Bad Neighborhoods, New Orleans

Whilst it rankles to see my neighborhood described as 'hell on earth', i don't deny there can be problems, however it is unrecognizable to me as described by your contributors. Mid City is a fairly mixed neighborhood with some great bars & restaurants (Pal's & Parkway Bakery for starters). Park your car nearby or call a cab. Don't go wandering around after dark. Hell, i also live in rough East London too & i don't walk the streets after dark - common sense people! The Treme has become more of a visitors destination since the (great) show of the same name. Daytime wander around old Treme (south of the I-10) at will with your Canons, everybody else seems to. But actually why go north of the I-10 if you don't have to? Late night groups of nervous cyclists are becoming more common, and on my block they are treated with a healthy dose of cynicism & laughter. If you should be unlucky enough to find yourself looking down the barrel of a gun just give them what they want and you will in all likelihood be left alone.

While travelers should be careful to avoid bad neighborhoods (they are pretty easy to spot- blight everywhere) these are not really on the tourist trail. Tourists should be careful to avoid walking alone at night, walking alone at night while texting on an iPhone4, walking alone at night while drunk and texting on an iPhone4.

Most of the muggings of tourists involve iPhones these days. True story. Don't be dumb. Don't wave your cool stuff around. Be aware of your surroundings.

Nightman_Cometh is a little offensive, doesn't understand this city at all, is probably from the suburbs, and I can't help but think he might have overreacted to some poor homeless dude bugging him for money. He probably can't parallel park, either.

That's the city, and I have been bugged and annoyed by plenty of homeless guys, but never threatened. Ever. I would only pepper spray someone if they touched me.

I have found much of the information on New Orleans incorrect, and some is downright insulting! Nightman_Cometh does not know what he is talking about. First, he says that violence is all these people know.(This and other disparaging comments about Southerners should be enough to discredit this cretin.) Then, he says he was approached by a homeless man and he drew a knife while his girlfriend sprayed the guy with mace. It sounds to me like he is the one who only knows violence!

Of course, there are dangerous neighborhoods in New Orleans, but anyone with any sense about travel or big American cities should be fine. I lived in New Orleans for 27 years and I go there 3-4 times a year, and I have never had a problem. I don't walk around the projects, I stay between Rampart and the river in the French Quarter. In addition to the French Quarter, I love Fauberg Marigny, the Warehouse District, uptown, lakeview and the Point, the City Park area, Carollton AV, Gentilly near the Race Track, and many other areas of town.

Please stay home, Nightman, or at least above the Mason Dixon line. We don't need you, your knife, or your other weapons in our cities.

Yes, New Orleans is dangerous as are most of the big and medium size cities in the south (Houston, Atlanta, Jacksonville, etc). The people in the South are different than the rest of the country. Violence is a first option to most of these people, because that is all they know. Its not their fault.

But be smart when going to New Orleans. If you dont have a concealed weapons permit then carry a knife or pepper spray. Last summer when I was in New Orleans, my girlfriend and I were approached by a scary homeless man that was getting in our face. As soon as my I pulled my knife and put it in the guys face, my girlfriend maced him and he took off. We were in the French Quarter, and there were absolutely no police around. New Orleans (and most cities in the south) are dangerous and the police would rather go home to their family at night then deal with any criminals, so its up to you to defend yourself.

Its 2011 and people no longer care about their fellow man. Always carry protection on you. If a group of thugs blocks the street, put your head down, slam on the pedal and run them over.

Its either you or them, take your pick.

It's an unfortunate situation where you can't walk around as a tourist everywhere in the city, but it's a fact of life in most cities in the US. New Orleans is no different and, in many ways, is worse.

One area that you may find information about avoiding is Mid-City, which runs along Canal Street and Tulane Avenue north from I-10. This area has changed dramatically in the past five years and, as it stands, it is generally safe to go to Mid-City along Canal Street and north to Esplanade, a credit to the streetcar line running from Canal up to Lakeview. There are actually quite a few restaurants, bars and cafes in a very pretty part of town, and following the streetcar north to its end puts you in front of some of the larger iconic cemeteries in the city. However, you should not venture too far south/west of Canal, as this is where it starts to get more dangerous for tourists. It's an area that was hard hit by the hurricanes and has not really recovered.

Just north of the French Quarter is another area to avoid, that many tourists get caught in trying to visit the cemeteries. As soon as you cross Rampart from both sides of Canal Street (the CBD and French Quarter), you enter a fairly dangerous neighborhood. The Basin Street Projects are relatively dangerous, but it gets worse as you cross I-10 and enter a depopulated region between Canal and Esplanade. Be careful of the area north of Rampart during the day, and absolutely do not go there at night. Do not ever venture north of I-10 and east Canal. If you need to go north, take the streetcar.

