For my final blog, I thought I would give some tips for those who decide to visit New Orleans... These are in no specific order :)
#1 - Pack the right shoes! Driving in the French Quarter is obnoxious. Taxis are expensive. The street car will make you late 75% of the time. Bring a good pair(s) of walking shoes and plan to walk lots of steps (We did like 21,000+ one day.). I had bought two new pairs of shoes right before we left and I was nervous to wear them on the trip because I am prone to slippers (I have princess feet!) I lucked out in the sense that both shoes fit perfectly, were fairly comfortable, and didn't cause any blisters! My toots were tired by the end of the day, but they weren't bubbling or in pain... for this I am so thankful!
#2 - Plan for all sorts of weather... especially if you go in the winter! The day we arrived, temperatures were near 80 degrees. The next day, I don't think we reached 60. It's a colder 60 in New Orleans... I'm not sure if it's because it's near large bodies of water, or because it was 80 the day before... But pack for everything! (If you're used to hormonal IL, this shouldn't be different from the norm) I also would suggest packing a rain jacket/rain coat and waterproof footwear... As stated above, you'll likely be walking quite a bit and ain't nobody got time for soggy socks and swampy feet! (EW)
#3 - You're going to spend $15+ on every single meal if you eat in the quarter. I tried finding cheap restaurants, and it turns out around $15 is about as cheap as it was going to get. Even Jimmy John's is more expensive there than it is in IL. Either way, plan for it! Either pack food so that you can eat at the hotel and save your $$$ or just know going into it... it's not cheap. The food was good... but I was definitely glad to eat a home-cooked meal that I didn't have to pay for!
#4 - Bring a pillow AND a blanket for the train. On the ride down, the train was comfortable while I covered up with my blanket. (Just a small, fleece blankey) On the way back, they had trouble with temperature regulation, so the entire ride (17ish hours) they would run the heat for awhile and then run the air conditioner for awhile. It was horrible. Regardless, when the air was running... it was freezing. I suggest wearing a hoodie onto the train and bringing a small blanket. You can always take layers off if you get hot, but being freezing cold for 17 hours doesn't sound like very much fun.
#5 - The train food is terrible. It's all prepackaged, microwave food. Bring your own so that you don't have to pay $7 for the mini microwave pizza. ALSO - Bring your own drinks because those are overpriced too!
#7 - Keep an open mind - You're going to see a lot (especially if you visit Bourbon Street, lol). New Orleans is a very diverse and eclectic place.... Embrace it! There will be times when you want to giggle at the way someone looks or say, "Did I really see that girl wearing nothing but pasties and a G-String?" (I was offered a group discount on pasties from an entirely different person, also.) Just go with it! This place is like no where I've ever been before... so don't be surprised if you get shocked a time...or twelve.
#8 - The French Market is way awesome... but way overpriced. NOLA T-shirts are much cheaper elsewhere in the quarter... so save your money. OR... Learn to haggle! Many of the items that are sold are handmade and priced by their owners. A lot of the time there is leeway in the price, so don't be afraid to make a counteroffer.
#9 - WETWIPES, HAND SANITIZER, FEBREEZE SPRAY, OH MY! - These were my best friends/lifesavers. Every single bathroom is gross. Every. Single. Bathroom. Is. Gross. I packed these items in my personal bag (that I carried everywhere with me) and I couldn't have been more thankful. It made both mine and my friend's lives much easier (and less disgusting.)
#10 - Don't take anything from anyone....unless you want to pay for it. There are LOTS of people walking around from "charities" and "the local girls and boys club" - No matter what they try to hand you... they aren't just giving it to you. They expect you to donate to their "cause." If you're listening to someone play music... TIP THEM! That's how they make their money. If you take pictures of any street performer, artist, etc... TIP THEM! It's the respectful thing to do and almost stealing if you don't. Not to mention, they won't be pleased and probably won't be very nice if you don't. During my time there I had at least three people come up and claim they were with charities, one man came up and sang me a rap (without me asking and then expected me to pay for it), multiple people blatantly ask me for money, and 2398732498243 different street performers hoping to grab my attention. You don't have to tip them if you don't want to... but don't take advantage of them either. Most of the time, that's their job (Whether you consider it a job or not) - so just keep that in mind :)
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