Keys to the City
Facts & Fundamentals
Current population estimates for the New Orleans area range from as low as 190,000 to as high as 280,000 people.
Major industries in the region focus on energy (crude oil and natural gas) production and tourism; the Port of New Orleans, the fifth largest port in the US, is also a major player.
Sales tax in New Orleans is 9%. At hotels, an additional 4% tax is added to bills, and a nightly tax of up to $2 is assessed based on the number of rooms a hotel has.
Holidays & Business Hours
On federal and state holidays, many offices and businesses close or have truncated hours. Naturally, policies vary, but in general, the following holidays are broadly observed:
| January 1 |
New Year's Day |
| Third Monday in January |
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday |
| Third Monday in February |
Presidents Day |
| Date changes |
Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday |
| Last Monday in May |
Memorial Day |
| July 4 |
Independence Day |
| First Monday in September |
Labor Day |
| Second Monday in October |
Columbus Day |
| November 11 |
Veterans Day |
| Fourth Thursday in November |
Thanksgiving |
| December 25 |
Christmas |
|
Coming & Going
The area's largest airport is Louis Armstrong-New Orleans International Airport (airport code: MSY).
AMTRAK, too, services the New Orleans area. Union Passenger Terminal, at 1001 Loyola Avenue in the Central Business District, is the city's main rail station.
If you're traveling to New Orleans by car, Interstates 10 and 55 are the major routes.
Making Your Way
New Orleans is extremely easy to navigate on foot. If you insist on vehicular transport, give the public transportation system a try. NORTA buses operate routes all over the city, and the St. Charles streetcars make regular (9am to 6pm) runs in the CBD and along both Canal Street and the Riverfront. Both buses and streetcars cost $1.25 to ride. One-day, three-day and monthly VisiTour passes are available for $5, $12 and $55, respectively.
United Cabs, Inc. (504-524-9606) has been around since 1938 and is one of the city's most reputable companies; they accept all major credit cards and offer 24-hour service.
News & Views
The major daily news source in New Orleans is the Times-Picayune. The monthly offBeat focuses on the regional music scene in addition to restaurant reviews and Katrina-related features. The Gambit Weekly has a thumb on just about everything cool that's going on in Orleans Parish. New Orleans Magazine emphasizes the finer sides of life, from real estate to Jazz Fest. The local financial climate is the focus of Biz New Orleans, and there are also specialized periodicals like Louisiana Weekly (African-American) and La Prensa (Hispanic).
Quirks & Curiosities
Driving. If you're not from or very familiar with New Orleans, it's best to avoid doing it at all. Why? For starters, streets here can be difficult to navigate – long-time residents freely admit it. In some areas, signs for side streets are tough to locate and even tougher to read, especially at night. Also, many streets are one-way or closed to automobile traffic all together, often making direct routes impossible.
Getting Your Bearings
In New Orleans, the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) operates a vistors center at 2020 St. Charles Avenue (504-566-5011or 800-672-6124).
Necessities - Post Offices
In the heart of New Orleans, several post office locations are convenient to travelers and residents. They include:
Main Branch
701 Loyola Ave
New Orleans, LA 70113
504-589-1714
Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 8am-5pm
Vieux Carre
207 N Peters St, Ste 200
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-207-4258
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm
Lafayette Square
610 S Maestri Pl
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-581-1039
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm
Mid City Finance Station
501 N Jefferson Davis Pkwy
New Orleans, LA 70119
504-485-0733
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm, Sat 8:30am-1pm
Common Courtesies
Although tipping is generally a personal matter, there are some guidelines that prove helpful to travelers. At restaurants, servers typically get 15% of the bill, although 10% acknowledges basic assistance, and 20% awards exceptional service. It is also common now for some restaurants to charge an automatic gratuity of 18% for groups. You should be aware of this possibility before providing an additional tip. Taxi drivers usually fit into similar guidelines by receiving a tip equivalent to 15% of the tab.
Often, a dollar tip covers many situations. Bartenders are customarily given $1 per cocktail, hotel maids are provided $1 for each day of a stay, bellhops get about $1 per bag, and a coat-check clerk typically receives $1 as well. The exception is a concierge, who generally receives $5-$10 for standard service (additional assistance suggests more).
Weather
Temperatures rarely fall below 40 in the winter or go much higher than 90 during the summer months. The city sees about five inches of rainfall monthly.