Marigny, the area just east of the French Quarter across Esplanade, is generally a safe area. Bywater, just to the east of there, is also generally safe and has seen quite a bit of gentrification in the past five years. However, both of these neighborhoods end at St. Claude Avenue, and that's where you should stop. North of there is not safe to walk around.

Don't be scared of exploring the neighborhoods of New Orleans, but also be aware how quickly these neighborhoods can become unsafe.

In New Orleans, bullets have names. Don't worry so much unless you make yourself widely available, like not being from here (or that area specifically) and walking alone through the projects at night. White? Black? It won't matter. Some people get killed for stupid things, like people from Texas, who feel they can wander around where ever, then they find they crossed some barricade and fell in the river and weren't murdered at all.

The French Quarter
is fine. Mostly transplants live there, from the ones in townhouses to the crust punks and hippies squatting in the streets. There's a high police presence, and SDT does a pretty decent job of cleaning up when the crowds die down. Of course, try to avoid going north of Rampart St into Treme

Treme
is Hell on Earth. I work on the edge of Treme by the Iberville Housing Development. It's OK during the day, in front of a busy building. They'll know if you're from out of town. We all day. Just they will prey upon you.

The Marigny & Bywater - Upper Ninth
are fine if you the Bohemian type. A lot of locals cross right over Esplanade Ave into the Marigny to go to Frenchmen St. Don't go north of St Claude Ave into St. Roch/Gentilly. Don't go on St Claude Ave. Don't cross over the industrial canal into the Lower Ninth.

CBD/Warehouse District/Garden District/Carrollton/Audobon Park/Broadmoor
Watch out for foot traffic. You're more likely to get raped or robbed than killed here. Try to park by Tulane kids from Connecticut/New York. They will have a nicer car than you, which will be broken into first.
Central City/Gerttown/Hollygrove.
Don't even go there during the day.

Gentilly
Is Ok by the park and lake.

Bayou St John
Go to Micks

Mid City
Includes Bayou St John, Treme, and a few others. Stretches through most of the middle of the city. Once you pass Jeff Davis, you'll be fine. Pretty much everything from N. Rampart to Jeff Davis is Hell on Earth.

Lakeview
Not touristy. Residential. Lakefront. Mostly professionals. Quiet & safe. Don't come here. I live here.

I lived in N.O. prior to katrina. I now live near phoenix. I have lived in several large cities. I started out homeless in N.O. and i lived on north roman, by the 8th ward. I am a scrawny, short, white boy and besides with the homeless in jackson square I spent much time in the 8th & 9th ward. these are "bad neiborhoods" as the wards tend to be. I have never really had any big problems. its all how you carry yourself. If you are not familiar with big cities ( or anywhere really ) its best not to travel alone or unprepaired! use your brains!

I travel around USA --California, Texas, Georgia, etc.-- and most often I stay at hostels, which i select based on reviews and Google mapping. There i mostly walk (some miles daily) to my conference places, usually located in fancy places downtown. Evenings i usually go out jogging in the neighborhood, even when it seems a tad risky - i rely on common sense and accept some risk. So far so good, except this evening in NO.

Despite the warnings re. the area between N. Rampart, S Clairbone, Canal and Esplanade, tonite i seemingly have crossed into a forbidden turf: the Marais Str. inside the Iberville area. Many in the know would say that i was looking for it, and indeed - I was assaulted by a gang (9-12) of black youngsters. Being too old for facing off a dozen guys half my age and 30-50% over my size, I relied on speed & endurance to escape. However, one of those who gave me chase was faster - so he caught up, pulled a gun and shot me once, then twice more. He got me in the neck and cheeckbone... with paintball... Then he gave up, being alone with me, relatively far from his gang.

Was this just a game? Nope. They have asked for my money, which I refused to provide - with a running NO. They also hit me in the back, nothing serious. Do I blame them for my Darwin Award class of stupidity? Nope. I have entered their quarters at night in an area where even the police (to which i reported the assault) doesn't go w/o serious reasons. Would a gun help? Not really against a dozen who stand to loose less than you do... plus it creates a violent, instead of safe, state of mind. I'd rather get robbed of a few tens $, or even beaten... than shoot a boy who doesn't know any better than the games, movies and the rap he was exposed to...

Does my scare make N.O. more dangerous, or less beautiful and friendly? No.
Inform yourself thru Google, ask the locals to color your maps --perhaps an updated Google Maps Good & Bad overlay would help all!-- use common sense, drive-only thru the questionable areas... but don't be too scared to walk this great city, and to experience its people, music and food. The rewards excel the risks. Enjoy. Mitch