Factfile
Population: Approximately 220,000
Time zone: GMT -6 hours
Currency: US Dollar
Language: English
Int. dialling code: +1
Religion: Predominantly Christian
More about New Orleans
New Orleans home page
New Orleans holiday insurance
New Orleans inside-the-city guide
New Orleans outside-the-city guide
Essential New Orleans information
New Orleans festivals
New Orleans shopping
New Orleans car hire
Getting there - UK airport parking
Getting there - UK airport hotels
Getting there - UK airport lounges
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Recommended by...
Julia Buckley
Travel Editor, The London Paper
www.thelondonpaper.com
"New Orleans - it's not like anything you'd expect from a US city. The French Quarter's got an air of crumbling, Venetian hush, the Garden District's all palatial white clapboard mansions and Magazine Street's as trendy as it gets. And of course it's music central, and reinvents itself every generation. Stay off Bourbon Street, and you'll have much of it to yourself."
Book UK Airport Parking
New Orleans - holiday essentials
Get the right documents
Most UK nationals qualify for the US visa waiver program but check with the US Embassy before you travel to avoid disappointment. A full UK driving licence is required to hire a car, and if you are driving, then get a city plan or map of the area.
Enjoying a good night out
The minimum age for buying and drinking alcohol in the city's many bars and restaurants is 21, and the age limit also applies to gambling or entering casinos. You may be asked for photo ID upon entry to bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Holiday cash in New Orleans
Most UK debit and credit cards are accepted in the US but also take some cash for emergencies and some US currency is useful to have when you first arrive.
Louisiana sales tax is applicable on purchases in New Orleans but visitors can claim it back at the airport. Get more details at LouisianaTaxFree.com.
Using your mobile phone
Check with your mobile phone company about using your handset abroad to avoid any nasty surprises on your bill when you get back.
The US equivalent to our 999 emergency number is 911.
Check with your mobile phone company about using your handset abroad to avoid any nasty surprises on your bill when you get back.
Your view
What's your essential travel tip for our customers? Something to see, a place to go, a must-have item to take (or at least, not forget to take with you). We'd love to hear what made your trip to New Orleans so special.