Questions from a NO newbie

[Denham33]

We will be sailing on the NCL Sun at the end of Feb. 2006. We are staying near the airport pre-cruise (because it is right before Mardi Gras & we don't want to get involved), but still have not chosen a post-cruise hotel. We will stay 1 night after the cruise. We have read through most of the posts in this section and found a lot of good suggestions. However, we still have questions:
1) How far is it (time-wise) from the airport to the port?
2) We have heard of La Quinta on Camp St. and a Quality Inn (no address, but 2 blocks from FQ). Both have reasonable rates, which is a must. We will be with 13 year old son - want to tour FQ and Riverside. Are these locations that make that possible without too much hassle? Prefer to walk, not take taxis. Are these too spread out to make that reasonable?
3) Someone suggested carriage rides - we have done this in Old Montreal & enjoyed it. About how much are they in NO?
4) Our post-cruise day is a Sunday (fly home Mon.). Will there be a problem with things being closed?
5) I saw postings about weather/temps in Dec. How about end of Feb? Still apt to be chilly? We're coming from northern Vermont, so "chilly" is a relative term!

I know this was a lot, but any help will be greatly appreciated!
Kim

[Cotton]

QUOTE=Denham33]
1) How far is it (time-wise) from the airport to the port?
Could take anywhere from 20-40 minutes, depending on traffic. Even though there are 4 lanes into the city, one little fender-bender could cause a jam. Our taxi drivers are pretty savvy, though, and can scoot around pretty fast. Normal driving time for me would be around 20 min.

3) Someone suggested carriage rides - we have done this in Old Montreal & enjoyed it. About how much are they in NO?
I do recommend this. The drivers are FUN, and point out all the interesting points in the Quarter. I think it's $5pp, but haven't done it in awhile, so I'm not positive. (Some of them will quote you a price, but have been known to come down if you haggle a bit.)

4) Our post-cruise day is a Sunday (fly home Mon.). Will there be a problem with things being closed?
Hey, we never close! Everything's open all the time around here.

5) I saw postings about weather/temps in Dec. How about end of Feb? Still apt to be chilly? We're coming from northern Vermont, so "chilly" is a relative term!
It's actually usually a bit cooler in Jan/Feb than in December. Barring some freak ice storm, being from Vermont, you'll probably find it very nice. This past Dec. was pretty chilly, but you never know about the weather. It's never bone-chilling cold here.

[Denham33]

Cotton -
Thank you for the quick reply! I read many of your other posts and found them helpful. I wrote down a few of your other suggestions to remember later, too.
How about French Quarter/Riverside? Are they both within a reasonable walking distance, or are they very separate parts of the city?

[Cotton]

Off the top of my head, I'm really not too familiar with the hotels you mentioned, and that's why I skipped over that part.

Seems you'll probably have to take a taxi to get to the Quarter or Riverwalk. Cabs anywhere in the downtown area are $7pp, as our taxis are not metered. N.O. blocks are LONG, so when it says 2 blks.to FQ, that would be the 'edge' of the Quarter, and another few blocks to the center of the Quarter, SO, prepare for a hike. (I'd bite the bullet and grab a cab.) Tell him to drop you at Jackson Square, which is the center of the Quarter. The JAX Brewery bldg. is right between JSq. and the river. Has basically the same things that Riverwalk has. (When you're there, walk up to the river for a great view in the little park area.)

Anything else, I'll try to help.

[zydecocruiser]

I think the taxis are metered. There are many times and events when there are flat rates - from the airport anywhere, to the cruise ships. Any of many special times there are minimums/flat rates, like Super Bowl and Mardi Gras. But I think if you go to one of the unregulated areas at least a few days of the year, it is metered and not flat rates. But I haven't taken a taxi in a while so they may have changed.

Also, the taxi outfit most consider to be the best in the city is United Cabs...

http://www.unitedcabs.com/

[Flintstone]

Just to show how "eratic" the weather can be in NO...we went over ML King weekend in 2003. It was in the 30's when we got there!!! You needed gloves to carry your Hurricane down Bourban Street!! Three days later...naturally on the way to the airport....the temps hit 70!!

[Budget Queen]

I've stayed at the La Quinta on Camp and it's an excellent location. Walkable to most everywhere. What is your "riverside" reference??? Meaning a look at the river? only a few blocks away.