First Timer Questions

I%26#39;m heading to New Orleans at the end of May on account of finding really cheap flights (200 all in CAD $) from Buffalo. I%26#39;ve never been so have some questions.

1. Is it safe. I will be by myself (although meeting a relative at some points)and would like to venture outside the French Quarter.

2. I%26#39;m think of staying for 4 or 5 full days - whatever time frame works out cheapest for flights - is this too many days or too little time?

3. Are there any good tours - some options I%26#39;ve seen are the katrina tours, swamp/bayou and plantation tours. Any recommended tour companies?

4. Where is the best and safest place to stay - French Quarter, CBD or Downtown

5. I%26#39;m looking for budget accomodation. Any thoughts or recommendations? How is Priceline or Hotwire for New Orleans?

6. Any food/restaurant/jazz club recommendations?

7. Shopping options?

8. Other must-see sights or things to do?

First Timer Questions

Hello fellow canuck! I%26#39;m leaving Thursday for my 1st trip to NO, and quite looking forward to it. Also going solo.

Everybody on this site says to stay in the French Quarter if it%26#39;s your 1st trip, and it makes sense. You%26#39;re probably going to spend most of your time there anyway, so might as well make it easy and be within walking distance of everything. I have a hotel smack dab in the middle of the Quarter.

As for recommendations on food and music, do a search. There%26#39;s tons of information on this site regarding these subjects.

As for staying 4-5 days, really depends on how much you want to see and do. I%26#39;m going to be there 10 full days (3 of those is the French Quarter Fest) and that gives me enough time to see and do everything I want to. But by no means does that mean I%26#39;m seeing and doing everything there is to see and do in NO. :)

Read past trip reviews too. A lot of helpfull info and tips on these.

Hope this helps!

First Timer Questions

first off, I fly out of Buffalo too, and I%26#39;m wondering where you got those cheap flights...please let me in on how you got that great deal :)

Definitely for your fist time, I%26#39;d stay in the French Quarter. Some affordable accomodations are the Place D%26#39;Armes, Prince Conti, Hotel St Marie...they usually offer decent prices and they are all in great locations. I find that the actual website for these hotels usually offers the best prices.

There are sooo many great things to do, check out some previous trip reports, and you%26#39;ll see that a lot of people do some of the same things. As for safety, New Orleans is very safe-just use common sense when venturing out on your own late at night. Stay on the more populated streets, and you will be fine. Have a great trip!!

Four or five days is not nearly enough...you will find yourself in love with the city and returning as often as you can. I am usually alone, too, and walk anywhere I want during the day. At night I usually take the streetcar or bus or a cab unless I am in the Quarter. It is not unsafe, but in a city it is wise to be cautious...oh, and don%26#39;t wear flashy jewelry, and carry a lot of cash. There are plenty of good tours, but since this is your first time, you might want to start with the free walking tour at the Parks/Rec. building on Decatur. Definitely stay in the Quarter...go to neworleansonline.com for good hotel rates, restaurant recommendations, etc.

Plenty of good restaurants in or nearby the Quarter for your first visit...of course there will be varying reviews from various people who wouldn%26#39;t eat '; here'; or ';there';, or those who live in NOLA and knock the places that used to be local but now have a lot of tourists, but truth is that NOLA is a food city, and it is all a matter of preference. One is not likely to find bad food in New Orleans. It is also a wonderful shopping city....Royal Street, Magazine Street, Riverbend, and, of course, all the normal mall areas. Sights to see? Cathedral, Pirate%26#39;s Alley, a cemetery, riverwalk, Jackson Square, Esplanade Ave. ride the St. Charles Streetcar, get off the streetcar and walk through some of the Garden District , visit the oldest bar in America, oldest convent, French market, art galleries, art museum, city park, ride the Algiers Ferry,stroll through the streets of the Quarter into the residential areas, etc. You might want to order a visitor%26#39;s guide from neworleansonline.com. Have fun.

Thanks for your rwesponses

For Dolmatt - the price of $200 has gone up a bit - they are now $230 all in - still a great deal - i booked with continental but also saw same price with delta and northwest.

How far from PIT are ya%26#39;ll; our flights are 160 RT all taxes inc.