Frequently Asked Questions for Visitors to New Orleans

When visiting New Orleans, you can find something magical and unforgettable every day. Whether it's an opportunity to sample our exceptional cuisine, to learn about our rich cultural heritage or a music festival you seek, New Orleans has something for everyone.

It's common knowledge that New Orleans knows how to throw a party- making it the perfect city in which to celebrate the holidays with friends and family. "Christmas New Orleans Style" (December 1-31) means Papa Noel hotel rates starting at $79 per night, free cathedral concerts, cooking demonstrations, bonfire on the levee, caroling in Jackson Square and so much more! Our mild winters mean you can get out, take a carriage ride, or stroll the streets of the French Quarter, Downtown and Garden District to take in the Crecent City donned in her holiday best. Or ring in 2012 at the city's New Year's Eve celebration at Jackson Square complete with live musical performances from New Orleans' favorite acts and the fleur di lis drop and fireworks display at midnight.

Check out the festival calendar below for more examples of fun just waiting to be had in New Orleans all year round.

2011 Festival Calendar

• Zulu Lundi Gras Festival/March 7
• Mardi Gras Day/March 8
• Soul Fest/March 12-13
• Spring Fiesta/March 25-April 3
• Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival/March 23-27
• New Orleans Roadfood Festival/March 25-27
• Louisiana Oyster Jubilee/March 26
• French Quarter Festival Presented by Capital One/April 7-10
• New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Presented by Shell/April 29-May 8
• Mid City Bayou Boogaloo/May 20-22
• New Orleans Wine and Food Experience/May 24-28
• Greek Festival/May 27-29
• New Orleans Oyster Festival/June 4-5
• New Orleans Vieux to Do/June 11-12
• ESSENCE Music Festival/July 1-3
• San Fermin in Nueva Orleans/July TBD
• Tales of the Cocktail/July 20-24
• COOLinary New Orleans/Aug. and Sept.
• Satchmo SummerFest/Aug. 4-7
• Whitney White Linen Night/Aug. 6
• Dirty Linen Night/Aug. 13
• New Orleans Red Dress Run/Aug. 13
• Southern Decadence Festival/Aug. 31-Sept. 5
• New Orleans Seafood Festival/Sept. 9-11
• New Orleans Burlesque Festival/Sept. 15-17
• Gretna Heritage Festival/Oct. 7-9
• Art for Arts' Sake/Oct. 15-21
• New Orleans Film Festival/Oct. TBD
• Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival/Oct. 14-16
• Prospect.2/Oct. 22-Jan.2012
• Voodoo Music Experience/Oct. 28-30
• Louisiana Swamp Festival/Nov. 5-6
• Words and Music Literary Festival/Nov. 9-10
• New Orleans Fringe Festival/Nov. 16-20
• Oak Street Po Boy Festival/Nov. 20
• Christmas New Orleans Style/December

During your trip to New Orleans you'll have the opportunity to indulge in world-famous cuisine, savor specialty cocktails and dance the night away to some of the best live music in the world. Our laid back, friendly culture inspires guests to relx, kick up their heels and live it up.

The city is experiencing millions of dollars in hotel renovations and upgrades, there are over 1,200 restaurants to choose from with new eateries popping up all the time and a variety of attractions to enjoy as well. the city banalces a love for tradition with the energy of innovation, resulting in an eclectic vibe found no where else.

So prepare to let the stress of your 9-5 melt away. There are meals to be eaten, toasts to be made and new friends just around the corner.

New Orleans hosted 4.8 million visitors in the first half of 2011, in increase of 7.7% over the same period in 2010. These visitors spent a total of $3.1 billion, a boost of more than 10% over January - June 2010.

In 2010, 8.3 million visitors traveled to New Orleans and spent $5.3 billion- the most visitor spending ever in the city's history!

