Take the Streetcar to Mid-City – It’s Another World
Take the Streetcar to Mid-City – It’s Another World
Just $3 buys you a ticket to another world…twenty-four hours of riding the New Orleans streetcars anywhere you want to go, including St Charles Avenue, the cemeteries, and City Park.
The City Park Street Car
Board the car marked ‘City Park’ and enjoy the jostling ride past the big hotels and small shops on Canal Street into the historic neighborhood of Mid-City, where the giant limbs of ancient oak trees sweep low, almost to the sidewalk. Get off the car just before you reach Carrollton and have lunch at Mandina’s.
Classic Italian and Seafood at Mandina’s
For nearly a century, their big pink building has been the home of mighty portions of New Orleans’ favorite home-style cooking. You’ll swear you have been transported back to the 1930s when you see the heavy wooden tables and waiters with bow ties carrying tray after tray of Old-Fashioneds and baseball-sized meatballs.
Try to arrive in the early afternoon. By the time the dinner hour rolls around, there’s quite a line of people waiting to stand up to drink at the old bar or sit down to Shrimp Bordelaise and Eggplant Creole with Crabmeat, Shrimp, and Tasso.
On a recent visit, The Chief Concierge and guest attempted to split the Eggplant Sticks appetizer, the Wedge Salad (actually an entire half head of iceberg lettuce), and the Chicken Parmesan. It was delicious and huge. Most of that meal went back to our homes and made several more servings.
Pro tip! To avoid carrying leftovers, go with four people and order for ONE!
Now that you are stuffed, you need to walk it off. Get back on the streetcar and ride a few more blocks to the end of the line – City Park.
Unique and Magical City Park
Since 1850, City Park has beguiled locals and visitors alike with its 1300 acres of greenspace, towering trees, the Botanical Gardens, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Storyland, the Bayou Oaks Golf Course, and the Carousel – known to New Orleanians as ‘The Flying Horses.’
Wander through the flowers and sculptures along the pathways, play miniature golf, go boating on Big Lake, check out the sports courts and the Train Garden, and if you get tired, sit down and have coffee and beignets at Café du Monde .
You may not have time to see all of City Park in just one day. It is approximately 50% larger than Central Park in New York City. Luckily for you, that $3 street car pass will take you back to your downtown hotel. And if you loved City Park as much as the locals do, another $3 ticket will let you do it all again tomorrow.
