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Major city · United States

Metairie

Skip as a sightseeing base: stay only if you want free parking and a 15–25 min drive to New Orleans, or use it for one airport night.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Feb–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jun–Sep (heat, humidity, storms); Mardi Gras week if you want quiet
Airport
MSY
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Metairie is the largest suburb of New Orleans, in Jefferson Parish, and it is a car suburb: wide commercial strips, malls and chain hotels rather than a walkable old town. Almost nobody comes here for Metairie itself. You come for cheaper rooms with parking, an easy I-10 run into New Orleans, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, the long bridge over the lake. Treat it as a base or a stopover, not a destination.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Metairie, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Street or quick mealPo-boy sandwich$10–16
  • BeerDraught beer$6–9
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–35
  • Budget bedBudget motel or chain hotel room, a night, per roomUS$70
  • Mid-range bedBudget motel or chain hotel room, a night, per roomUS$110
  • High-end bedBudget motel or chain hotel room, a night, per roomUS$180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$140 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Lake Pontchartrain CausewayVeterans Memorial Boulevard shoppingLakeside MallPo-boys and Creole seafood
Airports
MSY Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (Kenner) (Borders Metairie to the west; about 15–20 min by car to most Metairie hotels, longer in rush hour)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Metairie: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

17°C

7°C

9 rd

Feb

19°C

9°C

8 rd

Mar

23°C

12°C

8 rd

Apr

26°C

16°C

7 rd

May

30°C

20°C

8 rd

Jun

32°C

23°C

12 rd

Jul

33°C

24°C

14 rd

Aug

33°C

24°C

13 rd

Sep

31°C

22°C

10 rd

Oct

27°C

17°C

7 rd

Nov

22°C

12°C

8 rd

Dec

18°C

8°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

By car. Metairie is spread along Veterans Memorial Blvd (east–west), Metairie Road and Causeway Blvd (north–south). Bus service exists but is sparse and slow; plan on a rental car, your own car or rideshares. Parking is free or cheap at hotels and malls, which is the main practical reason to sleep here instead of New Orleans.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
New Orleansgo

Door to door: 15–30 min

I-10 east by car or rideshare

The reason most people sleep in Metairie. French Quarter, Garden District, music and food.

Kenner

go

Door to door: 10–15 min

I-10 west by car

Airport suburb; useful for an early flight.

Jean Lafitte

go

Door to door: 35–50 min

Drive south via Barataria Blvd

Wetlands, boat tours and swamp country.

Grand Isle

overnight

Door to door: About 2 h

Drive south on LA-1

Beach and fishing at the end of the road; too far for a comfortable return day.

Avondale

caution

Door to door: 25–35 min

Drive west on US-90

Mostly industrial; go only for a specific site.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Veterans Memorial Blvd corridor

The main hotel and shopping strip; Lakeside Mall and Clearview Center are here. You need a car or rideshare for everything.

Causeway Blvd / I-10

Closest to the Causeway bridge and the interstate; fastest run into New Orleans and to the airport.

Metairie Road (old Metairie)

Older, leafier strip with small local businesses and restaurants; few hotels, so this is a place to eat, not sleep.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel room1 × 2 nights × US$160US$320
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$140US$560
Rental car, one day1 × US$70 · checkUS$70
Rideshare, Metairie to French Quarter, one way1 × US$30 · checkUS$30
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$102
Trip total≈ US$281 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,122

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Po-boy sandwich$10–16
Plate of Creole seafood$22–38
Draught beer$6–9
Rideshare, Metairie to New OrleansHigher at night and during events.$20–45
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–35

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Suburban and generally calm, with the usual US big-metro cautions: lock the car, keep valuables out of sight, and stay aware after dark around bar strips. The bigger risks are heat, storms and driving on I-10.
  • Summer heat and humidity from June to September; afternoon thunderstorms are common.
  • Hurricane season runs June–November; check forecasts and have a plan if a storm nears.
  • Sidewalks are patchy outside the malls and Metairie Road; crossing wide boulevards on foot is unpleasant.
  • Rush hour on I-10 between Metairie and New Orleans can double a short drive.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (non-emergency)
504-227-1400

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

MetairieMetairie

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Sheriff's Office (non-emergency)504-227-1400

Embassy

No embassies in Metairie; consulates are in New Orleans (check the address).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • MSY airport to Metairie hotel, taxi: about $35–45, 15–20 min (check)
  • Rideshare, Metairie to French Quarter: $20–45, 15–30 min (check)
  • Lake Pontchartrain Causeway toll: a few dollars each way (check)

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Where is the restroom? — Where is the restroom?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • To this address, please — To this address, please

Area code 504, same as New Orleans.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Metairie. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Feb–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jun–Sep (heat, humidity, storms); Mardi Gras week if you want quiet · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MSY: taxi and rideshare bands, last-run times, hotel shuttle list.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Lakeside/Clearview, Metairie Road, Causeway and I-10, the lakefront.
  3. Place pages with verified hours for the Causeway, Lakeside Mall and Clearview Center.
  4. Storm and Mardi Gras fixtures so arrival days can go green or be rerouted.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources