Hello there Fallen Chemist no talk in over almost 2 years…
My son paid the deposit for Tulane this evening. I guess it is time for me to seek your counsel.
My son applied to Tulane with out a visit. He came there by himself after getting the admission. He was blown away by the warmth of the students, the campus and the vibe. He instantly fell in love and is now travelling south to swim in the wave turning down several good schools up north and in DC.
But he says it is time for the parents to join him for his Orientation visit. The questions are:
where to stay with out breaking the bank. [It gets expensive flying across the country, hotel etc].
do we need to rent a car to drive from the airport or are there other modes of transportation?
any other suggestions during this 2 day visit.
Will be seeking your guidance for the freshman drop off day
Thanks in advance.
[I am used to Roll Tide Roll, it sounds so strange to say Roll Wave Roll… ].
Welcome! my daughter is a current freshman from CA…we have traveled down a couple of times and stayed at the Drury hotel and either rented an inexpensive car or took public transportation/cab or Uber. Tulane has links to hotels with discounts on their website under “About Tulane” in the visiting Tulane tab. There are quite a few reasonable hotels on there depending where you like to stay. We like to stay just outside of the Quarter, but walking distance to alot of areas but there are also quite a few places near the campus. There is also a Tulane parents Facebook page you may want to join.
You can get by fine without a car. Parking a car at hotels adds up quickly so a car may not be worth it. Cab from the airport to a hotel is usually cheaper than a shuttle for 2 or more people.
I’ve stayed at the Drury a few times. Good hotel and very convenient to the streetcar.
Hi. Sorry for the delay, my laptop died Saturday. Got my new one yesterday. Trying to keep up on an iPad is no fun.
Totally agree that no car needed, especially if you can stay at one of the hotels right on St. Charles, like the Drury. Also the Hampton Inn is right next to the Drury (or maybe that was a Best Western, which is another choice), and I have gotten some good rates from the Hampton. It just depends on what is in town then and how full they are looking. But you just hop on the streetcar towards Tulane for that visit, and the other way to get down to the French Quarter, etc. if you want to go there. Also it is an easy walk from those hotels to Magazine Street, a popular place for shopping, eating and fun from time to time, and also you walk by very nice homes. With at least two of you going, cab is best from the airport.
20+ year visitor to New Orleans, son is currently a sophomore/junior (graduating a year early). We always stay in the French Quarter but for your purposes it may not be as convenient. I would look for hotels on St. Charles or near St. Charles so you can have quick and easy access to the streetcar. Staybridge Suites on Poydras usually has reasonable rates.
You don’t need a car for Orientation. Just give yourself plenty of time if you use the streetcar to get from your hotel to Tulane (It’s around a 45 minute leisurely ride depending on your starting point). If you are short on time use a cab or uber. It’s $15 from the French Quarter to Tulane. Cab it from the airport to Tulane if you are arriving the day of Orientation. Tulane will have an area for you to check your luggage if you don’t have time to get to your hotel before orientation and Tulane provides shuttles to get you to your hotel after the 1st day activities.
Orientation will keep you pretty busy during the visit. There are some great informational panels for the parents. You won’t see your son much though. Plan your return trip late on the second day as students will register for classes the afternoon of the second day or stay another night and enjoy the city! You can view the Orientation schedule for students and parents on the .pdfs here https://tulane.edu/studentaffairs/orientation/programs/new-student-orientation/nso-schedules.cfm
You certainly don’t need a car to get around New Orleans. The least expensive way around is to take the streetcar, it’s $3 for a full day pass to ride as much as you want. Up to Tulane and down to the French Quarter on the St Charles streetcar. That being said getting to the hotel is about $40 in a taxi from the airport. I have had some very cheap rates for renting cars (through Costco) and if you stay at a hotel that doesn’t charge for parking it can actually be cheaper to rent the car than pay for the taxi to/from the airport. Enjoy orientation and welcome to Tulane!
Except that driving in New Orleans is a nightmare, especially with all the road closures due to construction. If you aren’t familiar with the streets driving an be very very difficult. Heck it can be difficult when you are familiar! And parking is not easy to find on or near campus (permit only) or in the French Quarter.
I have stayed in Maison Perrier several times while visiting New Orleans. Parking is free and easy there. It is a long walk or a short street car ride to Tulane from there. The hosts are so nice, and will provide you with any info you need about the area. Besides your room, there is a communal living room, dining room and honor bar where you can hang out. My guess is that they are already full for orientation - they say they get a lot of Tulane and Loyola families as guests - but keep in mind for future visits. It is in a very quiet and safe neighborhood, a couple of blocks from stores and restaurants on both Magazine St. and St. Charles.
I don’t think it is divided by year. Just a parent’s page. I am signed up but frankly I only visit about once a year, but it seems great for information about hotels and stuff. For school related stuff I think CC is still better.
