Things to do in Houston/Galveston and New Orleans

[kami333]

My gf and I are going to Houston/Galveston for a few days, then drive to New Orleans and stay a few days. Just wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions on things to do and places to eat in the Houston/Galveston area and New Orleans.

We're flying in to Houston on Thurs afternoon then flying out of New Orleans the following Wed. We're going to rent a car when we get into Houston then return it in New Orleans on Sun afternoon.

Tentative plan is to spend the day in Galveston on Fri (hopefully at a beach if the weather is nice) and then drive part way to New Orleans on Sat evening (stay somewhere along US-90? I'm open to suggestions). Maybe do a swamp/alligator tour on Sun since we can drive to one. Neither of us have been in Texas but we've both been to New Orleans a couple times, her more recently for a conference while I haven't been in over 10years and not since I turned 21.

We have rooms booked in the French Quarter for Sun through Wed but still need to book rooms in Houston for Thur and Fri, any areas I should specifically avoid? And are there any towns worth stopping in between Houston and New Orleans?

Any recommendations on things to do?

What about food? We've already planned to go to the Commander's Palace and August in New Orleans but would appreciate some less expensive meals too (should be crawfish season so I need to find a good crawfish boil). Especially in/near Houston, any good Texas BBQ or Mexican I need to try?

 

[MetalMat]

Go drive by the SuperDome and tell Mickey Loomis to get a deal done with Drew Brees ASAP.

 

[CraKaJaX]

I was just in NOLA for Mardi Gras and my birthday (same week). Aside from the ridiculous amounts of booze and their crazy drink specials (like 6 for 1), I do remember some good food joints:

I HIGHLY recommend Acme Oyster House right off of Bourbon St. When we got there we asked around for the best oyster house and this is where we ended up for my birthday dinner. The chargrilled oysters are unbelievable. If you don't like oysters, the po'boys, red beans and rice, and gumbo are all fantastic. It's a bit pricey, but well worth it.

Another place for great seafood is Drago's right on the riverwalk (near Harrah's Casino). There's actually two of them (the one on the Riverwalk is in the Hilton I believe). Both are the same, and both are damn good. I had the stuffed lobster from here and it was incredible. The chargrilled oysters here are also great (but we decided Acme was better for the oysters).

If you're looking for quick eats, Central Grocery Co. for the original Muffuletta is a great choice. I can't really describe it, you just have to try it. If there's two of you, HALF of the sandwich is probably a safe choice unless you're a fatty. The whole sandwich is gigantic. Right after that you can head down the street to Cafe Du Monde for some beignets and coffee. Careful not to wait in line there -- the line is to buy goods/souvenirs TO GO. If you want to eat, just take a seat inside. (We made this mistake). A place that we went 3 or 4 times (I was there a week) was called Cajun Mikes right off of Canal Street. You'd have to look it up, but the po'boys there were delicious. They also had a bunch of locally brewed NOLA beer -- The "Saint" one was delicious. They also had these fried sausage ball things that were awesome. The name slips my mind ATM. But it was fairly priced and delicious.

Aside from food, some places to see are Reverend Zombie's House of Voodoo, Jackson Square (take one of the horse and carriage rides, they're pretty cheap and you'll get a taste of the city), and the Riverwalk.

As for bars on Bourbon...... if you like live music, The Famous Door is fucking awesome. The house band there is incredible -- SRV, ZZ Top, The Beatles, AC/DC, Cream, Doobie Brothers, etc. It was all rock and roll - a change of pace from the dixieland stuff you'll be hearing all over the street. This place also had 6 for 1 during mardi gras.... I'm not sure if that will apply now.

Karaoke bar - Cats Meow, Kajun's Pub ($1 jello shots at Kajun's.. and they're pretty potent)

That's all that comes to mind right now. You'll definitely enjoy it!

 

[quakefiend420]

When in Galveston drop by bennos on the beach...great seafood...I recommend the broiled seafood platter and gumbo.

 

[kami333]

MetalMat: Can't think about more football right now, still trying to decide how I feel about Manning in Denver.

CraKaJax: Thanks for the suggestions. We always talk about taking a carriage ride but never do so that might be fun for a change of pace. Cajun Mikes sounds like a place we need to check out

quakefiend420: Thanks, bennos on the beach, looks like our kind of place.

 

[5to1baby1in5]

Just wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions on things to do

Leave?

 

[ringtail]

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[Balt]

Cochon is really good in New Orleans. It's not cheap, but it's less expensive than some of the other places you've mentioned.

You'll have to put some faith in the chef, though. A lot of the dishes on the menu sound pretty bizarre.

Other than that, meh. I find New Orleans cuisine to be highly overrated, with a few notable exceptions. Also, the service is freaking terrible in most places that aren't fine dining (and some that are). Too many people with bad "I'm too good to be serving anyone food" attitudes.

 

[pyonir]

If I were going to be in NOLA, I would be going there with the intention of seeing the National WWII Museum. http://www.nationalww2museum.org/