Travel Tips (New Orleans, USA)
I recently visited the popular jazz city of the US, New Orleans, for the third time. It is a great city full of culture, great food, gambling, partying, and plenty of fun activities and places to go. I will tell you a little about getting around on the famous Canal Street, things to do, and how to save some money.
Getting There: Flying into MSY (Louis Armstrong International Airport)? When you exit the baggage claim area you will see lots of signs for ground transportation, taxis, and hotel shuttles. If you are with a group of two or more and want to get to the downtown area quickly regardless of price, you can get a cab for around $40. There is a shuttle to any hotel for $20. It takes 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on what order you are dropped off to get downtown. You would think is the best deal for a solo traveler; however, there is a better deal. If you go upstairs to arrivals, there is a city bus that takes you to downtown for only $1.50 on weekdays. On weekends there is one transfer for an additional $1.25. It takes about an hour on weekends, and about 45 minutes on weekdays to get to Canal Street in Downtown. Note- the transfer bus only runs every hour on Sundays.
How to Get Around: The street cars are probably the most efficient way to get around the tourist areas of New Orleans. I recommend walking so you can see everything, but it’s a great option when your feet get tired.
Where to Stay: Hostels are a great inexpensive place to stay, $20-40 depending on location and room type. If you have a group of people and plan on staying for a few days, you can rent a house as well. Hostels are usually my preference, you meet lots of fun people and the staff usually has recommendations for inexpensive restaurants and activities.
What to Do: I highly recommend checking out the jazz clubs, the music scene is amazing. Also, there are dozens of talented street performers and artists out and about during the day. The Garden District is beautiful and the French Quarter has a lot of nice restaurants serving traditional New Orleans cuisine. Burbon Street is party-street of the city, lined with bars and clubs, and a definite must see. Prepare yourself before going, it is a wild party scene, and not very family friendly in the evening. Interested in gambling, but can't make it to Vegas? Check out Harrahs Casino! It's a little pricy, $15 minimum bets, but can sometimes be less during the day on weekdays. I signed up for a players card the first time I went there, now I get great promotions in the mail: $50/night hotel stays, discounted show tickers, and recently free buffet ($35 value). If you are interested in tours and history check out http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/new-orleans-tours/. They offer a variety of free walking tours at multiple hours of the day throughout the city, including a ghost tour!
This is my first official blog entry so please comment and let me know if it was helpful, or if there is something else you want to know about that I did not mention. This blog is to help all of you! Next week will be my top 10 money saving travel tips. Follow me on Twitter @gquator.
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