French Quarter, CBD & Garden District
This is where most visitors start, and it's the tightest, most walkable cluster in the city. The French Quarter, CBD, Central City, Lower Garden District, Garden District, and the Irish Channel all sit right next to each other along the river bend.
The French Quarter is New Orleans at full volume. Bourbon Street, the Riverwalk, hotels from big chains to boutique. For a different view of the city, catch the ferry at the Riverwalk over to Algiers Point and look back at the skyline from the water.
The CBD carries a different type of energy. Saints games at the Superdome, Pelicans games at the Smoothie King Center, and if you're here for Mardi Gras, some of the longest parade routes in the city run right through here. If you're here for French Quarter Festival, it's the largest free music festival in the country. Four days, hundreds of musicians, packed into the Quarter every April. Bring reliable battery life because parades and festivals both mean long days on your feet, or on wheels. If you're renting with us, you can add an extra battery for your scooter, or a portable charger to keep your phone or tablet topped off.
Magazine Street is the spine that ties this whole cluster together. It runs from Audubon Park all the way up, through the Garden District, past the mansions and walking tours, down to the WWII Museum and into the CBD. Keep going, and you'll cross Canal Street right into the French Quarter.
Our walkability rating: fully walkable, but watch for uneven sidewalks and cobblestones in the Quarter itself. Frenchmen, Marigny & Bywater
Just past the Quarter, this is where the city gets more local. Frenchmen Street is small but it never stops. Live music venue after live music venue, packed most nights of the week. Nights here run long.
The Marigny and Bywater have a different pace entirely, real neighborhood streets and local art. Don't miss Studio Be, BMike's massive mural warehouse in the Bywater. It's one of the most powerful art spaces in the city and for it's culture. For food, Morrow's in the Marigny blends Louisiana and Korean flavors together and is one of our favorite local spots. Keep heading east past Bywater and you're on your way to the Lower Ninth Ward. If you're visiting the levees or the neighborhood's history, this is the road that gets you there.
Our walkability rating: very walkable, flat streets close to the Quarter, though sidewalks get rougher the further you head toward the Lower Ninth Ward. Treme, Mid-City, Bayou St. John & City Park
Head out Esplanade Avenue from the Quarter and you'll pass through Treme, one of the most historically significant Black neighborhoods in the country. With authentic second lines and brass bands, it holds real New Orleans culture. Esplanade itself is lined with historic homes and mansions the whole way through.
That road leads you to Mid-City and Bayou St. John, which is the home of the Fairgrounds. That means Jazz Fest. If you're coming for the festival, know that the grounds are big, the terrain is uneven, and the days run extremely long, 10am to 7pm.
Just past that is City Park. Covering 1,300 acres, this is one of the largest urban parks in the country and about 50% bigger than New York Central Park. Between the New Orleans Museum of Art, the sculpture garden, botanical garden, Storyland, train ride through the park, Carousel Gardens, and beignets at Cafe Du Monde, you could spend a full day here and not see all of it.
Our walkability rating: mixed, Treme and Esplanade are very walkable, but City Park is massive, comfortable shoes or wheels recommended if you want to see it all." Uptown & Carrollton
Two historic streetcar lines, St. Charles Avenue and Carrollton Avenue, both run out to Audubon Park. Take either one and you'll get there. Keep an eye out for the streetcar colors, the historic green cars on St. Charles are beautiful but weren't built for wheelchair access. A few adapted green cars run about once an hour with wheelchair boarding at select stops. The red streetcars on other lines are fully accessible with lifts. Check the RTA's accessibility page for exact times and accessible stops, or call their Rideline at 504-248-3900 with questions.
Audubon Park has river views, a walking loop locals use every day, and the Audubon Zoo. There are also seasonal events like Boo at the Zoo in October and Cool Zoo in the summer. There's also Children's Hospital right nearby, and a handful of good cafes along the way.
Locals also know Audubon Park has a hidden second half. The Fly, which is tucked behind Audubon zoo along the river. It's got open green space, picnic spots, and some of the best sunset views over the Mississippi in the city, but you won't find it in most tourist guides.
Our walkability rating: very walkable, wide sidewalks and streetcar access make this one of the easiest areas to get around Algiers Point
Most visitors never make it here, and that's exactly why it's worth the trip. Catch the ferry from the Riverwalk and you land in one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. It's quiet, historic, and full of small cafes and cozy bars. It genuinely has some of the best views of the Mississippi River and the downtown skyline you'll find anywhere. The sidewalks are rougher here than most of downtown, so keep that in mind if mobility is a factor for you or someone you're traveling with.
Our walkability rating: walkable but uneven, historic brick and cobblestone sidewalks, take it slow. Lakeview
Lakeview isn't a tourist stop, and we won't pretend that it is, but it's a real neighborhood right along the lakefront, and worth knowing about. Head out to the Lake Pontchartrain Lakefront and you'll find a run of good seafood spots. Felix's Restaurant & Oyster Bar and Landry's Seafood House sit right on the Lakefront. Head over to Russell's Marina Grill for a great breakfast by the marina. The UNO Lakefront Arena is also right nearby too, hosting concerts and events throughout the year. It's quiet, residential, and about as local as New Orleans gets.
Our walkability rating: walkable in pockets, but the lakefront spots are spread out along Lakeshore Drive, so plan on a ride between stops.