Bywater

Artistic neighborhood with street art, cafes, and good restaurants. Fine for daytime walking but too quiet and residential at night - use rideshare after dark.

Bywater is the artsy neighborhood - colorful shotgun houses with murals, small galleries, indie coffee shops, restaurants focused on local ingredients. More residential and local than the French Quarter. You'll see actual New Orleanians instead of tour groups. During the day you can walk around looking at street art, vintage shops, and cafes. Connects to the French Quarter by foot during daylight. Once the sun sets and businesses close, the streets empty out fast. Limited street lighting in many areas, and you'll be walking past houses instead of active businesses. Restaurants and bars are spread out, not clustered like Frenchmen Street, so you're walking through quiet residential blocks between destinations. Use Uber or Lyft at night. Skip public transit after dark.