(Includes the sub/urban areas of French Quarter, CDB, Downtown, Warehouse/Arts District, Irish Channel, Algiers-see “Westbank” section in Jefferson Parish, Upper/Lower Garden District, Uptown, Carrollton, Riverbend, University, Broadmoor, Bayou St. John/Esplanade Ridge, City Park, Mid-City, Lakeshore, Lake Vista, Lakeview, Bucktown, West End, Gentilly, Faubourg-Marigny, Bywater, English Turn)

• French Quarter
• Faubourg-Marigny and Bywater
• Downtown and CBD
• Warehouse Arts District and Convention Center
• Garden District
• Uptown, University, Riverbend, and Carrollton
• Mid-City, Bayou St. John, City Park, and Esplanade Ridge
• Lakeview, Lakefront, Bucktown, and West End

French Quarter

Historically known as the “Vieux Carré,” this is the oldest and most famous neighborhood in New Orleans. The Quarter is the area bordered by Canal St., Rampart St., Esplanade Ave., and the Mississippi River. There is an assortment of boutique hotels, bed & breakfasts, guestrooms, etc amongst numerous restaurants from casual to world-class, fine dining. You can also expect a high concentration of galleries, boutiques, museums, and of course bars ranging from touristy to local gathering spots. This is a great place to stay, but you have to book your room early, and keep in mind that the highly coveted rooms with balconies fill up years in advance. Try to find something closer to the River and between Jackson Square and Canal St. If your hotel is within a block of Bourbon St. (between Canal and St. Ann), you can expect massive crowds and constant noise from the Friday before Fat Tuesday until early Wednesday morning. As of 1972, large parades with floats have been outlawed from the narrow French Quarter streets; however a few smaller scale parades continue the tradition.

Faubourg-Marigny and Bywater

These two historic residential neighborhoods are located on the down river side of the French Quarter to the Industrial Canal. Accommodations are limited to bed & breakfasts and guest houses, but the bar and restaurant scene is worth exploring. These two hip, artistic communities reflect an older New Orleans style of generations past before there was as much tourist development. The Marigny, with its popular Frenchman St. bars and restaurants is located on the downriver side of Esplanade Ave. The seamless transition between the Faubourg-Marigny and Bywater occurs at the railroad tracks that follow along Press St.

Downtown and CBD

These two areas are sometimes used interchangeably, but the core CBD is closer to the River. The important thing to know is its location on the upriver or uptown side of Canal St (edge of the French Quarter) to Howard Ave, and from the River to S. Claiborne Ave. Canal St. has traditionally been a dividing line for orientation in the city. Some street names transition from north to south when they intersect Canal, like Rampart St. (N. and S.) and Peters St. (N. and S.) Other streets change their name entirely as they cross Canal; Magazine St. becomes Decatur St. and St. Charles Ave. becomes Royal St. This district is most noted for its modern, urban cityscape of tall office buildings and full range of hotels with onsite parking. The Superdome, New Orleans Arena, City Hall, Harrah’s Casino and the Audubon Institute’s Aquarium of the Americas are all located in the CBD. As with most downtown areas, parking is often a challenge, thus more expensive, especially during Mardi Gras. There are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and retail stores for visitors and locals alike. The CDB is also the ending point for most of the New Orleans parade routes.

Warehouse Arts District and Convention Center

This urban neighborhood is considered part of the CBD, but it is unique enough to mention separately. Bordered by the River, St. Charles Ave., Poydras St., and Calliope St., it has experienced a transition from gritty warehouses used for loading and unloading of cargo ships to a historically significant, old-meets-new, cultural arts hotspot. This revitalized area is home to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Port of New Orleans Cruise Ship Terminals, so hotels, bars and restaurants are very pedestrian friendly. Visitors should explore the Julia St. and Fulton St. areas for eating, drinking and shopping. The Warehouse District is a bit more open and spread out than the Quarter and the CBD, so parking and noise are not as much of an issue.

Garden District

The (Lower) Garden District begins around Lee Circle and follows the St. Charles Ave. streetcar line upriver. Generally speaking, this area refers to land between St. Charles Ave. and the River. The Lower Garden District and Upper Garden District transition occurs at Jackson Ave. and continues upriver to Louisiana Ave. More guest accommodations can be found in the Lower Garden District, though restaurants and bars can be found throughout. Magazine St. has the highest concentration of shopping and places to eat and drink for this neighborhood. Since most of the major New Orleans parades traverse the Garden District via St. Charles Ave., this area is a great place to stay.

Uptown, University, Riverbend, and Carrollton

Upriver along St. Charles Ave. from the Garden District is called Uptown, which includes the Tulane and Loyola University area. Walking towards the River from either of these two colleges, you will find yourself in Audubon Park, continuing on towards the River across Magazine St. is the Audubon Zoo. There are very few guest accommodations Uptown, as it is mostly residential. The end of St Charles Ave. meets the end of Carrollton Ave. This area is called the Riverbend, and continuing away from the River to the Lake will bring you through the Carrollton neighborhood. In and around the uptown neighborhoods and University areas are a wonderful variety of places to eat in addition to college hangouts. The New Orleans parades begin on Napoleon Ave. at the River and will make their way towards Downtown along St. Charles Ave.

Mid-City, Bayou St. John, City Park, and Esplanade Ridge

There is only one parade (Endymion) that passes through these New Orleans neighborhoods, but it is the largest of them all. This part of town does it a little differently, especially along Orleans Ave. (between City Park Ave. and N. Carrollton Ave.), where local residents start to claim their portion of the “neutral ground” or median Friday night before the parade. Around noon a Saturday a concert is scheduled to keep the party going until the parade begins later in the evening. Lodging in this part of town comes in the form of bed & breakfasts or guesthouses. Check out restaurants and bars along Esplanade Ave, N. Carrollton Ave, and Canal St. Use City Park and Bayou St. John to orient yourself as you navigate this part of town.

Lakeview, Lakefront, Bucktown, and West End

This area along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain is still fighting to return to its pre-Katrina state. There never really were any places to stay overnight, but the restaurant and bar scene is not to be missed. In Lakeview, Harrison Ave. between Canal Blvd. and the Orleans Canal has some great pubs and cafes with a true neighborhood feel that will not disappoint. Visiting this part of town is the best way to help the local business owners make a comeback. Nearby and situated on the Lake are the adjacent nautical communities along the 17th Street Canal of West End (on the Downtown side, or Orleans Parish side) and Bucktown (on the Uptown side, or Jefferson Parish side) Both were inundated by direct storm surge and a few local institutions were lost forever. Dampened spirits aren’t enough to hinder the rebuilding effort, as plenty of fresh seafood and cold beer still make it to the table in these parts. Afterwards, take a ride along Lakeshore Dr. and head back though City Park via Marconi Dr. to take in the scenery.