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As the prime purveyors of partying, PubClub.com has a New Year's Party Guide to New Orleans.


Welcome to New Orleans New Year's Party Guide!
Finding Fun in the Big Easy


New Orleans explodes with fun anytime, and particularly on NYE.


New Orleans and New Year's Eve go together like rum and red drinks.

In fact, it's often difficult to tell New Year's Eve from any other day of the week on Bourbon Street.

That is, unless one has been to Bourbon Street on New Year's Eve.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

EDITOR'S NOTE:PubClub.com has recently visted New Orleans and declared it ready to party again! See our articles as proof:
New Oleans After Kartina
The Bartender in New Orleans

And you know what? We're back for New Year's Eve 2007! We're partying with all those Georgia and Hawaii fans. So Aloha, Big Easy! And on the 7th it's the BCS National Championship between LSU and Ohio State!

Where's The Party?

It may seem as obvious as drinking a Hurricane, but the party is all up and down Bourbon Street. The major madness is around the Cat's Meow. This is where the packed balconies peak and girls trade peeks of breasts for beads.

The most popular bar is Pat O'Brien's. By 11, the line stretches around the block, so if you want to go in, go early (say by 9). The best place to party in Pat O'Brien's is the back outdoor patio.

At midnight, much of the crowd shuffles over to Jackson Square about 10 minutes away. This is where a ball drops. Don't worry about missing anything on Bourbon Street – there is no official time for bars to close in this city, so hearty partiers can go all night.

The real beauty of Bourbon is it's openness. Drinking is permitted in the street – that's the case everywhere in the French Quarter – and there are dozens of places to purchase all manner of alcohol. This includes not only bars but small stores with a counter that serves frozen drinks, jello shots and cheap beer. There's live music everywhere, from jazz to rock to zyedeco.

Then it's walking up and down the street, stopping along the way to meet other revelers and traveling in and out of the various bars. Those bars include the aforementioned Pat O'Brien's, home of the rum-filled Hurricane; Tropical Isle, renowned for the hand grenade ("New Orleans' strongest drink!" it proudly proclaims); the Big Bad Wolfe with rock 'n roll bands and for the young at heart with a dancing pulse Cat's Meow; Razzoo and Bourbon Street Blues.

There are more bars down the many side streets. Among them are the Shim Sham Club, which is where locals love to go to dance; the Gold Mine with it's Flaming Dr. Pepper drink and the appropriately named Dungeon.

Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe serves up cheeseburgers and cold draft beer near the French Market and New Orleans veterans always make a stop at Tipitina's. There are two Tipitina's locations: the one at 233 N. Peters is the original and the one on Decatur Street is only open when bands are playing. Tipitina's generally hosts wildly popular local bands such as The Radiators and The Neville Brothers which have an almost cult following.

The Sugar Bowl Factor

Revelers from both teams are all over the French Quarter for days leading up to the game. (This year's event is Sunday, Jan. 2). They are easy to spot – team jerseys, t-shirts and school colors abound.

Their presence only adds to the intensity. Certain schools party more than others, of course (click here to see which ones).


Bourbon Street bars are as full of energy as they are of people.

Top Tips

• Stick to the same color of drink. In the French Quarter, there are a rainbow selection of colored cocktails – blue, red, green, etc. – and the key to avoiding a terrible ending to the night is to pick a color and stick with it.

• The frozen drink stand next to Pat O'Brien's Bourbon Street entrance serves jello shots made with everclear.

• Check the weather forecast before the trip. New Orleans can be warm, wet or chilly this time of the year.

• Secure a room early. New Orleans' legendary party scene makes it a popular place to spend the New Year and in turn this makes getting a hotel room early an essential part of the planning. Wait too long and risk being stuck on the outskirts of town. The Sugar Bowl takes up many rooms and this adds to the situation.

We like the Le Richelieu (1234 Chartres Street ; 800-782-9722). It's a small hotel with rooms and suites with some of the best prices for a first-class hotel in the Quarter.

Overall, expect to pay in the $200 range a night for a room in the French Quarter. Of course it's most convenient to stay right in the Quarter. Staying across Canal Street can provide some financial relief; it's about a 5 minute walk to Bourbon Street.

Key Links

Bourbon Street/French Quarter bars Details on all the nightlife in the Quarter
New Orleans City Guide Dining, drinking, sightseeing, city overview
Sugar Bowl/BSC Info & Party Guide Where to find the fans during the two games.
New Orleans Visitor's Bureau Official site of the Visitor's Bureau
Sugar Bowl Official game site
Le Richelieu Hotel A French Quarter gem

 

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