It's not really a great town for "not into drinking bar scene types" so I at least hope you like to eat.

You can do a swamp boat tour or something like that if you want some good clean fun.

There's plenty to do without drinking.

If you're into food, I would start making a list. A lot of the best places are hole-in-the-wall, so don't rule them out.

If you like history, there are plenty of tour companies around. I've heard the late-night cemetery tours are pretty cool. New Orleans is below sea level, so the dead are buried in above-ground mausoleums. Plenty of 1800's war history to see. Wandering around the French Quarter might interest you since you said you like to explore. The River Walk is right next to the aquarium, and the Audubon zoo is decent.

Also, bring cool clothes because October is still likely to be surprisingly hot.

just got back from a bachelor party, the only thing I could recommend that we did that wasnt bachelor party-esque is a swamp tour on an air boat. was super cool

Frenchman Street is gonna be less crazy college drunkfest than Bourbon street with some more culture

in a past visit we did a late night ghost tour in the french quarter that was pretty neat

You can also go to Harrah's and gamble away your future if you are so inclined.

There is a pretty nice Aquarium down by the French Quarter as well if I recall correctly

did not see a single pinball machine

Make sure you go eat at Commanders Palace.One of the best restaurants I've ever been.You need to dress fancy though.They also have a lot of really great city tours.

The wife and I took a walking tour that visited all of the locations associated with the Kennedy assassination. The guide was super cool, and filled in some gaps.

Flak jacket?

That's because they don't float.

We took the Ghost tour at night.That was great.

Take a airboat tour in the swamp.One of the coolest things we ever did.They pick you up from major hotels and return you after.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency.Very nice hotel.The World War 2 museum is a great place to check out.

If you like to cook, the Crescent City Cooks! classes are a lot of fun. They are in the Riverwalk Marketplace, right next to the aquarium and Harrahs.

You can gamble at Harrahs if that's what your into.

Try staying at one of the very old homes in the Garden District that have been turned into hotels. Try to catch a show(rock, broadway, whatever). N.O gets plenty of them. No Saints game that week, they have a bye.

For eats you have to go to Mothers near the Superdome. Small place with the best gumbo ever! Lots of good restaurants on the Westbank also. Away from the touristy part of N.O is where you can find some great food at a reasonable price. Shrimp and fried oyster po-boys everywhere. Crawfish if you like 'em.

A muffaletta and big bag of Zapps chips from Central Grocery is always a great lunch, if you don't mind a crowd.

cenralgrocery (resized).jpg

zapps (resized).jpg

Ditto here. Pretty neat

Frenchman street had some great live music when we were there

http://www.neworleanscvb.com/calendar-events/?e_ViewBy=week&e_sdate=10-13-2016&e_sortBy=eventDate

http://www.songkick.com/metro_areas/11772-us-new-orleans?utf8=%E2%9C%93&filters%5BminDate%5D=10%2F08%2F2016&filters%5BmaxDate%5D=10%2F12%2F2016#date-filter-form

At the end of the tour my wife swears she felt a presence touch her.It really freaked her out.

You're killing me dude. That looks so good and brings back memories. I lived in N.O back in the early 80's.

Just wander the French Quarter. Lots of great places (and crappy places) to eat. Nice that you can grab a beer and walk the streets. So many places that you can hear live music. You can go from one bar to the next, no cover charge, and hear jazz, rock, pop. The walk along the river to Jackson Square is nice. If you're a sports fan, NBA preseason basketball should have started and NFL football should be in full swing by then. The casino is okay if you like gambling. People have already suggested swamp boat or plantation tours. You can do a Mississippi riverboat cruise/dinner. There's also an area of nice, older houses just outside the city that you can get to by street car, I just can't remember where it is.

I've been to NO twice for conferences and I love the city. I call it "dirty Vegas". It's got some grit and grime but lots of character!

Enjoy!

It's good that you have your wife with you. That way you will be sure that you end up with a real female at the end of the night.

