Karen

My husband and I will be staying in New Orleans the last week of July this year (I know, I know, HOT!!). We are trying to get a better idea of the areas we should not stay in. We plan on walking just about everywhere (or take the streetcar) so we would like a location we feel like we could walk through after a night of partying. We've read about some of the areas already, but need more specifics. We also can't afford top-of-the-line...Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Meg

If you stay in the heart of the Quarter, you will be fine. It's rarely deserted and everything is a short walk. I'd avoid staying on the fringes of the Quarter (near upper Canal, Esplanade or Rampart) if you are planning on walking late at night after drinking. The areas around the river and Jackson Square are a good bet. Try Place d'Armes - it's right smack in the center of things and usually has good rates in the summer. Also, remember that summer is low season here and places like the Marriot tend to run $89 specials. The Marriot's in a pretty good location, too.

Ellie

Meg gave you good advice. Also, check out the Quality Inn Maision St. Charles. It is right on the streetcar line. We paid $59.00 per night plus tax, and you get a great deal thru the internet. This hotel is between the beautiful sights of the Garden District and about 1 1/2 miles from the FQ. There is also a free shuttle service from the hotel to the new Casino, the FQ, the River Center. It is worth a try. Also, La Madeleine is an excellent cafe and bakery. My group enjoyed it very much, and it is located adjacent to the hotel. They make the best quiche in town, and many of the locals in the area frequent it.

Enjoy your trip.

ezron

I agree with the previous post on the Place d'Armes. Great location with above average rooms for the Quarter.

Mike

Hi Karen. The bad areas are mainly around the Armstrong Park at N. Rampart. The rule of thumb is, if you venture on foot toward the Lake, you make a mistake!

Stay inside the French Quarter. Along St. Charles Avenue is very safe.

I agree with the lady who posted about Maison St. Charles. It is an EXCELLENT hotel. It is close to everything, quiet, has a lovely pool and a small bar on the property. Also, La Madeleine is the restaurant attached and there are awesome.

There is only so much to see in the French Quarter. Bourbon St. is mostly strip bars. Jackson Square is the most interesting area, and then if you enjoy flea markets, go down to the French Market.

Do visit the Zoo and the Riverbend by taking the streetcar; take a Garden District walking tour.

I have lived down here for 30 years.

Enjoy yourself!

Jimbo

New Orleans is pretty awful all over. Where there aren't sodomites, there are angry Zulus, Zimbabweans and Mau Maus. It is the danger capital of the South. And watch out for the Frenchies.

Karen

Geez Jimbo, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers! My husband is still laughing over that reply! By the way, even though I said I was looking to stay out of the bad areas, I do want to find a vampire or two. Do I have a split personality?
I just found out there is a convention the week we're going - no wonder the hotel prices I'm getting aren't very good! We're kind of stuck to that week, though. Thanks for the offer, "Advertising John"!!! I'll let you know...

Bill

Wow. All this time I've lived in the New Orleans area and I've YET to run into a Zimbabwean... and just curious...do "sodomites" make a city dangerous? I think not. I'm a lot more concerned about rednecks than I am Zimbabweans or sodomites, my friend!

John

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to New Orleans each and every year, and many of them are repeat guests. Guess it's not as awful as Jimbo thinks! Besides, he's just trying to rile people up. If he wants to stay away from NO, I'm okay with that. (To each his own!) Everyone else should come on down!!

Jimbo

Riling aside, there is no denying that New Orleans has a very high violent crime rate, one of the worst in the country. Almost all of the crime is perpertrated by Americans of West African antecedants. As for the homosexuals, they are not violent but they are a demoralizing element in society. Every straight person to the right of Abu Mumia Jamal lovers can't stand to be around them too much.

John

Zimbabwe is in southern Africa, Jimbo, not west Africa. Of course, I assume you were trying to be offensive in the first place and didn't care much about geography!

Much of the crime in large US cities occurs in the poorest neighborhoods. In N.O., these areas happen to be black. In some cities, they may be white, latino, mixed, whatever. The point is that visitors to New Orleans rarely experience any kind of personal crime, so your diatrabe against gays and blacks is not only offensive it's also misplaced.

Jimbo

I know Zimbabwe is in southern Africa, Mr. Nospam. May I quiz you, Regis style, on a geography question? Here goes. Which African nation is not north of Victoria Fall? a)Gabon b)Namibia c)Niger d)Mali.

TiGuy

WHEREVER you are in New Orleans, be sure and be aware of your surroundings and the people around you, at all times. Whoever said St. Charles Ave. is safe is wrong, it may be safer than some areas, but I would still be careful, especially (and this goes for anywhere)at night. In the Quarter, of course Bourbon , Royal, and all of the other heavily traveled streets are the safest. Be careful not to wander off Bourbon to far, especially to the north. New Orleans is strange, in that you can have million dollar homes on 1 block, i.e. St Charles, and a block or two away may be a crack house. As a tourist, you will stick out like a sore thummore than likely), and that will make you a target, espcially in the Quarter.

Not trying to scare you away, but its the facts. Dont tour the cemetaries alone, and stay out of Armstrong Park (north of the quarter).

Have Fun

John

Jimbo, I used to live in Cape Town so I know quite a bit about Africa. Your use of "Zimbabweans" was your childish way of saying "blacks" and it's pretty rude and boorish. Namibia is the answer to your question although anyone with a globe could have answered it.

I won't respond to this thread again because it serves no purpose. You've said what you think, and now so have I. Please post constructive travel advice!

ps - I use "nospam" because I don't care for spam e-mail. The regulars on this board know who I am!

Jimbo

Dear John,
You show your ignorance of the United States when you claim that anyone on the globe could have answered my silly geography question. Any civilized, schooled person on the globe SHOULD be able to answer it. However, the average American's knowledge of geography could be fit on the head of a needle. This is quite true of Americans with college degrees, as several studies have revealed. I would guess that half the posters at this site woulod have gotten the question wrong.

Bryant

Jimbo, John said anyone WITH a globe. And he's right.

Jimbo

Thanks for the catch, Bryant. My reading comprehension was a little off. The rest of my point still stands.

Meg

The crime rate here has gone down dramatically in recent years. Like any other city, there are bad areas, but the tourist areas like the French Quarter are the most heavily patrolled areas. I live in the Quarter - close to Armstrong Park and feel perfectly safe here. I don't wander the streets alone at night, though. My rule is, if I feel uncomfortable about something or someone on the street, I just turn around or call a cab. Just a little common sense will see you through a visit to any place in the world.

As a straight person living in the heart of the gay district, I must tell you that I am quite comfortable being around my gay friends. Anyone's sex life is no one else's business.

I agree with Bill about the rednecks.

TiGuy

I lived in New Orleans for a while, and I dont remember seeing many rednecks. White trash, plenty, but not rednecks. and I dont recall seeing many murder suspects or convicts who were rednecks.

Frank

Dear Meg,
The next time you see a fireman, plumber, roofer, soldier, carpenter or policeman, why don't you call him a redneck. Liberals like you are a piece of work. You look down your noses at "rednecks" but when you are in distress you are always willing to plead to a "redneck" for help. I bet that if you were ever assaulted as you strolled through the French Quarter, you'd want a "redneck" cop real fast rather than one of your soft, homosexual pals.