Road trip time!

Have fun in NO. I love that town. I haven't been since Katrina, but would love to go back. I always loved the muffaletas at Central Grocery (near Jackson Square).

 

Mulate's is a great Cajun restaurant right outside Lafayette. It's not right on the highway (I-10), but is worth a small detour on your way to Baton Rouge. They even have local Cajun bands in the evening, if you're into local culture and stuff.

As for N.O., I would avoid Cafe DuMonde. The coffee is bland, the beignes now taste like doughnuts with lots of powder sugar, the lines are long and the restrooms are ... not that great.

A trip through the devastated Ninth Ward might be interesting, but be sure to visit during daytime.

(I lived in Lafayette for a few years back in the 80's, BTW.)

Mulate's, Lafayette - Lonely Planet Travel Guide

 

If you get tired of paying top price for the gormet restuarants in N. O. and like pizza stop by Mama Rosa's Slice of Italy on North Rampart St. But be sure to bring your appetite.

 

Unioin Oyster House, definitely.

We go to the "big name" restaurants for lunch; the same experience for less money and less food left on our plate (my wife has a small stomach and I can only compensate so much).

 

Looks like a good and not-too-expensive trip. We're going to triple the miles next month, and we will be in mountain-type country part of the time. We'll aim at your 53, but I'm not optimistic.

 

We'll probably cruise at 65. My wife would prefer 70, but I gotta be cheap. 5 mph probably won't add two hours to the trip, one way.

 

Wife and I are going from Kansas to Vegas this coming October. Driving as it will be cheaper than flying, even with the high gas prices.....only because we are trading in our SUV for a Prius.....

 

That should be fun. I assume I-70 or maybe I-40? Mountains should be wonderful that time of year, if somewhat anti-mpg for a Prius. We're doing Florida to Colorado, not sure if we'll go through Dallas-Amarillo or cut north through Kansas. Plan to avoid I-25 through Trinidad because of hills.

 

Yeah, but the mileage coming down is phenomenal. And I've had some surprisingly good results with rolling hills.

 

I've made the 2800 mile round-trip between western Montana and Minneapolis twice this year, once in January and again just three weeks ago, and will be going back again in September (son lives there and he's getting married in Sept.), got 42mpg in January (temps varied between 40 and -10) and just shy of 50 this summer. I'd probably do better if I wasn't cruising at between 75 and 80 across eastern MT and North Dakota, kinda hard to cruise at 60 or 65 across those stretches. Still, I'm not complaining a bit.

 

I agree. We'll be going from 46 feet above sea level to more than 6,000 feet, although most of it is gradual plains. Coming back? We can only hope...

 

Not sure what route we will take. Prob go through Oklahoma panhandle, through Texas panhandle through New Mexico and Arizonia to Vegas. On the way back might go through Utah, Colorado and home to Kansas.

 

Going out should be better for the mileage, and the views will be awesome. Coming back, through Utah abnd Colorado, will definitely not be good for mileage (assuming more uphill than down in the mountains), but I'll take the views that way even more than the southern route. (Well, coming out of the Eisenhower Tunnel near Vail Pass will definitely be downhill.) But I'm mountain-prejudiced. Enjoy the trip, and please let us know how the car/mileage did.

 

Thanks for the tips. I will use the suggestions and get back to you all.

 

Aw, wish I had known you were coming to New Orleans! I would have loved to show a fellow PriusChatter a few of my favourite places around town.