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o.k, it seems that April is the time to go... now when? first 2weeks, mid
2weeks or end 1 weeks.
I don't like really hot weather(hot sticky) I'm also bringing my mom from N.
Ontario who also doesn't like too hot..
also does anyone know of any good sites that I can plan an itinery for a
road trip.
I need to find hotels, sites etcs... I need times to travel, distances etc..
what can I accomplish in a day..and so on and so forth.
I, am a hard core backpacker and can rough it no problem however this is a
trip for my mother who has post-polio syndrome. I want to do this for her
before she becomes to crippled up to move around well.
She loves Elvis, the deep south and all that goes with it.. I was going to
go in Feb. but $ will be an issue for me. If any of you out there can help
me to make this a cheap memoriable trip for my mom (60) I would sure
appreciate the help in planning this.
thanx in advance.
Tashi


--
"When one realizes that life is worthless
he either commits suicide or travels. ~ Edward Dahlberg
LIFE IS AN ATTITUDE!
http://www.globosapiens.net/ta-shy

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Tashi <tashi@nospamshaw.ca> wrote:
> o.k, it seems that April is the time to go... now when? first 2weeks, mid
> 2weeks or end 1 weeks.
> I don't like really hot weather(hot sticky) I'm also bringing my mom from N.
> Ontario who also doesn't like too hot..
> also does anyone know of any good sites that I can plan an itinery for a
> road trip.
> I need to find hotels, sites etcs... I need times to travel, distances etc..
> what can I accomplish in a day..and so on and so forth.
> I, am a hard core backpacker and can rough it no problem however this is a
> trip for my mother who has post-polio syndrome. I want to do this for her
> before she becomes to crippled up to move around well.
> She loves Elvis, the deep south and all that goes with it.. I was going to
> go in Feb. but $ will be an issue for me. If any of you out there can help
> me to make this a cheap memoriable trip for my mom (60) I would sure
> appreciate the help in planning this.

Hotels in New Orleans can be pricey. There is a campground, but it's quite a
bit away from everything.

The Hotel LaSalle, at 1113 Canal Street, is a good deal, with rooms starting
under $75 a night. It's right outside the French Quarter.

Parking will be a problem, whatever you do.

If your Mom is up to it, take the Park Service Tours. They have one of the
architecture and history and also a cemetary tour that is a must see. Also,
if she can, visit Preservation Hall for Jazz. They might let her sit on a bench
instead of just on the floor.

South of New Orleans is the Barataria section of the National Park SErvice
site, you can find out about it at the aPark service office in the city.

Another coool Louisiana thing, but a little pricey, is the Bed and Breakfast
Hotel the Myrtles near Baton Rouge. It's a plantation house with a colorful
and violent history, and reputedly many ghosts.

Julie

> --
> "When one realizes that life is worthless
> he either commits suicide or travels. ~ Edward Dahlberg
> LIFE IS AN ATTITUDE!
> http://www.globosapiens.net/ta-shy



--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

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k, the first thing on my plan is to decide where to fly into or whether I
will rent a car and just drive from Ontario... I don't know how long that
will take from MN (will cross the border there).

Is New Orleans a large city? Is it a place that you HAVE to stay in, or is
it just a place with many sites that you can make day trips with?
what is New Orleans most famous for besides Mardi Gras?

Can you ride the MS Queen (or simular) there or is it better in the state
itself? and finally (more for me than my mom but I think she would like it..
you know, the swamps and stuff to see alligators and such.) I saw on TV the
show "swapping moms" or something like that, and one of the mom's operated
this swamp tour with a boat etc..it sounded cool, where you can eat at a
local restaurant frog legs and stuff.

