I also feel the need to chime in on this one. I totally encourage you to visit, as we have repeatedly for decades, you will love it! But it matters where you stay and where and when you are out and about. Especially if traveling only as a mother/daughter pair.
Others may have more info about the French Quarter area, but I honestly have never known it as a tourist area, and that concerns me a bit for you if you don’t know much about it yourself. We typically stay in any of Grand Case, Anse Marcel, Cul de Sac, and Orient, and travel between those areas at night by car without concern.
That aside, I’ll recommend the Orient Village restaurant area as a great place to go at night. You can safely walk around and pick from various restaurants depending on your mood! Orient village overall has a lot to offer IMHO.
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