10 Most Popular Streets in New Orleans

Bourbon Street is the most well-known street in New Orleans. The heart of the French Quarter, Bourbon Street is where the party never ends. Head there at any time of day to find crowds of revellers, live music and other street performers. It's a strip that's buzzing with neon signs, free-flowing drinks, and more. No trip to New Orleans is complete without a stop on Bourbon Street, no matter what your vice.

Follow the street further to find jazz at Preservation Hall, trinkets at Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo, and classic beignets at Cafe Beignet Bourbon Street.

Jackson Square boasts one of the most recognisable views in all of New Orleans. St. Louis Cathedral has soared over the historic park since the 1700s and a raised platform at one end of the green space provides you with the best spot from which to take an all-encompassing photo of the landscape.

Wander the restaurants, cafes, bars and shops around the square to find a wide selection of well-known New Orleans institutions. Cafe Du Monde is a top spot, known for its beignets and chicory coffee.

Congo Square has a morbid past as it was a popular gathering place for New Orlean’s slave population in the late 1700s and early 1800s. At that time, Congo Square would be filled with music, dancing and slaves buying and selling goods in an attempt to raise enough money to purchase their own freedom.

Situated within Louis Armstrong Park, along the northern border of the French Quarter, Congo Square is still a popular spot for live music to this day. Fortunately, the buying and selling of human lives have been replaced by political and social protests and regular musical and historical events.

St. Charles Avenue is home to the longest-running streetcar route in the world. Take the St. Charles streetcar down this lengthy, residential thoroughfare or see it all on foot, at a more leisurely pace. St. Charles Avenue stretches from Carrollton, through Central City and all the way to the Pontchartrain Expressway.

Along the way, you’ll see ancient oak trees, historic mansions dating back to the 1800s and a side of New Orleans that’s typically only privy to the residents. Extend your explorations with a stop off in Audubon Park.

Magazine Street is a top spot for shopping in New Orleans. Following along the Mississippi River, the 6-mile stretch features multiple art galleries, clothing boutiques, gift stores and more. Check out favourites such as Alice and Amelia for locally sourced souvenirs, or Derby Pottery & Tile, the same folks who make the street tile letters that you’ll spot throughout the city.

For a sweet treat to fuel your explorations, stop in Haydel’s Bake Shop for some of New Orleans’ best-baked goods.

Royal Street was one of New Orleans’ very first streets and it can trace its history back to the 1700s. Running right behind Jackson Square and through the French Quarter, it now welcomes bevvies of travellers to its many hotels, but you can also find a plethora of boutique shops along the street.

Antiques and art are the names of the shopping game here, so be sure to stop into favourites like Windsor Fine Art for authentic pieces from world-renowned artists. There’s also Royal Antiques, which specialises in period pieces from Europe and Asia.

Frenchmen Street is known for its live music scene. Stretching from the New Orleans Jazz Museum, all the way through New Orleans’ Seventh Ward neighbourhood, Frenchmen Street offers just about every kind of music you could want to hear, from classic New Orleans jazz to rock.

You can catch street performances pretty easily, but for more ‘official’ concerts, stop into venues like The Maison and Blue Nile. The street also offers several hotels, features Washington Square Park, and has a handful of bars and restaurants.

Head to Esplanade Avenue if it’s architecture and historic homes that you like most on your New Orleans visit. Starting at City Park, the avenue features lovely 19th-century stately mansions as it crosses over Bayou St. John. It also passes by popular spots such as St. Louis Cemetery No. 3 and the Free People of Color Museum.

Some of the favourited homes on the avenue include Pilot House, the Benachi House & Gardens and Degas House. Of course, whether you start or end your jaunt along this avenue at City Park, be sure to wander just inside its gates for a look at the topiaries and The Singing Oak.

Canal Street separates the Central Business District from the French Quarter. New Orleans’ main thoroughfare, Canal Street has been compared to Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, as well as the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Right in the middle of all the action, Canal Street makes a fitting choice for your basecamp while exploring the Big Easy and you’ll have no shortage of hotels along the street to choose from. Canal Street is also home to the Canal Place Shopping Mall and Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium.

Oak Street in Uptown is a popular choice for New Orleans’ resident artists, whether they be writers, musicians or any other. As such, Oak Street stretches through a vibrant, hip community. Along its borders, you’ll find boutiques, cafes, art galleries, restaurants, music venues and more – all with a local feel.

Stop by Maple Leaf Bar, a famed music club, or the next-door Cajun-Creole eatery, Jacques-Imo’s. Oak Street even hosts its own festival each year – the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival.