New Orleans

[Thegirlinthetrousers]

Has anyone been? Am just pondering doing this next year for my partners 50th birthday...he's a massive blues fan. Was wondering if anyone had any advice, recommendations etc

Thanks

We've been, felt really uncomfortable, cancelled our hotel reservation and moved on, sorry

That's ok, can I ask why? X

Been several times (we live in the US). I love it!

We drove in and there was a really threatening atmosphere, lots of obviously drunk/drugged up people sitting on the pavements just staring. The hotels all recommend you only use certain entrances on certain streets - it just felt intimidating, so we left

There was a recent thread about where have you been that you felt most threatened and New Orleans came up again and again and again. I was quite surprised as I had really wanted to go too but after reading that I'd be extremely cautious.

I went to university in NO and have been back to visit many times since. Like many US cities, some parts can be less comfortable and the city is still feeling the after effects of Katrina in some ways. You would not want to wander off into some parts, but that is true in any city. You just need to educate yourself about that before you go. I love New Orleans, it's just like no other place in the US.

If you can afford to 'do' NO staying in a 4 star, doing pricy package tours, and stick to the 'touristy' areas you'll probably be OK.

NO is no place to stay in cheap hotels, rent a car and just drive around, or to wander off the beaten path.

We were booked into a 4 star hotel, and had flown into washington, then flown to Memphis, and were making our way down to stay with friends in Florida - New Orleans seemed to be an obvious place to visit en route

As you can see, we were used to travelling around the US, this wasn't our first, or last, fly-drive trip around the country, but it was the only time we cancelled hotel reservations and moved on

We went this year with our 2DC (aged 3&6) and had a fab time. We rented an Air BnB a bit of a way from the French quarter, but on the st Charles streetcar line and the only time I felt it was a bit seedy was the central street in the French quarter which was full of stag and hen parties and therefore rubbish for us with young DC

There's SO much to do and you should go during jazz fest if your DH is into blues. We never felt unsafe, we were out late at night, did all sorts from just playing in local playgrounds to Mardi Gras World and did tours out to swaps and plantations - honestly it was great. We were there 9 days in the spring which, weather wise, is the perfect time to go - jazz fest is I think I'm March