If Bourbon Street is a sprint, the Bywater is a long, sauntering stroll.
New Orleans‘ Bywater neighborhood, a riverside mix of arts, industry, and residential life, doesn’t have the same per-square-mileage, in-your-face appeal of busy districts like Bourbon or Frenchmen Streets, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. A visit to the Bywater is full of rewards for the discerning traveler: a perfect breakfast pastry or sno-ball, an outdoor mural or charming wine bar around an unsuspecting corner, a bustling music venue or gallery opening, and some of the best meals to be had in the city. Here’s what makes the Bywater great. Be warned: you might never want to leave.
Check out the Bywater District, and the rest of our favorite places to travel in 2019, on Fodor’s 2019 Go List.
INSIDER TIPBywater is considered part of New Orleans Upper Ninth Ward, separated from the Lower Ninth Ward by the Industrial Canal. If time allows, it’s worth venturing into the Lower Ninth Ward (you will need a car) to visit the Lower Ninth Ward Living Museum. This small, community-run museum details the history, hardships, and resilience of the neighborhood throughout the decades, with a primary focus on Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.