• Travel + Leisure (T+L) magazine 2011 America's Favorite Cities survey voted New Orleans as the number one destination for live music/ concerts and bands, wild weekends, cocktail hour, singles/bar scene, fine-dining restaurants, friendliest people, cafes, antique stores, flea markets and people-watching. T+L also found that New Orleanians are most proud of their city compared to residents of the other 34 cities in the survey November 2011
• New Orleans was named a top five budget-friendly vacation destination by Gaytravel.com-August 2011
• Trip Advisor’s TripIndex ranked New Orleans the third Least Expensive U.S. City for Travelers- July 2011
• Travel + Leisure readers ranked New Orleans #6 on their World’s Best Awards for the U.S. and Canada- July 2011April 2011
• Priceline.com users ranked New Orleans as the #2 destination for July 4th Weekend-June 2011
• AAA South Magazine readers named New Orleans: Best large city for a weekend, Best Guys Getaway, Best Girls' Getaway, Best Small Hotel--Columns Hotel, Best Museum of Art—New Orleans Museum of Art, Best Restored Hotel--Roosevelt Hotel, Best Fine Dining--Commander's Palace, Best Arts and Crafts Fest-- Jazz and Heritage Festival- June 2011
• New Orleans was chosen as “Best Day Trip” destination in Festival South’s 2011 Best of the Pine Belt Awards- June 2011
• Shutterfly.com named New Orleans as one of the “Ten Most Joyous Cities in the U. S.”-June 2011
• MoneyWatch.com named New Orleans one of the Top 10 Cities for Single Men-May 2011
• Travel + Leisure named New Orleans Garden District one of America’s Most Beautiful Landmarks- April 2011
• Travel + Leisure named New Orleans City Park as one of 12 of “America’s Coolest City Parks”- April 2011
• AOL Travel named New Orleans as a Top Budget Destination for 2011
• Forbes Magazine named New Orleans the #1 U.S. Biggest Brain Magnets- February 2011
• Globe and Mail named New Orleans as one of the “10 Best Cities to Hold a Business Meeting”-January 2011

There are more than 36,993 hotel rooms available in the New Orleans metropolitan area, including small boutique treasures in the French Quarter, charming bed and breakfast properties, major downtown hotel towers and more.

According to Tom Fitzmorris and www.nomenu.com, there are 1,236 restaurants open in New Orleans today, a new city record! Visit www.neworleanscvb.com for more information.

New Orleans shopping--from the French Quarter to Magazine Street--offers an array of retail choices. Options include The Shops at Canal Place, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Riverwalk, Jax Brewery, as well as hundreds of boutiques, art galleries and antique stores throughout the city along. Tax-free shopping offers international visitors even more reasons to experience New Orleans.

New Orleans' line-up of sporting events and sports venues are sure to liven up to every fan's expectations. The city is home to several sports teams showcasing premier events in football, basketball, baseball and soccer including the Saints, Hornets, Zephyrs and the Jesters. The state of Louisiana, "known as the "Sportsman's Paradise," is also renowned for its fishing and hunting hot spots.

New Orleans also will host several major sporting events in the next few years, including:

• 2012 NCAA Men's Final Four
• 2012 BCS National Championship
• 2013 NCAA Women's Final Four
• 2013 Super Bowl
• 2011-2014 All-State Sugar Bowl

In the last six years, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome has undergone $336 million in upgrades and renovations:

NEW FESTIVAL PLAZA- CHAMPIONS SQUARE
In one of the most innovative downtown developments in recent years, the pedestrian mall adjacent to Superdome has been redeveloped into a 53,000 sq. foot sports and entertainment plaza with digital capabilities, food & beverage service and performance space. It is a popular gathering place for fans to congregate and get pumped up for the many events at the Dome and New Orleans Arena. This revitalization of a high profile area on the Poydras Street corridor creates one of the most "happening" places in a city that loves to have a good time. Club XLIV located just off the Square is an exclusive, posh venue to prepare for the game and is available for rental for private events.

NEW PRIVATE BOX SUITES
A total of 15 private box suites will be added to the Superdome's 300 level, bringing the total number of luxury suites in the building to 152.

NEW SIDELINE SEATING
The sideline seating on the Plaza Level will be completely revamped, moving patrons closer to the action, with improved sightlines. The new seating units will add approximately 3,100 prime seats up close to the team benches.

