Traveling Solo in New Orleans
WHERE TO STAY THAT’S AFFORDABLE
Hotels can be expensive in New Orleans. Look into higher-end hostels like Auberge or Quisby if you’d like to meet fellow travelers. They’ll have group bar crawls and events to join. Also check into guest houses or hotels in neighborhoods adjacent to the French Quarter such as the Central Business District, The Garden District, Marigny, or Bywater. Uber and Lyft are plentiful and cheap, and the streetcar line can take you quite far, so transit needn’t be an issue.
WHERE TO STAY THAT’S SAFE
Do your research and read reviews before booking an airbnb when you’re traveling solo. New Orleans unfortunately has a fairly high crime rate and not all neighborhoods are alike. Sometimes you’ll find yourself in a quaint, non-touristy home base. Sometimes it might be a little dicier to walk around on your own. If you’re nervous, stick to hotels or hostels with good reputations and always take a cab or uber/lyft home at night. The
EVERY STRANGER IS A NEW FRIEND IN NEW ORLEANS
Feel free to chat up your neighbors at the bar. Or at a restaurant or cafe. New Orleanians are a friendly lot who are very proud of their city, and they’re happy to swap stories or pass along recommendations. I got very detailed directions on what to order at certain restaurants from my uber drivers. I also befriended a group of older women at the upscale restaurant Muriel’s who instructed me on what time to go to different oyster houses around the city. In short, you’re going to run into a lot of people either out for a good time or enjoying life in general, and those people could very well bring you along as they take you up to the 2nd floor balcony you had no idea even existed.
FOOD AND DRINK TOURS
Food, cocktail and historical pub tours are great ways to meet other travelers. There are dozens of tours happening each evening in New Orleans, from ghost tours to vampires. I find taking food and drink tours are good ways to meet fellow tourists and also to get a good lay of the land for future meals to come.
