The French Quarter might be the most popular destination in New Orleans, but it’s far from a comprehensive representation of the city. To truly understand this wildly unique city, travelers must venture beyond its highly trafficked tourist core to explore the lesser known yet wonderfully diverse neighborhoods that help make the Crescent City one of America’s preeminent centers of art and culture.
Go beyond the standard museums and tourist attractions of New Orleans for a side of the Big Easy unseen to most visitors. Consequently, you’ll find an array of offbeat attractions showcasing the depth of the city.
Uncover Unconventional Art
Dr. Bob has only one rule: “Be nice or leave.” This slogan, emblazoned on a playful red dinosaur sculpture greeting you at the entrance of this funky junkyard gallery and studio in the hip Bywater neighborhood, also adorns many unclassifiable pieces of art for sale at Dr. Bob’s Folk Art. Showcasing works by self-taught New Orleans folk artist Bob Shaffer, the studio features paintings and found objects depicting classic local scenes that make for a fun keepsake — far more authentic than anything from a tacky French Quarter souvenir shop.
Helping make the Bywater one of the leading centers of art and culture in New Orleans, the nearby Studio Be showcases works by local artist Brandan “Bmike” Odums in a once-forgotten 35,000-sq-ft neighborhood warehouse. Adorned with a giant exterior mural and featuring large-scale spray-painted works inside centering around themes of racial injustice, these portraits depict everyone from famous figures like Muhammad Ali to everyday New Orleans citizens in a vibrant, Instagram-friendly space at the cutting edge of New Orleans street art.
Experience Live Art
The Bywater is also known for live art in unique destinations like Music Box Village, a visually stunning “interactive sonic sculpture garden” where guests can engage with various sound installations. With instruments embedded into the walls, floors, and ceilings, visitors are encouraged to manipulate different sounds like horns and chimes. This lively venue also hosts live musical performances, complete with a small bar on-site.
If your art exploration makes you hungry, you’ll find a hidden taco stand located down an art-lined alley. Open from 5-9 pm on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Rosalita’s Backyard Tacos is a must-visit. Follow the funky skeleton art painted on the wood fence in the alley off North Rampart Street between Piety Street and Desire Street. Additionally, before leaving the neighborhood, stop by the Bywater Art Garden to snap a photo of the vibrant “One Time in New Orleans” mural.
Meet the Mardi Gras Indian
Located in a ramshackle trailer shed in the backyard of a residential home in the Lower Ninth Ward, the House of Dance & Feathers is a must-visit thanks to the dedication of lifelong resident Ronald Lewis. The museum’s director and curator is an absolute gem, bringing life to Mardi Gras costumes, books, images, and photos that tell a living history of this unique aspect of local life. This intimate museum is open by appointment only, so call ahead to experience Ronald’s inspiring tour when he’s available.
In the Treme neighborhood, America’s oldest African-American residential area, the Backstreet Cultural Museum is a small house-sized museum dedicated to local African-American culture and history. Featuring costumes, artifacts, photos, and films (including over 500 films documenting New Orleans marching and processional culture), this museum boasts the world’s most comprehensive collection relating to New Orleans’ African-American community-based masking and processional traditions.
Enjoy Art-filled Events and Markets
Art continues to thrive in New Orleans, especially in the Marigny neighborhood along the increasingly trendy St. Claude Avenue. Here, you can find the graffiti-emblazoned Art Garage, housed in a renovated auto body shop. Enter by finding the mural of local hip-hop musician Big Freedia (the “Queen of Bounce”) on the garage’s exterior, where rotating art exhibits and hipster-friendly events unfold in a chic party setting.
An equally exciting art space, the Palace Market Frenchmen, is a nightly open-air art market featuring works from around 80 local artists. Explore handmade creations at the largest daily art market in the city under romantic twinkling lights in its alleyway location as you hop between the music venues along the live music-packed Frenchman Street until midnight weekly (1 am Thursday-Saturday).
Raise a Glass to New Orleans Culture
As drinking is integral to the culture in a city known for its cocktails, visiting the newly opened Sazerac House should be high on the itinerary for any cocktail enthusiast. This beautiful three-story museum located in a historic building in downtown New Orleans tells the story of the famous local cocktail, the Sazerac, invented around the 1850s. Here, you can learn about the drink’s distilling methods, interact with “virtual bartenders,” and enjoy a complimentary tasting.
However, for a true taste of local cocktail culture, mingle with locals at legendary dive bars. Snake & Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge, located in an unassuming shack in the Uptown neighborhood, is a fantastic spot where you can enjoy a late-night drink in a lively atmosphere into the early morning hours. Many notable figures have drank here, and you might consider it a rite of passage to experience it for yourself. Be sure to catch a concert at the nearby Maple Leaf beforehand for a dose of authentic New Orleans music culture, particularly on Tuesday nights when the Rebirth Brass Band performs.
In the Bywater, Vaughan’s Lounge showcases some of the best live music in the city on high-energy Thursday nights. Alternatively, R Bar is another local favorite in the Marigny owned by a renowned rock musician. And if your travels take you to the French Quarter, enjoy some late-night drinks at the Chart Room until the early morning hours.
When hunger strikes, skip the tourist-trap beignets and eat like a local at convenience stores across the city. For instance, visit Frady’s One Stop Food Store in the Bywater to grab local bites such as a muffuletta sandwich or an oyster, shrimp, or catfish po’ boy. Consider this a step into the everyday life of New Orleanians.
Jay Gentile traveled to New Orleans with assistance from New Orleans & Company. iBestTravel contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.
