thanks for posting this!!!! We are definitely open for business and as hospitable as ever. I’d be happy to answer local questions if anyone has them. Too bad you guys just missed Satchmo Fest - a free 3 day festival celebrating Louis Armstrong, his music and the city he loved. Not to worry though, many more festivals to come.
RC 08.04.08 at 8:30 pm
@ PT- Thanks! Make sure you give me a holler if you do.
RC 08.04.08 at 8:31 pm
@Adele: You’re welcome! After everything that has happened here over the last few years, I still love it here! I missed out on the Satchmo Fest this past weekend, but heard it was great. WIll have to catch it next year. Thanks for visiting!
Double 08.04.08 at 9:06 pm
I love to travel. New Orleans is certainly on my list of cities to visit.
RC 08.05.08 at 6:21 am
@Double:
It is a good place to visit, if you’ve never been here. I love to travel too, but need to do more of it!
hank 08.06.08 at 3:49 pm
not on the list, but I was at Jazzfest a few years back and had an AWESOME time just soaking up the scene, and since then have been itching to get back! Very nice post!
FFB 08.06.08 at 4:03 pm
I’d love to visit New Orleans! Such history there!!
RC 08.06.08 at 9:25 pm
@Hank- I thought about Jazzfest, but since it is a little pricier (but worth it if you want to splurge!) I decided to go with the French Quarter fest, which i enjoy a lot.
@FFB- It does have a lot of history-Give me a holler if you ever make it down!