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General Information Getting to Tulane If you are coming in from the airport or west of the city, follow I-10 East. At the split, head towards the Business District (Hwy 90). Exit at Carrollton Avenue; the off-ramp will aim you in the right direction (you'll want to get on South Carrollton). Follow Carrollton Ave. down to the Riverbend (after a while you'll see the streetcar line on the median; the riverbend is where the streetcar line curves). You will take a left onto St. Charles. Drive East on St. Charles for about ½ - ¾ of a mile, and you'll see Tulane on your left (across from Audubon Park). The large building on St. Charles is Gibson (which contains both the Graduate Admissions office and Registrar). On the other side of Gibson, towards the left/west is Norman Mayer, where the English Department is located. If you are coming from East of the city, follow I-10 West. After you pass the St. Bernard exit as you approach the city, move to the left, since South Claiborne exits from this lane. Exit at South Claiborne Ave. Remain on Claiborne for a couple of miles. After passing Jefferson Ave. (at a light), begin moving into the left lane. Turn left on Broadway (at a light). You'll go about ¾ mile to the intersection of Broadway and St. Charles (also at a light). Take a left onto St. Charles Ave. After about 3-4 blocks, you'll see Tulane on your left (across from Audubon Park). The large building on St. Charles is Gibson (which contains both the Graduate Admissions office and Registrar). On the other side of Gibson, towards the left/west is Norman Mayer, where the English Department is located. Getting Around Town - Public Transportation Information New Orleans has extensive and city-wide bus routes that can even get you out to the malls in the suburbs. The St. Charles streetcar, which runs roughly from the French Quarter down and around Tulane's campus, and the Riverfront streetcar, which runs along the river, are the only currently running streetcars. Both bus and streetcar fare run $1.25 with transfers costing an additional $.25. Monthly passes are available, and they do save you a bit of money if you use public transportation daily. Passes can be bought at many locations throughout the city, so you'll want to call the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) at (504) 242-2600 to find the location nearest you. You can get route maps and timetables, as well as any other important information you might need about the public transportation system at RTA's website: www.regionaltransit.org . (I believe there are locations on Tulane campus and at Winn Dixie on Tchoupitoulas Street which sell them.) Cabs are another option for getting around the city. Standard cab fare is $2.10 for the first 1/6 mile, $.20 per 1/6 mile thereafter. Any additional riders are $1.00 per person. Cab trips to/from New Orleans International Airport will cost as follows: up to two passengers, flat fee $28; three or more passengers, per passenger - $10. When you're going to or from the airport, there is another (possibly cheaper) transportation option - the Airport Shuttle. The Airport Shuttle company can take you to and from the airport for $10. There are certain requirements, so be sure to call them at 592-0555 to see what they are. Passenger vans arrive and depart from the airport every 15 minutes. And of course, you can walk (not from the airport). New Orleans is a major city but it's not a gigantic city; although it may take about 20-30 minutes (depending on traffic) to drive from the Riverbend uptown to the French Quarter, in reality it's only about 5 miles. When you are looking for a place to live, walk or drive around a bit to see what stores, bars, restaurants, parks, etc. are within walking distance - this is a great city to walk around in. Local Geography Lesson Traveling in New Orleans and the surrounding area can be confusing, since most streets do not run north-south and east-west as on a regular grid pattern, but instead follow the bends of the Mississippi River. Native New Orleanians use their own four directions:
Welcome to Our Neighborhoods New Orleans is divided into several main areas:
Housing Options Finding a place to live in New Orleans is similar to finding a place in any city. Before looking around, you should consider the following factors: • Safety of the neighborhood • Your price range • How close you want/need to be to Tulane and choice of area • How noisy the neighborhood is • Whether you want/need a roommate • Whether you want a place that has been recently renovated • Whether you can visit the place first • If you will need a place that allows pets • Necessary amenities Most people who have lived here will agree that the ideal way to find an apartment is to drive around looking for FOR RENT signs and call the numbers. It's ideal because you will already have an idea of the neighborhood and location, as well as how nice the place looks (which, of course, can be deceiving if it had never been renovated). Safety is a major concern in New Orleans, which does have a high crime rate. The absolute safest places to live are on major streets, particularly St. Charles Avenue and the southernmost portion of S. Carrollton Ave. There are some other streets which are usually a safe bet, but these are the major two because of the streetcar and traffic. If you live on S. Carrollton or St. Charles, you can expect to pay more for your apartment (especially as you get closer to campus); however, if it is in your budget and safety is your #1 concern, this may be a good bet. One important thing to remember about New Orleans is that the good and bad neighborhoods are sometimes right on top of each other. It's difficult to find any neighborhood that doesn't have a fairly seedy-looking area a few blocks away. This is the main reason why it's so important to check out an area (or have one of us check it out) before you agree to a lease. Most Tulane students live in the Uptown and Garden District areas, and I would recommend these areas to anyone new to the city. These are close to school and near the streetcar line. Because of the many luxury apartment complexes now in the Warehouse District, some students choose to live in that area (especially medical students); however, you will pay a fortune for parking. Other students choose to live in Mid-City (further away but with some nice and affordable areas), the French Quarter (again, parking can be a problem), the Marigny (traffic can make your travel time to school slow but great nightlife!), and in the suburbs surrounding New Orleans (many in River Ridge, where there is a lot of affordable housing). Because of the New Orleans humidity and the age of many of the homes here, I recommend looking for a place that has been renovated within the past 5 years. This way your ceiling won't be caving in, your bathtub won't be rusty, etc. Nice, pretty, renovated places are of course more expensive, but worth it. Also, I would recommend asking if your landlord sprays for bugs. You will find a wide range of prices for apartments in New Orleans. The most expensive places will be in a safe neighborhood, close to campus, in pristine condition, with a lot of amenities, and through a major property company. In case you want to start looking ahead of time (calling places or looking on the web), I have provided a list of property companies and resources. ALWAYS REMEMBER TO LOOK AT A PROPERTY (or have someone else look) BEFORE AGREEING TO RENT. 899-RENT This company has apartments throughout the uptown and Garden District areas. You should call to find out what they have available, whether the properties have been renovated, and when they are available. As far as the property companies go, this one is more affordable; the range for a 1-bedroom runs from about $425 (for a studio) to $695. GAMBIT CLASSIFIEDS If you are looking for a more affordable place, it's always good to look at the classifieds (I also put the Times Picayune classifieds website further down the list). The problems: 1) they are often vague ("Great apartment near Tulane, $500 1 BR" doesn't tell you much), and 2) of course, you can't see the place or the neighborhood. But this is a good option if you want to compile a list of potential places and check them out later, or call the owner to get more details. You can also call one of us, and we'll be happy to give you our perspective on the neighborhood, etc. HR PROPERTIES 504-616-3986 They have a lot of nice apartments (and some shady ones - make sure you go inside) on St. Charles and in other safe locations. Many of them have been updated, have hardwood floors and beautiful architectural elements, and are walking distance to Tulane. They don't always have many amenities, and I think some are a rip-off, so make sure to check the places out. LATTER & BLUM A MAJOR New Orleans real estate company with locations all over the place. You can do an online search on their website (just switch to the "lease" option instead of doing a residential