Frommer's New Orleans 2009

I've purchased many, many guidebooks for both domestic and international destinations over the years. Without a doubt, this was THE BEST guidebook I've ever purchased--better than the Lonely Planets or other Frommer's guides or even those vaunted blue guides to Hawaii. Though it is more conversational in tone than some other Frommer's guides and contains personal insights, the focus is always on New Orleans and not on the author--no easy feat of writing, but she nails it. As other reviewers have noted, her walking tours contain excellent suggestions, and the multi-day recommended itineraries are thoughtfully planned. Importantly, I developed a trust for this author's suggestions which I haven't felt for other guidebooks. Food is important to us (as it wold be to most visitors to New Orleans, I imagine), and the restaurant/food experience suggestions are abundant and useful. The book will help you get off the typical tourist track and find some great grub. There is also thorough advice regarding tours, music and nightlife (the book also contains essays on the music scene and voodoo, which were great reads), shopping...and everything else, really. Though the author has obvious affection for the city, the book is very clear-eyed in its advice regarding personal safety and other practical matters. It also provided great historical and cultural context for neighborhoods. Now that my trip is over, my appreciation of this book has only grown. We took it everywhere with us and it always contained the info we needed. I will buy new editions as long as Mary Herczog continues to write them! P.S. One reviewer noted that there was not a complete, large-scale map of New Orleans in the book to see how one neighborhood related to each other. That might be true, but once in New Orleans, all hotels will give you a free map showing street detail of some of the more commonly visited areas. That map and this book were all I needed! Oh, and get a copy of the free Off-Beat magazine and check out the WWOZ website for information on live shows, and you'll be set.

Like the other Frommer travel guides I have used this book was invaluable. The tips and information saved us money throughout the entire trip. It contains a self-guided tour of the French Quarters, but if you rather take the tour it provides you with information on finding an affordable alternative. It gives a history of New Orleans, and nicely recaps what is worth seeing, with suggestions on some lesser known attractions and museums. We found the restaurant overviews extremely helpful. If you are visiting New Orleans, this is definitely a great buy.

This is the best book I've seen on visiting New Orleans. Very comprehensive, in fact just a very good read, even if you're not intending to visit in the near future. Looking forward even more to our holiday in New Orleans with the information in this book. Recommended!

I have now almost worn out my second copy of this book and have been thinking I need to invest in a third. This is THE best travel guide to New Orleans (actually, to any destination, come to think of it) I have ever read. I bought three or four different guides before my first trip to New Orleans; this is the one that made the others unnecessary. Many NOLA trips later, this book that still goes with me every time I return. In this Frommer's edition, Mary Herczog's voice is not so much that of a travel expert--although she is indeed that, and her advice is thorough and invaluable. But reading her pages is like having a friend in New Orleans--a native who knows all the good stuff, has all the real stories, knows the places YOU would want to visit. Her style is warm and conversational; her knowledge exhaustive, well-organized, and accessible. I've made so many margin notes "in answer" to her entries that my book has become as much a dialogue as a guidebook. Ten trips later, I am still learning from it.

I purchased this book for a recent trip to New Orleans and found it a valuable resource, both for myself as a somewhat frequent visitor to the city and for my boyfriend, who was experiencing this wonderful place for the first time. We were guided to some absolute restaurant gems, both inside and outside of the Quarter, and to some fabulous music venues. We also spent our days on the recommended walking tours (the book pays for itself in walking tours alone--you will see and learn about a great deal of history and beautiful architecture at your own pace without being stuck in a group). The post-Katrina information was helpful and up-to-date, especially considering that so many businesses and services are still in a state of transition. The Frommer's guide enhanced our New Orleans experience immeasurably, and I would recommend it to anyone planning a trip to the Big Easy.