bonniebroad

did you feel less safe there than in other large cities you've been to? A relative who is going for the first time has heard from a couple of friends that you need to be very on-guard if you're out at night there......

SusanM

Take those precautions seriously. My husband went there for the first time this past October and hated it. He says he'll never go back.

Walking two blocks from his hotel to the hotel where his convention was, he was propositioned by a hooker AND had his wallet lifted by a pickpocket.

While there he had a diverticulitis attack that was bad enough to send him to the hospital. He called me at home in Chicago from the cab on the way to the hospital. I told him to call me back after he'd been seen and knew more, like whether he'd need surgery. I also told him that in the meantime I'd book a flight and make arrangements to get down there APSAP.

When we were back in touch, all plans had changed. I didn't need to fly down, because he was hopping the first flight home. Apparently the hospital was so horrifying that he had no intention of staying there, nor did he want me to be in N.O. on my own.

Please tell your relative to be careful.

highbay

Susan: I am sorry to hear your husband had such an awful time in N.O. We have been there numerous times and have never had a bad experience. I have heard there are some neighborhoods outside of the Quarter that are rough and should not be explored during the evening, so we have kept it in the Quarter during night hours.

JeanH

We've also been to New Orleans numerous times, most recently last week. If you stay in the well traveled areas of the Quarter, you'll be fine. If you are staying even a little ways out, cabs are cheap and plentiful.

I walk all over the Quarter during the daylight hours. It's a wonderful place for walking.

The garden district is also a great place for walking during the day. I've read that it isn't a place for wandering at night.

I don't think it's any different than other cities. Bourbon Street is a mob scene some nights, I'm sure the combination of crowds and drunk tourists bring out lots of pick pockets.

I love New Orleans, already looking forwrd to our next trip. Jean

Dan

SusanM, New Orleans isn't Mayberry USA. It's a real city with one of the top health care systems in the nation. LSU, Tulane and the state's public hospitals combined with the private places to make this THE place in the Gulf South region to go for health care.

bonniebroad

Hey Dan, don't pick on Mayberry!!! The *real* Mayberry is actually Mt. Airy, N.C., a lovelier little town you wouldn't find (with good medical care, too!;-) )

Dan

Sorry, Bonnie, didn't mean to pick on Andy, Opie and Aunt Bea!

Just amazes me that people will visit a city with the demographics of New Orleans and then be surprised when it doesn't match their own hometown!

jv827

Bonniebroad, my experience has always been that New Orleans is no different from any well-touristed city. It has its safer and less safe areas, but so do New York, San Francisco, Paris, etc. Visitors should use common sense, especially at night or in large crowds, but I've never felt unsafe, even when traveling alone (I'm female.) New Orleans is a great city and hopefully your relative will come back with great tales of the sights, food, music and people!

jv827

Wanted to add that the location of your relative's hotel can make a big difference in how safe he/she feels...

Jayne1973

New Orleans has a kind of raucious atmosphere and I think the small streets might add to the feeling of being a target for pickpockets, etc, but I've been several times without incident.