We decided to splurge for the "Audubon Experience" tickets, which gave us entrance to the aquarium, insectarium and zoo, as well as tickets to the IMAX.

The aquarium was a huge hit with the girls. It was practically empty, so the girls had front row seats to whatever tank they wanted to observe. They loved the "rainforest" area, the otters and the penguins. We paid a little extra to buy food in order to feed the rays in "Adventure Island", the little indoor play area. What a blast! Both girls loved feeding, petting and getting splashed by the rays.

The girls and I rode all three lines form end to end using our $5 all day passes. We enjoyed getting to see many different sides of New Orleans.

However, the wait for a streetcar can be LONG. The streetcars can get very crowded. I watched people with strollers struggle to get them folded up and on board.

If you stick to the Riverfront line, that's a nice short ride and mainly only tourists.

Exact change is required (or you get a little paper card with your "change" back, good for your next trip. Kids over two have to pay full-fare.

If you’ve ever driven on I-95 in the Carolinas, you’ve seen the billboards. Almost as prevalent as the signs for Lookout Mountain, they grab your attention. On our trip to Wilmington, NC, to pick up my new car last week, I gave in to the signs, and we stopped…at South of the Border, “America’s favorite highway oasis & gateway to the southeast”. I had very low expectations of what we would find; I figured more was spent on the signs than on the actual “attraction”. And I was not proven wrong. Granted, we only stopped for a photo-op, not for food, lodging or even to buy a souvenir. We meandered throughout the aisles of tacky gifts, used the restroom and took a bunch of photos…. at least the bathrooms were clean and the photo taking lots of fun for all of us!

As we walked up to the ferry dock, the lady standing there asked us what ferry we wanted. “What are our choices?” Apparently, there are two choices. A very, very short roundtrip straight across the river to Algiers or an hour long round-trip up and across the river to Gretna. I figured we had time to kill and it might be nice to see some of New Orleans from the river, so I replied Gretna. “Hop on” she said. The ferry (free!) was just about to depart.
The girls and I wandered around the decks and found a nice place to stand and observe as the ferry headed up to Gretna. On the trip back, we found some seats and kicked back and relaxed in the sunshine.
Can’t beat a free boat ride on the Mississippi!

At first Chloe didn’t want to go. Apparently, she did not remember her earlier visits. Once, in New Orleans, when she was about 15 months old, and once when in Kyoto when she was days short of turning five.
But, with the promise of a chance to sit down after all of our walking and the hope of a delicious hot chocolate, she agreed to give it a try. And enjoyed our decadent treat of mid-morning beignets at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter.
We enjoyed a very pleasant hour in the warmth of the sun on the patio…eating beignets, drinking hot drinks, watching the tourists pass by.
The menu is short (and sweet). The wait staff is friendly. There was no wait for a table. Cash only.