Today was the longest drive of the whole trip at 333 miles from Houston to New Orleans. It may seem a long journey to do in one day but there are plenty of things to see along the road.
The sat-nav was our guide for the day and it took us north of Houston in to a major farming area to head up and along to the I-10. There was some very nice scenery and a lot of places to eat and get gas. We stopped in at the Drive In restaurant Sonic for breakfast which was very good. Heading towards Baton Rouge, the traffic became much heavier as we drove over the miles long bridges over the lakes and rivers.
We arrived at our Doubletree by Hilton at New Orleans Airport a little after 3 o'clock. Very nice hotel and a hot cookie on check in is complimentary.
The French Quarter is about 15 mins away from the hotel and is a must see area when visiting. I had imagined it would be a place like no other, and boy I was right. It is the most amazing, freaky and wonderful place I have ever been in. The atmosphere is electrifying. The ornate European design of the buildings and the numerous bars, shops and eateries make for an interesting walk.
Bourbon street is where it's all at. It is buzzing with blues, rap, rock and much more. There are many street performers to see and plenty of shops to go in too, especially the voodoo doll shops which sell ornate and weird dolls. Parking in town is available and is pricey as you would expect. It is around $10 for up to 2 hours.
There are also many tours available on the river, around town and also the katrina disaster area. Horse and cart tours are $75 per half hour. Anyone who visits New Orleans has to visit the famous Café Du Monde which has been in the French Market ares since the 1860's. Try the beignets (French doughnuts) they are very good. One serving has 3 beignets which is more than enough. They are coated in mounds of icing sugar which makes them a tasty sweet treat.
It is worth spending a few days checking out the area as there is a lot to take in. Tomorrow is the river tour on the Mississippi river. I will leave you with that for now and keep you updated on tomorrow's antics.