twinklehorses

My train will arrive in NOLA at 7:30pm Fri June 27th and depart the next morning at 9am - I don't want to rent a room for such a short time and miss seeing a few things - I'm a 70 year old women who uses a power chair but I can walk short distances - Several questions - Is there public transportation from the train station to the French Quarter at night or would it be safe to "walk" the mile and a half? Could I hire someone (not too expensively) to accompany me? Are there places in the Quarter that stay open all night? I'd like to take photos, hear some NOLA music, and eat pralines, beignets, and maybe Cajun and creole food -

DebitNM

You use a power chair and can walk short distances and want to walk a mile and half with luggage ?? Uh, that doesn't sound like a good plan.

Are you talking about the Amtrak station? I wouldn't walk that route alone.

Take a taxi.

And reconsider getting a room. You will most likely be pretty miserable by midnight. You will have gotten off a train [how long were you on it] and will get back on one? Get some sleep.

DebitNM

Oh, Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours.

tomfuller

I have not been to NO since before Katrina but the place you want to go is Jackson Square and the Cafe du Monde.
Will your power chair fit in the trunk of a taxi or do you need a van type taxi?
I did ride on the St. Charles streetcar in daylight but with luggage or power chair that would be hard.
You would be much safer calling for a taxi to take you to the Cafe du Monde which has great begniets and coffee and is open 24/7.

twinklehorses

Thank you all for your quick responses - By "walk" - in quotes - I meant "wheel" - I'll leave my luggage - 1 bag - at the Amtrak station and only take 1 small purse and my camera - The chair does need a van with a lift or ramp - I'm not used to public transportation that is not accessible - all buses and light trains in the Los Angeles area are accessible - The coach seats on Amtrak are pretty comfortable to sleep on, that is 10 years ago when I took a similar trip they were - My train pass is for 15 days - 7 nights on the train, 2 nights camping, 4 nights Airbnb, and 1 night NOLA - Taking a taxi sounds like a good idea - Jackson Square also sounds good - and I can look at the beautiful cathedral too -

edithgrove

I spent 22 years living in the French Quarter before moving to Algiers Point directly across the river a year ago. Unless you plan on being holed up in the same bar all night long, I cannot recommend anyone, especially a 70 year woman to spend a night out in the Quarter alone. The only places you will find open in the wee hours, other than Cafe du Monde as someone mentioned, are bars and a few places to get a quick bite to eat. If you decide to try this, I would find a 24-hour bar not to far from the center of the Quarter and hang out there. If that bar doesn't serve food, you can always order delivery from a nearby deli. The Quarter is currently fighting a problem with violent crime so please don't try to navigate the neighborhood alone at night, and absolutely take a cab to & from the train station.

cd

I have never stayed here but it has good reviews and is in Jackson Square: http://www.placedarmes.com/

twinklehorses

Thank you edithgrove - You've convinced me - If I go to the French Quarter at all, I'll take a taxi, take a few photos while he waits, then return to the Amtrak station stopping somewhere to buy something to eat - What is around the station? Any ideas on where else I might take some photos and/or eat?

Michael

I would not spend the night at the Amtrak station--the neighborhood did not look appealing. Spend it at the Café du Monde if you absolutely refuse to get a hotel room.

twinklehorses

Thanks Michael - The station's closed from 10pm to 5am so I won't be staying there - There are several places on Airbnb fairly close so I'm looking at them - Also several hostels - Anyone have ideas about where to eat breakfast and be to the station by 8am?

DebitNM

The area around the train station is not good. Not sure what AirBnB would be like in that area, but have my doubts.

Several people are trying to tell/warn you that your plan it faulty/risky. NOLA has unsafe areas. I am not a single woman, 70 year old in a power chair. I would never consider such a plan, my safety and well being are too important to me. And I am a city smarts woman having lived most of my life in NYC area.

Get a hotel room, arrange for a van that can deal with your chair to take you to and from French Quarter.

doug_stallings

I don't want you to get the wrong idea about New Orleans. It's not particularly friendly to people with disabilities. Most apartments and houses have steps, especially in the Quarter, or are far from the Quarter and not at all on any transit line or in modern elevator buildings. If you decide to go the Air B&B route (which I do not recommend), then evaluate your choices very carefully. Perhaps something in the Warehouse District will be outfitted with modern conveniences.

