Where y’at?” goes the traditional local greeting. “Where” is straightforward in the French Quarter, a 13-block-long grid between Canal Street and Esplanade Avenue, running from the Mississippi River to North Rampart Street.
After that, fuggedaboutit. Because of the bend in the river (the “crescent” in the “Crescent City” moniker), the streets are laid out at angles and curves that render directions useless. Readjust your thinking to New Orleans’s compass points: lakeside, riverside, uptown, and downtown. You’ll catch on quickly if you keep in mind that North Rampart Street is the lakeside boundary of the Quarter and Canal Street is its uptown border. And by all means, use maps—you’ll need them.
Note that street names change when they cross Canal Street: Bourbon Street becomes Carondelet, and Royal becomes St. Charles, for example.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
