Turkey Legs to Go: New Orleans Bowl Travel Guide, Southern Miss vs. Troy

Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, Louisiana), which pits Troy against Southern Miss.

Overview / Matchup: Southern Mississippi, Brett Favre's alma mater, will have a short drive to the game; Troy, which won the Sun Belt with a win over Arkansas State in the league's championship game, won't have much further to go from in its campus in southern Alabama. The two teams meet down in the Byaou on Christmas Eve.

Hotels: The stadium is close enough to the center of New Orleans that you could stay anywhere in the French Quarter or central downtown and only be a short cab ride away. The Omni Royal Orleans Hotel features a rooftop pool that's open year round. Even if you're not much of a swimmer, the views are worth a trip topside. The Hilton New Orleans Riverside is located just across from the Harrah's and the Riverwalk Festival Marketplace. It offers the best all around value for bowl travelers. Budget-minded fans should consider the Chateau Dupre French Quarter. The Chateau has nice accommodations for the price and is adjacent to the House of Blues.

Restaurants: Our only advice about visiting New Orleans... eat, eat and eat some more. New Orleans is one of the only cities in America with a truly unique blend of cultures and cuisines you can't find anywhere else in the world. Bon Ton Café serves great Creole food, specifically crab, crawfish, redfish and bread pudding.

Brennan's Restaurant is a New Orleans landmark. The trout Almandine and shrimp Sardou are particularly superb. For dessert the Bananas foster is a must. For lunch, try a muffuletta at Central Grocery. They're spectacular and a half sandwich is more than enough for one person.

Nightlife: As for drinking, if you want a little southern decadence enjoy a cool cocktail on the porch at Columns Hotel. If it's a rowdier time you're after, head straight for Pat O'Brien's. Supposedly the New Orleans landmark sells more rum than any other bar in the world. Other than that, you shouldn't have much trouble going out in NOLA -- simply head for Bourbon Street and indulge in the general disarray and public excitement.