Meh. Some interesting and useful information in between what to consume and where to consume it. ( )

Meh. Some interesting and useful information in between what to consume and where to consume it. ( )

The Big Easy made easy

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities on the planet. That said, I’m embarrassed to admit that as many times as I’ve visited, I’ve not been back since Katrina. A lot has changed. Clearly, I’m long overdue for a return visit, and it’s time to start planning. Hence, the guide book. Every guide I own to the city is a decade out of date.

You’d think that with my familiarity with the city that I could eschew the tourist guide. Probably I could. But part of the enjoyment for me is reading the listings and reminiscing about all the hotels I’ve stayed at, and the many I’ve considered staying at over the years. Even more delightful is remembering the dozens of amazing meals I’ve eaten in this greatest of all culinary towns. In fact, I can’t seem to stop reading the restaurant listings. It’s all I can do to resist hopping on a plane now.

The guide covers all of the information you could possibly want for planning a trip to New Orleans and environs. In addition to hotels and restaurants, shopping, attractions, nightlife, and side excursions are covered. The book gives a good sense of the city’s different neighborhoods. It’s engagingly written, well-organized, and easy to decipher. Additionally, it’s full of color photos which add much—thought most are pretty small, so are more illustrative than decorative.

My biggest disappointment with this particular guide is that the various hotels, restaurants, clubs, etc. aren’t rated beyond a few being singled out as “Fodor’s Choice.” When possible, I love to see star ratings or something similar. But there’s more info contained in each listing than with many guides, so it should be of great assistance to any traveler. ( )