World Travel Guide

City Guide  - New Orleans  - Nightlife
Nightlife

New Orleans has it all. The most well-known district is the French Quarter, centring on Bourbon Street. This is more a magnet for tourists than for locals and there is everything from strip shows (and more, towards the western end) to bars featuring blues, jazz and Cajun music. Fauborg Marigny (across Esplanade Avenue at the eastern end of the French Quarter) is also a nightlife hotspot.

Jazz is generally considered to be a New Orleans' creation and the city is constantly buzzing with music. There are dozens of live venues, as well as numerous jazz trumpeters and other buskers on the streets. Bars and clubs throughout the city are permitted to remain open 24 hours and it is one of the few places in America where alcohol can be consumed on the street provided it is in a plastic container. The legal minimum drinking and gambling age is 21 years. As in most large US cities, the distinction between bars, clubs and live music venues is often blurred.

Bars: Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, 941 Bourbon Street, is one of the city's most atmospheric bars, lit only by candles. It dates from the eighteenth century and is said to be the oldest building in use as a bar in America. The Old Absinthe House, 240 Bourbon Street, may no longer serve absinthe but, opened in 1806, it is another historical gem. The Bombay Club in the Prince Conti Hotel, 830 Conti Street, is for those who prefer a more upmarket venue, with cocktails served in the wood-panelled interior. Pat O'Briens, 718 St Peter Street, is a New Orleans institution and the place to try the famous Hurricane cocktail (rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine).

Casinos: Harrah's New Orleans (tel: (800) HARRAHS or 427 7247; website: www.harrahs.com), a massive shopping, dining and gambling complex on the corner of Poydras and South Peters Streets, offers more than 2900 slot machines and 120 table games. Treasure Chest Casino, 5050 Williams Boulevard, in Kenner, near the airport (tel: (504) 443 8000 or (800) 298 0711), has about 1000 slot machines and 50 table games.

Clubs: Funky Butt on Congo Square, 225 Rampart Street, is a smart club that often features jazz, and its Art Deco style and split-level interior make it a popular hangout. Club Second Line, 216 Bourbon Street, features both traditional and modern jazz. Gold Mine Saloon, 205 Dauphine Street, is a dance club for the younger crowd, while Donna's Bar and Grill, 800 North Rampart Street, is on the edge of the French Quarter and is where locals go to eat, drink and to listen to brass band music.

Live music: Ernie K-Doe's Mother in Law Lounge, 1500 North Claiborne Avenue, is a must-see for fans of the singer whose 'Mother in Law' was a number one hit in 1961. He plays here most nights. Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Avenue, with a French Quarter spin-off at 233 North Peters Street, is another city institution, featuring music from New Orleans and beyond. Preservation Hall, 726 St Peter Street, and Storyville District, 125 Bourbon Street, are the two prime jazz venues, with the House of Blues, 255 Decatur Street, catering for those who like blues, rock, gospel and other styles.



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