In Two Days

Get out of the Quarter, get out of the Quarter, get out of the Quarter. Are we getting through to you? You can come back; you probably still have serious shopping (if not serious drinking) to do. But today you must begin to see what else New Orleans has to offer. We've constructed this tour so that the sights mentioned follow a logical geographic order, but if you have limited time, just take the streetcar/bus ride/tour, a short stroll through the Garden District, and visit the D-Day Museum. Start: St. Charles Streetcar line, Canal Street stop.

1. St. Charles Avenue Streetcar

Hop on the oldest continuously operating wooden streetcar in the country -- and that means no air-conditioning -- so doing this in the cool of the morning is a good idea. Don't forget to have exact change ($1.25). Admire the gorgeous homes along the way (if you are awake enough) and remember which side of the car you rode on, so that you can get on the other side for the ride back. As we write this, most of this streetcar line is down due to Katrina repairs; a bus is running in its place. While we know that a bus isn't as much fun, the houses are still pretty. And the streetcar may be running again by the time you visit.

2. Take a Walking Tour of the Garden District

Aside from its historical significance and interest, this neighborhood, full of fabulous houses and lush greenery, is just plain beautiful. Recall the plain exteriors of the buildings in the "French" Quarter. Notice how the houses suddenly got big, grand, and ornamental. Are you surprised to learn you are in what was once known as the "American district"?

3. Lafayette No. 1 Cemetery

The "little cities of the dead" are part of the iconic landscape of New Orleans. St. Louis No. 1 is older and has more historic graves, and you may well wish to consider going there instead, particularly with a guided tour so you won't miss some of the more significant tombs. But this cemetery, which catered to the Uptown folks, is perhaps prettier, thanks to the foliage and the larger square footage. Notice the tombs with French or German writing, and notice the four matching mausoleums in the far left corner, which belong to four boyhood friends (one a Civil War vet) who used to play together in that corner of the graveyard. Though tour groups do go through here regularly, exercise caution if you find you have the grounds mostly to yourself.

Take the St. Charles streetcar line (or temporary bus) to the end and transfer to the City Park streetcar line, which ends at the entrance to:

4. City Park

City Park is full of all sorts of sights, from the Spanish moss-draped giant live oaks to the New Orleans Museum of Art, to the Sculpture Garden, to the lake to wander around, to the kids' amusement park and Storybook Land. The Botanical Gardens include the Train Gardens, a sort of melted Dr. Seuss replica of the city in miniature, complete with model trains. There's a lot to do here, and it's rarely as crowded as it deserves to be, except maybe on weekends. It got battered by the storm and flooding, but it's coming back, and its progress is interesting to follow.

5. St. John's Bayou

Just outside the gates of City Park lies this former canal turned useless, if scenic, body of water. A stroll here is one of the lesser-known delights of the city. Stand outside the Pitot House and imagine owning one of the surrounding neighborhood's former plantation homes, back in the days when the main entertainment would be sitting on the upper verandas, watching the boats go by. Keep your eyes peeled for herons, pelicans, and other local birds.

6. Liuzza's by the Track

Head down Esplanade Avenue and turn left on Lopez to get some lunch at the popular Liuzza's by the Track. You'll find authentic local food -- excellent gumbo, wonderful po' boys, but with large, well-constructed salads so vegetarians won't feel left out -- but it can get crowded at lunch. 1518 N. Lopez. tel. 504/218-7888. Or stay put. Right off the Bayou, Parkway Bakery and Tavern has some of the best po' boys in town in possibly the best atmosphere. 538 Hagan St. tel. 504/482-3047.

7. Walking Tour of Esplanade Avenue

Architecturally similar to the Garden District -- again, the post-Louisiana Purchase Americans felt unwelcome among the Creoles of the Vieux Carré and so made their homes outside that tightly knit community -- the area does include at least one home with a French connection -- the birthplace of Impressionist Edgar Degas's mother and grandmother, and the only studio belonging to the former artist that is open to the public.

At the end of the tour, you can take any bus marked "Rampart" back to the Quarter.

8. Sample the Nightlife

Once you've eaten, if you get to Mid City Lanes, otherwise known as Rock 'n' Bowl by 9pm, you shouldn't have any trouble getting a lane -- you can bowl as well as listen to some zydeco and other local music. Or head to Tipitina's, or the Maple Leaf Bar, or to Ray's Boom Boom Room, or dba, or The Spotted Cat Cocktail Lounge for more local music. Or all of them if you are up for it. Try to be.