sale search). When choosing a neighborhood to search in, scroll down to New Orleans - Garden District, Uptown, and University areas. Be aware that their pictures make places look a lot nicer than they actually are. Again, these can be a little more expensive because it is a big company. ORECK PROPERTIES 504-866-6200 Probably the only property management company that I would say you can go through and not even need to see the apartment. All of their properties are renovated, in good and safe locations, with multiple amenities, and very nice. They are expensive. The cheapest 1-bedroom you can get is for $650 a month, and it's only about 500 square feet, but they are on S. Carrollton and in a perfect location. The owner, Jon Jordan, is very nice and an excellent landlord. PRUDENTIAL GARDNER Similar to Latter & Blum (probably has some of the same properties featured). RIVERLAKE PROPERTIES A popular choice for students looking for a place near campus. I have looked at about ten different properties through this company, and I have only found one of them decent. The problem with Riverlake is that they don't renovate their properties very often - at least that has been my impression. I cannot stress this enough: if you rent through Riverlake, go on a property tour first. TIMES PICAYUNE CLASSIFIEDS Similar to Gambit Weekly classifieds. TULANE WEBSITE PROPERTY SEARCH http://www2.tulane.edu/och/och/ This site provides a search database, which also has students looking for roommates. It's worth filling out the search form to find out what's available. The site also has other information that can be helpful, including advice about safety and planning. Luxury Apartments in the Garden & Warehouse Districts If you have a more flexible budget, you can check out these places which have gorgeous luxury apartments, swimming pools, and good locations. Do a web search or call for locations. The Georgian 504-529-2532 Papillon Apartments 1-888-316-5324 Warehouse District & French Quarter Apartments http://www.hrihci.com/neworprop.html (Site features pictures, prices, floor plans, etc.) Renting Outside of New Orleans (River Ridge, Kenner, Metairie, Harahan, etc.) You will have far more options and get a lot more for the price if you live outside of New Orleans, but few students choose to do this for several reasons: 1) traffic can be pretty rough, and 2) you can usually find a great place within the city. I recommend checking the classifieds and searching the web for options if you want to live outside the city. Some students live in River Ridge, which is a nice area with a lot of reasonable housing options. University Registration You may already have received your registration materials from the University Registrar. If you haven't, don't panic. The Spring semester has only just ended. Contact the Registrar through the website at www.tulane.edu/~registra if you haven't heard from them by August 1. Luckily, though, registering at Tulane is both simple and easy. You can register by phone and online once you receive your PIN number from the University Registrar's office. As graduate classes rarely fill up (and if they do, instructors will typically add students), you don't have to worry about registering early unless you want to. As long as you're here for the orientation meeting, you'll be in good shape for registration. Don't forget to confirm your registration at the University Center during the first week of classes. Weather New Orleans is probably one of the most humid places you can live in the States. It's also extremely hot during the summer. Be prepared for temperatures in the 90s during the summer - it will still be very hot in September, and it doesn't really start cooling down much until late October. (If it makes you feel any better, there are some nice beaches about 1 hour away, and the Reilly Recreation Center has an outdoor "social pool.") It won't be cold until late November or early December. (It is wonderful when you are still laying out by the pool in November while the Northeast is buried in 3 feet of snow). Sometimes, during the winter, we will have a few weeks when it gets down to the 30s at night, but these low temperatures are rare. Winter isn't very long here, but it is a damp, bone-chilling, and humid winter. Even when temperatures are in the 40s, it may feel much colder. Be prepared for frequent rain and thunderstorms, especially in the summer and early fall. This isn't rain like other cities' rain. When it rains here, it really rains . The streets flood (and, if