Where to stay in NOL & EMY

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PJnVA

Train Attendant
Joined
Jul 7, 2012
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26
Location
Woodbridge, VA
We have finally booked our AGR Great Train Adventure #3! I am so exceited as we will be adding four routes never seen.

ALX - NOL #19 Crescent (new), 1 overnight in NOL,

NOL - LAX #1 Sunset Limited, (NOL - SAS new)

LAX - EMY #14 Coast Starlight, (LAX - EMY new) 1 overnight in EMY,

EMY - CHI #6 California Zypher,

CHI - ALX #50 Cardinal (new),

In order to make our route work we had to do two overnight one in NOL that I am looking forward to and would love suggestions on places to stay and eat dinner. The second overnight is EMY and I am not thrilled as we will have no time to do anything as we get in at 10:00 pm IF we are on time and we leave at 9:00 am the next morning. So with this in mind I would like suggestions for a good clean inexpensive hotel for the night.

While I am asking for info we have 4 hours in LA wher should we catch breakfast?

Thax for the ideas and suggestions. Feel free to tell us about anything along the way that we should lookout for.
 
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Great trip, were envious!

New Orleans has a million great places to eat and lots of good hotels! I suggest that you Google up one. Of the travel sites and pick a hotel you like @ a good price in the business/convention center area or the French QuarteR!, A favorite place for locals is Coops on Decatur Street which lots of Amtrak Employees like also! ( the rabbit jambalaya is great and the beer is ice cold! Lots of local color!)

As for spending the night in California, consider staying on the Starlight to Davis! A great little College town with cheaper hotels and several good breakfast joints close to the beautiful old SP Station! The Zephyr makes the last stop before Sacramento here and this gibes you more time in the morning to enjoy breakfast and then catch the Train there! Several of our members have done this, Google up Davis info also, you'll like it!

Don't forget the Metro Lounge in LA Union Station and breakfast @ Phillips up the street from Union Station!

Also read trip reports here on AU about these routes, lots of goof info about all of them!
 
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We have stayed and are staying again in June at the Prince Conti hotel in New Orleans. It is one of the least expensive hotels that I can find in the French Quarter. It is a smaller, no frills hotel but clean. I like the location, a block from Bourbon St, 2 or 3 blocks from Canal St. Cafe du Monde is a few blocks away.

Kind of odd but there is a German restaurant across the street from the Prince Conti that has very good food.
 
Two places I've stayed at in NOL and would stay at again: The Fairchild House bed & breakfast in the lower Garden District, and the Ambassador Hotel near Harrah's Casino. For dinner, try a place on Decatur Street that a local turned me on to: Cafe Maspero. Massive portions of fried seafood, and it's delicious!
 
jimhudson said:
As for spending the night in California, consider staying on the Starlight to Davis! A great little College town with cheaper hotels and several good breakfast joints close to the beautiful old SP Station! The Zephyr makes the last stop before Sacramento here and this gibes you more time in the morning to enjoy breakfast and then catch the Train there! Several of our members have done this, Google up Davis info also, you'll like it!
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Just took a quick peak at the forums before I head off to work to see if I had any relies.

Thank you all for the ideas. Jim, this is GREAT and I never would have thought about it. I will change my AGR ticket this evening. We really want to keep the overnight in CA as inexpensive as possible so me may indulge in a good meal and fun in NO.

I'll be checking the NOL options this evening. I have some time, we travel in July.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Keep them comming :)
 
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the maison st charles is only around 6 blocks from the station in new orleans. right on the st charles streetcar line. we have stayed there twice when taking amtrak. reasonable rates, very nice rooms, great breakfast
 
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I stayed at Hotel Whitcomb in Frisco, right on the corner of 8th and Market. Loved if, especially the front door access to all Market busses, the F PCC line, the Market-8th MuniMetro station, and the BART. Transit service gets below ten minute headway at around 2AM, and runs all night.

In New Orleans, I stayed at one of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed at (at that includes the Willard in Washington, and the King David in Jerusalem) on Poydras, called La Pavillon. I couldn't reccomend it enough, and not just because I got an upgrade from a Hotels.Com sale room to a two bedroom suite.
 
For dining in NO,,,,

three places I go every time I visit

Commanders Palace and NOLA. The former is like the fifth best restaurant of 1,596 in Trip Advisor while NOLA is 45,,, but the REAL sleeper is Willa Mae's Scotch house which has the BEST friend chicken I have ever eaten (although the décor is very down home, not fancy like the Palace,,, and if you haven't visited Trip Advisor,, its the best source for non RR info I have found,,,

enjoy my favorite place to visit !!!
 
I suggest that eating in New Orleans involves walking around the French quarter with your nose open and your eyes closed.
 
You're most welcome and all of the suggestions about NOL are good ones!

Commanders Palace in the Garden District is an Outstanding place but Expensive! Ermils is a great one in the Quarter? The poboy joints and the Oyster houses are world class! If you like an adult beverage or two plenty of bars! LOL. I'd say stay out of the Bourboun Street clip joints but its fun to walk down the closed off street at night and see the amazing sites and characters!

I like a hotel called Plas D'ame in the French Quarter, it is a 200 year old building with a beautiful courtyard and pool. Its located behind the Cathedral and a couple of blocks from Cafe Du Monde,. The French Market, Bourboun Street and the Street Car Lines!

Breakfast is included and when its off season and no big events are going on is under $100 a night! The downstairs rooms have no windows but that won't matter, you're only there to sleep and shower, too much to do to stay in your room but taking a swim and having a drink in the courtyard is really cool! Google it up on the travel sites, Kayak.com is one I use!
 
