Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
21
FAUBOURG MARIGNY: MUSIC LOVER'S
DELIGHT
BOUNDARIES:
Elysian Fields Ave., Esplanade Ave., Dauphine St., N. Peters St.
DISTANCE:
1.54 miles
PARKING:
Metered parking, parking lots, some free street parking
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
Riverfront Streetcar
Ask local music lovers where they enjoy listening to jazz, blues, rock, and funk, and you're
sure to hear names like Tipitina's in Uptown, Howlin' Wolf in the Warehouse District, and
the Rock 'N' Bowl in Carrollton. You may also hear names like Snug Harbor, Blue Nile,
and Spotted Cat, three of a bounty of clubs that make up the fun and funky music scene on
Frenchmen Street in historic Faubourg Marigny.
The people you ask may or may not share those details, however: Locals tend to want to
keep the Marigny—as it's commonly called—to themselves, though even they recognize
that it's becoming a hot spot for tourists, particularly those looking for fun off the beaten
path.
Just downriver of the French Quarter, the Marigny (MARE-uh-nee) is one of the coolest,
most eclectic neighborhoods in all of New Orleans, and that's saying a lot, considering the
uniqueness of each one. On Frenchmen Street, the main drag, you'll find tattoo parlors, art
galleries, restaurants, a coffeehouse, a bike shop, a used-book store, and, the biggest draw
of all, music clubs. It's a popular “Hollywood South” locale as well, with the TV crime
drama
NCIS: New Orleans
and the 2014 flick
Chef
among recent productions shooting
here.
But Faubourg Marigny is far more than an entertainment district. It has an equally fascinat-
ing history, its development going back to 1805 when millionaire developer Bernard de
Marigny (who popularized the game of craps) subdivided his family's plantation to create
what is considered New Orleans's first suburb. Although the neighborhood began to deteri-
orate in the 1950s, renewed interest in its history, culture, and architecture led to its rebirth
in the early 1970s, when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today,
the Marigny is thriving, with beautifully restored Victorian shotguns and Creole cottages,
many painted in eye-popping colors, lining the streets.
•
Begin at Elysian Fields Avenue and Dauphine Street, in front of Washington
Square, a 2.5-acre park that serves as a popular hangout for residents and
