How to Find Lodging at The New Orleans Jazz Fest

The New Orleans Jazz Fest is one of the most popular festivals of the year—for fans of more than jazz. You’ll find rock, gospel, soul, and a lot more. The Jazz Fest is not just a music festival, it's a lifestyle--the whole town is abuzz during the festival. In 2007 you'll get to see Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Harry Connick Jr., ZZ Top, Norah Jones, Van Morrison, Ludacris, Bonnie Raitt, old NOLA favorite Dr. John, and more. Because it appeals to so many music fans, it can be hard to find a place to stay.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet access
• A credit card

1. First, don’t wait. Reserve a hotel or motel room as soon as you make the decision to go to the Jazz Fest. Hotels and motels fill up fast. Reserve a room at least 6 months in advance.
2. If possible, stay with friends in the area. It’s really a less sterile way to enjoy the city--if it's possible to think of New Orleans as sterile.
3. Check the New Orleans Jazz Fest website (http://www.nojazzfest.com) for hotels affiliated with the festival. There may be discounts. Keep in mind these hotels fill up the fastest, so you could be out of luck if you’re reserving late.
4. If popular hotels are filled up, rent a motel or hotel room relatively close to the festival—at the New Orleans Fairgrounds. Of course, the further away you get, the cheaper the room’s going to be, and the longer it's going to take to make the trek to the Fairgrounds.
5. Be prepared to make a full payment ahead of time: you’ll have to do more than just reserve a room. At the very least, you’ll have to make a deposit so make sure it’s where you want to be staying. If you back out at the last minute, that could be lost money.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a hotel that has shuttle service to and from the festival. Much cheaper than hiring a cab and less of a hassle than finding a parking space.
• Make sure the room is available for the weekend you plan on attending the festival: either April 27-29 or May 4-6 or both.
• It’s possible to get package deals with both airfare and hotel accommodations for the Jazz Fest. Check with a travel agent.
• Check out http://www.nola.com/visitor for more information on New Orleans. You're probably going to be doing a lot more than visiting the festival when you come to NOLA. There are a lot of other performances in the city during the Jazz Fest.
• Due to Katrina, it can be even harder to find lodging because of damage to hotels/motels or rooms filled up with emergency workers and refugees from the hurricane.
• New Orleans has had a recent problem with crime. Get a room in a safe, well-populated area.