history
Bourbon Street (Rue Bourbon in French) is a famous and historic street that runs the length of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. When founded in 1718, the city was originally centered around the French Quarter. New Orleans has since expanded, but “The Quarter” remains the cultural hub, and Bourbon Street is the street best known by visitors.
The most frequented section of Bourbon Street is “Upper Bourbon Street”, an eight-block section of popular tourist attractions. Bourbon Street begins at Canal Street (across Canal is Carondelet Street in the New Orleans Central Business District). The straight street continues downriver, southwest to northeast a few blocks from and roughly paralleling the Mississippi River, and comes to its terminus at Pauger Street in the Faubourg Marigny. (In the 19th century, Pauger was named as a continuation of Bourbon Street.) Bourbon Street was named in honor of the House of Bourbon, the ruling French Royal Family, at the time of the city’s founding.
From Dumaine Street to Pauger, Bourbon Street is largely residential with scattered businesses still catering to locals. Also on this stretch of Bourbon exists Jean Laffite’s Blacksmith Shop, which is a very popular bar, showing the style of the original French buildings (before the Spanish iron balconies) which burned in the first Great New Orleans Fire (1788).
Though largely quiet during the day, Bourbon Street comes alive at night, particularly during the French Quarter’s many festivals. Most popular among these is the annual Mardi Gras celebration, when Bourbon Street teems with hundreds of thousands of tourists. Local open container laws in the French Quarter allow drinking alcoholic beverages in the street in plastic containers (drinking from glass or cans is prohibited). The streets are packed with tourists drinking Hurricanes, Hand Grenades and Huge Ass Beers – a large plastic cup of draft beer marketed to tourists at a low price. Other festivals and events focusing on Bourbon Street include French Quarter Festival and Southern Decadence.
One of the oldest and most popular restaurants on Bourbon Street is Galatoire’s, which was founded in 1905. Known for years by its characteristic line snaking down Bourbon Street, patrons would wait for hours just to get a table — especially on Fridays.