New Orleans Off the Beaten Path

It’s all too easy to get sucked into the usual tourist traps when visiting the Big Easy. Grabbing a hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s, scarfing down warm beignets at Café Du Monde, and listening to live music at the House of Blues are certainly activities not to be missed, however it is sometimes worth a little effort to go off the beaten path. It is also a sure-fire way to avoid the congestion that comes with trying to sight see amongst other vacationers.

The first key to visiting New Orleans off the beaten path is to eat like the locals. Sure, it’s a lot of fun to try fresh oysters at Acme Oyster House or to eat at a restaurant created by a celebrity chef such as Emeril. Believe it or not, some of the best food in the city is prepared by small, independent establishments.

One of the oldest and most exciting traditional diners in Uptown is the popular Camellia Grill (a new location has been opened in the French Quarter!) . Watching the waiters rattle off orders to the cooks in warp speed while sipping on an icy Freeze (Camellia’s version of a malt) are just a couple of reasons to hang out at the counter here on South Carrolton. It gets a tad warm inside the diner during the summer due to the many grills making juicy sandwiches and burgers, but the grilled chocolate pecan pie is worth a little sweat.

Craving a yummy snack between museum visits? Check out the Garden District’s finest chocolate emporium Sucre' on Magazine Street. Just one look at the bakery’s display windows from the sidewalk lets the weary traveler know that they have reached a sugary heaven. From the front case of creamy French gelato to the counter decorated with mounds of flavorful macaroons, I can’t imagine making a wrong decision while ordering. The piece de resistance, however, is the large case packed with rows upon rows of shiny artisanal chocolate candies. Although a tad pricey, it is hard to say no to a little pink box (in the shape of a purse) full of chocolaty goodness. Rum raisin, Sicilian pistachio, chicory, chai, and Absinthe are just a few of the flavors that are worth a try.

When you think of New Orleans, you are likely to think of spicy Cajun food, not gourmet pizza. If you’ve set out to eat like a local, a freshly baked pie from Rocky’s Pizzeria on Magazine Street is a must-have. Unpretentious and cozy, this little hole-in-the-wall dishes up pizza creations using toppings such as garlic, andouille sausage, crawfish, Tasso, and your choice of a red or white sauce as the base. The hand-tossed crusts make delivery pizza look like a frozen dinner. This is definitely one place where getting a to-go box is a good thing. A midnight snack from Rocky’s while relaxing in a nice hotel is the way to go!

When it comes to sight-seeing, it is always important not to find yourself being stuck in the French Quarter for the entire trip. Yes, it is sometimes hard to get enough of the Vieux Carre’s antique ambiance. Contrary to popular belief, there is an extraordinary amount of things to see and places to visit all over this beautiful city. For instance, take a stroll along the Warehouse District, popping into the changing exhibits at the Arthur Roger Gallery and the Ogden Museum of Art. For kid-friendly fun, check out the Louisiana Children’s Museum which is almost as fun for adults as it is for the children. Crafts, prizes, and science discoveries are just a few things that this fantastic museum has to offer. On a recent trip my little girl found herself making snow from scratch and shopping at a miniaturized Winn Dixie.

For those interested in representational art and history, take a driving tour of the nineteen sculptures placed from one end of the city to the next to commemorate the memory of Hurricane Katrina. From a set of lonely white steps on the lawn of the New Orleans Museum of Art to the slatted metal boat standing on posts in the water at West End Park these “memorials” are worth a drive or streetcar ride. To print out a list of each piece of art, visit Doug MacCash’s article and videos of “Art in Public Places” at www.nola.com.

It would probably take many years to experience all that the Crescent City has to offer. From good food, live music, historic places, museums, and romantic B&B’s, you can easily find yourself going back for more, just as I plan to do. Pick up a New Orleans travel guide and make a list of all of the things to see and do off the beaten path.

Camellia Grill is open 7 days a week at 626 South Carrollton Ave. (504) 309-2679‎. Rocky’s Pizzeria is located in the Garden District at 3222 Magazine St. (504) 891-5152. Sucre is open 7 days a week at 3025 Magazine St. (504) 520-8311. Shop online at www.shopsucre.com . The Louisiana Children’s Museum can be found a 420 Julia St. in the Warehouse District. (Be careful when parking along the street to avoid parking tickets) Admission is $7.50 for children and adults. The museum is open Tues-Sun. Visit them online at www.lcm.org/ .

(this article was first published in Louisiana Road Trips magazine)