REDESIGNED PLAZA LEVEL CONCOURSE
The Dome's Plaza Level concourse has been expanded and includes additional food service areas, specialty stands and restrooms. The new concourse also has all-new flooring, lighting, murals, color scheme and signage.

NEW PREMIUM GROUND LEVEL CLUB LOUNGES
Located below the reconfigured Plaza Level stands, the new premium clubs feature private entry directly from the parking garage, an upscale environment for private events, and high-end amenities including a fixed bar, lounge & table seating, television monitors and restrooms.

NEW LOOK OUTSIDE
These exciting new changes aren't limited to the interior of the Superdome. Louisiana's most famous landmark was recently outfitted with a shiny new look on the outside. The entire 400,000 sq. ft. of anodized aluminum on the exterior walls were replaced giving the photogenic building a bold, brassy look from every angle. A new dynamic LED lighting system replaced the former "wash lights" and illuminates the exterior of the Superdome. This energy efficient system will allow for unlimited color and lighting patterns that can be customized specifically for every event.

New Orleans is well-known for its vibrant LGBT scene. There are over two dozen TAG approved hotels throughout the city and guests can party at one of New Orleans' many stellar LGBT clubs or bars. Visitors can enjoy amazing shopping in the French Quarter, on Magazine Street or at The Shops at Canal Place. Plan your trip around one of the city's gay lifestyle celebrations such as the Gay Easter Parade, Saints and Sinners Literary Festival or Southern Decadence Festival, known as the "Gay Mardi Gras" which takes place every Labor Day Weekend and draws over 100,000 visitors to the city each year.

New Orleans is home to attractions and museums that speak to the city's unique culture as well as general attractions sure to please any visitor. Examples include: plantation homes, riverboat cruises, tours, Café Du Monde, African American Museum, Louisiana State Museums, New Orleans Historic Collection, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Audubon Zoo, Harrah's Casino and its entertainment-filled Fulton Street Promenade, New Orleans Museum of Art, Bestoff Sculpture Garden, City Park, the Botanical Gardens, Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots, Contemporary Arts Center, Louisiana Children's Museum, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Orleans Ballet, Audubon Insectarium, Southern Food and Beverage Museum, Museum of the American Cocktail, The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Blane Kern's Mardi Gras World, and the National WWII Museum.

There are plenty of flights into New Orleans! Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport offers 116 average daily flights, 14,371 average daily seats and services 37 cities.

The expansion of Concourse D at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a $16.9 million project that will double the size of Concourse D, creating six new gates and 8,000 square-feet of space for concessions. The project has created 1,000 construction jobs for the regional economy and will provide an enhanced airport experience for all passengers and visitors. Construction began in March 2010, and is expected to be complete by September 2011, with minimal passenger disruption.

Underway are the terminal interior and exterior renovations and the consolidated rental car facility (CONRAC). The official ground-breaking for the CONRAC facility took place in July.

Additional upgrades include free WiFi, refurbished restrooms throughout the terminal, a new aircraft rescue and fire fighting station and plans for a storm proof power and water facility. In total, $200 million of improvements and modernization projects are underway at the New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport. As you can see, Louis Armstrong International Airport is committed to ensuring your travel experience is as comfortable, safe and efficient as possible!

Airlines operating out of the Armstrong International Airport include: AirTran, Air Canada, American Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, U.S. Airways.

There are thousands of taxis available on New Orleans' streets and at major hotels. Taxi rates are $3.50 plus $2 per mile (.25 per one-eighth mile) thereafter. There is also an additional charge of $1.00 per passenger after the first passenger.

During peak visitor times (including Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest) taxi rates are $5 per person or the meter rate, whichever is greater. A fixed rate of $33 (one to two people) is charged from the airport to most areas of New Orleans. For parties of more than two, the fare is $14 per person.

RTA services are $1.25, including bus transportation and the streetcar. Thirty-three bus and streetcar lines are running daily. Bus service allows transportation throughout the city's major corridor, extending from the Faubourg Marigny to Riverbend.

