Don't drive! New Orleans was laid out for horse and buggy and doesn't make sense. Maps do not help because one way streets end and pick up in weird ways. The boot is also a favorite tool of the meter maids. Almost anywhere you park in the French Quarter is a good spot to end up with the boot on your car. That will cost you big time. Take the street car or a taxi if you don't want to end up frustrated. One more word of advice... if you take a cab, check the distance you're going in advance because they will drive around needlessly - thinking you won't know the difference - and run up the fare.

It's like anywhere else. Be careful and do your due diligence. Do watch out for flooded cars if they are pre-2005 though. Check car facts to be sure the title is good.

I had to get to an exam for the end of my master's degree. I left an hour early to have plenty of time and felt relaxed and ready to perform well, but I ran into a random and routine road stop and realized I had to get my papers out for the police. One of my papers was missing and the officer said he could boot me if I didn't find it immediately. I spent an hour on the phone trying to get my neighbor and then explaining where to find the paper in my filing cabinet. She brought it to me and I gave it to the cop. I was 3 hours late for the exam and the class was dark and empty. I called the teacher and explained. It wasn't a problem, but my face was swollen for 2 days from crying at that silly traffic stop. That's New Orleans for you. It's okay to have an open container of alcohol - illegal but unenforced - but give the city a chance to make some hefty fines and all bets are off. They're relentless.

St. Charles Ave.. River Road is scenic and peaceful. It curves around and feels like the country in the middle of the city.

Make sure for your first time going to new Orleans you talk to someone who is used to driving in that area because for first timers going there its a really intimidating place with lots and lots of people are cars coming from every direction at all times. Have at least a little experience driving around in big cities and you will do fine I'm sure.

Be careful where you shop in new Orleans because a lot of automotive places there sell things cheaper but not necessarily the best quality of vehicles. They might have a lot of problems with the car that you don't know about when you purchase it and only find out about it once it happens to you. Be sure to go to a registered facility who is well known around those parts so communication with people who have bought cars there is vital. Make sure to read lots of reviews about it.

My favorite memory from driving in New Orleans was when I was first learning how to drive and my father who was born in New Orleans was showing me the ropes of how to drive in the big city. I was only used to driving in the suburbs and here I was driving on bridges that seemed be at least a thousand feet high and different bridges over bodies of water and it was extremely intimidating for a new driver to encounter such things. At least it was for me anyway. It was an awesome driving experience learning all these things for the first time in my little Tacoma and also was an great memory driving with my father who was amazing when it came to driving especially in congested areas. I made so many mistakes being that it was my first time in the city area for example some of the interstates have like 6-7 different lanes merging from all different directions and some people where coming from ramps both below and above you. Needless to say it was quite the whirlwind getting used to driving in the city. The coolest part about it was that being so new to this kind of area to drive in I somehow managed to come out in one piece and My dad only continued to teach me more and more. I would say that is my most memorable experience.

Elysian fields avenue. Its a nice broad kind of road in New Orleans and when I got to drive there with my father it was late at night and extremely serene but still had life to it. Nothing to elaborate but except its a place with a lot of charm to it.