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. New Orleans deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in New Orleans
Tours
Activities
Nature & Outdoor Activities
Where to Eat in New Orleans
French Quarter is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in New Orleans. These include popular favorites 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 82.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 91.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 51.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 6.4″. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in New Orleans, with an average rainfall of 3.3″.
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 18 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to New Orleans include Aeromexico, Delta and Spirit Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to New Orleans departs from Houston and takes around 1h 02m.
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 $23 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Memphis, expect to pay about $92 for a 9h 07m trip. The train station in New Orleans is called New Orleans Union, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to New Orleans is to pick up a car rental from Pensacola, which is about 279 km from New Orleans. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Turo, among others, in Pensacola.
Bus
You can travel by bus to New Orleans using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Dallas, the bus ride to New Orleans takes 1221 km and will cost you around $156. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $86 for a journey of 1408 km. The most popular bus station is New Orleans Canal and Charles, located 0.1 km from downtown New Orleans. New Orleans S Peters St Parking is also a commonly used station, and is 1.7 km from the city center.
Airports near New Orleans
Airlines serving New Orleans
Where to stay in New Orleans
From 5-star hotels such as the Windsor Court Hotel to great affordable options like the Quarter House, New Orleans offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $124 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $362 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include The Olivier House Hotel and Sonder St. Helene. There are also lots of vacation rental options in New Orleans, with prices from $60 to $349 per night. Central Business District is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in New Orleans are about 25% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
French Quarter - In New Orleans’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Grenoble House, Ihsp French Quarter House and Homewood Suites by Hilton New Orleans French Quarter.
Garden District - Here you’ll find travelers’ favorites such as The Prytania Park Hotel, Creole Gardens Guesthouse & Inn and Henry Howard Hotel. The average nightly price for a double room in Garden District is $86.
Central Business District - Nopsi Hotel New Orleans, TownePlace Suites by Marriott New Orleans Downtown/Canal Street and Merchant Lofts have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Central Business District will cost you about $68 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of New Orleans
Most booked hotels in New Orleans
Renting a car in New Orleans
Renting a car in New Orleans costs $68 per day, on average, or $137 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in New Orleans is the Hertz branch at 901 Convention Ctr Blvd, which is 1 km from the city center.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at New Orleans Louis Armstrong.
Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in New Orleans (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in New Orleans is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Mazda CX-5 or similar) are, on average, 58% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in New Orleans
Intermediate
5 Adults, 3 Bags
$31/day
Supplier choice
5 Adults, 5 Bags
$31/day