New Orleans for Dummies

I highly recommend New Orleans for Dummies to anyone who plans to visit that city. I had previously been to New Orleans several times, but could never seem to manage to escape the confinements of the French Quarter and, most importantly, Bourbon Street. This was mainly due to the fact that I had no idea where to go or what to look for. New Orleans for Dummies solved this problem, as it allowed me to plan out my trip prior to my arrival. Several sites are suggested in the book for exploring the city, as well as a review of all the top restaurants and hotels to make you stay more productive and enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who plans to visit the historic and culturally rich city of New Orleans.

After registering for a conference which will be held in NO this year, I picked up this book, trusting the "dummies" brand. This book did not disappoint! I found it informative, illuminating and full of tips from a local. The only thing I found odd was that many of the recommended hotels received mixed reviews on tripadvisor.com. I'll have to chalk that up to post-Katrina difficulties mentioned in the book. The included post-it tabs were put to good use! Even if you are not planning a trip, I recommend the chapters on Katrina and post-Katrina, and the recommended readings are on my wish list!

New Orleans has one thing in common with Mecca--it simply is one place you must visit at least once in your life. Moi, cher, I've been numerous times and plan to take my great-nephew and two great-nieces this summer. Lucky me! "New Orleans for Dummies" has an excellent section for "Families with Children" and a way to see children-directed places in three days, just the time we will stay. We will begin with breakfast at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter, then go through the open air markets, St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square, and on to the Aquarium of the Americas for the rest of the morning and the City Zoo in the afternoon. Day Two allows a visit to the Mardi Gras float area to watch floats in the making, then a trip to the Museum of Art and City park. Day Three takes in Riverwalk Marketplace and the Children's Museum. (The Louisiana Nature Center and Planetarium and Six Flags were devastated by Katrina damage and are closed.) What makes this guide book stand out is its attention to the damage all over New Orleans after Katrina. It even suggests a Katrina Tour of the devastation so that tourists will have an idea of its immensity and perhaps be monetarily supportive now or later. Another stand-out is attention to travel details. For the inexperienced traveler, writer Julia K. Lane lines up everything the planner needs to do for a successful trip. Everything is clearly written and organized. This part alone is worth the price of the book. All the key tourist places are described: location, hours, prices (at the 2007 publication), maps. Any with hurricane damage are so noted, eliminating potential disappointments. Anyone planning a trip to New Orleans would do well to browse this book, mark places of interest, then go back and plan according to details. Personally, I use two guide books, a map, and a notepad when I plan a trip. "New Orleans for Dummies" will certainly get you there and show you a good time. "Laissez les bons temps rouler!" (Let the good times roll!)

I borrowed and read six New Orleans travel guides from the library before our trip. This one was far and away the best. It's always good to read from more than one source before traveling, but if I were to pick just one for New Orleans, this would be it.