you're not parked in a good place, you may flood your car). Do not wear nice shoes if it looks like rain. Try to carry an umbrella when possible, and try to rent an apartment not directly on the ground (ideally, on the second floor or above - although many first floor apartments are raised here). Some areas of New Orleans are very flood-prone. That all being said, don't let the weather scare you away. People tell all kinds of horror stories about New Orleans weather, and it is manageable; it just takes getting used to. Trucks spray regularly for mosquitoes during the summer months, which keeps the bugs from being a problem even in the most humid weather. The mild winters are wonderful. Yes, the summers are hot, but not much hotter than anywhere else in the Southeast. Driving If you bring your car to New Orleans, be careful. Though road conditions have improved in some areas over the past few years, this is a city of potholes, especially on the smaller streets. Swampland isn't the best material to build roads on - the ground is very sensitive to water levels, shrinking and expanding with the amount of rain we get. If it's feasible, you may want to retain your car registration and insurance, as well as your driver's license, in your home state. Getting tags and insurance here is ridiculously expensive. Also, be smart and safe. Don't leave belongings in view when parking on the street, and be extra cautious at night. Grocery Shopping Near Campus:
Recreation & Entertainment In New Orleans, it's much harder to avoid bars than to find them. Uptown and Downtown alike are filled with great places to eat and drink. On the next few pages, you'll find a list of popular restaurants and bars (only some of an endless list). In terms of fitness, the Reilly Center at Tulane has an indoor and outdoor pool, track, basketball, tennis, and racquetball courts, as well as weight-lifting and aerobic rooms. Audubon Park is right across the street from Tulane and has a wonderful track for biking, skating, jogging or walking. There is plenty to do in this city. Locals frequent the zoo, aquarium, French Quarter, etc. as well as the tourists. There are a lot of outdoor activities, including hiking, walking, canoeing, etc. (check Jean Lafitte Park or Pearl River). Also, New Orleans has an incredible live music scene; go to www.pollstar.com and type in a search for New Orleans to find upcoming shows (at large and small venues). Your best bet for finding the most fun things to do is to ask the other students or locals. Restaurants & Bars ($-cheap food, under $10 for entrees; $$-moderate, $10-18 entrees; $$$-expensive but goooood) These are only a few of the zillions of great bars and restaurants in this town. Also, there are many Chinese and Japanese food places I haven't tried, so I would rely on local recommendations. Most bars are open until the wee hours of the morning. Uptown Bars Columns Hotel - 3811 St. Charles. A popular and beautiful place to drink. Great outdoor area. Cooter Brown's - 509 S. Carrollton Avenue. A popular bar near campus. Drinks are a rip-off unless you go on a night with drink specials. Food is good and reasonable. Pool tables, video games, and TVs. Dos Jefes -5535 Tchoupitoulas. A great cigar bar with pool tables and small-scale live music performances (no cover charges). Wonderful outdoor patio and bar. Kingpin - 1307 Lyons. Fun little tavern with a lot of games (including shuffleboard?!). Madigan's - Corner of Maple and S. Carrollton Avenue. Cheap beer, pool tables. Often too noisy and crowded with freshmen. The Maple Leaf Pub - 8316 Oak Street. Often has a cover charge because the bar has live music (including the fabulous Rebirth Brass Band on Tues. nights). Great patio in the back. Mrs. Mae's (The Club) - Corner of Napoleon Ave. and Magazine St. A hole-in-the-wall, shed of a bar with too many undergrads but the cheapest beer you'll find in the area. Several pool tables and arcade games. St. Joe's - Corner of Joseph Street and Magazine Street. Wonderful bar with a great atmosphere (cool but somewhat scary décor), outdoor patio, and a pool table. Uptown Restaurants Babylon Café $ - 7724 Maple. Cheap Mediterranean lunch food Ciro's Cote Sud $$ - 7918 Maple. Delicious Italian and French food in a quaint, European-style atmosphere. Unfortunately, they don't accept credit cards. Dante's Kitchen $$ - 736 Dante St. Good date place. Small, romantic uptown restaurant. Dick and Jenny's $$ - 4501 Tchoupitoulas. One of the best restaurants in the city, in my opinion. Menu