Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

US dollars ($)

Languages

English, Spanish

Visas

Visas are required for most foreign visitors unless eligible for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

Money

ATMs are widely available.

Cell Phones

Local SIM cards can be used in European and Australian phones. Other phones must be set to roaming.

Time

Central Time (GMT/UTC minus six hours)

Tourist Information

The New Orleans Welcome Center (%504-568-5661; www.crt.state.la.us/tourism; 529 St Ann St; h8:30am-5pm) in the lower Pontalba Building offers maps, listings of upcoming events and a variety of brochures for sights, restaurants and hotels. You can also order or download a Louisiana-wide travel guide online from the Louisiana Office of Tourism (www.louisianatravel.com).

WHEN TO GO

In Mid-March to late May the weather is pleasant for shorts and shirt sleeves. By October, the weather begins to cool off from the long, long summer.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than $150

ADorm bed: $30

ASelf-cater or cheap takeout meal: $10

ABeer at local bar: $3–5

ABicycle rental: $20

AAll-day streetcar pass: $3

Midrange: $150–250

AGuesthouse or B&B double room: $100–150

ANeighborhood restaurant meal for two: $50–70

ABicycle rental or split taxi fares: $20–40

Top End: More than $250

AFine dining for two, plus wine: $150–200

AFour-star double hotel rooms: from $200

ATaxis or car rental: $40–60

Advance Planning

Three months before Check if any festivals are going down; book hotel rooms if you’re arriving during Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest.

One month before Organize car rental. Make bookings at high-end restaurants you don’t want to miss.

One week before Read Gambit (www.bestofneworleans.com) and check www.neworleansonline.com to see what’s going on in the way of live music during your visit.

Useful Websites

Gambit (www.bestofneworleans.com) Arts and entertainment listings.

New Orleans Online (www.neworleansonline.com) Official tourism website.

WWOZ radio (www.wwoz.org) Firm finger on the cultural pulse.

Times-Picayune (www.nola.com) Three-times-a-week newspaper.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-orleans) Your trusted traveler website.

Arriving in New Orleans

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) Located 13 miles west of New Orleans. A taxi to the CBD costs $36, or $15 per passenger for three or more passengers. Shuttles to the CBD cost $24/44 per person one way/return.

Amtrak & Greyhound Located adjacent to each other downtown on Loyola Ave. A taxi from here to the French Quarter should cost around $10; further afield you’ll be pressed to spend more than $20.

For more, see Arriving in New Orleans

Getting Around

Streetcar Service on the charming streetcars is limited. One-way fares cost $1.25, and multitrip passes are available.

Bus Services are OK, but try not to time your trip around them. Fares won’t run more than $2.

Walk If you’re just exploring the French Quarter, your feet will serve just fine.

Bicycle Flat New Orleans is easy to cycle – you can cross the entirety of town in 45 minutes.

Car This is the easiest way to access outer neighborhoods such as Mid-City. Parking is problematic in the French Quarter and CBD.

For more, see Getting Around

Sleeping

Local accommodations are generally of a high standard. Hotels are found in the French Quarter and CBD. These are large, multistory affairs kitted out with amenities; hotels in the French Quarter tend to have a more boutique, historical feel, while CBD properties are more modern. More intimate (and quirky) guesthouses and B&Bs are the norm in the Garden District, Uptown, Faubourg Marigny and the Bywater. There is one hostel in Mid-City.

Useful Websites

ANew Orleans Online (www.neworleansonline.com/book) Official tourism website.

ALouisiana Bed & Breakfast Association (www.louisianabandb.com) Directory of local B&Bs and guesthouses.

ANew Orleans Hotels (www.bestneworleanshotels.com) Has some links to private home rentals and national chains.

ALonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-orleans/hotels) A comprehensive, curated list of properties.

For more, see Sleeping

THE NEW ORLEANS COMPASS

North, south, east and west? Not in New Orleans. This city’s directions are determined by bodies of water and how they flow, not by a compass. Here folks say Lake, River, Up and Down. ‘Lake’ is Lake Pontchartrain, north of the city. ‘River,’ of course, is the Mississippi. ‘Up’ and ‘down’ refer to the flow of the river, which heads ‘down’ towards the Gulf of Mexico. So ‘Down’ basically means ‘east,’ and ‘Up’ basically means west. Confused? It makes more sense when you’re here, honest.