I visited New Orleans for NY eve/day for 2020 (little did I know it was to be my last pre pandemic travel!) and I loved it. Great music, food, drinks you can carry around. Frenchman’s street—fun! No smells, being in winter helped I’m sure. My musician high schooler played ragtime on a bar piano and got tips! He wants to move there.
..........I agree and love the historical component of being in the hundreds of years old French Quarter. I would point out that the French Quarter has ALWAYS been a mecca for people, shall we say, on the lower end of the quality spectrum.
I think you just have to be real careful and real AWARE and off the streets no later than 1:00 a.m.