changes regularly. Wonderful atmosphere, New Orleans cuisine. Figaro's $$ - 7900 Maple St. Wonderful Italian food with great outdoor patio area. Frankie & Johnny's $ - 321 Arabella. Cheap New Orleans dishes like red beans and rice and other local favorites. Wonderful boiled crawfish (when in season) and pepper rings. Jacques-Imos $$ - 8324 Oak St. Long wait, but good Cajun / Creole New Orleans food. Kokopelli's $ - 3150 Calhoun St. California-style burritos and other Mexican food. Lebanon's $ - Corner of Jeannette and S. Carrollton. Good Mediterranean food, with big portions Louisiana Pizza Kitchen $ - 615 S. Carrollton. Great pizza, salads, and other Italian food Mango House $$ - 8115 Jeannette. Excellent Caribbean food in an adorable little house uptown Maple Street Café $ - 7623 Maple St. Some Middle Eastern food, good variety. New York Pizza $ - 5201 Magazine. Tiny hole-in-the-wall pizza place. Very good pizza. Nirvana $$ - 4308 Magazine St. Great Indian food. Reginelli's $ - Corner of State and Magazine Streets. Pizza and Italian food. On Mondays and Tuesdays, they offer $2 Abita pitchers!!!! Vincent's $$ - 7839 St. Charles. Good Italian food Garden District Bars Avenue Pub - 1732 St. Charles Avenue. Wonderful bar food. Balcony Bar - Corner of Magazine and Harmony. Very popular among graduate students. Great happy hour and upstairs bar (especially if you can sit on the balcony). Don't eat the bar food. The Bulldog - 3236 Magazine. Also popular among graduate students. Good food, beer selection, and happy hour. Great outdoor seating. Very welcoming to dogs. The Delachaise - 3442 St. Charles. Wine, beer, and bar food. Rendezvous Tavern - Small bar about 1-2 blocks towards downtown from the Balcony Bar. Offers free Indian food on Sunday nights. The Saint - 961 Saint Mary St.. Local rock n' roll dive - wonderful juke box. Garden District Restaurants Bravo $$ - 1711 St. Charles. Nice moderately priced Italian restaurant. Huge portions. Byblos $$ - 3218 Magazine. Good Mediterranean food. Café Rani $$ - 2917 Magazine Street, wonderful outdoor seating and great food. Commander's Palace $$$ - 1403 Washington Ave. The place to go when your rich uncle comes to town. Incredible food. VERY expensive. You won't eat for a week afterwards. Also, they won't let you through the door unless you are dressed up. I recommend the bread pudding soufflé with vanilla sauce. Delmonico $$$ - 1300 St. Charles. One of Emeril's restaurants - delicious Creole food. Juan's Flying Burrito $ - 2018 Magazine Street. Cheap California-style burritos and other Mexican food. Nacho Mama's $ - 3242 Magazine St. Good Mexican food and great drink specials (especially Monday night margaritas). Reginelli's (same description as uptown location) - 3244 Magazine. Rocky's Pizza $ - 3222 Magazine. Great pizza . St. Charles Tavern $ - 1433 St. Charles Ave. A popular place to head around 4am. Lots of fried food and other sobering-up cuisine. Sugar Magnolia $$ - 1910 Magazine St. Great for brunch or Creole lunch/dinner food. Bars in Other Areas (French Quarter, Warehouse District, Marigny, etc.) The Abbey - 1123 Decatur. Good atmosphere, non-touristy, but similar to Molly's (just a couple doors down) which I would recommend over this place. Café Brasil - 2100 Chartres. Marigny area. Nice atmosphere with live music. Chart Room - 300 Chartres. Good tavern, less touristy than most bars in the area. Good stopping place during Mardi Gras. Circle Bar - 1032 St. Charles (in Lee Circle). Wonderful little place, often with live music. Try to come when DJ Matty plays on occasional Saturday nights (60s mod music). Lots of dancing. d.b.a. - 616 Frenchman St. In the Marigny. Great bar, occasional live music. Good atmosphere. Pool tables. The Dungeon - 738 Toulouse St. A little corny, but an interesting atmosphere. Also in the Quarter. House of Blues - 225 Decatur. Wonderful music venue. I recommend coming here if you're going for a concert. The smaller shows in the Parish are great. Howlin' Wolf - 828 St. Peter's. Great live music venue. Cheap beer. Molly's at the Market - 1107 Decatur. I love this bar. It's a small tavern with these great Irish coffee drinks and a good jukebox. Away from the craziness of Bourbon but still in the major part of the Quarter. Pat O'Brien's - 718 St. Peter. Don't even try going here on a festival weekend. It's a very touristy place, but if you have people in town or you've never been you have to try it. I recommend sticking to only one hurricane unless you want to be drunk for the next 12 