Bourbon Street

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a legendary thoroughfare that pulses with music, history, and unrestrained revelry. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, this 13-block stretch from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue is a kaleidoscope of neon lights, wrought-iron balconies, and the constant rhythm of jazz and brass bands echoing through the night.

Despite its name, Bourbon Street wasn’t named after the drink but after the French royal House of Bourbon, a nod to the city’s colonial roots. The street’s architecture, shaped more by Spanish influence due to the rebuilding after the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788, adds a distinctive flair to its already vibrant character.

By day, Bourbon Street reveals its historic layers, with landmarks like Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, one of the oldest bars in America, and the Old Absinthe House, where legends and libations intertwine. As dusk falls, the street transforms into a carnival of color and sound, where open doors spill live music into the streets and visitors clutch “go cups” as they wander from one bar to the next.