Sunshine and warm spring days had been our hope when we planned this trip, but we did have fun in New Orleans despite the neverending rain. Although it was disappointing, the chilly, windy, and rainy weather slowed us down but did not stop us from having a good time.
How does that saying go? Spring showers bring May flowers?
What’s the Covid status of New Orleans?
At the time of our visit, New Orleans was in a Modified Phase Three stage of its plan of reopening. Masks are required to be worn at all times when out in public. Almost everyone we saw out on the streets was wearing masks.
There was very little social distancing taking place on Bourbon Street once the rain stopped. Bars were open at 50% capacity indoors, but restaurants and retail shopping were open at 75% capacity. Unfortunately, second lines and parades were still prohibited in New Orleans at the time we visited.
Most home tours and museums we visited required advance reservations and staggered admission times. That seems to be the new way of the world everywhere we have traveled this past year.
Leaving on a jet plane – NOT in the RV!
It was exciting, but we were mildly apprehensive about flying again after well over a year. Everyone was required to wear masks, although there was zero social distancing at the gate or the plane, and Southwest had fully booked our plane for our flight to New Orleans. Not a bad experience, though.
Our nice, huge hotel room was wonderful, but we both missed our motorhome. We discovered a few RV parks near the French Quarter, which is undoubtedly costly, but we are checking into other places in New Orleans to park our RV. The next time we visit the Crescent City, we will be staying in the comfort of our own little home on wheels.
Why did we go to New Orleans?
This trip was born out of our love for New Orleans, of course, but also because of the deals. Southwest Airlines had a “could not pass it up” sale on flights. We had hotel points available for our hotel and a Groupon deal for airport parking. This was very affordable for us.
Car rental was too expensive
During this Covid era, because people did not rent cars, rental companies sold large portions of their fleets. Now that people are slowly beginning to travel again, the car supply is not readily available. An economy or mid-size car rental in New Orleans these days can rent for up to $100 a day!
We managed to get around just fine by taxi, Uber, and Lyft. All of these transportation methods combined were less expensive than a car rental. We also did not have to pay the parking cost, which has always been expensive in New Orleans, particularly in the French Quarter where our hotel was.
When is the best time to visit New Orleans?
February through early May are the best months to visit, I think. The weather is hot and muggy throughout the summer months. If you want to avoid the Mardi Gras frenzy, visit during December or January. On the other hand, February is the month to be here if Mardi Gras is your thing.
Is New Orleans Safe?
New Orleans has a high crime rate. During this trip, we did see more sketchy-looking characters than we have in past years, although we did not at any time feel unsafe or in danger. We walked in well-lit areas stayed around other people. Use common sense, as you would in any city, to stay safe.
What to eat?
New Orleans probably has the most distinctive food in the nation. The creole, cajun, and soul-influenced food found here may be the most fantastic food you will ever eat – my opinion. It also is challenging to find poorly prepared food here as well.
Here’s a shortlist of foods I always want to try when we visit New Orleans.
- Gumbo (chicken and sausage, seafood, duck)
- Crawfish etouffee
- Red beans and rice
- Poboys (shrimp and roast beef are my favorites)
- Oysters (chargrilled is a new favorite of mine)
- Beignets
- Muffalattas (not my favorite, but wildly popular)
So many tours!
There are many tours to enjoy in New Orleans and the surrounding area. Ghost and cemetery tours are always entertaining. These tours are a great way to learn about the colorful history New Orleans has. We also love historic homes and museum tours when we visit the city.
Other tours available in New Orleans are:
- Food tours
- Cooking class tours
- Bar tours
- Nearby swamp airboat tours
- Mississippi Riverboat tours
We have never taken any of the plantation tours originating from New Orleans, but we have toured several of the nearby plantations on our own. If you’d like to read about my visit to some of these Louisiana plantation visits, click here.
Geocaching, the world’s largest treasure-hunting game
We have had a great time geocaching in New Orleans in past years. In a previous post, I wrote about a cache we found, Luck of the Irish, at an interesting monument built by the Irish Cultural Society of New Orleans in honor of Irish immigrants. Geocaching is more fun for us in the suburbs and away from the city’s center, but many geocaches are found in the French Quarter, Garden District, and downtown New Orleans.
Ghost signs!
We’re always on the lookout for these old historical signs. It amazes me that a year ago, I had no idea what a ghost sign was. Now we are finding them all the time.
Ghost signs in the Warehouse District
What did we do in New Orleans?
The relentless rain kept this trip from going entirely to plan. We did tour a few homes and visited a spectacular museum. Our hotel, Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau Lemoyne, was in the French Quarter, so we spent most of our time in that area. We did not make as many people connections as we do when traveling in our RV and we both missed that.
We would enjoy hearing about your recent travel experiences, places you have traveled to and what has changed about travel for you in this before and after vaccine world. Check back next week to read about the home tours, Museum, and our experiences in New Orleans this time around.
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