The Other Side of the Big Easy - Page 2
© Lain Ehmann
Day two, we headed to the Aquarium of the Americas (www.auduboninstitute.org), located right on the waterfront, just a ten-minute walk from our hotel at the foot of Canal Street at the river. It's a lovely little facility, just the right size for a half-day trip. The highlight was the otter display, as well as the white alligator (has to be seen to be believed). Aquarium prices are $13.00 adults, $10.00 seniors (65+), $6.50 children under 12. If you want to extend your visit, check out the IMAX theater. Combo prices for IMAX, zoo and aquarium are available.
The next day was our zoo day. One of the nicest zoos I've ever seen, the Audubon Zoological Gardens (www.auduboninstitute.org) are located quite a jaunt from the French Quarter ($25 by taxi). A cheaper transportation method would have been the streetcar from St. Charles, or via the boat from the Aquarium - next time! The zoo has all the main zoo-like features (elephants, hippos, giraffes, etc.) as well as a really cool swamp area - my favorite. Be sure to take the Zoo Train to save your feet! There's a variety of restaurants, including a McDonald's and snack bars. Admission: $9.00 adults, $5.00 seniors (65+), $4.75 children under 12. Again, Combo prices for IMAX, zoo and aquarium are available.
Other highlights included a visit to the flea market, lunch at Planet Hollywood, and browsing around the River Walk mall (yes, the one that got hit by a barge a few years ago). Even though we didn't step foot into the "heart" of the French Quarter, we still had a terrific time. And we didn't even begin to hit it all. Next time, we'll go to Mardi Gras World, a Mardi Gras-oriented museum across the river. There's also a wax museum and a voodoo museum - I can't wait! And we'll be sure to see the Louisiana Children's Museum at 420 Julia Street. All in all, there's plenty for a family to do in New Orleans, while keeping it strictly G-rated.
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