Doing the town
You must carouse. But where?
The unlikeliest place to hear good live music and dance into the early morning is the Mid-City Lanes Rock-n-Bowl at 4133 Carrollton Avenue. The owner, John Blancher, is one of Earth's most easy-going, good-spirited people and his place exudes the same welcoming feeling. Every Thursday night is Zydeco night, and regulars dance to the area's best live Zydeco and Cajun bands. If you don't know the steps, don't worry. The regulars will gladly show you. And be ready to sweat; zydeco is a serious workout. For anyone who doesn't want to dance, you can bowl or order an alligator po-boy from the bar. One of the favorite joints of the local crowd.
The late-late-night college crowd often winds up at F & M Patio Bar at 4841 Tchoupitoulas Street in Uptown. This place gets going about midnight when the pool tables are covered in plywood and the real dancing starts. The city's most famous bar, Tipitina's, is just down the street at the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Napoleon. With no air conditioning and few amenities, Tip's is a sauna in the summer, but depending on who's playing, this is the best place to hear live music in New Orleans. Rub the bust of the late Zydeco great, Professor Longhair, for good luck.
Jazz fans should try Snug Harbor at 626 Frenchman Street in Faubourg Marigny, just east of the French Quarter. Two other nearby clubs, Cafe Brasil and Cafe Istanbul, usually offer good, eclectic music as well.
All of these are places outside the French Quarter. Every first-time visitor will want to spend at least a few hours wandering Bourbon Street at night. I can't say that many of the bars or clubs on Bourbon (with the Absinthe House excepted) are particularly good but the aggregate effect of the crowds make it an interesting freak show for people watching.
And a final word of caution: New Orleans is a fantastic city where people like to forget their inhibitions and go wild. Do so, and have fun. But be careful. This is a dangerous city for people who are not cautious. When walking at night in the French Quarter, stay with groups of friends. The Quarter is heavily policed but muggings do happen. And if you find yourself deciding between walking somewhere at night or taking a cab, take the cab.
Enjoy. Laissez les bon temps rouler.