Doing the whole enchilada -- daze between recs?

[jishman7 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jishman7]

Thanks to the good fortune of a work conference coinciding with the start of first weekend, I've decided to do the whole 12 days of Fest in 2020. My liver is terrified, but my mind is already racing at the possibilities of how to fill my time in the days between, or on nights when I'm solo and not at the persuasion of our normal large Fest contingent.

Would love recommendations from you fine folks on the best ways to take advantage of this time and hit some of the lesser known gems that make this city the most special place on earth. Already on my list of things that have alluded me in my 13 previous Fests:
-WW II museum
-Catch a show at Preservation Hall
-Explore the Bywater
-Run Audubon and City Parks
-Crush some Vietnamese food
-Attend a day of Crawfish Fest

Cheers!

[fichadelphia Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close fichadelphia]

Aside from the Patry I like to keep my open days between plans to a minimum to leave room for wandering, eating and dropping into small events. I’ve never been to the crawfish fest.
A lot of people enjoy the in store concerts at Louisiana Music Factory. Bywater Bakery has been having music too- you could start your day there, do some wandering around the area, grab lunch and walk to LMF. Sounds like a great day in my book.

[halley8 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close halley8]

I recommend buying the "Big Shot" tickets for a Preservation Hall show

[Wombat Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wombat]

Rent a Scooter

[Tye 1on Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tye 1on]

- free music/fun scene Wednesday night at Lafayette Square.
- great time for a lunch at Commander's
- check out the Backstreet Cultural Museum. See if you can join a tour, i think it was $10 but i was happy to support the place.
- ferry over to Algiers and grab a beer at the Old Point Bar.
- rent a Blue Bike and ride the Lafitte Greenway up to City Park.

[BrooklynBrian Member Find all posts View Profile Close BrooklynBrian]

If the weather is nice, Bacchanal is a nice way to spend an afternoon. Did it last year and had a great, relaxing time. They had a duo planning some old-time music. They were perfect for the scene.

Also, the Anders, Johnny Sansone, John Fohl show at Chickie Wah Wah’s is a lit of fun.

[chopitulas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close chopitulas]

If you want Vietnamese and are mobile, Tan Dinh on Lafayette in Gretna right off the freeway is fantastic. It was voted Best Restaurant on The West Bank in Gambit recently...not best Vietnamese Restaurant, but Best Restaurant. The portions are really big, they do all poultry really well (the wings are incredible,) and the menu is huge. They have stopped doing Bahn Mi's, though.

And there is Pho Tau Bay on Tulane near I-10 in New Orleans, another great place, with the nicest people running it.

Vietnamese food in New Orleans is equal to anywhere in the States. Real deal...

[CEfromLA Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CEfromLA]

On Wednesday, Rosie historically has Rosetree Fest at the Gallery; an open-house get-together for Threadheads.
Then, a bunch of us wander from there to the Old Point bar for some cheap drinks and good company in a great dive bar.
We usually manage to find our way back across the Mississippi early enough for options; Wednesday in the Square, trivia at BMacs, a dinner reservation or a night show.
It's a good day.

[Jordan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jordan]

I'd scale back your expectations regarding having a lot of free time - the musical opportunities (day and night) are pretty substantial during the non-fest days

[Blumie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Blumie]

Great recommendations so far. Wednesday on the Square. Big Shot ticket for Pres Hall. Blue biking up the Lafitte Greenway (the perfect way to get to Parkway Bakery for a poboy — but note that they are closed on Tuesdays).

For your run, consider running down Chartres St all the way to Poland Ave and then coming back on Royal St. It’s not as pretty as running in the parks, but it’s a good way to see the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods (and how, during such a run, I discovered Bacchanal).

[duende Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close duende]

I’ve also been doing a lot of thinking about how to fully enjoy the visit with 8 days “taken up” by the fairgrounds dates. I’m planning to return to the Patry and I’m thinking through the Crawfish Fest dates, so I may get creative about showing later during Fest days to get out & about more.

You’ll enjoy the open space at Deutches Haus if you attend the Patry, but I’ll miss the Ironworks location as a nice excursion. But you could do a similar type of adventure-route to Bayou St John via the new bicycle/running path from the Quarter, maybe have breakfast on the way to the Patry.

Back to the Bywater, you could almost make it a day by walking the Crescent Park trail to brunch at Elizabeth’s, hit Euclid Records & Dr Bob’s, walk some, refresh yourself at the Country Club or Parleaux Brewing, walk more and end up at Bacchanal for an early bite & music. The St Claude corridor offers fun distractions, too. Hard to make it a whole day w/o more liver/diet abuse, but it’s a fun place to roam.

[20/20 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 20/20]

You will get a plethora of recommendations and most will be as good as described by the responders. Once one begins going for the entire duration, fourteen days or more the entire experience takes on another life. Congratulations. Minor inconveniences such as weather issues lose their import because there is always another day. I think that the first item on your list was very worthy of it's position. The WW ll Museum is in New Orleans and no where else. It is enjoyable.

[swag Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close swag]

In terms of outdoor physical activity, others have mentioned running and biking. One other idea - kayaking. There are rental operations that set up on Bayou St John, one right by the Shell station @ Esplanade (within a block of the City Park streetcar terminus), and another a few blocks up at Frey Pl. From there, you can paddle up the bayou along the edge of City Park almost up to the lake, about 3 miles each way if you go that far (RE Lee).

[halley8 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close halley8]

Minor inconveniences such as weather issues lose their import because there is always another daye.

This...3 days of rain that used to absolutely ruin a jazzfest trip is now just a chance to recover and recharge. and good luck trying to do just a weekend anymore once you've done the whole thing

[jishman7 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jishman7]

Fantastic recommendations. Thanks gang! Now the hardest part...the waiting...