Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamingHomer
Talking to a couple of people who just returned, take lots of money. They were shocked at how expensive things were. Admittedly second hand info though.
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Really? I was there this December for a week, and I found it insanely cheap. The "hand grenade" drinks were like $20, but those got you ridiculously wasted. At a concert we paid $10 for a double, but that was about 4 ounces of booze. If you go to bars outside of the main tourist strip, it's dirt cheap...like $3 for a double and $2 for a can of beer cheap. I was able to get a room in the best hotel downtown for $90/night.
It's a very fun city, but unfortunately very based around drinking culture. I can see how if you don't drink and don't like a grimy scene, it would be no fun. It's kind of like a more laid back/grimier Vegas in many ways. There are strip clubs and messy bars everywhere. People are friendly though.
Lots of great food though. The seafood and BBQ is fantastic. Great fried chicken too. There are free bands playing at many bars all over the city.
The safety does decline quickly in the poorer neighbourhoods though. The poor in New Orleans are very poor. It almost looks 3rd world, with houses that are basically shacks placed on cinder blocks. Some areas haven't been properly repaired since the hurricane either, yet people are living there. It's not a city where you can just walk around anywhere at night. I took an Uber through the Treme going to some Jazz bars at night, and even that was questionable. There were areas that Uber's wouldn't stop, bars with TV screens inside so patrons could see if there was trouble coming through the doors, and identifiable gangs in all red.
Several of the bars in the Treme we went looking for jazz had actually been shut down and replaced by sketchier crowds. I wouldn't recommend spending too much time there. If you are going to the Treme, I'd recommend a walking tour in the day, or having a distinct destination that you know will be open.