I'm going to be living in the french quarter for a week in march for work - any recs on places i should visit etc?
Yes! A whole week is plenty of time to wedge in VC location visits around the work-related stuff ;D
FYI in my list, I have things in the French Quarter, the Garden District (you can take the streetcar to get there, or walk, if you have the time/interest, it’s 2.5 miles away), and then outside the city are swamp tours (which I really want to do next time I visit) and the plantation houses (Pointe du Lac!).
These aren’t in any geographical order, just the order I’m thinking of them:
+ Gallier House - A must-visit, this is the flat AR based Rue Royale on. They give tours bc it’s a historical site. It’s not expensive, book in advance. They also have a gift shop and I got a nice necklace there.Â
^My estimation of the room assignments bc reasons. Re: “slave quarters,” that’s unfortunately part of the history of that building :P but I think by the time L/L were there, those rooms were used for storage bc there’s little closet space in the living quarters, and the maids they hire don’t live with them.
Note: @gairid considers the flat across the street (1127) to be the true home of L/L bc the balcony is much more verdant, and you know Lestat would have all kinds of flora on their balcony! It’s a private residence, though.
+ Oak Alley Plantation - this was used for Pointe du Lac plantation in the movie. It’s a ways away, like 45 min outside NOLA? Maybe more, but worth the trip! You can pay for the bus tickets and tour package, get there and wander around, there’s food and historical info, highly recommend. Allegedly, Brad Pitt still visits and he stays in one of the guest houses.
Note: They also filmed at neighboring Destrehan Plantation, but I haven’t been there, idk if it’s worth going.
+ Madame John’s Legacy - 632 Dumaine St, this is the scene in which a family’s worth of coffins are carried out; Lestat & Claudia had been so gluttonous. This building is sometimes open to the public, the last time I was there they had a cool ceramics exhibition.
+ Jackson Square - mentioned in canon pretty often, you can’t really go to NOLA and not visit.
+ The Cabildo at Jackson Square - I didn’t go in, I think you can. This is where Lestat watches Claudia kill, that same gate is there, you can go hang out in front of it and pretend to watch your vampire daughter kill a victim.
+ Court of Two Sisters - 613 Royal St, I really enjoyed the Sunday brunch, there’s a cute little courtyard with fountains, and live music sometimes. They had this oreo pie that like… dangerous.Â
+ Cafe Du Monde - mentioned in canon, they serve like 2 things, beignets and coffee (nothing super fancy), very affordable, and are almost always crowded, but totally worth it. If you go around the back there’s a window where you can see them making the beignets!
+ Arnaud’s - very good restaurant in the French Quarter
+ Port of Call - 838 Esplanade Ave, stardustschild, I see in your profile that you’re not over 21, but for OTHER ppl reading this post, this is a good place for a go-cup drink ~$10, it’s large and 1 is enough to catch a good buzz.
+ NAPOLEON HOUSE - Muffalettas, po’ boys & other Creole staples in a circa-1914 house with a palm-filled courtyard. @gairid recs the SAZERAC (for the 21+ people reading this post, not you, stardustchild) here.
+ French Market - that’s a pretty standard suggestion so I have to include it but I didn’t think it was all that big of a deal.Â
+ Trashy Diva clothing boutique -Â 537 Royal St, they have a few locations. I got a great little black velvet jacket here!
+ 2301 and 2524 St. Charles Ave, Garden District - AR’s childhood homes
- (Not a location really) 1233 COLISEUM ST. - where the Coliseum theatre was in the scene when Louis goes to the movies, it burned down ;A; But that neighborhood is kind of fun to walk around and just look at the nice houses on your way to Lafayette Cemetery.Â
+ Commander’s Palace, Garden District - good restaurant but pricey. I had an elder flower liqueur cocktail that was pretty special there. This restaurant is a favorite of the Mayfair family.
+ 1239 First Street, Garden District - This historic property was for many years Anne Rice’s primary residence.Â
+ Mayfair house, Garden District  - 3711 St Charles Ave. Not really as crucial on my own list of locations but still. @cloudsinvenice had posted: “Anne Rice’s former New Orleans home is back on the market again, as per this Curbed.com article, from which I’ve selected some photos. This is the house that inspired the Mayfair witches’ haunted family home…”
+Â Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, Garden District - mentioned in canon, free but only open during daylight hours tho!
+ St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 - There are tours and I think Nicolas Cage’s very weird pyramid tomb is there, he’s paid for it, and that’s where he plans to be when he’s shuffled off this mortal coil…
+ Bourbon French Parfums - 805 Royal St. bc Louis was all about the jasmine and stuff, they have great sets of perfumes and their own concoctions.
+ DeVille Coffee House & Creperie - 2045 Magazine St, I just really like their crepe suzettes <3
+ New Orleans Pharmacy Museum - I didn’t get to go here but it was on my list. I think it’s like $5 to go.
+ Marie Leveau’s Grave and Voodoo Shop - has cool stuff, like coffin nails!
+ Boutique du Vampyre - 709 ½ St. Anne Street, IIRC I got a cool poison ring here, they have vampiry wares.
@nixsrebellionoflies​ added: may i add that you can go into port of call if youre not 21 and over? they have great burgers and a very interesting aesthetic. you might have to wait a while tho to get in
^Thanks for that! I haven’t tried their burgers myself, now I have to be sure to put that on my list for my next trip ;)
@jeezycreezysuperstar​ added:Some of the cemeteries are now only open to the public via tour group, just fyi
^RIGHT I forgot about that, it’s a relatively recent rule, within the last few years I think? Partly bc of the vandalism that was happening, and offerings/graffiti on some of the famous tombs like Marie Laveau's Tomb. But do take a tour if you have the time/money/interest, bc they are informative and spoopy.
