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Resting on the bayou, the city of New Orleans is full of southern charm and other worldly magic. But, as we quickly found, it can sometimes be a lot to take in. From the neon, semi- debauchery in the streets and beads strewn everywhere. The excitement is everywhere in NOLA. But, what if you want a more laissez-faire experience to lesser-known places? If that’s the case, we’ve got you covered!

Here’s a quick guide to jumpstart your exploration of two slower paced parts of the city: Bywater and Algiers Point.

1. Bywater

One of the best places to explore for a more laidback, truly authentic experience can be found in the Bywater neighborhood. This neighborhood is located north/east of the famed French Quarter district. It has a funky, offbeat vibe. Case in point, when driving into the area, we spotted spontaneous yard sales on street medians framed by brightly colored Creole cottages. Make sure your camera battery or phone is fully charged when exploring because if you’re anything like us, you’re going to want to snap photos of every nook and cranny.

Another stellar stop in Bywater is the St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery No. 2. The historic cemeteries in New Orleans are unlike others. Based on the city’s elevation – parts are above sea level while others are below – graves are above ground, oftentimes in vaults from the 18^th and 19^th century. It’s fascinating to walk through the cemetery and an easy thing to do in the city as there are a few popular ones. St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery No. 2 differs from the others because… it is free! Other cemeteries require paid admission (about $10 per person) and you can only visit as part of a tour group/with a guide. If you have your eye on a guided tour through a city cemetery, we recommend you reserve a space/ticket online in advance. Space is limited with departures during a set time frame each day. If you’re interested in a cemetery tour, here are some traveler favorites.

This cemetery is split and located on either side of Louisa St. We had an easy time finding a place to park on the street near the cemetery entrances. Street parking was free. We walked around one half of the cemetery and spent about 30 mins here. We had the cemetery to ourselves which was surprising because there are so many ghost/cemetery/voodoo tours being offered all over New Orleans. 

Other sites nearby: In Bywater, you’ll be near Crescent Park which provides unique views of the city and a 1.4-mile riverfront promenade. The park consists of twenty-acres and has pavilions available for use. Crescent Park also runs into the Marigny neighborhood to the west, where you’ll find Frenchmen Street – the so-called Mecca in New Orleans for live, local music and jazz clubs. 

While on the topic of sweet treats, be sure to enjoy a slice of bread pudding at some point in your exploration of the city. We loved the slice we got at Frenchman All Day in the Marigny neighborhood.

When you arrive at Algiers Point you will instantly feel a different vibe overtake you. When we strolled the streets in the late morning, we found ourselves in a quiet, sleepy part of the city. Residents we crossed paths with were very polite and chatty – from the man walking his Pitbull in the middle of the street to the mother and daughter pulling weeds in their front yard.  A man took one look at our modest, casual outfits and asked if we were local schoolteachers at a school nearby. That was a first for us. 

There is a jazz themed self-guided riverwalk tour you can go on, but we opted to meander through the streets letting ourselves get pulled towards whatever colorful Creole Cottage, mural or Mardi Gras house float décor that caught our attention. If we called New Orleans home – this is the neighborhood, we’d would live in. The pace felt slower and overall, it was less touristy. There are not a lot of shops or eateries here – most of what you’ll find is near the ferry terminal. If you visit, it’ll be for a short and sweet ferry ride to see a more historic and humble part of NOLA.