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We stayed at the Prince Conti Hotel in New Orleans this past January. The building is historic and it is right on the corner of Conti St / Bourbon St so your right in the center of the French Quarter and all the action.
 
I'm taking the Sunset Ltd from LA to New Orleans next week and thank you for tip about Willie Mae's. I'll try some of her chicken. Also never got the tip about staying over in Davis instead of Sacramento. This string is full of good tips. Let me add one for New Orleans: Central Grocery, on Decatur across from the French Market, has the best Muffaletta sandwich in town. The Muffaletta is a New Orleans original - kind of like a sub, but with a unique and delicious sauce of its own.
 
I know nothing about EMY except what I've read here, but I'm not sure there is any bad food in New Orleans! If so, I haven't run across it yet. As mentioned, there are a couple of good oyster houses in the Quarter along with many other good restaurants. The little Gumbo Shop has good gumbo (duh). Deannie's was recommended to us by a taxi driver, and it has good seafood and little boiled red potatoes. It doesn't look like one of the little local holes in the wall or the elegant restaurants but more like a nice chain inside. (not sure that it is a chain, though) We used to love Michaul's and its Cajun band, but it closed after Katrina and I don't know if it's reopened for anything other than catering. There are some good restaurants on Bourbon St., although some of the street is so, well, Bourbon St. Royal St. is more to my liking, but you've got to see Bourbon at least once. :)

I know there are a few good places to stay on or near St. Charles Ave., but we liked staying inside the Quarter. We usually stayed in a condo, but our favorite hotel was the Bourbon Orleans. At certain times of the year they used to have good special rates. It's been almost three years since I've been to New Orleans so there are probably changes. Many of the hotels are in historic buildings.

Cafe du Monde is also one of those places that everyone has to visit for coffee and beignets. Even if you're not a nerd, the D-Day Museum is worth a visit if you could squeeze enough time (which may not be possible this trip).

Your trip is one that I would love to take someday! Happy travels~
 
I am taking part of this same trip with my grandson starting on July 8....ATL-NOL and NOL-LAX. In the past I have stayed at the Hotel St. Marie. It is clean and inexpensive but may be a little old fashioned for a 15 year old. I have checked out on-line all the hotels mentioned here and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. As far as eating in NOL, you really can't go wrong there either. There is a lot of good food in NOL. I actually logged on tonight to make our hotel reservations in NOL and LA but got side tracked on this forum. When are you taking your trip?
 
supergrandmother said:
I am taking part of this same trip with my grandson starting on July 8....ATL-NOL and NOL-LAX. In the past I have stayed at the Hotel St. Marie. It is clean and inexpensive but may be a little old fashioned for a 15 year old. I have checked out on-line all the hotels mentioned here and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. As far as eating in NOL, you really can't go wrong there either. There is a lot of good food in NOL. I actually logged on tonight to make our hotel reservations in NOL and LA but got side tracked on this forum. When are you taking your trip?
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I always stay there when in NOL, and will be back there again in June.
 
supergrandmother said:
I am taking part of this same trip with my grandson starting on July 8....ATL-NOL and NOL-LAX. In the past I have stayed at the Hotel St. Marie. It is clean and inexpensive but may be a little old fashioned for a 15 year old. I have checked out on-line all the hotels mentioned here and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. As far as eating in NOL, you really can't go wrong there either. There is a lot of good food in NOL. I actually logged on tonight to make our hotel reservations in NOL and LA but got side tracked on this forum. When are you taking your trip?
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Our trip is July 19 - 27. I am so excited about doing an overnight in NOLA. It seems every time I am here it is just a quick overnight with no time for much. This trip will be no different. Last time I was there we were a group of 5 adults enjoying the bars on Bourbon St :blush: . This time I want to enjoy the architecture and a good meal. I love old buildings with character.
 
I second the mention of the Quality Inn Maison St. Charles. I have stayed their twice and found it to be very enjoyable. A short cab ride from the Amtrak station, if you got too much luggage to schlep the six blocks or so. Definitely worth taking a ride on the St. Charles streetcar UPTOWN, if time permits.
 
Thank you all for the great suggestions. I have changed our reservation so Davis will be our overnight and turnaround point. I can't thank you enough Jim :D as this is allowing us to stay in a very inexpensive place for the night, leaving us with a bigger budget for NOLA hotel and dinner. :cool: Still have not decided wher to stay in NOLA or wher to eat. So many choices and reviews to read through.
 
You may well be arriving at LAX early (5AM) PT. Take your carry on luggage up to the lounge and sign in. head out to Phillippes's (not Phillip) on North Alameda.

You can ride a cart directly from the lounge out to your sleeper on the CS. Hope that you get the sleeper next to the Pacific Parlor Car.

There is a Black Bear Diner not too far from the station in Davis. They have great breakfast. It is a nice college town.

While in New Orleans sit down and have a begniet and coffee in Cafe du Monde while deciding where to eat in the French Quarter..
 
Our favorite New Orleans restaurant is the Gumbo Shop on St Peter St. in the French Quarter. Great Creole food and reasonable prices. We have dined at Rumoulade and its is very good (also moderately priced) and K Paul's Louisiana Kitchen which is one of the more expensive restaurants in New Orleans but it wasn't all that good. Don't waste your money there. Another pricey place is Arnauds but its the same establishment as Rumoulade at higher prices with a fancy atmosphere.

The JW Marriott Hotel on Canal Street (not the regular Marriott) is a great place to stay and is moderately priced. Its a solid 3 1/2 star facility.
 
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