> The Hotel LaSalle, at 1113 Canal Street, is a good deal, with rooms
> starting under $75 a night. It's right outside the French Quarter. I
> WILL CHECK THIS OUT.
>
> Parking will be a problem, whatever you do. DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD
> TO GET A HOTEL OUTSIDE THE FRENCH QUARTER AND USE THE BUSES OR TRAINS OR
> WHATEVER THEY HAVE THERE?
>
> If your Mom is up to it, take the Park Service Tours.(WHERE WOULD I FIND
> INFORMATION ON THESE TOURS?) They have one of the architecture and
> history and also a cemetary tour(WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE CEMETARY?) that
> is a must see. Also, if she can, visit Preservation Hall for Jazz. They
> might let her sit on a bench instead of just on the floor. WILL CHECK
> INTO THIS ALSO.. DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S INTO JAZZ THOUGH, WILL HAVE TO FIND
> OUT.
>
> South of New Orleans is the Barataria section of the National Park SErvice
> site, you can find out about it at the aPark service office in the city.
> WHAT IS BARATARIA?
>
> Another coool Louisiana thing, but a little pricey, is the Bed and
> Breakfast Hotel the Myrtles near Baton Rouge. It's a plantation house
> with a colorful and violent history, and reputedly many ghosts. HOW FAR IS
> BATON ROUGE FROM NEW ORLEANS??
THANX SO FAR JULIE!!
I WILL DEFINITELY CHECK OUT YOUR SITE.

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Tashi <tashi@nospamshaw.ca> wrote:

> Is New Orleans a large city? Is it a place that you HAVE to stay in, or is
> it just a place with many sites that you can make day trips with?
> what is New Orleans most famous for besides Mardi Gras?

You really do want to stay in New Orleans, because some of the draw of the
place has to do with nightlife, and evenings just walking around. I would
not skimp on staying in New Orleans.

However, I'd skip the car in New Orleans. Fly into NOLA, (New Orleans, LA) and
don't rent a car. Stay in town for a couple of nights, and only rent the car
the day you leave. That can save you quite a bit. And a Car is superfluous
in New Orleans and expensive to park.)

> Can you ride the MS Queen (or simular) there or is it better in the state
> itself? and finally (more for me than my mom but I think she would like it..
> you know, the swamps and stuff to see alligators and such.) I saw on TV the
> show "swapping moms" or something like that, and one of the mom's operated
> this swamp tour with a boat etc..it sounded cool, where you can eat at a
> local restaurant frog legs and stuff.

>> The Hotel LaSalle, at 1113 Canal Street, is a good deal, with rooms
>> starting under $75 a night. It's right outside the French Quarter. I
>> WILL CHECK THIS OUT.
>>
>> Parking will be a problem, whatever you do. DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD
>> TO GET A HOTEL OUTSIDE THE FRENCH QUARTER AND USE THE BUSES OR TRAINS OR
>> WHATEVER THEY HAVE THERE?
>>

Lasalle is perfect because it is only a block outside the French Quarter,
and you can pick up trolleys fairly close by (and busses). You can walk
to everything in the quarter if your MOm is up to it. Bourbon St is only
about 3 blockes away.

>> If your Mom is up to it, take the Park Service Tours.(WHERE WOULD I FIND
>> INFORMATION ON THESE TOURS?)

The National Park SErvice Office. Last Time I was there (a few years ago)
it was in the Market just East of Cafe Du Monde. Easy to find. Your
hotel will be able to help you.

They have one of the architecture and
>> history and also a cemetary tour(WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THE CEMETARY?) that
>> is a must see.

They're very unusual. People are buried above ground because the water level
is so high. They are unique and interesting. The Park SErvice tours are FREE.


Also, if she can, visit Preservation Hall for Jazz. They
>> might let her sit on a bench instead of just on the floor. WILL CHECK
>> INTO THIS ALSO.. DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S INTO JAZZ THOUGH, WILL HAVE TO FIND
>> OUT.
>>
>> South of New Orleans is the Barataria section of the National Park SErvice
>> site, you can find out about it at the aPark service office in the city.
>> WHAT IS BARATARIA?
>>
Sorry this is the National Park Services Swamp area. It's a low cost swamp
tour but you do need a car to get there.

