Husband/Wife, Father/son, and Father/Daughter NOLA day trip suggestions

[Sugarbug]

Hello, gents. It's been a little while. I hope you're all well.

I'm in the last few weeks of my naval architect degree presently. It's been a mad dash to the finish line this semesters as I've been working part time at Textron in addition to taking 17 credit hours at UNO. 17 hours wouldn't be so bad except for our senior design project where we have to design a vessel from ground(keel) up. For those that are interested, my group and I designed a 115m Polar Class 2 Anchor Handling Tug Support (AHTS) vessel. The other groups were smarter and kept it both smaller and simpler.

At any rate, before yesterday, I hadn't spent a solid 12 hours at my house since the beginning of February, with the exception of two days after my third child was born (Callie Jordan, March 5). My wife, and kids to an extent, have been so supportive and patient with this degree after already waiting for me to finish my first. I really want to do something special with each of them individually.

Fortunately, I've already secured a job to start immediately after I graduate. This is great for my income, but doesn't allow me a couple weeks off for a total family vacation (at least for a while). So instead I would like to spend a day out with each of them individually and would appreciate suggestions for things to do in or around NOLA.

Let's try to put a $$ cap on the kid trips to $200 each and $600 on the trip for my wife and I. Obviously, spending money is not the objective, but I do want it to be a special day out for each of them.

My son is 6 years old and loves being outside, trains, fishing, and pestering his younger sister.

My daughter is 3 years old and an absolute diva. Loves dressing up, dancing, hitting her brother with hard objects (quite literally... she's a bully) and acting like a princess.

My wife enjoys going and doing things. She is not a gift person and would rather spend $500 (or nothing) doing something interesting than get a piece of jewelry/purse/etc. Keep in mind that we will have a newborn with us so no adventure sports.


The kids have been to the zoo, aquarium, and insectarium and I'd like to something more unique that they've never done.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Jmfox3]

Congratulations on the degree. That last mile is hard but the light is at the end of the tunnel. What about a fishing trip or even a boat tour to the mouth of the Mississippi River? Plenty of charters and I've never met a kid who doesn't love to fish. If you do go fishing let the charter CAPT know you're bringing young kids and he'll adjust his approach to just catch fish. Kids that age don't care if it is a catfish or a redfish. The mouth of the Mississippi River and the wildlife management areas are really beautiful.

 

[LACamper]

Why not grab a room in the quarter for the weekend? Take a paddle wheeler tour of the swamps? Walk down Royal St and look at the galleries. Your son would like Cohen's with the antique swords and flint locks. The others will like most of the rest of the shops. The moonwalk. Ride the ferry to algiers just to go for the ferry ride. Plenty of places to eat. Masperro's would be my first choice (reasonable prices, lots of food, VERY casual, and they can people watch out the doors). Your daughter will like the gift shops with the feather masks... plus the mardi gras museum isn't far.

 

[dwsonar]

Childrens museum in NOLA. Edwina's in Kramer, has a swamp tour, snakes, cool gift shop. Might even get them to call the gator in to eat marshmellows.
River boat rides, Mr Charlie in Morgan City.
I'll see if the wife has any ideas when she gets up.

 

[Barry J]

Bring the wife here http://www.pontchartrainvineyards.com/jazzn-the-vines/

 

[Sugarbug]

Thank you, all.

Barry, that looks like the type of thing my wife would enjoy.

And I think the boy needs to go fishing for sure. Serena is easy as she's only 3 and any one-on-one time will be special.