Car rental in New Orleans

Car Rental in New Orleans: driving the heartland of jazz

The city of New Orleans boasts one of the world’s most distinct municipal cultures: truly creole, this heartland of jazz offers its visitors excellent parties and fabulous sights. While you absolutely must book in advance if you’re planning on visiting for Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest, there are numerous less-famous festivals to take part in throughout the year in this scintillating city. As fantastic as this city is, however, make a point to drive out to the sights of the region as well. Book your rental car today!

Summer is certainly the longest season in New Orleans, though winter does come to the city as well, with the occasional cold snap in December, January, and February. Hurricane season spans from June 1 through November 30. This season’s most active month is September.

Though the city was profoundly influenced by the French, few of New Orleans’s residents speak French today. American English is the de facto official language of the area. About 4% of the population speaks Spanish as a native language and about 2% Vietnamese. Chitimacha and Choctaw are the languages that were spoken by the original inhabitants of the area.

Louisiana is in the Central Time Zone, UTC-6.

The currency throughout the United States is the dollar. Currency exchange is available at airports and popular tourist destinations, and credit cards are accepted at the vast majority of businesses.

Automobile hire is available in 10 locations throughout New Orleans, including the Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY), the New Orleans Convention Center, and New Orleans East.

Visa Regulations

38 nationalities can enter the United States as tourists without applying for a visa, though if you are among these nationalities, you are still required to fill out the ESTA in advance. Visit esta.us for more information. Visitors to the United States will be fingerprinted and biometrically photographed upon entry. If your nationality is not included in the visa-waiver program, you will be required to apply for a B-1 or B-2 visa in advance of your arrival.

Driving in New Orleans

Central New Orleans, particularly the French Quarter, was built before passenger cars were mass-produced, making driving in this area a challenge even when the streets are not populated. Still, if you’re staying outside these areas, a car will be handy. Just be prepared to pay high parking and/or valet fees or to parallel park whenever you drive into the city center.

Right-Hand Driving

• Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road throughout the United States.

Speed Limits

• In the city: 20-35 mph (32-56 km/h)
• Urban highways in the New Orleans area: 55 mph (88 km/h)
• On rural interstate highways: 65-75 mph (105-120 km/h)
• Avoid afternoon and evening rush hour in New Orleans if you can; traffic jams during this time of day rank the 19^th worst in the nation.

Other Regulations

1. Street and lot parking is expensive in central New Orleans, though you can save money by arriving at parking lots with early bird deals before 9 am and planning to leave between 3 and 6 pm.
2. An international driver’s permit is recommended for driving in Louisiana, though this permit is only recognized when accompanied by your valid domestic driver’s license.
3. There are two toll bridges in Louisiana, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway just outside of New Orleans and the Louisiana Highway 1 Bridge near Alexandria.
4. The minimum driving age in Louisiana is 18 years, and some rental agencies may rent to drivers this young, though young drivers will pay surcharges until the age of 25.

Other Tips

• If you’re visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras, any kind of transportation is more or less impossible. Plan to do a lot of walking to get anywhere. You’re sure to encounter all sorts of adventures along the way!

Cheap Car Rental in New Orleans

Automobile hire in New Orleans typically starts at around $32 a day. Here are some of the best deals in New Orleans:

• Mitsubishi Mirage or similar (economy class) – $32/day
• Nissan Versa or similar (compact class) – $33/day
• Hyundai Elantra or similar (intermediate class) – $34/day
• Chevrolet Cruze or similar (standard class) – $35/day
• Kia Optima or similar (fullsize class) – $39/day

Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.

Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in New Orleans

There is no seasonal variation in price for rental cars in New Orleans, though if you can book your car 11 to 12 months in advance of your arrival, you can typically save around $5 a day. Otherwise, the rental price remains steady.

The cheapest location to rent in New Orleans is at the airport, where budget rental companies such as Alamo and Dollar offer routinely inexpensive automobiles for hire. Hertz’s location at the New Orleans Convention Center typically charges around $10 more per rental day.

You can also save more than $10 a day by extending your rental period to over a week.