Been looking around and I%26#39;ve heard various reviews of the city%26#39;s current state (post Katrina). My big concerns are Crime, unemployment(panhandlers) and the overall atmosphere. I%26#39;d love to hear from anyone who has been there recently or anyone who lives there. I appreciate any feedback, thanks!
Current State of Things?
Just got back. Spent a fabulous weekend in the city.
I%26#39;m sure you know areas in Dallas where you probably aren%26#39;t supposed to be at certain times. Well they exist in N.O. as well.
But I felt safe at any hour on the streets in the Quarter. Police presence on every corner, not to mention the undercover contingent.
I can%26#39;t comment on the unemployment, but even the one or two people that asked about spare change seemed to accept any answer graciously.
Now for the overall atmosphere... I%26#39;ve never experienced New Orleans in a better tourist state of mind. Talk about gracious! In all the shops, restaurants, and bars, we felt a real feeling of appreciation for being there.
If you%26#39;re a tourist, New Orleans is still one of the places to go. If you are a resident it may be a different story.
Current State of Things?
Crime, unemployment, panhandlers - you could be describing my city in central Illinois! Go to New Orleans, have a great time, and just be aware of your surroundings (like you probably are in Dallas). It is still a wonderful place to visit.
We have been to New Orleans 5 times post-Katrina as tourists and are planning another visit around Thanksgiving. We have traveled all across America.Visiting this beautiful city is no different than visiting any of the major touristy cities in this great country of ours. Be smart. Be street smart. Safety is foremost a question in most people%26#39;s minds. But, as previous posters have stated on this website....there are dangerous areas in all major cities....We always feel a lot safer in N.O. than we do in Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston (the Bowery which we accidentally strolled into a couple of years ago, New York, etc., etc., etc. You get the idea. We have stayed in the Quarter, in the Marigny, in the Warehouse District, and out in Metairie. Don%26#39;t worry. You will be fine. Just stay in areas where most tourists are and you will be fine. Enjoy the city. It is a great, beautiful, historic, and fun place to visit. We can hardly wait until November when we visit once again. We are 68 and 71 years of age and get around well. You should too.
Cringer--take what CajunTNVol had to say to heart!!!! We live in OKC, OK--and on any given street corner it is possible to be confronted by a panhandler, or someone who hold%26#39;s up a sign for 6-8 hours at a major intersection ,';homeless';, need $$for gas and food';-where do you not see this?and then jumps in a brand new chevy 2-ton--and don%26#39;t you know he won%26#39;t have a bit of trouble making that payment!!!
Be vigilant, Be smart, but most of all--come enjoy this magical city-that welcomes us all with open arms and grateful hearts------We are returning to our favorite city in early October-staying in the heart of the quarter--and can%26#39;t wait to thank everyone for loving this wonderful city enough to bring her back to her ';glory'; --it%26#39;s one thing to pledge our $$$ and to volunteer hours--and all that is so appreciated--but to come, look into the faces of those who had the strength to hang on--Cheer%26#39;s to Nola--we can%26#39;t wait to see you again.
I agree with what%26#39;s been said already. For most visitors, it%26#39;s not terribly apparent that Katrina ever happened. The French Quarter and downtown area look remarkably like they did pre-storm. Of course, some of the neighborhoods tell a different tale but they aren%26#39;t areas frequented by tourists.
Crime is a concern but has been for about 150 years here. LOL. You take the ';smart'; precautions and then go out and enjoy yourself.
We were in New Orleans this past weekend and really enjoyed our stay. We stayed at the OMalley House off of Canal which is in Mid-City. If you are thinking of a visit, I highly recommend it. Check out the reviews, and you will see that they have some very satisfied customers who keep returning.
The weather was beautiful! We spent most of our time on Magazine Street browsing the shops and in the French Quarter. We did a walking tour of the FQ through the National Park Service which I also recommend..another plus is that it was free!
I didn%26#39;t notice anything usual, and felt safe. Didn%26#39;t see any panhandlers this time! Just stay in the touristy sections, and you will be fine.
Coming in to NO from the east, things look pretty bad from I-10, but otherwise the parts of NO that we saw looked fine. We wanted to take a hurricane Katrina tour and see other parts, but time didn%26#39;t allow.
If you look on this website--www.cleanno.org and look at the pictures made right after Katrina, you will see for yourself how much progress has been made.
Go ahead and visit...and have fun!
Having never been to NO, I am curious. How far away is the airport from the FQ and what areas do you drive through while on the taxi ride. I am not concerned, I feel that from what everyone has said, NO is up and running and needs the tourists to come back. I am just curious if we will see any of the damage or is it mostly highway?
Thanks, Barb
I went by the airport the last visit there. We traveled along Airline Highway, then to Carrolton, then Canal to the FQ. . I don%26#39;t think you will see a whole lot of damage.
Maybe someone local can help you more on this.
Went in June by myself,(single mom)with 2 14 yo and 2 17 yo. We had a great 4 days walking around. A few times they were asked for changes we said we had none and that was it. We stayed 3 blocks off Canal and had to cross to get to FQ and Decatur, where we did shopping, eating, and the aquarium. There were police EVERYWHERE!!!We never felt threatened, even walking back to hotel at 1030 pm. Go have a great time . My kids are begging to go back and we will soon.
Ditto everything said. It%26#39;s like all shop owners are on valium. Even the crusty staff of the Central Grocery got tears in their eyes when they described fellow workers%26#39; plights. Shop owners and staffs have a new appreciation of the tourist and take the time to chat. Prices are good, crowds are moderate, the City that we see is beautiful... though we have to remember that it is very tough for many to live there and raise families. The areas we don%26#39;t see - appear sometimes as vast open spaces (where homes have been torn down) with an occasional house which is either boarded up or recently remodeled. Not until you see a horizontal line 8 or 10 feet above grade on the side of a house which flooded, do you realize the fightening experience these people have encountered.. But for the typical tourist, the FQ and warehouse and Uptown areas are even more beautiful than before.
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