Where is Bayou St John New Orleans? It’s located in Mid City and is bounded by Esplanade Ave, N. Broad St, the Lafitte Greenway, and the Bayou St John waterway. Originally an Indian supply route that stretched from Lake Pontchartrain to the Mississippi River, Bayou St. John is now just a 2.5 mile stretch of open water right in the middle of the city.

Typical architecture in the area includes shotgun singles, raised cottages, Arts & Crafts inspired homes and a large number of properties that were originally doubles but have been converted to single-family homes.

When you live in the area, you’ve got a 50/50 shot at having off-street parking (many entrepreneurial owners have been renting Jazz Fest parking spaces in their yards for years). If you find parking, it will typically be just a driveway, not a garage.

Things to do in Bayou St John

Sitting on the edge of City Park, Bayou St John is close to the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Fairgrounds, and borders the Lafitte Greenway. The bayou is like a siren call for picnickers, volleyball games and folks just enjoy the tranquil scenery.

Love outdoor activities? You’ll find paddleboards, kayaks (rent one here) and canoes easily available for rent if you don’t have your own. While you’re wandering the banks of the bayou, be sure to tour Pitot House, the only Creole colonial country house open to the public in New Orleans.

The neighborhood is the site of the annual Bayou Boogaloo each May, a 3-day music festival that family-friendly and filled with delicious food as well.

Speaking of food, there are some fantastic neighborhood eats: Lola’s, Cafe Degas, Crescent City Steakhouse, and Parkway Bakery & Tavern. Who needs a chain restaurant when you can grab a po-boy from the same place that Presidents have eaten?