Must Do Sights to See in New Orleans

Let me introduce Mary Ramsey, Innkeeper of 1870 Banana Courtyard Bed and Breakfast located in The French Quarter of New Orleans. Mary and her husband Hugh have been running a B&B since the 90s and enjoy hosting guests from all over the world. Here is her "must do" list for a weekend of fun in New Orleans. To learn more about Mary and her B&B, visit: bananacourtyard.com To see a list of all ibbp.com's New Orleans B&Bs, see: New Orleans Bed and Breakfasts


• Eat beignets and drink chicory coffee @ Café du Monde located on Decatur St. across from Jackson Square & St. Louis Cathedral
• If you drink alcoholic beverages: At Pat O’Briens try a world-famous Hurricane cocktail or Mint Julep: 718 St. Peter St, 525-4823. At Port of Call, try the Monsoon (it’s lethal). Dauphine @ Esplanade.
• Listen to Jazz at Preservation Hall
• See the historic, above ground cemeteries (St. Louis #1 near the French quarter or Lafayette Cemetery in the Garden District)
• Go on a swamp tour
• See the Louisiana swamp section at the Audubon Zoo
• Eat some bread pudding with whiskey sauce
• Eat a Muffuletta sandwich made on special sesame seed round bread, with olive salad (green olives, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and olive oil), salami, cheese. Central Grocery on Decatur St. (if raining, Napoleon House).
• Go to the WWI ( D-Day) Museum
• Shop for collectibles, antiques, art or crafts on lower end of Decatur St., Royal St. Or Magazine St.
• Take the free pedestrian ferry shuttle to the 2nd oldest neighborhood in New Orleans: Algiers Pointe
• Ride the historic St. Charles or Canal Streetcars
• Eat some boiled crawfish, red beans and rice, or dirty rice The best (and cheapest) red beans and rice and dirty rice are at Popeye’s Fried Chicken. You can buy crawfish from a local market rather than at a restaurant.
• Try a seafood or roast beef “po-boy” sandwich. For true local color, and a good shrimp po-boy, there is a seafood market close to the main B&B. It’s frequented mostly by African Americans (and me): King Rogers Seafood: A po-boy or platter is about $6. While you are waiting for it to be prepared, go into the market to see the live cowan (turtles) in the tank, lots of fish, shrimp, raccoons, rabbits and o’possum (Yep, some locals do eat them), in addition to great boiled crawfish and shrimp. The crawfish are VERY SPICY, boiled with new potatoes, garlic and corn on the cob, which you can purchase separately or with your crawfish. Bring back some crawfish and we’ll set you up, in the courtyard and show you how to eat them New Orleans style with newspapers as place mats and paper towels as napkins.
• Learn about Mardi Gras @ Mardi Gras World or the one of LA State museums, the Presbytere.
• Go to a gospel mass Sundays.
• Visit the historic French Market and the flea market at the end (N. Peters St. @ Esplanade Ave.)
• Have a Lucky Dog from a street cart vendor (personally, we don’t think they are much to write home about, but they ARE a New Orleans tradition)
• Have a “2nd line” umbrella custom made to display at home.
• Like generations of New Orleaneans, eat some hand pulled taffy by the Roman Candy Man in his mule drawn cart in Audubon Zoo.
• Since 1902, locals have enjoyed eating Italian ices or ice cream at Angelo Brocato’s Ice Cream Parlour on N. Carrollton Ave, near Canal St.

Mary Ramsey
1870 Banana Courtyard
French Quarter/New Orleans B&B
Tel. 504-947-4475
Website: www.bananacourtyard.com