hours. R Bar - 1431 Royal St. I think I came here every weekend my first year. Cool atmosphere, lots of weird vintage furniture. Reasonable drinks. Pool table. Great area. The Wine Loft - 752 Tchoupitoulas. Very swanky and dressy bar in the Warehouse District. Drinks are overpriced, but if you come on Sunday night, ladies get free champagne. Twiropa - 1544 Tchoupitoulas. Gigantic warehouse converted into a club. The area seems a little sketchy but it's a cool place to try every once in a while. Ladies drink free 9-2am on Thursdays (although I'm not sure they still do that so double check). Restaurants in Other Areas (French Quarter, Warehouse District, Marigny, etc.) (there are so many you're better off just getting recommendations - but here are my picks) 201 Restaurant & Bar $$ - 201 Decatur. Delicious food. Best crème brule I've had. Coop's Place $ - 1109 Decatur. Creole and Cajun food. Also rumored to have the best fried chicken in the city. Irene's Cuisine $$ - 539 Philip St. Wonderful atmosphere. Great Creole and Italian food. Very romantic. NOLA $$$ - 534 Rue St. Louis. One of Emeril's restaurants. Soooo good. Port of Call $ - 838 Esplanade Ave. Best cheeseburgers you will ever have in your life. Stella! $$$ - 1032 Chartres St. Another place to go when a rich uncle visits. It's got an incredible atmosphere and some of the best food in the city. Furniture and Other Needs Here are some stores that should have most of what you'll need upon moving into your new place. The directions are from Uptown, in the Tulane University area. Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target are in the same shopping center. You'll take I-10 West to Exit 226 (Clearview Parkway / Huey Long Br.). The road will fork twice as you exit - veer right towards Clearview Parkway North at the first fork, then veer left at the second fork. Take a right onto Clearview Parkway (you'll see Target on your right). Go right at the light onto Veterans, then take a right into the shopping center. Big Lots, Home Depot, K-Mart, Michael's, Office Max, Linens n' Things, and World Market are all in the same shopping area. Go North on S. Carrollton, and take a left onto Earhart Blvd. Go towards Harahan and exit S. Clearview Parkway (toward Huey Long Bridge). As you get off the exit, merge right immediately - you'll see Home Depot on your right. All of the other stores are within the same shopping center. For an alternate route, see directions to Wal-Mart. Lakeside Mall - Take I-10 West, and exit Causeway Blvd. Veer right, and turn right onto Causeway Blvd. North. You'll pass Veterans Blvd. (there's a light), and get into the far left lane (not immediately or you'll have to take a U-turn). Follow the sign to enter the mall parking lot. Pier I, Stein Mart, and Winn Dixie are all within the Riverside Shopping Center. From Tulane, go East on St. Charles Avenue. Take a right at Jefferson (next light after Nashville). Go down Jefferson, past Magazine (you'll pass my favorite CC's on your right). The road will dead-end on Tchoupitoulas, and you'll see entrances to the shopping center to your right and left. Canal Place Mall - Go East on St. Charles Avenue to Lee Circle (where it turns into a one-way). You'll go 270 degrees around Lee Circle and veer right, then take your first right onto Carondelet (at the light). You'll take Carondelet to Canal Street, where you will take a right. Go all the way down until you see Harrah's Casino ahead of you and Sak's on your left, and take a U-turn (about half a block after Decatur/Magazine). Go right on Decatur Street, then another right after the mall, then another right to get to the parking garage after the hotel entrance. Wal-Mart is near Big Lots, etc. in Harahan. Go North on S. Carrollton and take a left on S. Claiborne / US-90 W. US-90 will become Jefferson Hwy/LA 48-W. Make a U-turn at Elmwood Park Blvd., and you will see Wal-Mart on your right. Another simpler way to go is to take the River Road all the way to Plantation. At Plantation, take a right. You'll see Wal-Mart on your right. Westbank Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Pet Smart, Target, etc. For people living in the Garden District or further East, the Westbank stores may be a better option for you. Go East on St. Charles to the overpass (Calliope) and make a right, following the signs to the Mississippi Bridge. Go over the bridge, exiting at Manhattan Blvd. Make a left on Manhattan, and you'll see the shops on your left. |
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