Seriously, that was my first thought. I hate New Orleans. Grimy, crime ridden tourist trap. I can't get the image out of my head of the 8 month pregnant bitc* smoking a cigarette and chugging a beer as her "boyfriend" destroys a street vendors paintings. And you know what? She blended right in. I'll pass......

Don't miss the WWII museum. Top notch.

I hope its really not like what i seen on Cop's , it looks pretty nasty to me. Good luck and have a great time.

That's whats cool about it. You never know what you will see next.It,s fun to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.

After a few hurricanes you blend right in and it all seems natural.

My wife got a picture with a bunch of 'orbs' at that restaurant that leaves a table set for ghosts.

?

Famous drink served at Pat O's in the Quarter. Not bad, the Monsune from Port of Call is better in my eyes though.

Anyone who has been there will know.

If you show up on Bourbon street at 3 AM stone cold sober you will look around and say W.T.F. What is going on here, every damn person on this street should be arrested and sent to jail!

But if you start out with a nice dinner, have a hurricane or 2, then listen to some music while switching to your normal drink of choice (NOTE DO NOT KEEP DRINKING HURRICANES!) then by 3 you will be out there screaming and yelling with everyone else and it will seem like the biggest and most fun party ever.

That is so true. When we first walked down Bourbon street I was thinking "OH SHIT" I'm in the wrong place but after a few beers you kind of fit in and don't want the good times to end.

I've never been, but hoping to get there in the spring. I can't believe no one said preservation hall?!!!

I suspect if I was drunk off my ass I might have a different opinion, but I wasn't. Lot's of homeless too, and not just homeless but in some state of narcotic intoxication or withdrawal. No thanks!

The food here is amazing though. I can't wait to wake up in the morning, crawl out of my cardboard box, shoot a juicy hit of illegal narcotics into my filthy southerner veins, and eat a nice big shrimp poboy!!

Ehh, the best po' boy I ever had was in Gulf Port, but that place got blown away a few years ago. Can't remember the name, but it was good. Didn't have to step over any drugged up homeless people to get there either.

I travel a fair amount for work and I see it pretty much everywhere I go in Murica, New Orleans doesn't have that cornered.

It's rampant around here and growing too, and this ain't exactly cheapoland where I am.

Also back to the OP ... Don't worry you will have fun. I agree with all of the suggestions in the thread so far for things to do, they are all good, I've tried them all after numerous trips to NO. Since it wasn't mentioned might as well throw in - hit Cafe Du Monde and get some beignets. You just gotta do it at least once, it's part of the experience.

When we go down to Bourbon street we always get back to the hotel by 10.

Don't kid yourself that everywhere else is just as bad as New Orleans. I'm sure there is worse, but it ain't like that in my hometown. I enjoyed the carriage tour, but I was glad to leave afterwards. Dirty, lots of homeless, belligerent drunks/druggies. My wife was actually excited to visit. She now doesn't care if we ever go back. Sorry, we'll pass. We do enjoy Biloxi/Gulfport for a laid back, long weekend.

Mugshots Grill & Bar Oh Yeah!!!

I love New Orleans. It's a great city if you choose to see its good side. Here are my suggestions which have all been said but anyway...

National WWII Museum
Live music - Anywhere
Ghost Tour
Bars to see - Pat O' Brien's, Lafitte's
Aquarium

Unless you just like to be wasted for cheap liquor, avoid Avoid bourbon street. It's fun to walk past and say, "look drunk people.. Oh and that's urine". The quarter is a great place to walk and window shop etc. The list of lunch and dinner places is endless. Central grocery muffy is good.

We like walking down Royal St, it's right next to Burbon, but has antique shops etc. there's also Royal house, a nice bar and restaurant where we go for lunch sometimes. Good gumbo, oyster po-boy type food.

More shopping/ street vendors along Jackson Square.

If you don't mind spending a little extra and putting on some nicer clothes, the Sunday Jazz brunch at Antoines is a great experience. Live music and great food. I've only done it once, but the wife loved it and I had a good time as well.

Have a great trip!

Here s quick map of the quarter for perspective.

image (resized).png

Trip report???