Bourbon Street
4.5(2.5K)google
3.4(439)yelp
Downtown
Overview
Bourbon Street (French: Rue Bourbon, Spanish: Calle de Borbón) is a historic street in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Extending twelve blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, Bourbon Street hosts many bars and strip clubs. Visitor numbers dropped after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but gradually recovered over the following decade.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration3-6 hours
Best TimeYear-round suitable, but the absolute, unrivaled peak is late night into early morning (9:00 PM - 2:00 AM). This is the world-famous epicenter of New Orleans nightlife; after dusk, the entire street is barricaded against vehicular traffic, turning into a massive pedestrian party block filled with blazing neon signs and live rock, blues, and ragtime.
Getting ThereSpanning across the core of the French Quarter. Vehicular access is completely banned at night and parking is non-existent. Ride the Canal Street Streetcar (Red Line) to the Canal at Bourbon station; turning northeast immediately reveals the glowing street sign marking the western gateway of this legendary nightlife strip.
Travel Tips
- Bourbon Street is a premier hotspot for hyper-aggressive pickpocket rings; secure all tech in zipped inner linings and never brandish bulky wallets in public crowds.
- Dr極度 intoxicated crowds routinely hurl plastic beads and heavy glass cups from historic balconies; keep continuous upward spatial awareness to dodge projectiles.
- Post-midnight gutters flush with a toxic soup of stale liquor, vomit, and industrial chemical bleaches; open-toed footwear or luxury mesh sneakers will be ruined.
Reviews
Positive
- The absolute epicenter of NOLA's non-stop party universe! The street is lined with neon bars, strip clubs, and live music halls, bursting with highly energetic and wild party vitality 24/7.
- The standout feature is the legal open container law; walking down the center of the street with NOLA's famous 'Hand Grenade' cocktail in hand is an incredibly liberating stress-reliever.
- The balcony bead-throwing custom is contagious; standing on historic iron balconies tossing colorful plastic beads down to shouting crowds creates a magical carnival interaction found nowhere else.
- Superbly central and walkable to NOLA's premier Creole seafood institutions and legendary jazz joints, it serves as a must-visit, high-impact first stop for first-timers chasing legendary nightlife.
Heads up
- To be blunt, sanitation from midnight to dawn is an absolute nightmare; the tarmac is littered with plastic cups, reeking of stale beer, vomit, and a persistent, heavy odor of urine.
- Safety is highly unstable; after dark, the strip mixes with heavily intoxicated individuals, pickpockets, and aggressive panhandlers, requiring you to tightly clutch wallets and stay in groups.
- Commercial exploitation and tourism rip-offs are heavy; drink prices are highly marked up, and some venues enforce steep cover charges while staff exhibit hostile or aggressive attitudes.
- Noise pollution is intense with high-decibel blaring subwoofers; there are zero accessible rest spots or clean public restrooms, making it a chaotic tourist trap unfriendly to those seeking calm.