Airport Shuttle, Inc. is the official ground transportation for Armstrong International Airport, with service to and from New Orleans' hotels and other designated locations. Fare is $20 per person one way and a discounted $38 per person round trip is now available.

Yes, the City of New Orleans train is running to Memphis and Chicago, while the Crescent runs to Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York. The Sunset Limited runs to Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson and Los Angeles.

Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Carribean are currently sailing from New Orleans.

New Orleans is the perfect destination from which to set sail. We offer valuable pre and post cruise deals (http://www.neworleanscvb.com/things-to-do/cruises/). And as a compact, walkable and filled with countless festivals and cultural attractions - many of them free - New Orleans makes for an affordable and unforgettable part of your vacation.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – the sixth largest Convention Center in the nation - will launch a $50 million renovation project this December that will result in the largest ballroom in New Orleans, to be dubbed “The Great Hall” in reference to the Convention Center’s first use as the Great Hall of the 1984 World’s Fair. In addition, the Julia Street entrance will be enhanced to now provide visitors with a grand “sense of arrival.”

Hall A of the Convention Center will be re-configured to create a 60,000 square foot ballroom. The existing entrance will be transformed into a sunny, windowed entry plaza welcoming visitors to the Center, and offer a 4,660 square foot “junior” ballroom with a roof-top terrace, and a 4,700 square foot executive lounge.

Design elements of the Great Hall will include:

• 86,000 square feet of flexible function space
• Finishes found in a hotel ballroom including milled carpet, wall coverings and a décor reflective of New Orleans unique style
• Advanced sound, lighting and technology capabilities
• Divisions that allow for several concurrent but independent session rooms

The space will also retain standard features of an exhibit hall including utility floor boxes, rigging points, easy access and ample pre-function space.

The entryway and ballroom renovations follow $93 million in improvements made to the 27-year old facility over the past five years, including a complete makeover of the interior lobbies, a repainted exterior, lobby furniture, digital signage and key card entry at meeting rooms, and a fully redundant 1-GIG internet backbone.

Construction is scheduled to occur between November 2011 and December of 2012. The first clients to use the space will be the Society of Personality and Social Psychology in January, 2013.

The Convention Center has also selected a new food service contractor to successfully help the Center distinguish itself as a venue with the highest culinary standards, as befits a city that is known for exceptional food and dining experiences. After a rigorous bidding process, Centerplate was awarded the contract.

• Furniture pods strategically located in main lobby and meeting room levels
• Installation of I-Coves, comfortable internet lounges located throughout pre-function spaces
• Aesthetically enhanced "sense of arrival" to main entrance
• Visually stimulating way-finding, banner and signage program
• Extensive landscaping enhancements
• Installation of fixed and mobile concierge desks
• Establishment of Convention Center Ambassador Program
• Re-painting of building exterior
• Key card access for meeting rooms
• Renovation of concession stands
• Expanding internet infrastructure to a fully redundant 1-GIG internet backbone
• New digital, large-screen, closed-circuit, video/audio system throughout pre-function space
• Individually addressable, digital signs at each meeting room
• "Crown-Room"-type executive lounge, fitted with work-stations, lounge furniture, cable television
• and refreshments with controlled access
• Both 30,000+ sq.ft. ballrooms freshly remodeled

Call it green, call it sustainability, but being environmentally savvy is not a trend. It's an important business practice that's here to stay. That's why New Orleans is one of many destinations working to become more environmentally friendly.

New Orleans is happy to announce we now offer pedicabs as an alternative mode of transportation! Companies like Need a Ride can provide transport to neighborhoods such as the French Quarter, Marigny, Downtown and Warehouse District.

Second Line Stages, the first green independent stages in the United States, has opened its doors in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans. The $32 million project is currently hosting a Warner Brothers film as its tenant. The stages of the studio were built to the exact standards of the motion picture industry and to comply with the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver Certification.

Even New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration has gone green. Kern Studios, the largest producer of Carnival floats, began reducing the impact on the environment by using biodiesel in the tractors pulling floats along the parade routes in 2008 and also reuses several of their floats for multiple Mardi Gras parades. The Krewe of Rex is using biodegradable string on their special Mardi Gras beads, preventing the beads from hanging in trees for extended periods of time.

