New Orleans entertains cruise passengers with inspiring food and amusements.
By Robert N. Jenkins

New Orleans is referred to in the cliché: So many choices, so little time. That holds true for those visiting this great American city before or after a cruise. No matter what amount of time you can spare, there is something here to entertain you. Add great hotels and fabulous restaurants into the mix, and it’s easy to see how 700,000 passengers a year cruise from New Orleans.

Above: A street entertainer engages a crowd at Jackson Square. neworleanson line.com photos Below: Although the Conquest has moved on to Galveston, Carnival’s Fantasy calls New Orleans home and sails to the western Caribbean. Carnival Cruise Line photo

Fun for families

Your kids may think television and the Web have shown them the world, but wait until they come face-to-snout with a white alligator. A short walk from the cruise terminal at Julia and Erato streets is the wonderfully imaginative Aquarium of the Americas on Canal Street where a vanilla-colored gator named Spots can be seen. Your family also can enjoy a pair of delightful sea otters–fed daily at 2 p.m.–penguins, a rainbow of tropical fish and a display of sea horses. Ask about AAA discounts here when you show your membership card.

The Louisiana Children’s Museum, 420 Julia St., offers a range of interactive exhibits, but a special appeal for cruise-bound youngsters is the computer that lets them steer a liner down the Mississippi River.

New Orleans is one of America’s few cities to still use streetcars. One runs parallel to the river, from the French Quarter to the Warehouse District, which has been revived with art galleries and artists’ studios. The Canal Street line heads from the river out to City Park with its Storyland amusement park. The St. Charles Avenue line is a fine ride past fashionable homes in the Garden District. For something slower-paced, horse-drawn carriages are available for narrated tours of the French Quarter.

Visitors can experience the glitter and colorful history of Mardi Gras year-round at two places unique to New Orleans. On the edge of the famed French Quarter is the Presbytere (751 Chartres), a National Historic Landmark and part of the Louisiana State Museum system. It has a permanent exhibit on Mardi Gras, including spectacular costumes, tiaras and necklaces. On the riverfront near the convention center is the new home of Blaine Kern Studios, 1380 Port of New Orleans Place. Since 1947, these artists and craftsmen have created the majority of the colorful floats used in the parades every year. The large (400,000 square feet) complex is home to Mardi Gras World that offers tours, plus special event venues and corporate offices.

A buffet for grown-ups

Mardi Gras is restricted to a few weeks of parades, but the French Quarter exists to feed, tempt and entertain 365 days a year.

Beyond the bars, risqué nightclub shows and ubiquitous carts selling Lucky Dogs to the hungry are retail shops. Royal Street is famed for its quality antique stores. The French Market (1008 N. Peters St.), one of the nation’s oldest public markets, offers original artwork and regional specialties.

The Quarter also boasts art galleries, shops specializing in voodoo items (including custom-made specialties) and a city landmark, Jackson Square.

A short stroll from the cruise terminals is the Riverwalk Marketplace on Poydras Street. Browse more than 100 shops and pop into the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

For nighttime adventure, explore Bourbon Street or try your luck at Harrah’s New Orleans Casino on Canal Street.

You’re sure to find good times at Tipitina’s, a concert venue at 501 Napolean, and Mulate’s, the established Cajun food and dance hall, at 201 Julia St. For something different, put on your dancing shoes and head to the Mid City Bowling Lanes, also called the Rock ‘n’ Bowl, at 3016 S. Carrollton Ave., which offers live music most nights.

Time to eat

With so many restaurant choices, several standards should be considered first when time is limited.

For breakfast, there’s Café du Monde on Decatur Street at the edge of the French Quarter, famous for its bite-sized, powdered-sugar-covered beignets and chicory coffee. If your appetite can wait until you reach the far end of the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, pop into the charming Camellia Grill, 626 S. Carrollton Ave., and try the pecan waffles.

It’s tough to beat a New Orleans’ muffaletta–a round loaf of crusty Italian bread sliced and typically filled with Provolone cheese, Genoa salami, ham and green olives. This meal-on-a bun is practically a city landmark and was created in 1906 at the Central Grocery, 923 Decatur St. For the city’s other sandwich staple, try Johnny’s Po-Boys at 511 Saint Louis St., where sandwiches are stuffed with a variety of meats or seafood.

Regional cuisine favorites include Creole–emphasizing seafood prepared with a mix of West African, French, African-American and Spanish influences–or Cajun, which is typically more spicy. Can’t-miss Cajun dishes can be found at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, 416 Chartres St. For Creole cuisine, consider a trip to Royal Street and try either Mr. B’s Bistro or Brennan’s. Another good choice is Galatoire’s, 209 Bourbon St. For Creole in simpler surroundings, it’s the Gumbo Shop near the St. Louis Cathedral on Saint Peter Street.

If it’s Sunday, take a cab to splurge on brunch at the beloved Commander’s Palace, 1403 Washington Ave.

Whether in town for a few hours or a couple of days, don’t miss a chance to enjoy New Orleans and all it offers.

Robert N. Jenkins is a contributor from St. Petersburg, Fla.