New Orleans is one of those destinations that may be more fun sans enfants. Don't get us wrong -- there are plenty of unusual things to do during daylight hours that will wear out everyone under 12 or over 40, but any adult confined to his or her hotel room past 9pm has entirely missed the point of vacationing here. Still, we suppose it's in everyone's best interest to introduce the little tykes to the land of big food and big music so that they'll beg to return when they're old enough to go clubbing with Mom and Dad. In the meantime, you can entertain them with a combination of conventional and unconventional, only-in-New-Orleans activities.
The French Quarter in and of itself is fascinating to children over 7. A walkabout with a rest stop for beignets at Café du Monde will while away a pleasant morning and give you an opportunity to see the architecture and peek into the shops. Continue (or begin) their roots-music education with a visit to the Presbytère for some colorful Mardi Gras history and later to Preservation Hall for a show. For those progeny who aren't terrifically self-conscious, a horse-and-buggy ride around the Quarter is very appealing -- but save it for later when they start getting tired and you need a tiny bribe to keep them going. (If you happen to be in New Orleans in Dec, be sure to take a ride through City Park, when thousands of lights turn the landscape and trees into fairy-tale scenery.)
The Musée Conti Wax Museum, which features effigies of local historical figures, is an acceptable pick, though you need to call in advance to tour it. Riverwalk Marketplace, the glass-enclosed shopping center on the edge of the Quarter on Canal Street, also appeals to kids with its relaxed atmosphere and food vendors, though for adults, it's a rather basic and, apart from the river views, dull mall (well, if you can sneak away, the Museum of the American Cocktail is inside!). The Canal Street ferry, which crosses the Mississippi River to Algiers, is free to pedestrians and offers views of the harbor and skyline. Shuttle service is then available from the Algiers ferry landing to Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, where the floats and costumes alone should intrigue even adolescents -- whether they'll admit it or not. The slices of King Cake at the end may appease them.
Returning to Canal Street, you'll find the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas with lots of jellyfish, sea horses, and other creatures from the deep and the not-so-deep. Every boy is going to want to go to the Insectarium, you just know it, but let's not be sexist and exclusive; all of you should go, because it's swell. The John James Audubon riverboat chugs from the aquarium to lovely Audubon Park and the highly regarded Audubon Zoo. The park is fronted by magnificent old oak trees. The Audubon Louisiana Nature Center offers several short walks through various Louisiana environments, including a swamp via a wooden walkway. Kids love getting up close with the baby gators. The center also has the Discovery Loft, a 1,000-square-foot hollow "tree" filled with all kinds of hands-on exhibits. The following destinations are also particularly well suited for younger children.
