A friend and i are planning a quick extended weekend trip to New Orleans in March staying downtown. We've been there pre-Katrina and have always stayed downtown/french quarter and WALKED everywhere. All I've heard about is the recent crime spree but I'm not sure in what areas of the city, my question is if it is still safe/recommended to be able to stay downtown and still walk everywhere we want to go (mostly riverwalk, french quarter ... that kind of stuff)? I'm sure its fine during the day but what about late at night?
2007-01-19 05:49:01 · 22 answers · asked by David 2 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ New Orleans
I'm in Baton Rouge and we go a lot on the weekends during the day but I still don't feel safe at night there because it's so uncontrolable. They don't have the law enforcement to control the area now.
2007-01-22 15:12:46 · answer #1 · answered by Nette 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been to New Orleans several times over the last three months, including last weekend. The primary tourist areas (the French Quarter, Uptown) are back and open for business, for the most part. The notion of the city being deserted since Katrina just isn't true. The suburbs to the west (Metairie, et al), north (St. Tammany Parish) and the West Bank are all bursting with the influx of people from Orleans Parish, where most neighborhoods are coming back only slowly (the insurance companies are making storm victims fight for every cent). All that said, a tourist can easily have a good time in New Orleans these days.
The recent headlines about the crime stem mostly from drug people killing other drug people. Read the N.O. Times-Picayune newspaper online and get the facts, if you're worried.
The same rules that existed before the hurricane still apply -- be careful if you venture into the French Quarter at night. Don't walk aimlessly too deep into the Quarter -- i.e., too close to Esplanade or Rampart. Take a taxi back to your hotel. Don't stagger back, drunk and on foot, because you'll be inviting trouble.
New Orleans needs tourists. My suggestion is to go, enjoy and see for yourself. And if you have a good time, tell a friend, so that this great and unique city can soon return to normal.
2007-01-19 07:29:31 · answer #2 · answered by Geaux Saints 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I spent 10 days in New Orleans last spring,while it felt different than my previous visits to the city, I still felt safe in the French Quarter and downtown areas. I spent two days working for Habitat For Humanity in the Lower Ninth Ward and felt safe there,but I wouldn't go to that area alone or after dark.
A GREAT time to go to New Orleans is during Jazz Fest, not the crazies of Mardi Gras,much more laid back. It is always the last weekend of April and first weekend of May.Check out NOJAZZFEST.COM.If you go at at any time just remember it is a big city,stick to the well populated areas and be cautious who you talk to. The French Quarter is a neighborhood,but since katrina it has changed greatly,many locals have been forced out due to inflation so the "neighborhood" feeling is being lost.It defenitaly is not as clean and the safe small neighborhood feelings I experienced during my past visits was slipping away. I hope you do go and support the community and by going help them say we will not let this beautiful city die or be distroyed by crime or the governments ineptitude.Enjoy yourselves and be safe
2007-01-19 08:02:40 · answer #3 · answered by designer 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Is it safe to visit New Orleans?
A friend and i are planning a quick extended weekend trip to New Orleans in March staying downtown. We've been there pre-Katrina and have always stayed downtown/french quarter and WALKED everywhere. All I've heard about is the recent crime spree but I'm not sure in what areas of the...
2015-08-13 05:31:59 · answer #4 · answered by Salvidor 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My wife and I visited in December. This was our first trip since March 2004. We toured a few of the areas that were hit hard by Katrina. Looks as if some are making it back. We have visited NO about 10 times in the past 15 years and it felt pretty normal to us. We always stay in the French Quarter. We were there Thurs-Sun so things were pretty active. Main difference was that you really noticed the lack of tourists. We sensed that most of the people were local and regional....plus December is a little more quiet anyway. We took a cab to the Mid-City Lanes on Thursday night...even though the area is still in rough shape...it was great to see the Rock N Bowl, rockin!
What a GREAT city........the tourists need to return!
2007-01-19 07:18:36 · answer #5 · answered by Ralph W 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is safe to visit New Orleans. Just like any other city it has its high crime and drug area as long as you stay out of those areas the city as a whole is very safe. All nine murders so far this year have been drug related or in high drug areas. As for the areas where a tourist would want to visit it is safe. New Orleans can use all the tourist that would want to come and visit.
GO SAINTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!
2007-01-19 06:34:45 · answer #6 · answered by afb3401 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
As long as the Saints don't win the Superbowl, you should be OK. If they win, the whole city will likely be burned to the ground.
Seriously though, I was there a year ago and the French Quarter was virtually untouched by Katrina because it is on high ground. I've never been a fan of the French Quarter and to me it has always been dirty and full of crime (this coming from someone who grew up in Los Angeles). However, if you liked the French Quarter before then you should have the same amount of fun now.
2007-01-19 05:58:36 · answer #7 · answered by kungfufighter20002001 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Usually, yes. However, I have lived in the metro area for more than 25 years and have seen the crime rate rise and fall. Since Katrina, the crime rate as doubled if not tripled. If you stay in the main areas, (heavily populated) of the French Quarter and Farmer's Market, you should be ok. I was there 2 weekends ago and we did the normal "tourist" thing, i.e. the French Market, the Riverwalk, etc. and all was well. After returning home we hear
2007-01-19 06:40:12 · answer #8 · answered by Michaelle B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Despite what the media says, N.O. is a safe place to visit. No more dangerous than any large city in America. Most of the murder victims and suspects for that fact are Black, Drug Dealers, or gangbangers. You dont fit the description. Come down and have a good time.
2007-01-19 08:34:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think its safe. Last time I was in the french quarter, my boyfriend and I were minding our own business walking up and down the streets when out of nowhere a gang of some sort approached us and just beat the **** out of my boyfriend for NO reason. They didnt rob us, they didnt rape me. Then they ran off. No cops anywhere in sight at the time.
There were sometimes walking up and down bourbon that I felt ok but I felt scared most of the time. Felt like I had to keep my gaurd up the entire time, couldnt relax. There are so many thugs, homeless people, gangsters, etc.
just my experience
2007-01-21 05:27:00 · answer #10 · answered by spoildrotn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