Adding to a list of environmentally friendly practices, New Orleans is incorporating green practices into its famous festivals. On September 5, 2009, Project 30-90, the city's first all green music festival, featured several of local musicians to support the initiative. The 2011 festival (March 26) was a huge success!

In addition, Hotard, one of the area's leading providers of motorcoach transportation, switched to a greener fleet. The company has begun to introduce new motorcoach models that cut particulate matter, black smoke, by 90 percent. The company is investigating additional ways that it can go green, including the use of bio-diesel fuel.

Airport Shuttle New Orleans, the official airport transportation provider for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, is going green with all-new clean burning propane hybrid vehicles. Propane is now being used in all of Airport Shuttle's 13 new vehicles, thanks to a new technology that enabled the conversion of existing engines to a propane hybrid.

Many hotels are implementing green practices as well. Other tips for travelers are available at www.neworleanscvb.com.

Event/Date

• American Mathematical Society and Mathematics Association of America/ Jan. 6-9
• American Academy of Dermatology/Feb. 4-8
• American Physical Therapy Association/Feb. 9-12
• ESPN Bass Master Classic/Feb. 18-20
• Cisco Partner Summit/Feb. 28-March 3
• Louisiana National Guard/March 11-13
• Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/March 16-19
• Sungard Higher Education/March 20-23
• American Counseling Association/March 23-27
• American College of Cardiology/April 2-5
• American Educational Research Association/April 8-12
• National Intramural Recreational Sports Association/April 13-16
• New Orleans Dental Conference/April 14-16
• National Catholic Education Association/April 26-28
• United Fresh Produce Association/May 2-5
• American Institute of Architects/May 12-14
• Rotary International/May 21-25
• American Society of Microbiology/May 21-24
• National Conference on Volunteering & Service/June 6-8
• Institute of Food Technologists/June 11-14
• National Athletic Trainers Association/June 19-22
• American Library Association/June 23-28
• American Society of Animal Science Societies/July 10-14
• Amateur Athletic Union/US/July 27-Aug. 6
• Disabled American Veterans/Aug. 6-9
• Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association/ Aug. 29-Sept. 1
• National Association for College Admission Counseling/Sept. 22-24
• American Public Transportation Association/Oct. 3-5
• Specialty Graphic Imaging Association/Oct. 19-21
• International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans/Oct. 30-Nov. 2
• National Association for Gifted Children/ Nov. 3-6
• National Communication Association/ Nov. 17-20
• Diversified Business Communications/International Workboat Show/Nov. 30-Dec. 2
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Dec. 4-8

Yes. No other city in the world manages special events, crowd control and visitor safety as well as New Orleans.

New Orleans welcomes approximately eight million visitors per year and is known for the safe and successful management of major tourism events such as Mardi Gras, Jazz and Heritage Festival, cultural celebrations, professional and college football championship games and special sports events such as the NBA All Star Game. The world's most prominent corporations and associations select New Orleans for conferences and business events ranging from a 10-person corporate board meeting to large association city-wide conventions with tens of thousands of attendees from around the world.

Mardi Gras typically draws one million revelers to the streets of New Orleans every year. The 2010 French Quarter Festival in April 2010 had record attendance of 512,000 people and the 2010 Essence Music Festival had approximately 400,000 attendees over the three-day weekend.

Superintendent Ronal W. Serpas, Ph.D., took over leadership of the New Orleans Police Department in May 2010. Under his leadership, the NOPD has made significant changes in the popular tourist areas of New Orleans such as the French Quarter, Downtown/Central Business District, Uptown, Garden District, Magazine Street, Warehouse/Arts District, Convention Center Boulevard and Faubourg Marigny.

Visitors to New Orleans can expect:

Crime exists in all major cities. In New Orleans, the vast majority of violent crime is targeted criminal-on-criminal drug and retaliation acts which occur in inner-city neighborhoods. As with any destination, we recommend that vacationers and convention attendees practice common sense and do not wander into deserted, non-tourist areas of the city.