The area around the Amtrak station is pretty bad. I'm also not at all sure you may have trouble finding a taxi that can handle your scooter. N.O., while starting a program for accessible taxis, still hasn't done much on that front. I think they just opened bids in the fall.

In short, what I'm telling you is that the city is not safe for a woman alone at night, particularly one in a scooter, who may not be able to find proper transportation.

There are, however, a couple of hotels around the Superdome where you could stay, including a Holiday Inn that's close to the Amtrak station. I don't think it would be that much since it's not really near the tourist areas. It looks as if a room there costs $137 per night on June 27, which is not a bad deal.

Daniel_Williams

I took the Crescent train from DC to New Orleans back in 2004 and 2005 and had to connect the next day early both times to a bus heading to San Antonio. I stayed in the Lower Garden District, within about 10 minutes walk from the train station. I did walk from the train station to the Avenue Garden Inn, but I was a man in my early 30s at the time; I'd recommend a cab in your case.

These trains can be on time but are sometimes quite late, sometimes by the order of a few hours and one really needs to plan for it. My recommendation is plan to spend the night close by in the more affordable Lower Garden District (or possibly French Quarter). The Lower Garden District has its charms too; even staying at my hotel caused me to fall for the New Orleans ambiance. If you feel energetic and the train arrives more or less on time, then grab a cab to the French Quarter. As curious as I was to see the French Quarter, I was wiped out when I arrived and just wanted a good night's sleep. Seeing the Lower Garden District and grabbing the streetcar to the French Quarter for probably no more than a half hour piqued my curiosity and was actually enough incentive for me to plan a real trip to New Orleans, which I did in 2007.

Have fun whatever you decide! Daniel

edithgrove

This place has a room at $109 on 6/27:
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-new_...LA071#listpos1

If the link doesn't work, it's the Comfort Inn at 346 Baronne St. and it's very central to the French Quarter and Union Passenger Terminal.

Twinklehorses, I didn't mean to scare you away from the Quarter. Just know that it is not safe for a single person late at night.
Stick to the populated areas, and use a cab to get to your hotel & train station.

If you like traditional jazz, check out Fritzel's: http://www.fritzelsjazz.net/

Fritzel's is at 733 Bourbon St., seven blocks from Canal St. and away from (most) of the strip joints & tourist traps.
It's one of the few places on Bourbon I'd recommend to anyone.
Music starts there around 9PM and runs until about 1-2AM on a Friday evening.

I hope this helps.

edithgrove

http://www.frenchquarter.com/dining/

cd

The Place D Arms that I recommended above in Jackson Square charges $139. plus tax on June 27. The Conti charges $104 plus tax for a petite room.

tomfuller

When you tire if Cafe du Monde, head for the Clover Grill at 900 Bourbon. http://www.clovergrill.com/
I understand not wanting to shell out for a hotel room for a 13.5 hour layover.

AustinTraveler

The 13.5 hour layover is between 7:30 pm and 9:00 am. That sounds like a great reason to get a hotel room. Have a nice dinner, look around a little, take a nice hot bath, then bed. Breakfast the next morning and off to the train station. And I am nowhere near 70!!

nytraveler

Not to beat a dead horse but NO is a very high crime city overall and there are many streets very hear the tourist areas that are very dangerous (as in the police say do not go there).

Your idea IMHO is extremely foolhardy. You definitely need to get a cab to where you are going - and to identify a 24 hour venue in advance. Wandering the streets looking for another one in the small hours is simply asking to be mugged - even for an able bdied large young man, never mind an elderly woman with mobility issues.

twinklehorses

I get it - I know (knew) nothing about NO and I appreciate all of you taking the time to enlighten me - I will not go anywhere alone - Does anyone know how AAE Bourbon House hostel at 1660 Annunciation is? I listened to Fritzel's music on their website and it seems great - I could take a taxi there and listen for a couple of hours? And then taxi back to my hotel/hostel/Airbnb -