Visiting New Orleans
Transportation, Lodging, and Things to Do
Transportation, Lodging, and Things to Do
Traveling to New Orleans
Louis Armstrong International Airport is approximately 17 miles from downtown New Orleans.
Renting a car is not necessary unless you plan on excursions outside of the city limits, as taxis, Uber, and Lyft are readily available and cost effective. If you plan to rent a car, please check with your hotel about parking options as parking in the French Quarter and Central Business District can be expensive.
A taxi to virtually all downtown hotels should cost $36 for 2 people and $15 per additional person.
Lyft and Uber are also good options, do not charge for extra passengers, and pick up in the center lane.
All wedding events will be within approximately 3 miles of most hotels in New Orleans.
Places to Stay
Please reach out to Andy at asp10@cornell.edu if you'd like to discuss other options or unique needs.
French Quarter Luxury
Omni Royal New Orleans French Quarter ($315 at time of writing)
Royal Sonesta French Quarter ($347 at time of writing)
Central Business District / Warehouse District
Courtyard by Marriott New Orleans Warehouse District ($232 at time of writing)
Sonesta ES Suites Warehouse Arts District ($194 at time of writing)
Rampart Corridor (very close to our house, Palm&Pine, and all other wedding venuse)
Homewood Suites by Hilton Rampart Street ($296 at time of writing) **directly across the street from Palm&Pine
Inn at St Peter Burgundy Street ($229 at time of writing) ** a small boutique property in a quiet part of the Quarter
Maison Dupuy Hotel Burgundy Street ($260 at time of writing) ** another small boutique with a pool in a quiet part of the Quarter
A note about AirBNB / VRBO: the New Orleans City Council has been significantly modifying rules and regulations around Short Term Rentals given their role in gentrification and rental housing shortages. While they may offer an attractive opportunity, including full kitchens and access to neighborhoods where there are no hotels please consider the following:
Permit regulations are changing and it is unclear whether STRs listed on sites like AirBNB and VRBO will have to cancel future reservations. Proceed with caution.
Although they may appear in a safe and beautiful neighborhood, New Orleans is a rapidy gentrifying city and neighborhoods can change very quickly. Make sure you know precisely what neighborhood you will be in and email asp10@cornell.edu if you want more guidance.
Residents have grown increasingly frustrated with STRs, and you may not get the "like you live here" experience. Food for thought.
Things to Do
Contact Andy at asp10@cornell.edu if you want assistance with more elaborate plans for your stay.
Treme Fall Fest happens to fall on our Wedding Day! Learn more here if you want to spend your afternoon experiencing some truly authentic New Orleans culture:
The Krewe of Boo! also rolls on 10/21!
Restaurants (a few of our favorites)
Palm&Pine - duh.
Paladar 511 - some of our favorite meals have been here, southern cuisine with an Italian flair, and delicious pizza
San Lorenzo at the St Vincent Hotel - one of our very first dates, authentic Italian cuisine with excellent meat dishes
La Boca Steakhouse - an Argentine steakhouse featuring some of our favorite steaks, a value for a steak dinner
MRB - a no frills dive bar full of locals, with hundreds of beers, and a kitchen and patio for oysters, and other local faire. Ask for Lulu. Note: not kid friendly, as it is a bar. Contact us if you want a similar dining experience with children.
Live music
Check the WWOZ LiveWire Music calendar to confirm gigs as it is usually accurate
The Jazz Playhouse in the Royal Sonesta: free live jazz (one drink minimum)
Preservation Hall: historical classic New Orleans music and one of few music venues that is kid friendly. Tickets recommended
Vaughan's Lounge: for the more adventurous, and old roadhouse style venue best on Thursday nights for Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet. Note, this is a late night venue.
Tours and Attractions
NOTE: we know a LOT of tour guides, so if you want to see some cool behind the scenes stuff reach out to Andy at asp10@cornell.edu. We can point you in the right direction for ghost tours, cemetary tours, garden tours, food tours, etc.
National World War II Museum: one of the greatest collections of history from World War II. A full day experience.
Whitney Plantation: the only plantation tour dedicated to supporting an understanding of slavery (versus the opulance of slave owner living.) A full day experience that requires car or booking a transportation package.
New Orleans Aquarium: a recently renovated world class aquarium, good for kids
New Orleans Insectarium: creepy crawly exhibits featuring live insects and a butterfly garden good for kids
Double-decker bus tours: hop on and off and see the whole city.
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum: America's first pharmacy, now a museum.
New Orleans Culinary Tours: Ask for Beth Kennedy. If you happen to go on Saturday or Sunday morning, you'll stop in at 3rd Block Depot where Bella has produced and hosted her "Legs and Eggs" Burlesque Brunch for nearly seven years. Note: you could also go to brunch there to see the show, although we have a feeling Bella might not be the featured performer that day : )