Bywater

Understand

The Bywater is a neighborhood a bit east (down river) from the French Quarter with a healthy mix of blue collar folks who grew up here, and more recent bohemian arrivals. Artists and musicians relocated here when the French Quarter became too pricy. It is primarily residential but undeniably hip; there are lively pubs, restaurants and randomly placed edgy found-object art scattered throughout the neighborhood. Travelers and residents from other parts of the city are steadily discovering this neighborhood's old-time, laid-back charm.

Get in

By foot or bicycle

It is a very pleasant stroll down Royal, Dauphine, or Chartres Streets through the historic Faubourg Marigny; approximately 10 blocks from Esplanade Avenue (the downriver limit of the French Quarter) to the Bywater.

By car

From the French Quarter/CBD, the easiest route is down Rampart Street, which merges (via a small connector called McShane Place) to become St. Claude Avenue just before Elysian Fields. St. Claude forms the main thoroughfare passing through the Bywater and Lower Ninth Ward. Parking is a cinch.

By taxi

Taxis are pretty much a disaster in the Bywater. The cab drivers are under the very much mistaken impression that it is a dangerous neighborhood and won't pick up when hailed (and sometimes even when called). In any rate, calling is really the only option unless you are taking one right in front of Vaughan's Lounge on a Thursday night. Better yet, make friends with a driver, and get his personal number.

By bus

The Bywater is served primarily by two bus lines operated by the New Orleans RTA. That bus #5 would be a dream route for visitors, but unfortunately it never runs. You could wait for days. The St Claude route is every half hour, at least, and a much more reliable way to get to the Marigny (if you don't feel like walking), the French Quarter, and the CBD. Fares are $1.25 each way.

• 5, Marigny-Bywater: you can theoretically catch this bus on Canal Street at the corner of N. Peters (right in front of the Canal Place tower, across the street from the casino); it goes through the French Quarter on N. Peters/Decatur Streets before taking Elysian Fields back four blocks to Dauphine, and from there follows Dauphine Street through the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods all the way down to Poland Avenue next to the Industrial Canal. Coming back up the route is the same except the bus follows Royal Street instead of Dauphine.
• 88, St Claude-Delery: you can catch this bus on any corner of St Claude; it runs along St Claude and Rampart through Marigny, French Quarter, and the CBD to the west, the Lower 9th Ward and Arabi in the east.

Stay safe

Tourists use general caution. Know where you're going and don't go exploring unfamiliar areas at night, especially by yourself, as muggings are an occasional problem on some of the quieter blocks.

Go next

Bywater is surrounded by interesting neighborhoods. Ever popular Marigny just upriver (west) is probably too obvious to even be worth mentioning to someone who is already in the Bywater. In the other direction, it's just a hop skip and a jump to the famous Lower 9th Ward across the Industrial Canal. Just north of here, the 7th, 8th, and Upper 9th Wards sections are on the "back" (away from the River) side of St. Claude; worth a visit for the intriguing St Roch Cemetery, as well as to explore its emerging bohemian culture.