The Art of Smart Timing
New Orleans, with its semi-tropical climate, is warm through the year -- and it gets especially hot and humid during July and August. These are the months during which you'll find the best hotel deals, but you probably shouldn't head to the Big Easy in the high summer if your family doesn't handle heat well.
Hurricane season runs from June through November. Travelers wary of traveling to New Orleans during this time should purchase travel insurance.
Getting There
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has a convenient airport shuttle that stops at virtually any hotel in downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter. The shuttle runs daily for nearly 24 hours. Reservations can be made ahead of time online -- just show your printed proof of reservation to the driver and hop in the van. A roundtrip airport shuttle ride costs $38 per person, and kids ages 6 and younger ride free.
Parking in New Orleans is expensive, and families staying downtown or in the French Quarter will be able to walk to most attractions, so a car rental usually isn't necessary. Plus, New Orleans has an affordable, fast and efficient public transportation system that includes streetcars and buses.
Getting Around
Getting around New Orleans in a streetcar is an attraction in and of itself. New Orleans has the oldest continuously operating streetcars in the world (find them on the St. Charles Line). The charming, vintage cars have big, wide windows through which passengers can catch glimpses of passing scenery. A ride costs just $1.25 per person.
Visitor's Bureau
New Orleans Convention & Visitor Bureau
New Orleans Planning & Tips
New Orleans Planning & Tips
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