Weekend in New Orleans one of three ways: On a budget, spending a bit more, or when the getaway calls for a splurge.
Trip Tips: The free GO NOLA app (iPhone and Android) is a guidebook, navigator, restaurant guide and event calendar rolled into one. Get insider tips and off-the-beaten-path recommendations with features such as "Near Me" and timely "Things to Do". Plan a visit to catch the 4th Annual Oyster Festival, May 31 and June 1. More than 20 restaurants will show the versatility the region's favorite bivalve, along with cooking demos and live music; free; Woldenberg Park, 1 Canal St., 504-888-7608, http://www.neworleansoysterfestival.org.
Getting there: Drive time is just over 7 hours from Atlanta. Frequent one-way sale airfare rates from $99, nonstop on AirTran or Delta. One-way MegaBus rates as low as $3 (trip duration nearly 9 hours); https://us.megabus.com. One-way Amtrak "Value" rates from $74 for a reserved Coach seat (trip duration nearly 12 hours); http://www.amtrak.com.
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BUDGET:
Stay: No two guestrooms are alike at the family-owned Hotel Provincial. The finest rooms feature fireplaces, chandeliers and Mississippi views. All have French-style period antiques. The hotel is noted for its AAA four-diamond restaurant, Stella! Ideally located two blocks to Bourbon St., near historic Jackson Square and a half block from the Ursuline Convent, built in the 1750s. On site are two private swimming pools and lush courtyards. Warning: This hotel is considered one of the most haunted in New Orleans. Rates from $89, including continental breakfast; 1024 Chartres St., 504-581-4995, http://www.hotelprovincial.com.
Eat: Expect robust, locally sourced Southern fare at Maurepas Foods, located in the edgy Bywater neighborhood along the Mississippi. For starters, try the Purple Hull Peas with fig and andouille broth, sour grit cake, miso, and pecans ($12). Gulf Fish is served with watermelon, haloumi, olives, and herbs ($16); 3200 Burgundy St., 504-267-0072, http://maurepasfoods.com.
Experience: Seen and heard enough of Bourbon Street? Head east of the French Quarter to one of New Orleans’ most distinct and well-kept secrets - the historic Faubourg Marigny neighborhood with a mix of architecture styles from shotgun, Creole cottages, to Italianate mansions. Hear an array of musical styles and soak in the street culture on Frenchmen Street (the local’s version of Bourbon Street) - a hop spot for authentic jazz clubs, sketch artists, poets, pick-up bands, antique shops, bookstores, independent galleries, rummage stores and cafes for people-watching. Brass bands frequently perform at the corner of Chartres and Frenchmen.
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MODERATE:
Stay: The International House is a beautiful Beaux-Arts building with numerous room options from Rock Star (windowless) to one-bedroom penthouses with landscaped terraces overlooking the Quarter and the Mississippi. Queen rooms (from $139) and King rooms (from $159) feature iHome stereo, robes, and spa-like bathrooms. On site is a fitness center and Loa, a candlelight bar; 221 Camp St., 504-553-9550, http://ihhotel.com.
Eat: Newly opened Mopho fuses Louisiana ingredients with Southeast Asian cuisine. This casual spot offers bar seating and a shaded patio with a cooking pit. Unique menu selections include Crispy Fried Oysters with mayo, Easter egg radish and pickled blue cheese ($14); Slow Roast Lamb Neck and Beet in Green Curry with creole cream cheese roti ($22). Design your own Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup ), $7-$9; 514 City Park Ave., 504-482-6845; http://www.mophonola.com.
Experience: Le Monde Creole offers "Courtyards & Cemetery," a guided 2.5-hour walking tour into the secluded, tropical courtyards of distinctive French Quarter homes; through the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and its 19th century medicinal garden; the majestic courtyard of the Hermann-Grima House Museum and to the St Louis Cemetery #1; $25 adults; 622 Royal St., 504-568-1801, http://www.mondecreole.com.
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SPLURGE:
Stay: Soniat House is a collection of three secluded creole townhouses with individually decorated and furnished guestrooms and suites. Luxurious accommodations feature Frette bathrobes, goose-down pillows, Egyptian linens, English and French antiques and original artwork. Relax by fountains in the tropical courtyard. Children over age 10 welcome. Rates from $295; 1133 Chartres St., 504-522-0570, http://www.soniathouse.com.
Eat: Come to Booty's for the globally-inspired street food and cocktails. Small plate items are meant to be eaten from a cone, with your hands or on a stick. Menu items include pork-stuffed crispy Korean dumplings, kimchi pancakes, veggie skewers, and for dessert - empanadas with jalapeno ice cream or fried plantains with a dulce de leche sauce. A six-course Chef's Tasting menu, with dessert $24; $34 for nine courses. Don't leave before checking out the bathroom artwork; 800 Louisa St., 504-266-2887, http://bootysnola.com.
Experience: With a Tasting Tour of the French Quarter, visitors will be immersed in the history of New Orleans and learn to appreciate the differences between Creole and Cajun cuisine. The 3-hour walking tour includes visits to select historic restaurants (7 restaurants and shops), including the two oldest (Antoine's - the tour meeting point, and Tujague's, established in 1840 and 1856, respectively); $46; http://noculinarytours.com.
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Clara Bosonetto is a retired travel consultant.
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