Magazine Street

Magazine Street is where New Orleans shops, eats and lingers when it is not entertaining tourists, and it is the perfect counterweight to a few days in the French Quarter. The street stretches about six miles parallel to the Mississippi, from Canal Street through the Warehouse District and the Lower Garden District, along the river side of the Garden District and on through Uptown to Audubon Park. Its character changes as it goes, but the constant is independence: the shops are overwhelmingly locally owned, from vintage clothing and costume stores to art galleries, antiques, home goods and New Orleans-themed gift shops with real wit. Galleries showing local artists mix with stationery and print shops, boutiques sit next to old corner bars, and the restaurants run from po-boy counters, bakeries and red-beans-and-rice joints to serious dinner destinations. The neighborhood bars along the way, including spots with balconies over the street and lounges inside boutique hotels such as the Hotel Saint Vincent, make it easy to turn a shopping walk into an evening. It is not a single compact district, so the trick is to choose a stretch: the Lower Garden District near Felicity and Jackson for vintage and cafes, the blocks near Washington Avenue for pairing with a Garden District walk, and the long Uptown run between Louisiana and Jefferson avenues for the densest mix of shops and restaurants. Fit: foodies, couples, and first-timers who want to see the city's everyday life, all on foot and free to browse.

Magazine Street also has a festive side. During Carnival season, several Uptown parades roll along or across parts of Magazine before turning onto the main parade routes, and the Uptown stretches are known for a more relaxed, family-friendly parade atmosphere than the crowds closer to downtown. Outside Carnival, the street hosts seasonal art walks and neighborhood events, and the bars and restaurants keep things lively into the evening.

How to do it: pick a section of a mile or two rather than trying to walk the whole street, and wear comfortable shoes. A good plan is to ride the St. Charles streetcar to Washington Avenue, walk the Garden District, then cut three blocks toward the river to Magazine and work your way Uptown or back toward downtown, stopping for lunch and a drink. The Magazine Street bus runs the length of the street, so you can hop on when your feet give out. Many shops open late morning and close in the early evening, and some close on Mondays or Sundays, so the middle of the week and Saturday are the best shopping days.

What to eat and drink: Magazine is a grazing street. Look for the corner po-boy shops and plate-lunch counters, the bakeries for king cake in season, and neighborhood places serving red beans and rice on Mondays, a New Orleans tradition. In the evening, the street's balcony bars and hotel lounges are relaxed alternatives to the Quarter. Prices are generally fair, and it is far easier to find a table here than downtown. Practicals: it is free to browse and best by daylight; take a rideshare or the bus home after dark if you are at the far Uptown end. Bring a tote bag, because the temptation to buy local prints, vintage finds and hot sauce is real, and remember that many of the best small shops close earlier than chain stores. If you only have an hour, the blocks around Washington Avenue give the best sample of the street's character in the shortest walk.