Do You Need A Rental Car When You Visit New Orleans?

Known for its vibrant live-music and exhilarating nightlife that never ends, New Orleans is truly such a fun place to visit!

It’s also quite a popular destination among tourists and vacationers; however, there’s one question that’s commonly asked by most first-time travelers – do you need a rental car in New Orleans?

While the idea of renting a car sounds amazing and super convenient, it might not be a really great idea!

When it comes to New Orleans, you are actually better off without one!

So, how do you go around the city, explore it, and make the most of your trip?

Why NOT Rent A Car In New Orleans?

Once you are in New Orleans, you will realize that you don’t need a rental car at all! That’s mainly because parking is such a pain in this city.

Finding a decent place to park your rented car can often be an absolute nightmare, and if not impossible, it is truly next to impossible, especially during busy weekends. The majority of the city’s hotels are found in the Central Business District and the French Quarter; parking is super annoying in both places,

To add to that, parking in New Orleans is also very expensive. French Quarter, in particular, is known for pricey parking rates that can easily average around 30 dollars. They can also increase during special occasions or events.

How To Get Around?

Walking

Since you won’t be hiring a rental car in New Orleans, your best option to get around is walking!

While that may sound like too much work, you should know that the main tourist hubs of the city are super walkable and you can easily walk around the main area.

Take the French Quarter, for instance. It’s full of amazing sights and sounds that are truly worth exploring on foot instead of sitting inside a rental car. Also, it’s not that big, which means you can easily cover the distance on foot and take mini food and drink breaks in between.

After all, if you really want to experience that quintessential New Orleans feel, walking is the way to go!

Bicycle

Another way to make the most of your trip to New Orleans and have great fun is by renting a bicycle!

The best part about the city is that it’s as flat as a pancake, so even if you are a beginner biker, you can easily bike your way around the city.

Biking is also quite common in New Orleans, and you’ll come across so many tourists riding bikes as they explore this beautiful city.

Taxi Cabs

If you aren’t a fan of walking or cycling, there’s always an option to book a taxi cab. At least you won’t have to worry about parking!

Taxis aren’t exactly cheap in New Orleans, so take one only when you really need it.

Final Verdict

So, as it turns out, you don’t really need a rental car in New Orleans. You can get by without it just fine unless your trip absolutely requires you to rent one.