When we visited New Orleans in the early 1990’s we didn’t feel safe - long before Katrina.
I was assaulted in the work out room of the large Marriott hotel in the French Quarter.
Large gangs of teens ran through the Woolworth’s grabbing everything in sight.
Large gangs of teens were running through the streets of the French Quarter side swiping the tourists, many of whom were elderly.
We were warned not to go “off the beaten path” in other sections of the city.
Even the taxi driver ripped us off.
I gave up on NO after a 'bad trip' to the World's Fair...when-ever that was.
Sounds exactly like any other major city. At least in NO, the concierage warns you. Go anywhere else and they cover it up. For me the worst city anywhere for crime is Milan Italy. Full of gypsy thieves from ages 8 to 80. I was approached by pickpockets less than 1 minute after getting off the train and hounded for the rest of the trip there by thieves invading my space and following me around. After hiding out in my hotel for most of the trip I was robbed by 2 men while going to the airport. I feel a hundred times safer in NO than I do in Milan.
Jeez, what a story.
There is a professional conference I would like to go to this year, but it is in NOLA. I realize people want to help revitalize the city, but I don’t think I will go. A friend came back from another conference down there and said that a lot of the stores were locked - you had to knock to get in, and she too was warned not to go out of the hotel area. Granted things can happen anywhere, but why go someplace where they are more likely to happen?