First Time New Orleans
For more information, see Survival Guide
Checklist
AMake sure your passport is valid for at least six months past your arrival date.
ACheck airline baggage restrictions.
AInform your debit-/credit-card company.
AReserve dinner at higher-end spots.
ACheck what festivals are occurring (there will be at least one).
AOrganize your rental car.
AConfirm dates with your lodging.
ACheck WWOZ for Second Line information.
What to Pack
ARain gear.
AComfortable walking shoes or sandals.
AA nice shirt or dress for a potential night out.
ASomething that could work as a costume – a feather boa, silly hat etc.
AA form of identification besides your passport; New Orleans bouncers are getting strict about IDs.
Top Tips for Your Trip
AThe French Quarter is one of the most beautiful slices of preserved architecture in North America, and it’s home to many of the city’s great restaurants, bars and music venues. With that said, many tourists never leave the Quarter. That’s a shame, as much of the city’s local life occurs outside of its confines.
AFrom May until as late as October, New Orleans can be hot. Face-melting hot. Make sure to hydrate often.
AIf you’re going to be driving, avoid trying to park in the French Quarter and the CBD, unless you’re OK with paying a lot fee. Street parking is tight and subject to residential restrictions.
What to Wear
New Orleanians are pretty casual about fashion, but some of the city’s nicer restaurants have a jackets-only policy for men. Usually a jacket will be provided by the restaurant in question (call ahead to check), but gents will still want to bring a collared shirt and slacks. Ladies can get by with a dress or nice set of slacks and shirt.
Be Forewarned
New Orleans has a high crime rate, but most violent crime occurs between parties that already know each other.
AMuggings do occur. Solo travelers are targeted more often; avoid entering secluded areas alone.
AThe French Quarter is safe around the clock for the visitor.
AThe CBD and Warehouse District are busy on weekdays, but relatively deserted at night and on weekends.
AThe B&Bs along Esplanade Ridge are close enough to troubled neighborhoods to require caution at night.
ASome areas of Central City can feel lonely after dark. At night, park close to your destination on a well-traveled street.
ABe wary before entering an intersection: local drivers are notorious for running yellow and even red lights.
ADrink spikings do occur.
Tipping
Hotels A dollar or two per bag carried to your room.
Restaurants Mandatory. Standard 18% for good service, 20% for exceptional service.
Music Kick in a few bucks when the band passes around a bucket or hat.
Bars Leave a dollar every time you order – more for a large round.
Taxi Tip 10% or round up the fare.
Taxes & Refunds
A 10% sales tax is tacked onto virtually everything, including meals, groceries and car rentals. For accommodations, room and occupancy taxes, add an extra 13% to your bill plus $1 to $3 per person, depending on the size of the hotel.
For foreign visitors, some merchants in Louisiana participate in a program called Louisiana Tax Free Shopping (www.louisianataxfree.com). Look for the snazzy red-and-blue ‘Tax Free’ logo in the window or on the sign of the store. Usually these stores specialize in the kinds of impulse purchases people are likely to make while on vacation. In these stores, present a passport to verify you are not a US citizen, and request a voucher as you make your purchase. Reimbursement centers are located in the Downtown Refund Center and the Airport Refund Center in the main ticket lobby in Terminal C at the airport.
Etiquette
New Orleanians tend to be a casual bunch, but good manners go a long way here, as is the case in much of the rest of the American South.
Greetings It’s bad form to just dive into the business at hand in New Orleans. Greet someone, ask how they’re doing, and expect an honest answer in return; this city has a good attitude, but it also has an honest one.
Conversation In a similar vein: New Orleanians like to chat. Be it small talk or rambling on a topic at hand, the citizens of this city are not, on balance, a reserved people. Don’t be surprised if you hear a few uncomfortably long anecdotes or life stories within minutes of meeting someone.
Katrina
Hurricane Katrina irrevocably changed New Orleans, and discussions about it can be charged. If you deem it a natural disaster, realize that many people here consider it (with some justification) more of a failure of human-made institutions. Some New Orleanians didn’t even live here during the storm; some did and want to forget about it; and some will open their hearts to you. Judge your conversation carefully.