Wow. We went to NOLA and Nashville, and Chicago the summer before, I found them distinctly different from each other, and from Southern Ontario, the place I'm most familiar with. I find the states feels more dangerous than I found Toronto to be, that said, if you know the wrong folks in Toronto, you can find a lot of trouble. My main concern was the prevalence of weapons in the States mostly, but the same problem can come up if you are in the wrong place in any big city it seems. I'd describe it like this... New Orleans is poor and black, so if you are uncomfortable with black folks stay away from NOLA. I'm not afraid of black people, I'm afraid of poverty, and it seemed that the reality was that people in New Orleans don't have much, and will take your money if they are given an opportunity, but they aren't generally looking for trouble, black or white. Nashville on the other hand felt like a place where rich kids come to play, and while no one was looking at your wallet, they might decide to deck you just to prove how tough they are. Nashville welcomes tourists... on Broadway... stay out of the rest of the city unless you have a guide. New Orleans has poor areas, but there don't seem to be any "no go zones" like I would say exist in the south side of Chicago. If you don't flaunt any wealth, you should be fine. I kept my cash and id in my front pocket, and didn't really carry anything else, so I didn't attract much attention. Walk around with a camera and a back pack in your shorts and golf shirt at midnight in NOLA and you will find trouble... just like in any other place where stupid tourists get jacked. Don't be a tourist, be a traveler.