>> Another coool Louisiana thing, but a little pricey, is the Bed and
>> Breakfast Hotel the Myrtles near Baton Rouge. It's a plantation house
>> with a colorful and violent history, and reputedly many ghosts. HOW FAR IS
>> BATON ROUGE FROM NEW ORLEANS??
> THANX SO FAR JULIE!!
> I WILL DEFINITELY CHECK OUT YOUR SITE.



--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

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Is New Orleans a large city?

1) New Orleans has about 500,000 people, but there are about 2,000,000
in the whole area (around a third of the state).

Is it a place that you HAVE to stay in, or is it just a place with many
sites that you can make day trips with?

2) At some point on your trip, I would say, YES, for two reasons:
music and food. Except in the case of Jazz Fest, which is during the
day, most music is enjoyed at night. Preservation Hall opens at 8
(there are only a limited # of seats - just something to consider),
Rock & Bowl (with Zydeco music on Thursdays) starts up around 10 at the
Mid-City Lanes, and shows at places like Tipitinas, the Funky Butt, or
Snug Harbor don't typically start until around that time as well.
Also, you definitely will want to eat in New Orleans and, while I
personally believe that the best meal in the city is lunch at
Commander's Palace, you really need to stick around for a nice 3-4 hour
dinner (and maybe a jazz brunch, too) - bring a coat and tie with you.
Also, instead of frog legs, get a soft-shell crab po' boy at Mandina's
- it looks like a crispy spider sticking out from loaf! If you need
to, most other things can be done in day trips from up the river (as I
indicated in a previous post) - there are plantations to see and/or
stay at between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. There are several swamp
tours to choose from and the visitor center in Jackson Square can help
you out with that - I've heard good things about Li'l Cajun Swamp Tours
(I think he's out of Lafitte). You may also like walking tours of the
Garden District, the cemeteries, and the French Quarter.

what is New Orleans most famous for besides Mardi Gras?

3) the food, the politicians (well, that's really all of Lousiana), the
music, and the French Quarter (with its year-round debauchery). I
guess you can throw the streetcar in there, too.

For flying: if you are visiting the whole region (TN, MS, and LA) and
really plan to take in the Elvis stuff in MS and TN, I'd recommend
flying into Memphis and renting a car from there. You'll find that it
is probably cheaper than flying into New Orleans, and it's a Northwest
Airlines hub, so if you're coming from MN, you can fly direct from MSP.
I also like flying in and out of Jackson, MS - it's central, usually
cheap, and a smaller airport - making it easier to get in and out. GPT
(Gulfport) is also nice. I'd avoid BTR (Baton Rouge) - I've found it
to be a very inefficiently run airport. MSY (New Orleans) can be a
very busy airport at times - but if you can find a cheap fare, go for
it. In any case, you want a car in New Orleans - parking can be a
hassle, but it's worth it.

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>Is New Orleans a large city? Is it a place that you HAVE
>to stay in, or is it just a place with many sites that you
>can make day trips with?

You certainly don't *have* to stay downtown; on one trip
we stayed further out where the motel prices were cheaper
and drove into the city each day in our rental car. But
it's certainly a lot more fun and more convenient to stay
in the city.

The two main areas that tourists visit are 1) the French Quarter
(the old part of the city where you'll find most of the buildings
that you associate with New Orleans, along with shops, restaurants,
etc) and 2) the Garden District (an old residential area with
beautiful Victorian homes).

You'll need to use a cab or trolley to get from the French Quarter
to the Garden District, and vice versa, as they are some distance
apart, but otherwise everything is in walking distance, so you
won't need a car.

If your mother isn't up to a lot of walking, get a map of the French
Quarter, do a little research and decide what you want to see, and
then plan the route you're going to walk, rather than just wandering
around at random. Jackson Square is a good starting point.

Also, be aware that the French Quarter -- especially Bourbon Street
(where most of the bars are located) -- can get a little rowdy at
night, especially on weekends. If that kind of thing would offend
your mom, don't get a hotel near Bourbon Street and just visit it
during the daytime.


>the swamps and stuff to see alligators and such.

Never done it, but it's supposed to be fun. I think they're less
active during the winter months, though, as they are cold-blooded
animals.

