Our first day in New Orleans, we wandered around the French Quarter, took in the sights and enjoyed the food.  The city was a lot different than I had anticipated.  I was expecting it to feel quaint and almost fairy-tale like after seeing photos of the French quarter, but that is not how it is in real life.  I was surprised by how dirty it was, how many drunk people there were, and the overall aura of the area.  With that said however, we did end up finding little areas in the French Quarter we really enjoyed (staying away from Bourbon Street).  We really enjoyed wandering down Royal Street and Chartres Street and areas of others.  We liked Jackson Square and the little area around there.