klynnmommy

I'm looking at hotels in the convention area and the downtown area and possibly the garden area. Are these areas relatively safe or are there better places to look?

Also, we would like to park at the hotel and use the streetcars during the day. Would they be convenient in the above areas to take into the FQ, etc.?

Thanks,
Kelly

TripleSecDelay

They're all safe, within reason.
The dangers in NOLA are the same within every city. Really. We returned from a full week there in April. The same rules of personal safety apply worldwide.

There are plenty of police patrols in the areas frequented by visitors. I keep both eyes open in order to feel secure with my petite wife.

Taxis and streetcars are a good idea. I've never wanted to have a rental car in NOLA. Seems more of a liability. From your hotel, you can reach most of your destinations by taxi for the dollar equivalent of a po'boy.

Wayne

Streetcars don't have broad area coverage, so you will need to go where they go or use a taxi. I agree that all the areas are reasonably safe, but do use extra caution if out late at night in any area that doesn't have a lot of other people in it. Frankly, I'd avoid the downtown and the central business district, and instead choose the Garden District or the French Quarter. Good luck.

SAnParis

Any of the areas you mentioned are fine but if it is your first visit I would stay in the Quarter. In addition, unless you are driving in, don't waste the money on a rental car. They are just an added expense w/no real value in NO.

J_Correa

When we went to NO, we stayed in the FQ and I was really glad we did. We could walk to anything in the FQ, day or night. I probably wouldn't have walked by myself, but with another person I never felt unsafe taking the reasonable precautions for walking around at night - no dark alleys, etc.

We went to the Garden District a couple times during our stay, taking the street car to get there. It is very beautiful, but we were glad we didn't stay out there because we would have spent a lot of time on the streetcar going back and forth to the FQ.

Being in the FQ also put us within walking distance of the Fauburg Marigny neighborhood, which was fun to wander through.

justme22

garden district beautiful but far from the restaurants and the missippi (there is nothing better than sipping your morning coffee watching the river!)

stay in the French quarter, there are charming hotels and big chains. the little ones may give you a more intimate look at the city.

take the green charles st(?) trolley and do a walking tour of the garden district.