Must See Sights and Landmarks in Bywater Area

"Sure, it’s the most touristy spot in the city, but no list of beautiful Big Easy buildings can be complete without its most recognizable building. Overlooking Jackson Square sits the St. Louis Cathedral, one of the oldest continually operating cathedrals in the United States. After the original structure was destroyed in the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788, multiple rebuilds resulted in the current—and much larger—structure designed by Louisiana architect Jacques de Pouillyin 1850."

"If you’re up for waking up early, Jackson Square, featuring the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral in the background, is about as Instagrammable as you can get. This area gets crowded later in the day though, so if you want the perfect shot with no people in it, you have to go early. Either way though, it’s a fantastic shot for your ‘gram."

"The Jackson square is kind of the unofficial center or meeting point for tourists. The Andrew Jackson statue placed in the middle with the St. Louis Cathedral neatly tucked behind it, is an iconic landmark that represents the city of New Orleans. The Jackson square and the St. Louis Cathedral share deep rootedhistorythat is worth learning about. St. Louis Cathedral is open to visitors from all walks of life."

"Initially laid out with the rest of the old French Quarter, Jackson Square sits in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. Also called the Place d’Armes, it is the oldest space in the city. Trees and walkways were added to it in the 1830s and the equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson was added in 1856."

"You might be wondering why I haven’t mentioned the iconic French Quarter jazz venue, Preservation Hall. It’s absolutely possible to see a show here (40ish minutes) and then head to Frenchmen Street. Depending on the night of the week, prepare to wait in line for up to an hour and remember with no food, drink (BYOB), or AC and the likelihood of standing during the performance, this venue isn’t right for everyone."

"If you’re a fan of live jazz performances, then you must make plans to attend an upcoming show at Preservation Hall. Situated in the heart of the French Quarter on St. Peter Street, the venue presents intimate, acoustic New Orleans Jazz concerts featuring ensembles from a collective of more than 50 local master practitioners."

"After dinner is sure to check out live jazz at Preservation Hall. This ended up being our favorite thing we did in New Orleans and strongly suggest you don’t miss out on this during your 3 days in New Orleans."

"The St. Louis Cemetery was founded in 1789 and is the oldest burial ground of New Orleans’ most illustrious residents. There, you’ll find the gravesite of Voodoo queen Marie Laveau, as well as actor Nicolas Cage’s future tomb. Book with Save Our Cemeteries to have an up close and personal look at an array of wall vaults and tombs just steps from the French Quarter—and don’t forget the sunscreen."

"If it interests you, you can also find Bourbon Street running through the heart of the French Quarter. Though I avoided the madness, the upper part of the street has some cute houses and is nice to walk along earlier in the day."

"The French Quarter is iconic for its architecture, jazz, food, Bourbon Street and of course, its annual raucous Mardi Gras celebrations. So, it makes perfect sense most NOLA visitors start their trip here."

"Most visitors choose to stay in the French Quarter and the downtown Central Business District area. The neighborhoods are convenient for what to see in New Orleans in 3 days. They also have access to streetcars and are among the safest parts of the city. You can find a wide variety of places to stay at Expedia.com New Orleans Hotels to make all travel budgets happy."

"When one thinks of New Orleans, the wrought iron wraparound porches of the French Quarter most likely comes to mind. Since this is the most iconic part of the city, it’s the perfect starting point for your NOLA adventure."

"Following lunch we decided to head out of town and explore another unit of the Jean Lafitte NHP, Chalmette Battlefield, home of the Battle of New Orleans. Like most battlefields, you won’t find much other than a large open field but it is still an interesting stop. You should watch the short film at the Visitor Center to get an overview of the battle."

"Tours run twice every evening (5pm and 8pm) and include visits to the Lalaurie Mansion (where American Horror Story Coven was filmed), LaFitte’s Blacksmith Shop, and more. Our guide had plenty of creepy tales to share and clearly believed a lot of the ghost stories herself, which made it all the more fun. Our tour group was a little on the larger side, but otherwise, the experience was entertaining."

"Wander down to Governor Nicholls Street to see Lalaurie Mansion, once the home of actor Nicholas Cage, and one of the homes used for American Horror Story Coven. There are also other fancy homes like the New Orleans home of Angelina Jolie down this beautiful street."

"Another local favorite, Satsuma is a hipster-friendly coffeehouse that’s been serving up cold-pressed organic juices, breakfasts, and lunches since 2009. Inspired by a philosophy of making “great food with fresh ingredients in a community-based environment,” this joint offers visitors a set menu, as well one-day special options, all made from scratch. Our advice: If you walk into Satsuma and it has a specialty pancake featured, definitely order it!"

"Satsuma is about as healthy-ish as brunch options get in the Big Easy, from a kale salad cut with spinach, cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, bacon, slender avocado slices, crisp basil, and parmesan croutons to vegetarian dishes like a coconut-ginger curry scramble with quinoa or tofu and an egg sandwich with baby arugula, tomato, Swiss, and avocados. The Cali-style cafe is a welcome break from a weighty diet of beignets, po' boys, and so..."

"Satsuma Cafe serves hearty and nutritious salads, sandwiches, wraps, cold-pressed juices, and coffee drinks. Their options will surely help you power through a long day of sightseeing without weighing you down."

"Tucked into the Bywater neighbourhood of New Orleans, Booty’s Street Food is owned by a travel journalist and serves street food from around the world. The brunch menu changes seasonally, but features traditional breakfast items ranging from Belgian waffles to Japanese ramen. In addition to the constantly-changing menu, Booty’s also has rotating art exhibitions in the restaurant bathrooms."

"Booty’s, brainchild of owners Kevin Farrell and Nick Vivion, made its debut in the burgeoning Bywater neighborhood in 2012, serving craft cocktails...Read More"

"Great people, great atmosphere and most important the food was awesome!. I will eat here again and recommend it to anyone.”more"

"Housed in a low-slung purple building in Treme, you are obliged to place your order at a bulletproof glass window within. No worries, you will have plenty of company and even massive catering-sized orders roll up magically fast. The fried wings are addictive ($5.39 for 8 plus a side of fries or shrimp fried rice and a side salad) and the yakamein ($5.49) is spot on, too."

"The best place to find this street food is really at neighborhood corner joints like Manchu Food Store and Chinese Kitchen, a small bright-purple cinderblock building under the bridge on Claiborne."

"China Orchid in the Riverbend neighborhood has been around for more than 25 years, first opened by the mother of Joe Ming, proprietor of Ming’s in Lakeview. Ming’s mother, Susan, taught him how to cook Chinese food in the kitchen of the family-owned Uptown restaurant, which changed hands in 1992. It’s still a neighborhood go-to for Chinese takeout, with an extensive menu and delivery available."

"Carrollton Ave., (504) 865-1428; www.chinaorchidneworleans.com. An orange peel beef combo platter includes an egg roll, fried rice and egg drop or hot and sour soup."

"Right off the freeway and tucked behind a Best Buy on the West Bank, the unassuming Hong Minh has an excellent menu of Chinese specialties, alongside some traditional Vietnamese and Asian fusion dishes. It’s a hidden gem for takeout, with menu highlights that include the Mongolian beef, Peking duck, wonton soup, and beef with broccoli."