Is Lousiana Safe?

Hello all!

My husband and I are hoping to road trip in September/October 2009 and were wondering if Louisiana and Mississippi are safe on the whole to road trip around after Katrina? We visited in 2004 when we got married in New Orleans and road tripped around the deep south and felt relatively safe for first time road trippers but wondered if the area was still the same?

We would like to spend the first 3 nights in New Orleans are and hoping that the city still retains the same charm if a little quieter?

Whilst we are no shrinking violets and know vaguely what to expect it would be great to hear from an insider or any recent visitors we welcome any comments and they would be much appreciated!

Is Lousiana Safe?

New Orleans is perfectly safe and still has all its charm (but not any quieter). You will love it as much as you did the last time you visited. I notice that you are from Nottingham; I am from Corby which is not to far from Nottingham but now live in Louisiana.

Is Lousiana Safe?

Wow! That is amazing - I would love to live stateside. What took you to Louisiana?

We are hoping to tour the antebellum homes, travel through the swamps, go into east texas and across into Mississippi to tour the blues route. I felt fairly safe last time but was on my guard as it was our first time in the deep south.

Teasel, I married an American 27yrs. ago. Love it here. In fact, we leave for New Orleans this morning for the weekend. It never gets any less exciting.

I travel to New Orleans twice a year. Every summer I take a group of twenty high school students down to volunteer for a week in the efforts to rebuild 9th Ward and St. Bernard. We stay in the downtown area and walk all over the tourist areas when we are not working. Ne

Like any other major city in the U.S. there is crime--but the tourist areas are safe. You could stay in the French Quarter and you would never see any sign of Katrina.

But I encourage you to rent a car and drive down to the 9th Ward and St. Bernard during the day. Personally, I consider it part of my responsibility to witness the effects of the tragedy--I suppose like other Americans felt compelled to go to Ground Zero in NY. But please don%26#39;t take one of those big bus Hurricane Katrina tours. It is quite dehumanizing for the residents, sitting outside or working on their houses, to have a tour bus pull up to their house, see camera flashes behind tinted windows, and then watch the bus roll on. You might even find it worth volunteering for a day with the St. Bernard Project. But it is your vacation--spend it as you will.

Needless to say, Louisiana is like no other place in the U.S. Out of all the places I have visited in the world, it remains my favorite place, even after Katrina. I never hesitate to bring my family and my students down there.

Have a great trip.

Thanks for your advice NOtown. I quite agree with you that out of all the places I have ever visited, and we have seen quite a lot of the USA, New Orleans and the deep south feel very special to me and is my favourite, probably because we got married there, but still special none the less. We were going to wait until our 10th wedding anniversary but every year it is the first place I want to visit and my husband always tells me that we should try somewhere new.................This year, our 5th wedding anniversary, I got my own way!!!

We have decided to stay 3 nights in the French Quarter in the hotel we stayed in 5 years ago, and then pick up our rental car and start our journey. I whole heartedly agree with you about the Katrina tour. I could not think of anything worse than a bus full of tourists pulling up outside my house to gawp and stare at the devastation a hurricane or any other disaster had caused. Those guys have gone through enough without being reminded of it in such a theme park manner!!!

As you suggest taking a look and appreciating for ourselves is a good idea but we will be doing it discreetly and supporting people our own way.

Teasel, I see from your profile that you enjoy concerts and music festivals. You should consider spending a few days in Acadiana (Cajun Country), especially on a weekend. Saturdays and Sundays are party time in Southwest Louisiana and there are many venues with Cajun French and Zydeco bands.

I%26#39;ll be happy to work with you on an agenda if the idea appeals to you.

Rod

Thanks Rod.

My husband is a mad blues fan so we are doing the 61 but he also likes a little cajun and zydeco. Have you heard of Coco Robicheaux? and he is a massive fan of Tony Joe White - I think he%26#39;s from Oak Grove and of course Dr. John.

We are hoping to arrive in NOLA on the 09.21.2009, spend 3 nights then start touring through Louisiana, East Texas, Mississippi then back to NOLA two-weeks later.

We%26#39;re also Blues fans and we%26#39;re out listening to Blues musicians two or three nights a week, in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas.

Coco Robichaux is one of my favorites. Our favorite venue to see him is the Apple Barrel Bar on Frenchmen St. The jukebox (when it%26#39;s plugged in) also has a few of his CDs.

If Washboard Chaz (The Blues Trio) is in town during your visit, you should try to catch his show.

http://www.washboardchaz.com/

You%26#39;ll be visiting the Mississippi Delta at a great time. The weather should be nice and cool. It%26#39;s too bad you%26#39;ll be a bit late for the Sunflower River Festival (We%26#39;ll be there) in early August, and a bit early for the Hambone Festival in late October, but there should be enough music around to keep you satisfied.

I hope you enjoy your visit and your road trip.