If time permits, you might want to see some of the plantations
near New Orleans, such as Oak Alley. But you'll need a car
or will need to take a bus tour to get there.

http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/

Jim

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Tashi asked:

>>>April...first 2weeks, mid 2 weeks or end 1 weeks.

I would say middle 2 weeks. Early April can occasionally get cold; the
middle 2 weeks should have azalaeas, dogwoods, etc., still in bloom
throughout your itenerary.


>>>I need to find hotels, sites etcs...I need times to travel, distances
etc..

There have been two or three threads in this group in the last few
months, including one on that exact itinerary. Do a search on Google
groups and check them out.

Wherever you fly into, you should make New Orleans your last stop
because that will be the highlight. Say you fly into New Orleans, start
driving either up I-55 (may as well cross Lake Pontchartrain first
though), or up Hwy. 61 to Natchez. Either way, take the Natchez Trace
at least part of the way to Nashville although taking it all the way
from Natchez might be a bit much (50 mph all the way). The Trace goes
through Tupelo, birthplace of Elvis; the house is open for tours.

Nashville: You mentioned the Opry. You can stay at chain motels out
there; drive into downtown for the area around Second and Broad (clubs,
restaurants, Ryman Auditorium), and the Country Music Hall of Fame if
your mother's a big fan. Take a drive up and down Belle Meade
Boulevard; continue into the park at the end and up the drive to the
overlook. Turning left at the end of Belle Meade will get you to
Cheekwood gardens which should be in bloom then. The Hermitage (Andrew
Jackson's plantation house) is north of the city. Franklin is a
picturesque town south of Nashville. Four hours, likely less, west on
I-40 is ...

Memphis. Graceland, Sun Studio, Elvis' first house (private), the
project apartment (private), Hume High School, Beale Street (not
Saturday late night); services at Rev. Al Green's church; the zoo has
pandas. You could stay at West Memphis, Ark., or Southaven, Miss.; they
have the chain motels and are close and an easy drive to those sites.
Check the price on the Holiday Inn Express downtown though (most of the
chain motels in town are either too far or you don't want to stay in
those areas). A trolley gets you around downtown. Breakfast one day at
the CK's on Union across from Methodist Hospital; the food is ok but
you're going for the good, free gospel concert you get as the waitress
sings along with the juke box. Lunch two blocks east at The Cupboard,
or at The Little Tea Shoppe on Madison downtown or at the Arcade on
South Main; dinner one night at The Rendezvous (barbecue) in the alley
across from The Peabody Hotel downtown. In April you can go to a
baseball game at the excellent stadium across the street. For Old
South, ride down Belvedere Boulevard -- a short street, but it should be
in full bloom in April.

Leave Memphis down Third Avenue/Hwy. 61 south. Tunica has casinos; more
floor space than anywhere but Las Vegas in fact. Go over on Hwy 1 for
awhile for true Mississippi Delta. (The Clarksdale music festival
mentioned is in August.) Vicksburg (4 hrs) and Natchez (1 more hr) have
already been mentioned. St Francisville, La., also has famous
plantation houses.

New Orleans. Others have already told you about New Orleans. Beignets
at Cafe du Monde is a tourist requisite. A streetcar ride down St
Charles Ave, and a visit to Preservation Hall (Dixieland jazz) will be
highlights of your trip. Magazine Street, parallel to St Charles, has
interesting antique stores; Royal Street in the French Quarter has the
expensive ones. Casamiento's on Magazine Street has good casual food;
but literally almost anywhere will be good.


>>>I was going to go in Feb. but $ will be an issue for me......

New Orleans is at its most expensive in February (Mardi Gras).

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Additions:

>>>Check the price on the Holiday Inn Express downtown though

There's also a Hampton Inn on Union Ave that's well-located for Elvis
stuff; down the street from downtown, and across from Bellevue / Elvis
Presley Ave. There's a Ramada Inn on Union as well. (You don't want to
stay near Graceland.)

>>>ride down Belvedere Boulevard

Between Union and Central. Drive back on Central or Peabody, also very
attractive.

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