New Orleans family visit / free on street parking / stay in suburbs?
 

We are including New Orleans in a Deep South family vacation. We are not interested in nightlife, music, art, or special dining on this trip. Intend to explore historical NO during the day. We will have a car. Plan to stay in Metairie for free parking, nice pool, and feeling of security for rental car overnight. Trip is planned for April.

I am looking for feedback on this plan:

On the first day take a self-drive tour of flooded Katrina areas with a stop at city park and a walk along the lakefront.

Spend the second day in the central city walking the FQ and along the river. Tour a couple historical sites. Park for free on the street either in Algiers and ferry across or in the Garden District and take the streetcar.

Last morning tour a cemetery in Metairie on own.

We will consider an extra day if necessary. Also visiting Natchez, Vicksburg, and Pensacola on this trip.

Here's a link to comparing parking rates in NOLA. If you park on the street be sure to keep the meter full or you will lose your auto.

http://neworleans.bestparking.com/

Here's a link to visiting the Delta. Good luck.

http://www.visitthedelta.com/

Day 1
Park at Audubon Park on the Magazine St side, walk thru the park to St Charles, take the streetcar to the Garden District, do a self-guided walking tour including Lafayette Cemetery. Check out Magazine St and take bus back to Audubon Park.

Day 2
Park in Garden District, Magazine Bus or St Charles streetcar to French Quarter. explore. take 2 hr guided cemetery tour to St Louis #1 or not, but don't go on own. take ferry to/from Algiers for view and free ride. walk along river.

Morning of depart
Drive City Park and other city areas you are interested in like lakefront, Katrina related, etc.

make sure your dates are not for French Quarter Fest or Jazz Fest. consider just staying in the Garden District. there are places there with free parking. Especially since you can do the beach/pool in Pensacola.

Le Richelieu in the French Quarter has free parking! (and great rates - under $150/night). Book as soon as you know dates - they book up early due to the above...


http://www.lerichelieuhotel.com/

As of January 1, 2011, Le Richelieu now charges $20 per night for parking.

Thanks for the replies. I like to stay free with points, so that limits me to chains (Marriott, Hilton, Choice, Holiday Inn). All are represented in the Warehouse/Dtwn area with $35 parking. There are those online coupons for $10 ramp parking-- but it all seems so compicated and we aren't interested in after dark stuff so why stay downtown.

I think the only chain in the FQ is Holiday Inn, and it doesn't sound that nice.

Hotels without a free breakfast room just don't seem to work well for us, since awakening times vary by 1-1/2 hours. We can hang out in the breakfast room waiting for the late risers, rather than have to lie in the dark waiting and waiting till we can all go out to eat.