The Bywater New Orleans neighborhood sits downriver from the Marigny, bounded by the river, the Industrial Canal, and St. Claude Avenue.

It has morphed over the years from an immigrant family neighborhood to an artist enclave, to a slump, to the vibrant and hip community that exists today.

Heard about the drag brunches at the Country Club? That’s the Bywater. Checking Elizabeth’s off the brunch list and Bacchanal off the happy hour list? You’ll be in the Bywater. Going to a Kermit Ruffins show on a weeknight at Vaughan’s? Also the Bywater.

The addition of Crescent Park along the riverfront has been a boon to the neighborhood as well, with spectacular views of the city of New Orleans skyline. Throw in some fabulous native landscaping, a dog run, bike and running paths, and pavilions, and you’ve got a neighborhood anchor that brings people together. Stretching from the edge of the French Quarter to the end of the Bywater, it’s 1.4 miles of fantastic public space on the edge of the neighborhood.

Shotguns, townhouse-style homes with double galleries, cottages, and condos abound in the Bywater New Orleans neighborhood. Pricing is a little less expensive than the Marigny, but the architecture and charm remain the same. Take a walk around the neighborhood and you’ll find some personal improvements that make these homes unique to their owners. Not a bad thing at all.

Did we mention color? We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that the Bywater is one of the most colorful neighborhoods in the city, with a distinct Caribbean influence in the predominant hues of choice.