The New Orleans CVB Tourism Crisis Management Plan, along with diligent and thorough preparation with an emphasis on safety, will assist visitors in responding appropriately to emergencies.
The City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana have implemented a unified emergency communications plan to ensure the timely flow of information across the region in emergency situations. A comprehensive and effective city-wide emergency communications plan for the Greater New Orleans tourism industry has been developed for visitors.

Today, New Orleans is proud to not only be the nation's leader in fun, food, music and major cultural and sporting events, but now to be the most sophisticated destination in the world in all levels of emergency planning, execution and visitor management.

For the past six years, the US Army Corps of Engineers has worked to supply residents of New Orleans and the metropolitan area with unprecedented flood protection. With a complex and impressive system of levees, floodwalls, floodgates and drainage pumping stations, the New Orleans area is equip with one of the world’s most sophisticated and effective protection, shielding the city and its residents from both Mississippi River flooding and the chance of hurricane surges.

• Repairs to more than 220 miles of levees and floodwalls and constructed the interim closure structures and pump stations- completed June 2006
• Designing and constructing the largest surge barrier of its kind in the world
• Designing and constructing the largest single project ever built in Louisiana
• Designing and constructing the largest drainage pump station in the world

Two of the Corps' biggest projects include:

Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Surge Barrier:

• Largest surge barrier wall in the world
• The Corps' largest-ever Design-Build construction contract
• Includes a concrete pile-supported wall across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, more than one and a half miles long, and three navigable gated structures
• Provides flood risk reduction to the Ninth Ward, Gentilly, New Orleans East, Orleans Metro, and St. Bernard Parish.

Gulf Intracoastal Waterway-West Closure Complex (GIWW-WCC):

• Largest sector gate in nation and largest drainage pump station in world for removal of rainwater when structure is closed during storm events
• Reduces risk for west bank portions of Jefferson, Orleans and Plaquemines parishes by removing over 25 miles of levees, floodwalls, gates and pumping stations along Harvey and Algiers Canals from exposure to storm surge

Hospitals and urgent care facilities include:

• East Jefferson After Hours Metairie, 2215 Veterans Boulevard, Metairie, Louisiana 70002, Phone: 504-838-3524, www.ejafterhours.com
• East Jefferson After Hours Kenner, 708 West Esplanade, Kenner, Louisiana 70065, 504-461-9660, http://www.ejafterhours.com/
• Touro Infirmary, 1404 Foucher St., 504-897-7011, http://www.touro.com/
• Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, 1415 Tulane Ave., 504-988-5800, http://www.tuhc.com/
• Ochsner Clinic Foundation and Hospital, 1514 Jefferson Highway, 800-874-8984, http://www.ochsner.org/
• Children's Hospital, 200 Henry Clay Ave., 504-899-9511, http://www.chnola.org/
• Ochsner Baptist Medical Center, 2700 Napoleon Ave., 866-624-7637, http://www.ochsner.org/locations/baptist/
• New Orleans Urgent Care facility, 900 Magazine Street, 504-552-2433 http://www.neworleansurgentcare.com/services.asp

According to 2010 Census Bureau estimates, New Orleans' population is made up of approximately 343,829 residents. Jefferson Parish, adjacent to New Orleans and a part of the metro area, is home to 432,552 residents according to 2010 Census data. New Orleans' hospitality industry is the city's largest employer with a work force that is 70,000 strong.

From convention visitors to leisure travelers, church groups to high school and college students, people have shown incredible generosity in giving of their time and talent, and a great deal of elbow grease, helping the city of New Orleans in its recovery and restoration. To learn more about volunteer organizations the CVB has partnered with Click Here.

The office of Lieutenant Governor has formed an official organization that matches volunteer opportunities with volunteers, called Volunteer Louisiana. Visit www.volunteerlouisiana.gov to get started.

Now is the perfect opportunity to visit New Orleans ... the most authentic, walkable, historic, soulful destination in America. For visitor testimonials or more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com