New Orleans travel guide
New Orleans Tourism | New Orleans Guide
You're Going to Love New Orleans
With a population of 343,829, New Orleans is the largest city in Louisiana, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything New Orleans has to offer.
Where to Eat in New Orleans
French Quarter is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in New Orleans. These include popular favourites such as GW Fins (808 Bienville St.), Restaurant R'evolution (777 Bienville St) and Effervescence (1036 N Rampart St). If you’re looking for affordable options, Emeril's Restaurant (800 Tchoupitoulas) and Emeril's Delmonico (1300 St. Charles Avenue) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Mister Oso New Orleans (601 Tchoupitoulas St) and Alma Café (800 Louisa St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in New Orleans.
When to visit New Orleans
Looking for warm weather? Then head to New Orleans in July, when the average temperature is 28 °C, and the highest can go up to 33 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 6 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 163 mm. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in New Orleans, with an average rainfall of 83 mm.
How to Get to New Orleans
Plane
When flying to New Orleans, you’ll arrive at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport (MSY), which is located 11 miles from the city centre. The shortest flight to New Orleans from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 20h 36m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to New Orleans. The train journey from New Orleans to Birmingham takes 7h 59m and costs around $50 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Memphis, expect to pay about $87 for a 9h 07m trip. The train station in New Orleans is called New Orleans Union, and is located 0.7 miles from the city centre.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to New Orleans, including FlixBus, Busbud and Greyhound. From Houston, the bus ride to New Orleans takes 395 miles and will cost you around $143. From Atlanta, the ticket costs about $203 for a journey of 535 miles. The most popular bus station is New Orleans Canal and Charles, located 0.0 miles from the city centre of New Orleans. New Orleans S Peters St Parking is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 mile from the city centre.
Airports near New Orleans
Airlines serving New Orleans
Where to stay in New Orleans
From 5-star hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans to great affordable options like the St Charles Inn, Superior Hotel, New Orleans offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $215 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $609 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include The Olivier House Hotel and The Quisby. There are also lots of holiday rental options in New Orleans, with prices from $100 to $581 per night. Central Business District is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in New Orleans are about 24% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
French Quarter - In New Orleans’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Quarter House, Grenoble House and Ihsp French Quarter House.
Central Business District - Merchant Lofts, Plaza Suites Downtown New Orleans and The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Central Business District will cost you about $112 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of New Orleans
Most booked hotels in New Orleans
Hiring a car in New Orleans
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in New Orleans is the Hertz branch at 901 Convention Ctr Blvd, which is 1 mile from the city centre.
Expect to pay $1.74 per litre in New Orleans (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $20.77 and $27.69. The most frequently booked car type in New Orleans is Compact (Ford Focus or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Tesla Model 3 or similar) is, on average, 71% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.