Originally Posted by
FLYMSY
Believe me, I am familiar with ALL parts of the city and surrounding parishes and the destruction that occurred in each. BTW, I can show you other areas that were equally, or more, devastated than the Lower 9.
Examine his/her itinerary carefully and you'll understand why I suggested "The East" with the easy off/on. They want to drive from Baton Rouge after a peek inside Tiger Stadium, "visit" New Orleans, do a quick "Devastation tour", stop in Biloxi at a casino for a few hours, and continue on to Pensacola in less than 24 hours.
Actually, with that kind of itinerary, my suggestion would be to skip the "Devastation Tour" because, pardon me, I think it is a little disrespectful of what happened to our citizens and our great city to only spend such a brief amount of time viewing the destruction and thinking that you now understand "it". Those of us who have lived here all of our lives are still trying to understand "it". Sorry for the rant....
Anyway, I hope the original poster and father have a great road trip and get to see & do everything that they want.
I agree with you slightly. That's why I recommended the Ninth Ward. It was greatly "devastated" but I think it offers a lot more than simply that. I actually liked visiting it as I enjoyed the houses and overall neighborhood. It may not be a typical favorite but I like visiting as I found random houses that have been refurbished and are in great condition, and very unique.
One could visit all the areas that have been devastated but as you point out, it would be really naïve and pointless. I wasn't here for the storm but I can understand why "devastation tours" aren't the best idea. But on the contrary, I think a "devastation tour" could be accomplished without the participant thinking that they "get it" after one day in NOLA.
To the OP, I think it's best to focus your visit around other attractions (Magazine St was a good suggestion) and you'll likely see little results of the storm around, perhaps while driving through. If it's on the way, I think it's worth it to drive throw the Ninth Ward but it's not worth it to go to other areas just to see devastation.