Drupalcon

Practical Guide to DrupalCON 2016 and New Orleans 

Practical Guide to DrupalCON 2016 and New Orleans 

With DrupalCON NOLA right around the corner, it’s time to be prepared. I created this simple guide with some tips, do's and don'ts, helpful apps, and a restaurant list.

The venue:

Inside Convention Center
Image via&amp http://www.mccno.com/

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - Hall G & H

Address: 900 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130

Transportation:

Image via Norta.com
Image via Norta.com

From Convention Center to the French Quarter:

UBERx - 11 min, $5-$7

Public Transportation: 22 - 27 min,  $1.25 for Street Cars. One, three, and 31-day unlimited ride “Jazzy Passes” are also available for $3, $9 and $55 respectively.

You can download the RTA gomobile app and pay your fare from your phone.

Pick up your badge early.

It’s recommended you grab your badge on Sunday or Monday to avoid the lines on Tuesday. Here are the registration desk hours:

Sunday, May 8: 3:00pm - 6:00pm

Monday, May 9: 7:00am - 6:00pm

Tuesday, May 10: 7:00am - 6:00pm

Wednesday, May 11: 8:00am - 6:00pm

Thursday, May 12: 8:30am - 3:30pm

What to Bring:

  • Portable Battery Chargers: These are a life saver. Usually your schedule is pretty full at DrupalCON and portable battery chargers can really come in handy.
  • Game Plan: What are you looking to gain from his experience? Are you excited to see a particular speaker? When is lunch time?
  • Twitter: This is a great way to interact with everyone at the Conference, and an easy way to keep in touch with people.
  • Elevator Pitch: You’re going to be asked some key questions: Who you are? What you’re looking for? What you do? Are there free cookies downstairs?
  • Conversation Starters: You are more easily approachable if you have something that can make it a little easier. No, I'm not taking about your embroidered christmas sweater. Maybe a fun company t-shirt, nice shoes, a big ol hat, or your own hover board… (Please don’t bring your own hover board.)
  • Mints / Gum: Bring enough to share!
  • Notebook: Taking notes, reviewing them, and sharing them are great ways to make the best out of every session you go to.
  • Comfortable and Roomy bag: If you want to have your laptop around, and have enough space for all the goodies you’ll get at DrupalcCON, you need a good bag.

Social Events

Some of these events you have to RSVP to, and some you just need to know about.

Check them out here.

Do’s and Dont's:

Bourbon Street:

Definitely a tourist trap, but it’s worth to check out at least once. Bourbon Street does get messy and it’s busy with tourists and people making money off of tourists.

Alternatives:

Places like "Pat O'Brien's" and "Fritzel’s” are worth the visit. 

The Frenchman Street is a good alternative, more Jazz and less mess.

Magazine Street also has a lot to offer, lined with pronounced Greek Revival Style buildings as well as Victorian cottages, and lots of undefended boutiques with unique items.

Tours

Course Carriage tours are always available but they won’t take you far in the French Quarter and usually not much to see.

Most French Quarter tours should be avoided.

Steamboat dinner cruises…. bad buffet food, and an all day commitment.

Alternatives:

Picking a niche tour might be your best bet, like Haunted History Tour, or other specific tours you may have interest in.

There is a free ferry ride across the Algiers. It's a nice way to go across the Mississippi river for free.

Mississippi River

For the best views of the Mississippi head to Bywater there’s a newly constructed park call Crescent Park with great views and skyline of the river.

Cafe du Monde

Their location is the worst. Surrounded by crowds, and tourists with lots of street performers trying to make money. I’m not sure that it’s worth waiting in line for.

Alternative:

Morning Call, located in City Park, where you can enjoy your meal under oak trees.

Anywhere selling Mardi Gras beads outside of Carnival season.

Useful Apps:

Uber - For obvious reason, this could come very handy.

RTA gomobile - Prepay for public transit rides.

NOLA.com - Local news, worth a gander if you want to check out what's happening.

Offbeat New Orleans Mobile - Live local music listings, know who is playing where and when.

NOLA Happy Hour - Find the best drink deals in your current location.

Open Table - Make reservations easy and fast.This is a great app to have wherever you are.

Restaurants: 

Antonie’s

Authentic New Orleans culinary experience. Serving the best of French-Creole cuisine for 176 years.

French 75 at Arnaud’s

Classic Creole restaurant, in business for almost a century. Featuring a 200 year old antique bar. 

Mother’s

This restaurant that has welcomed locals since 1938. Mother’s is refreshingly humble. It’s known for its “Debris” Po’boy,

Deanie’s Seafood 

“Place for fresh Louisiana seafood prepared in our signature Creole seasonings. For over 50 years Deanie's has been serving huge portions of the best boiled, broiled and fried seafood.”

Galatories

Fine-dining century-old institution. It’s fancy and it is delicious.

Commander’s Palace

Award winning quality food, rich New Orleans history, and a true landmark since 1880.

In Conclusion

Most importantly, enjoy yourself!

Sometimes the best thing you do is explore the area with no pre-established opinions.

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