Originally Posted by
swag
… for the rest of your time, yeah, you'll likely want to be in the French Quarter (with maybe a side trip to the Garden District).
I think you're missing New Orleans if you spend all your time in the french quarter, even for such a short trip. If you're not the fall-down-drunk type, doing a 2- to 3-hour self-guided tour, easily pulled off the web, strikes me as more than sufficient. Same with the Garden District, although I think an hour is sufficient. I would add a ride on the St Charles streetcar, which for $1.25 offers a great tour. Get off uptown, get a poboy, and then ride back. Have a leisurely lunch or dinner in the courtyard at Bacchanal. Spend an afternoon in the warehouse district. I love the Ogden Museum and people rave about the WWII museum. Go to city park, where beignets at morning call is far more relaxing, imho, than at cafe du monde. And I'm sure there will be plenty of interesting New Years festivities going on.
By the way, be prepared for cooler weather. Don't expect it to be hot over New Years.