New Orleans is a vibrant, electric city - making it an ideal place to travel solo. The best part? If you do it the right way, it can be pretty cheap. From affordable museums to self-guided tours, here are our best tips for affordable New Orleans solo travel.
Getting There
New Orleans is way more than Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras. If you visit New Orleans, you can save upfront with a cheaper flight from smaller airports like Wilmington ($70ish), Philadelphia ($70ish), Los Angeles ($90ish), Seattle ($110 - $120ish).
If you don't like to fly, you can also take an Amtrak train from Greensboro, NC (about $120) or Washington D.C. (around $130). It'll be a long haul, but a scenic one for sure.
Where To Crash
If you're more into the hotel experience, you can get an affordable (but still awesome) room at The International House New Orleans ($99ish) or try your hand at a secret hotel deal ($74 - $109).
However, if you want something social, you can try a hostel - I've personally stayed at Madame Isabelle's House ($30 - $60), and really enjoyed the scene there. Another option, for the more introspective traveler is a private Airbnb, which range from $70-$90 a night. There are a ton of eclectic bungalows for rent (I stayed at one on Touro Street).
Getting Around
Getting around New Orleans can be tricky. If you're traveling alone, you want to make sure you're staying safe. Unfortunately, there are unsafe neighborhoods in NOLA and you also need to be aware of the people visiting to drink, party, etc.
For transportation, I'd recommend Uber or Lyft at night. During the day, you can take a trolley, which are affordable, with plenty of stops downtown. You can buy a jazzy pass for 1, 3, or 31 days, or pay $1.25 for a one-way ride.
Eating Out
New Orleans is similar to other big cities - the closer you get to the touristy stuff, the more expensive the food is. You can avoid this (and still get awesome grub) by getting food at Dryades Public Market or Crescent City Farmers Market.
If you're not really into cooking, check out affordable local hot spots like Parasol's, Sammy's Food Services & Deli, The Old Coffee Pot Restaurant, Casamento's Restaurant, and more. You'll have a unique experience and an awesome meal.
During The Day
Once you're in New Orleans, it can kind of be overwhelming. There are a TON of things to do there. During the day, you can avoid spending a ton of cash on shopping or touristy tours by hitting up museums like The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum or the The Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
There are a lot of neat little bookstores to wander in and out of, such as Garden District Book Shop and Octavia Books. You can also check out neighborhoods such as the French Quarter or The Garden District. I loved walking through taking pictures.
Personally, I also really liked walking aside Lake Pontchartrain and drifting through the harbor area, as well as popping in and out the local coffee shops. I also spent some time at The Tree of Life, which is an amazing, 100 - 500 year old tree in Audubon Park. No entry fee.
At Night
In the evening, I'd recommend skipping the party scene (some of it seems cool, but overall, a hot mess on Bourbon Street), and checking out some live jazz at Blue Nile Nola, exploring Frenchmen Art Market, or getting a street poet to type out a poem for you (yes, I still have the poem and yes, this is a thing.)
I'd also be wary of hanging out at overcrowded Bourbon Street bars because a lot of them are pretty pricey.
If you plan ahead, you can also book a trip around one of your favorite bands. I saw Dashboard Confessional on Valentine's Day in NOLA a few years ago at The House of Blues, which was an amazing way to spend a night as a single, solo traveler in NOLA. It wasn't too expensive, making it a much better way to spend a night there.
